With Maui being the higher seed and buzzing in first, we’ll call Stephen the challenger – for the purposes of entry to the game tonight.
AND NOW…. welcome in the challenger: the Eastern Peninsula ConferenceandArbor Regional Champion ……
STEPHEN!!!!!!!
Oh man! Bringing the hate to start the game!!!! Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate….
I like it — showing Maui that he’s here for business…. with a sampling of pleasure. Well, it’s the championship, so go big now, because you’re going home at the end of the night anyways — only one is going home with the championship, though.
Now, making his way to the showdown…..
The Western Peninsula ConferenceandPortsmouth Regional Champion….
MAUI!!!!!
Here we have the board….
The way it is going to work is that I will pose five topics/questions to Maui, and he will respond. Then we’ll score his responses, and go over to Stephen to do the same thing. At the end of the night, whoever has the most points wins the game, the championship, and becomes the 2015 Champion of Champions!
But, first, to honor America — and bring this back full-circle — the singing of our National Anthem by the stunningly lovely, very successful, and award-winning…. Faith Hill….
Until next year, Faith Hill.
Let us now get to the Championship action….
As I mentioned prior, Maui buzzed in first and so he will be first up. Maui….
Name an article of clothing you buy but don’t hang up. “Underwear”
Name a place that a bookie would recruit muscle to collect money. “Mafia/Organized Crime, Gangs”
Besides basketball, name something an indoor arena would host “Hockey”
Name an event where your guests give you gifts. “Birthday”
Besides swimming, name something people enjoy doing at the beach “Drinking”
Good showing, Maui — he clearly is here to play. He knows what is at stake. Let’s see how his responses translate into points.
I said: Name an article of clothing you buy but don’t hang up.
You said: “Underwear” ….
Good answer, good answer. I know that I fold them, and I reckon I’m like most other folks in that regard. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!….
MAUI – off to a good start, with 40 points on the board.
I said: Name a place that a bookie would recruit muscle to collect money.
You said: “Mafia / Organized Crime, gangs” ….
If you’re looking for big guys who are comfortable with skirting the law, and who will do as they’re told, that’s not a bad place to recruit, I’d reckon. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!….
Good times — 70 points thus far…. even though I didn’t tally them as I went along…. I guess we’ll have to do some math tonight…. *shrugs* …
I said: Besides basketball, name something an indoor arena would host
You said: “Hockey” ….
One of the most underrated sports, ESPECIALLY, when it’s playoff season. Playoff hockey is intense. I’m still disappointed that we were only able to go to like 3 games this post-season. Very disappointing, indeed. What’s not disappointing, though, is this answer. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!….
There we go — getting some big points, now! Maui is up to 120.
I said: Name an event where your guests give you gifts.
You said: “Birthday” …. Birfday….it’s yo’ birfday…..
SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!….
Eh, maybe if we were children. But, that’s okay — points are what you need and it still got you points. Heading into the final response, Maui has 150 points. A very strong showing.
I said: Besides swimming, name something people enjoy doing at the beach
You said: “Drinking” ….
One of the best parts about summer — although, it sounds like we’ll have to find another reason to go out to the beach this summer, since 4th of July is damn-near out of the question. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!….
BOOM! SHAKA-LAKA! Very strong showing. But Stephen is no slouch in this game…. despite forfeiting in the first round…. but, since then, he has been no slouch.
Let’s remind everyone of Maui’s responses…..
Stephen is now up….
Maui kilt it, he did his thing. So, Stephen, you need at least 200 points to tie the game, and force a sudden death playoff…. or, go over 200 points and win the championship outright. He knows what is at stake, so let’s get to it. Same five on the board….
Name an article of clothing you buy but don’t hang up. “Underpants” — *err err* — try again … “Socks”
Name a place that a bookie would recruit muscle to collect money. “Gym”
Besides basketball, name something an indoor arena would host “Hockey” — *err err* — try again … “Arena football”
Name an event where your guests give you gifts. “Wedding”
Besides swimming, name something people enjoy doing at the beach “Volleyball”
Good showing by Stephen, as well! Maui beat him to a couple of responses, but I think that he rebounded pretty well. Let’s see how the points add up….
I said: Name an article of clothing you buy but don’t hang up.
You said: “Socks” …
A very good answer. SURVEEEY SAYS!!!!…..
“Socks” — “socks” was the #1 answer. Stephen is off to a good start, so let’s see if he can keep it going.
I said: Name a place that a bookie would recruit muscle to collect money.
You said: “Gym”….
SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS……
“A shady/biker bar” was the #1 answer. But Stephen still got 30 points out of it, and has 80 points. Only needs 121 more to defeat Maui.
