It started to look like things were stacked against us from the very beginning today. One of our players showed up after the first question was read. We were in second to last place going into the second half. We missed the entire halftime round. But we still somehow managed to make a nice second half comeback and win one of three My Trivia Live finals spots up for grabs today at Powell’s Pub! We’ll see some of you at finals next Saturday at the Library Bar in Novi (clicks tongue, winks badly since I do not know how to wink…and I don’t really know how to click my tongue, either)! If our bids to qualify for MTL finals were compared to “Star Trek” movie installments, then today was our “Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country” bid (#6). Let me explain…our even numbered bids tend to be good – the odd numbered bids tend to be bad. Just like the odd numbered ST movies tend to be bad (opinion…opinion…), and the even numbered ones tend to be good. The first time we tried qualifying in August, 2016, we failed. The second time we tried in December, 2016, we made it. And so on, so forth. Though I think the 2009 JJ Abrams Star Trek movie kind of resets the pattern, since that one was good, and the next one “Into Darkness” was not quite as good. But we have a few more MTL semifinals to worry about before we get to THAT movie! Speaking of getting to things, how about those questions?

Round One

1. Products – The original trademark application in 1924 for what product was for “absorbent sheets or pads used for removing cold cream?” As serendipity would have it, I actually read about this very product earlier this week, and the word “cold cream” stuck out in my head, got for 5. See comments below for a little bit more about this story, but make sure you try coming up with this answer, first!

2. Cover Stories – Whose face appears alongside that of Clarence Thomas’ face on an Oct. 21, 1991 Time headline which read “Sex, Lies, and Politics?” 3

3. U.S. History – Which Wright brother won a coin toss and made the first three-second flight? Miss for 1.

Round Two

1. ’80s Movies – What player’s name appears on a jersey worn by Ferris Bueller’s friend Cameron in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off?” 5

2. Rare Books – The 1980 Stephen King novel “Firestarter” had a special edition in which 26 books were bound in what carcinogenic material? 3

3. Advertising Mascots – What is the name of the mustachioed man on a can of Pringles? Miss for 1.

Round Three

1. James Bond – What James Bond film was the first to feature the Aston Martin DB5 and also the first to win an Oscar? Miss, this one was totally on me. Sorry guys (hangs head sheepishly). [spoiler] – I will make up for this flub in the second half! Miss for 3.

3. Computer Software – When Microsoft Office 1997 was introduced in 1996, what application had an Easter egg in it that included a flight simulator? We had two possible answers written down, including the correct one – but we didn’t write down the correct one. Miss for 5. Things were starting to look UGLY! Will we make up some ground with the halftime questions? Read on, if you dare!

Halftime – Taxes (I said to the team, “Can we get death instead?”)

Name four of the five U.S. states with the highest average combined state and local tax rates, per Forbes in 2017.

Nope, nope, nope and NOPE. Only one team out of eight managed to get even one of these correct.

Scores (speaking of death,…)

Pigeon, 16; ‘Pods, 17; Ham Wallets, 21; Random Trump Reference, 22; King Cobra, 24; and tied for first was That’s What She Said, Pants, and Better Late Than Pregnant were all tied for first with 25.

Clearly we would need a miracle with the second half! Or at the very least, get some questions about things we know (dream on, right)!

Round Four

1. NBA – What NBA player is known for winning awards as a rookie, player, executive and coach? I am not 100 percent on this wording. I had the right guess, but since I am not the sports guy on the team, I let others take the reins. Miss for 2. Not a good way to start this round, but we were determined to keep our chins up!

2. Magazines – The magazine MC1R is geared toward people possessing what outwardly identifiable genetic trait? Brad with right guess for 4.

3. Same Name – What 1977 Billy Joel album, which is #70 on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 best albums of all time, shares its name with a 1946 novel by Albert Camus? Had right answer right away, but after f—ing up the James Bond one earlier, they kind of “voir dired” me a bit…so I said, “Well let me show you what albums AREN’T correct…” We keep each other on our toes, but sometimes it pays off! 🙂 Got this for 4.

1. Fruit – Kiwi fruit is native to the southern part of what modern day country? Miss for 2, though we did consider the right country (face slap)!

2. Toys – Name one of two “hot” Christmas toys made by the company Worlds of Wonder that were released in 1985? There was a bit more to this question, involving these toys being paired with Nintendo NES, or something to that effect…got this for 6.

3. Celebrities – What current American businesswoman and TV personality was named Glamour magazine’s best-dressed college girl in 1961? Mike originally had a guess, but I checked him on that (see, two can play at that game…) and I said to do the math, and we figured she was probably too young. Then Mike came up with the woman who wound up being correct. And Mike is not usually our “celebrities” guy, so very nicely done! 4.

Round Six

1. Awards – What American composer died in 2012 – who was also the owner of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards – and also a Pulitzer Prize winner? This is some of that knowledge that I compare to being like fine china. You never really need it, and you hardly ever use it, and most of the time, it’s just sitting in a cupboard somewhere…but when you trot it out, well, it’s just….impressive. Got this for 6. Were we on our way to making a comeback? Well, let’s not start sucking each other’s dicks quite yet, as that guy in “Pulp Fiction” would say!

2. Animated Films – What 2008 animated film with a $40 million budget made just $915,000 and debuted on 2000 screens? No teams got this one correct, we missed for 2.

3. State Borders – What is the only U.S. state whose east and west borders are formed entirely by rivers? I felt vindicated for knowing this one after the epic mystery round state borders flub from Tuesday’s game at Johnny’s Grill…(terrible, terrible, terrible).

Scores – Pigeon, 22; That’s What She Said, 33; Ham Wallets, 35; King Cobra, 36; Better Late Than Pregnant, 39; Insert Trump Reference, 44; ‘Pods, 47; and Pants, 49.

Final Category – Coins

What coin, minted in 1794 and 1795, was the first dollar coin minted by the U.S. government, with one of them recently fetching $10 million at a 2013 auction?

We debated this one quite a bit, did not hand in our slip right away. And I have been asked to not share all of the details of what happened next (trade secrets, sorry)!

Final Scores – That’s What She Said, 33; Insert Trump Reference, 37; ‘Pods, 46.

We’ll see some of you at finals next Saturday! And we are taking tonight off from trivial pursuits. As always, Go Pods, and stay classy, Martha Stewart!