I said: Besides basketball, name something an indoor arena would host
You said: “Arena football” ….
SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!……
“Hockey” was the #1 answer.
I said: Name an event where your guests give you gifts.
You said: “Wedding” ….
Good answer, good answer. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!…..
BOOM!! “Wedding” was the #1 answer. And, just like that, we now have a VERY interesting game. One response left…. Maui at 200 points…. Stephen, currently, 160.
We know that Maui got the #1 response (“Drinking”), so that is off the board. However, he is only trailing by 40 points and there is one response remaining that can get him those 40 points, tie the game, and force a sudden-death playoff…..
This. Is. BIG.
I said: Besides swimming, name something people enjoy doing at the beach
You said: “Volleyball” ….
For all of the marbles….
SURVEY……
SAYS……..
Ohhhh….. what’s worse? The 40-point-answer was “Fireworks”…. and Stephen’s second guess (had Maui beat him to “volleyball”) was….. you know where this is going….. “Shooting off an insane amount of fireworks“…..
We came *this* …. *close*….. to a tie and sudden death for the Championship. So damn close! Oh man. A great run but it wasn’t meant to be, I guess. Stephen will have all year to dwell on how close he came, and I will try to find some sort of consolation prize for Stephen — since he was a warrior in this Tournament. It probably won’t be an automatic nomination into the 2015 Ryan Awards, though, simply because — if so — it wouldn’t be likely that he’d win “Clutch Performance of the Year“, simply because Maui had a more-clutch performance…. that won the championship, haha. And that would be insult-to-injury to have him lose again. Meanwhile, Maui will have all year to gloat and celebrate this championship — and, since he is almost exclusively a Blazer fan, it is going to be the only championship that he has a chance at celebrating…. so, hopefully, he makes the most of it.
WHAT A TOURNAMENT!!!
I’d like to thank everyone who participated, played, watched, and enjoyed — it’s really a month-long celebration of the great people that I know and I always look forward to it. Next year, I’ll have Dibs available in the first round, so then we can weed out the folks who aren’t that interested to start with. But some great competition came out of the Tournament this year. Be proud — while there is only one Champion of Champions, everyone in the Tournament is a winner, as far as I’m concerned.
On the eve of the Championship, I reveal how we are going to play this one. As we’ve stuck to the “Family Feud”-inspired format for the Tournament thus far, I see no reason to change it. Therefore, the last round of the game show is the “Fast Money” (which I call “Cash Money”) and it is operated differently than the regular game play.
Similarly, we’ll operate the Championship differently than the regular game play that we have seen up to this point.
CHANGES
Rather than a back-and-forth series format, the player who buzzes in first with his responses will go first. After his responses have been recorded, they will be scored. Then, I’ll take the second player’s responses and score them. It’s really simple: at the end of the round, the player with the most points wins the game and becomes the new Champion of Champions!
Like in the game show, there will be five (5) topics posed to each player, however, unlike the game show, each player will get to supply two (2) responses per topic. This difference is because, in the game show, it’s the same family trying for communal points; whereas this is a head-to-head battle of will and determination. Therefore, by providing two (2) responses, if there is a duplicated response, we can use the back-up response to potentially garner points.
No one wants a shutout due to duplicated responses in the Championship…. that’d be anticlimactic.
Scoring
Similar to the past few rounds, the higher the response the more weighted the score. Because I have come up with at least 3-4 responses per topic, the uniformed scoring will be:
Top response: 50pts; 2nd response = 40pts; 3rd response = 35pts; 4th or more response = 30pts
THE TOPICS
#1: Name an article of clothing you buy but don’t hang up.
#2: Name a place that a bookie would recruit muscle to collect money.
#3: Besides basketball, name something an indoor arena would host
#4: Name an event where your guests give you gifts.
#5: Besides swimming, name something people enjoy doing at the beach
Remember, you get two (2) responses per topic — you don’t have to play both of them, if you feel like gambling, but it’d be in your best interest. I have, at least, 3-4 responses per topic that I’ve generated, so it’s likely that at least one of your responses is up there.
####
As always, if you have questions, let me know. Players will have until 5pm (PT) tomorrow to submit their responses. I will be playing kickball at that time, *BUT* if one of the two Champions fails to participate by 5pm tomorrow, I will send out a notification for a Dibs-calling opportunity.
There are only two matches on the schedule tonight: the Eastern Peninsula Championship, between Angela (Kenton Champion) and Stephen (Arbor Champion); and the Western Peninsula Championship, between Jay (St. Johns Champion) and Maui (Portsmouth Champion).
Regional Champions vs. Regional Champions, creates Conference Champion vs. Conference Champion, thus, the Champion of Champions title. #TheMoreYouKnow
An interesting field of the Famed Four this year: two #1 seeds against two players who were eliminated earlier and re-joined the game via Dibs. It’s certainly a story-line that I could not have scripted, which is what makes it so interesting and fun.
In what started a few weeks ago with a field of 64 of some of the best people that I know, here we are: down to the Famed Four — the Regional Champions. By the end of tonight, though, only two of them will be advancing for the ultimate showdown to determine who is the 2015 Champion of Champions!
But first, before we get to tonight’s Championship action, to honor America, the singing of our National Anthem by the US Army band:
Now… let’s get it on!!!!!!
First up, the Eastern Peninsula Championship….
Eastern Peninsula Championship
———————–
Angela Kenton Champion
vs. Stephen Arbor Champion
I have my first six responses on the board….
And I ask both players: Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
Stephen buzzed in first and so he will control the board to start the game. For his first selection, he is going with: “Cell phones… use cell phone”. Good answer, good answer — I believe, here in Portland, you can get a $500 fine if caught on your phone…. which is bogus, personally…. and I still see a lot of folks with their phones, regardless. I mean, really, is talking on a phone any more or less distracting than talking on a hands-free device? Or talking to people in the car? However, The Man is able to get revenue out of it, so that’s why it exists. Anyway, let’s see if it’s on the board…. SURRRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!!!!……..
There it is — Stephen is off to a strong start: 30-0. Let’s see what Angela offers up for a rebuttal and if she can get on the board. Angela, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And she is going with: “Speed” — good answer, good answer. Even though speeding is inevitable because people here drive incredibly slow… whenever The Man is around, we definitely have to ease off the accelerator. Let’s see if it’s on the board…. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!…..
And, just like that, Angela is in the game — trailing, now, 30-20 with still a ton of time and responses on the board. So we go back over to Stephen. Stephen, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Under the influence” — another good answer from Stephen; he clearly has shown up to play tonight. SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!…….
Ohhh… it was a good response, but not on the board. So, we go back over to Angela, who now has an opportunity to take the lead with her next response. Angela, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And she is going with: “Use phone” ….
Unbeknownst to her, at the time, but Stephen had already played that response. The score stays the same — 30-20, Stephen’s lead — and we go back to Stephen to see if he can add to his lead. Stephen, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Eating/drinking” — good answer, good answer. I think that, at some point or another, we’ve all done it even though we know that it’s frowned upon — especially, since it gets crumbs and such all over the place, depending on what you’re eating. SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!….
It is — Stephen now adds to his lead: 47-20. Angela still has time, though, and so we go back over to her. Angela, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And she is going with: “No seat belt” — good answer, good answer. I’ve seen that stupid Click-It-Or-Ticket commercial a bunch on TV as of late, so The Man must be really pressing that one. Let’s see if it’s on the board…. SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!…..
And Angela is back in the game! Cuts into Stephen’s lead, which is now at 47-30, with 33 points still on the board. As long as Stephen does not get the second response, Angela will continue to be alive in the game. Let’s see if Stephen can close it out: Stephen, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Getting ready – clothes, make-up, shaving, dental care” …. damn, that’s a lot of preparation going on in the car…. who has that long of a commute?!?! I do not envy them. Let’s see if it’s on the board though, and, more importantly, if its the second response that will knock out Angela and advance Stephen to the Championship at the end of the week. SURRRRVEEEY SAYS….. “Getting ready”!!!!………
It is — but it’s the sixth response, so, while Stephen does extend his lead to 55-30, he doesn’t clinch the victory. Angela still has an opportunity to get that second response and tie the game, forcing sudden death. However, Angela needed to ponder her final two selections…… and never submitted them…. so her fate does come down to this response.
There is only one response that can keep her alive and force a sudden death showdown …. none of Stephen’s remaining responses generated points, so this is huge.
Angela, with the game on the line….. Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And she is going with: “Don’t use blinkers” — which is a very valid and true response; I typically only use my signals when necessary, though. If no one is around, it’s just a formality that I do when I sense that The Man is nearby. Let’s see if it’s on the board…..
….to stay alive…..
….to force sudden death……
….with a berth in the 2015 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions championship at stake…….
Ohhhh…. it didn’t make it. Well, Angela had a good run and I don’t know if she is still pondering her final two responses, but she’ll have some time, now, to ponder what could have been. Stephen, on the other hand, has to get his mind right-quick because he has a Championship to prepare for! And we’re just about to find out who he is going to be playing against.
WEStern Peninsula Championship
———————–
MAUI Portsmouth Champion
vs. Jay St. Johns Champion
I have my first six responses on the board….
And I ask both players: Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
Maui buzzed in first and so he will control the board to start the game. For his first selection, he is going with: “Speed” — a solid start to the game. We know that it’s up there, so let’s get the scoring going….. SURRVEEEY SAYS!!!!…..
Solid start for the Emperor, and he leads off the game 20-0. We now go over to Jay to see what he has to play. Jay, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Talk/text on the phone” — also a great response, we know it’s up there and we know what this now means…. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!…..
Jay now has the lead, 30-20. But still plenty of time and responses on the board and left to be played — Maui and Jay both played all 6 responses; no indefinite pondering was necessary, apparently. So let’s go back over to Maui….. Maui, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Use cell phone” — a good response, as we know, because Jay just played it….
No points for Maui, and so the score stays the same: 30-20, favoring Jay. So we go over to Jay now, to see if he can put Maui in a real bind. Jay, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And his response: “Buzzed/drunk driving” — good answer, good answer. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!!….
It was a good response, but not one that is on the board. The score stays the same, 30-20, and we go back over to Maui to see if he can take the lead. Maui, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
“Eat” — another solid answer; both guys have shown up to play tonight — which is always refreshing. We know it’s up there…. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!!……
And now Maui takes the lead: 37-30! Jay still has a few responses left, though, and has options still on the board, so it’s still anyone’s game. Let’s see what Jay can do, now, with the pressure mounting. Jay, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he says: “Speed, reckless driving” — good answer, good answer… but we know it’s one that Maui already played…..
….so no points for Jay, and the score stays the same: 37-30, favoring Maui.
Maui, now, has an opportunity to put this game out of reach. There are still 3 responses on the board…. if he can get the second response, he clinches the game and advances to play Stephen at the end of the week for the championship. If he gets one of the other, lower responses, Jay stays alive in the game, and will have an opportunity to win.
Maui, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Drive while not sober” ….
Which Jay had already played but it wasn’t on the board. So, we now go over to Jay, who has a chance, now, to potentially get the lead and take control of the game. Jay, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Eat” ….
Which is also a good one…. that Maui had already played. Once again, the score doesn’t change — still Maui nursing a 7 point lead, 37-30.
Maui has an opportunity, though, to increase his lead. Maui, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Drive without seat belt” — good answer, good answer. We know it’s up there, so let’s see it…. SURRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!!……
With that response, Maui increases his lead — 47-30 — but hasn’t quite clinched the win, just yet. Jay still has 33 points remaining on the board, down by 17, and two responses to play. Jay, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Get dressed” — SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!…..
We now have ourselves a very close game! With those points, Jay stays in the game — 47-38 — with one response remaining both on the board and to be played. Let’s see if Maui can make Jay’s options irrelevant with a decisive victory on, this, his final selection.
Maui, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And, to win the game…..
….and advance to the championship to play against Stephen…….
Maui is going with: “Change clothes/make-up” ……..
Ohhhhh….. the response that Jay *just* played and would have put Jay in a very tight jam — making him need the second response to tie and force sudden death. However, since he is only trailing 47-38, Jay now has an opportunity to win the game. All he needs to do, is get the second response that is on the board.
Jay, Name something people do while driving even though they know they should not…
And he is going with: “Read” …..
If it’s on the board, Jay wins the game and advances to the championship round to play Stephen….
With the honor of being crowned 2015 Champion of Champions within reach…..
If it’s *not* on the board, though….
Maui wins the game and advances to play Stephen for the championship….
He is going with “Read” — SURRRVEEEY SAYS………
Ohhh, a good run, nonetheless. Maui takes the game and advances to play Stephen at the end of the week. It may be unlikely to have a Dibs opportunity come up in the championship round, but I suppose that anything is possible.
Let’s see the one that stayed on the board the whole game today…..
#2 !!!!!
Ogle the ladies — Yeah…. especially, now that we are getting into the warm, summer months, the ladies are a pretty good distraction. One must be careful while driving in densely populated places for this very reason.
####
Well, there we have it! We will rap up the 2015 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions on Friday evening and, sparing any unforeseeable Dibs replacements, it’ll be a very interesting showdown. Get excited!
No Dibs were necessary this time around (what I like to see) and we are going to knock out all four matches tonight! Wednesday will be the Famed 4 (Conference Championships), and then we’ll close out this year’s Tournament on Friday. Get excited.
Speaking of excitement, we have some very good matches awaiting us, with a solid topic that generated some great responses.
But, before we get to that, let us first take a moment to honor America, these glorious United States, as well as all of those who sacrificed their lives defending not only the borders of these glorious United States but also our freedoms….freedoms that trickle all the way down to being able to make little Tournaments like this.
To honor America, our National Anthem….
And, because it is now Memorial Day, a bonus tribute: “God Bless America”, sang by retired Naval Petty Officer, Generald Wilson
AND NOW…. let’s get to today’s action….
Jay vs. Jason St. Johns Region
Championship
I have my first five responses on the board….
And I ask both players: Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
Jason buzzed in first and so he controls the board. His first response is: “Wear lots of make-up”. That could make sense. I don’t think that there are many guys who invest a lot of time into caring about make-up. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!……
Ohhhh. Well, good answer, nonetheless, and now we go over to Jay to see if he can get on the board. Jay, “Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about”…
And he is going with: “Toe nails/finger nails” — good answer, good answer. I know that I don’t understand why women put a lot of time/energy/expense into nails…. I don’t care about that. Let’s check the board…. SURRRRRVEEEEEEY SAYS!!!!……
There it is — Jay is now on the board with 25pts. Still plenty of points available, though, so Jason certainly can make this a contest. Jason, “Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about”…
“Get super thin” — I can dig it; when it comes to attractiveness (in almost all mediums), there’s certainly a tipping point where something that was attractive is no longer attractive. Let’s see if it’s on the board…. SURRRVVEEY SAYS!!!!…….
Ohhh, another misfire. Let’s see if Jay can extend the lead, or maybe even seal the game with the top response. Jay, “Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about”…
“Hair color” — Good answer, good answer. It’s the classic “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”-type of thing. I can dig it. Is it on the board….. SURRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!!!……
Ohh, not quite. However, Jay still leads in this game, 25-0. We go back over to Jason, to see if he can get on the board. Jason, “Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about”…
“Be into sports” — Hm, interesting. I guess it would depend on if the guy was into sports himself – but I imagine sporty girls are pretty attractive. Let’s see if it’s on the board…. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!…..
Ohhh, I guess it would depend on the guy. Fortunately, Jay hasn’t pulled too far away in this game — still a very close 25-0 score. Jay, “Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about”…
“Shoes” — good answer, good answer. I know that I don’t care about shoes… both in regards to women that I find attractive or just in general. I remember, once, when I got “lectured” (for lack of better word) by my brother — when he was gathering info on what sort of shoes that I wanted (yeah, I get my shoes through him) — because I replied that “Whatever. Guy shoes. Shoes aren’t important”…… then the long pause….. followed by the “What?…. It’s almost summertime…. your shoes are a statement.” (Or something like that) Anyway, I get new shoes once every like 7-9yrs, so it’s not a big deal to me. Let’s see if it’s on the board….. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!……
It is! This gives Jay 45 points…. not quite sealing the game, but it does put the pressure on Jason, now. If Jason doesn’t get on the board with this question, it makes it impossible for him to win; so he needs to get some points this time around, otherwise the game is over. Jason, to stay alive in this game, “Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about”…
“Be submissive” — I’m interpreting this as like when women want us to make all of the decisions and do everything, perhaps trying to appease our “manliness”? Let’s see if it’s up there…. “being submissive”…..
To keep the game going…….
Ohhh…. it wasn’t on the board, and with just one response remaining, and Jason trailing by 45, it’s no longer possible for him to tie-or-win the match, and so victory will go over to Jay. As the St. Johns Regional Champion, he will await the Portsmouth Champion – which will be decided later tonight – to have a showdown in the Conference Championship. Jason had a good run, though; a relative unknown in the Tournament, who marched all the way to the Regional Championships in his Tournament debut — not too shabby of a performance.
Nicole vs. Stephen Arbor Region
Championship
I have my first five responses on the board….
And I ask both players: Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
Stephen buzzed in first, and so he will control the board to start the game. His first response: “Nails” — good answer, good answer…. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!!….
Stephen is in business, now with 25 points to lead-off this game. Still plenty of time and points remaining for Nicole, though, so let’s see what she brings. Nicole, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Make up” — let’s see if it’s there…. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!……
Ohhh, not quite. But, that’s okay – Stephen doesn’t have an insurmountable lead at this point. Let’s see what he brings with his second response. Stephen, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Collagen/Botox, basically all cosmetic surgery, but I focus on those” — good answer; I suppose that when women go overboard with the cosmetic surgery that it definitely crosses into the realm of things that we don’t care about …. maybe even things that we don’t like anymore. Although, I guess if it’s minor enough (or really well done) that we wouldn’t even know it’s there anyways. Interesting. Let’s see if it’s on the board and if Stephen puts some distance between him and Nicole. SUURRRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!…..
Ohh, not quite. But, that’s okay for Stephen, as he still holds a 25-0 lead. Nicole has an opportunity to get into the game with her second response. Nicole, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Hairstyles/coloring” — I can dig it, when women are spending a lot of time on their hair, even though it’s going to get messed up once they go outside…. especially if it’s breezy. I can dig it. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!!……
Ohhh, this is getting interesting, now! Nicole still trails 25-0, but Stephen hasn’t been able to put her away quite yet. We go back to him, now, for his next response. Stephen, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Hair…. just don’t look like a bum, pretty simple” — from the mouth of a wise-man. However, Nicole just played that response and we saw how that turned out…..
Which sends us back over to Nicole…. in a game that is still close but with time running out. Nicole, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Clothes – in general, men prefer nakedness”. Good answer, good answer. Although, really, I enjoy being teased by my imagination. I reckon that if women walked around naked all of the time that, eventually, it wouldn’t be as exciting anymore…… eh, or maybe auto accidents due to distracted drivers would just SKY ROCKET.
Let’s see if it’s on the board and if Nicole is getting back into this game…. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!!….
Ohhh… so we go back to Stephen, who — because he only played four responses; because he is a bold, bold man — is down to his last response. He sits, right now, up 25-0…. so there’s only one response that can beat him. However, with this last response, if he gets any points, he wins the game. Stephen…. for the win….. Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Outfit/attire — same bum principle applies here, I believe”…..
For the win……
And advancement to the Conference Championship…….
OHHHH…. this is exciting! With everything on the line, now — we go to Nicole…. down 25-0…. one response left because she, also, only played four….. with ONE response that can win. Nicole, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Mani/Pedi” ……
Ohhh, because Stephen already played that response, he secured the points and, thus, secures the win. I don’t know what Nicole’s fifth response would have been, but that’s got to be something that she’s going to mull over for…. probably the next few hours or so. Stephen, thus, advances to the Conference Championship next week, as the Arbor Region Champion, and — for folks playing trivia at home — he has eliminated 2/3 of the past Champion of Champions, now (Andy last year, and Nicole this year)….. and he has an opportunity to take on Emily (the defending Champion of Champions) if she wins later tonight. Very interesting.
Emily vs. Angela Kenton Region
Championship
I have my first five responses on the board….
And I ask both players: Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
Emily buzzed in first and so she will control the board to start the game. Her first response: “Put on heavy make up” — seems to be a popular response…. I should have thought about it more, I guess, haha.
Well, we go over to Angela, now, and let’s see what she is bringing to start her game. Angela, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Wear make up” — there it is again… and here’s this again…..
A tied game with four responses remaining each and all five responses still on the board — sounds promising!!! We go back over to Emily, now, to see if she can get on the board. Emily, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Change hair color/style” — this one, also, seems to be semi-common, too. I still contend that I’m right on this one, though… SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!…..
So we go back over to Angela to see if she can take the lead in the game. Angela, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Paint nails/toes” — good answer, good answer….. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!….
There we go – now Angela is on the board, and leads the game 25-0. However, still responses remain and so Emily can certainly get back into this game. Emily, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Go tanning” — Hmmm, I didn’t think about that one. That does make sense — I guess women do tan for the appearance purpose, as I can’t think of another reason why they’d want to just lay there under the Sun or under those lights at the tanning salon. Interesting. Yeah, I don’t really care about that, either…. as long as a woman’s not orange or leather-like due to over-exposure, I guess tanning is something that we probably don’t care too much about. Let’s see if it’s up there…. SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!……
Ohhh…. hindsight is always 20/20. I didn’t think about tanning but that makes a lot of sense; good answer from the defending Champion of Champions. Angela still holds the lead but she hasn’t locked up her victory — still has to play a strong game. Angela, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Botox” — good answer, good answer. We certainly don’t care too much about it, in general; I imagine that, most of the times, if women are talking to us about getting something done, we probably are pretty indifferent — whatever she wants to do is fine by us. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!…..
Unfortunately, it wasn’t one that I thought about, and so the game remains tight: 25-0 with Angela leading, but the defending Champion of Champions still having some life in the game… but she needs to capitalize on these opportunities as long as Angela isn’t able to shut her down. Emily, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Wear spanx” — I have no idea what spanx is…. *consults Google*…. ohhhh okay, like panty hose or something? WHAT?!?! They make $250M a year?!?!?! And they make some for guys, too?!?! What guys are wearing panty hose?? From reading about her story, it makes sense why she did what she did (apparently, panty hose is a real pain in hot/humid environments… maybe in general… *shrugs*) …. but guys don’t need panty hose — our clothing is the most comfortable clothing in existence. I don’t get it but that’s an interesting response…. because I didn’t know that was done for attraction purposes; I’m reading it as something created for functionality. Like really tall socks. Interesting. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!…..
This gets us into an interesting part of the match — just a couple of responses remain, now; Angela still has the lead (25-0) but not enough to seal victory. However, if she gets at least one of the remaining responses, then it puts her over the top, and makes it to where Emily cannot win the game.
So, we turn to Angela….. Angela, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Wear heels” — good answer, good answer…. let’s see if it’s up there…. SURRRRRRVEY SAYS!!!….
And it is! Which gets Angela up to 45 points, and, with just one response remaining from Emily, it makes it impossible for Emily to win the game. Therefore, Angela has robbed Stephen of a chance at defeating all three past Champion of Champions, and also ends Emily’s title defense run…. for now. Emily played a great game, though, and does have the ability to get back into the game, via Dibs, if the opportunity presents itself later!
AND NOW…. the final Regional Championship — coming out of the highly-competitive Portsmouth Region…..
Maui vs. Kathy Portsmouth Region
Championship
I have my first five responses on the board….
And I ask both players: Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
Kathy buzzed in first and she controls the board to start the game. With her first response, she is going with: “Getting her hair done” — again with the hair; I must be in the minority of guys who do care about hair, haha. Women’s hair is great — soft, smells amazing. I care about it, haha.
So, we go over to Maui, who has a chance to take the lead in the game. Maui, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Wearing jewelry – earrings, rings, bracelets, etc.” — good answer, good answer. I never understood women’s fascination with jewelry. I don’t understand the appeal of it…. and, aside from rappers and athletes, I don’t know many guys that are big into jewelry, either. I don’t get it. Let’s see if it’s on the board….. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!……
It is! The top response – so Maui jumps out to a 30-0 lead in this game, but there are still plenty of points on the board, so still plenty of opportunity for Kathy. For her second response, Kathy, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Getting her nails done (mani/pedi)” — yeah, good answer, good answer, indeed. We know it’s up there, AND we know that we have a game!!…. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!!…..
Kathy is right back in it, still trailing but only by 5 points (30-25), with plenty of points remaining in this game. Maui has a chance to start to pull away, though, so let’s see what he is bringing to the game tonight. Maui, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Fake nails/nail color” — truth….but, unfortunately for him, Kathy just played that response and so no points to the Emperor….
So we go back to Kathy — still trailing 30-25, with three responses remaining…. plenty of opportunity. Kathy, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Put on make-up/get it done” — we have crossed the bridge already tonight, but I reckon that guys do care about make-up, to an extent. Sure, I think that when a woman goes overboard with it, it’s universally not something we sign on for….but I didn’t have it my first five responses….
So, the score stays the same: 30-25, Maui leading and taking his turn. Maui, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Changing hair color” — I think I’ve made a strong case for women’s hair being awesome and care-worthy. If I accomplish nothing else tonight, I do hope that the women who read this take to heart that their hair is AMAZING. I don’t know if it’s pheromones or girly shampoos, but so soft and so intoxicating. Don’t mess around with it too much; 90% of the time, it is not worth the risk…. and it takes FOREVER to grow back to its starting point.
Maui is keeping this game close. Kathy has a chance to come back and make a play for the lead; she just needs one response to do so. Kathy, Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
“Buy a new outfit” — Eh, also something that I think that guys do care about…. at least a little bit. Even if it’s just like Stephen said, where the bar is pretty low (just be presentable), it is something that we care about, at least a little bit.
The good news for Kathy? She may not be scoring points….but neither is Maui. The bad news? She’s trailing by 5 points and time is running out. Let’s see if Maui can seal the win — by virtue of him having the top response, he just needs any response to put him out of reach of Kathy. However, since he only leads by 5…. if he botches this…. Kathy only needs one response to take the lead…..and possibly steal the win.
Maui…. for the Regional Championship….. Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
Well now…. here we are …… Maui: 30, Kathy: 25…. last chance for Kathy — if she gets any response, she not only stays alive but takes the lead, and puts ALL of the pressure onto Maui. And, if he’s getting into the “playing dumb” page of his playbook…. I don’t know if he’d be able to rally back for the win at the buzzer…. he’s no James Harden…..
Man… the guy already has his own “Greatest Hits” album going. Speaking of which…..
Anyway….
An incredibly close game — with it coming down to Kathy and her critical fifth response. As stated, prior to the gif storm, if she gets any response on the board then she takes the lead….and has a very good chance at winning…. and advancing on to the Conference Championship on Wednesday…. to face Jay with a berth in Championship on the line……
Kathy………. with the game on the line…….
Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about…
And she is going with: “Diet” ….. to stay alive…….
….And to probably win the game……
…because I don’t have much confidence in Maui being clutch……
THE SURVEY……..
SAYS…………
Ohhhh……..
And Maui advances to the Conference Championship…. winning by a mere 5 points…. coming out of the insanely competitive and tough Portsmouth Region. What a game, though — Kathy brought it and that’s the best we can hope for in this Tournament. She still has a chance to get back into this game, via Dibs, so let’s see how the next two rounds go.
Let’s see the ones that people didn’t get….
# 5 …..
Lotions / Creams — I don’t get it. Maybe this isn’t a common one (since no one went with it) but I’ve had girlfriends in the past who would apply lotions and creams before bed because they were convinced that it did something positive…. but I think it is sham, haha. They just looked like they normally did without make up… I don’t know what benefits the lotions and such actually provided. *shrugs*
# 4 ……
Purses / Bags — Not quite clothing, so I didn’t give the points in this round, but I don’t get the appeal of purses or bags that women carry. Especially, when they have a mini-purse inside of their big purse.
And because I don’t get it, I really could not care less about what type of purse a woman is carrying.
####
That does it for the Enduring 8 round, and now we will look forward to the Famed 4 — as they prepare to battle for their chance at becoming the 2015 Champion of Champions! One thing that we know, for sure, is that there will be a brand new Champion of Champions this year…. very exciting.
As we are getting ready to start the Enduring 8 round of the Tournament — the Regional Championships — here is a reminder of what is at stake:
The 2015 Champion of Champions will receive… –nifty Championship Certificate, so that you can let your office-mates, friends/family know that you are a Champion of Champions, and should be treated as such.
–-automatic entry into the 2015 Ryan Awards… at the very least, it will be a nomination in the “Clutch Performance of the Year” category, since, by navigating and winning this Tournament, that certainly does fall under the category of a clutch performer.
–$25 gift card to a place of your choosing (or just $25 straight-cash)
–an insane amount of pride. Arguably, the most valuable of the prize package is the ability to gloat over those that you have defeated.
THE ENDURING 8
Here is the list of players that are, currently, still alive in the Tournament and will be battling for their respective Regional Championship tomorrow evening:
Portsmouth Region
Maui vs. Kathy
St. Johns Region
Jay vs. Jason
Kenton Region
Angela vs. Emily
Arbor Region
Nicole vs. Stephen
The Enduring 8 Topic
The topic that they will be responding to is:
Name something that women do to be attractive, that men, generally, do not care about.
Remember: you get five (5) responses this round. While you cannot play more than five responses (I’ll only take the first five, if you try to), thanks to the Andy Rule, if you don’t play at least half of the responses, then your spot goes up for Dibs eligibility…. and there are a few folks who are very interested in getting back into the game.
Rest of the rules stay the same: respond by 5pm tomorrow (Sunday); first to respond controls the board, and we’ll go back-and-forth in series format until a winner is determined. Most points wins the game.
####
Let’s have some fun…. but not too much fun…. the Regional Championship is on the line. #GameFace
Tonight, we conclude the Smooth 16 round of the 2015 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions on a very big and exciting note!! The last two semi-final matches coming from the Arbor Region and the Portsmouth Region, respectively. Featuring four incredibly strong players, some of the most consistent players thus far in the Tournament, and people who are just winners — winners in sports, Ryan Awards, this Tournament, and, most importantly, winners in life. I am very excited for tonight’s Tournament action and so let’s get it started!!!
But first, to honor America, the singing of our National Anthem by Demi Lovato… who I still have no idea who this is….
NOW, let’s get the game going!!!
First up, the Arbor Region Semi-Final match-up….
Nicole vs. Aneel Arbor Region
Semi-Final
Last week, Nicole defeated Kristy to return to the Smooth 16 – a level of Tournament action that she is quite familiar with, being a 2x Champion of Champions. Meanwhile, Aneel, while he hasn’t yet worn the crown of Champion of Champions, he has gotten ridiculously close the past two years, advancing all the way to the Finals two years ago, against Andy. He returned to the Smooth 16 this year by defeating Aaron last week, and Jessica (in the Battle for Canada) in the first round. Both of these players know the game and are quite good at it, however, only one of them will advance to the Regional Championship!
I have my first four responses on the board….
I ask both players, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
Aneel buzzed in first, and so he will start off the series tonight. His first response: “Disability” – good answer, good answer; I could see that coming into play when the sentencing is coming down. Let’s see if it’s on the board…. SURRRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!……
Ohhh, it wasn’t one of my first four responses, but a good answer, nonetheless. We now turn to Nicole, who has a chance to get on the board. Nicole, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And she goes with: “Looks” – I can dig it. It seems like the more attractive-looking people will get the benefit of the doubt (ex. celebrities)…. until they really, really, really screw up. Let’s see if it’s on there…. SURRRRVEEEY SAYS!!!!……
It is, and Nicole is on the board with 20 points. Still plenty of game left to be played, though, so no need for Aneel to panic. For his second guess, Aneel, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And he is going with: “Age” … another good answer — I could see age coming into play, again, depending on the severity of the crime. Let’s see if their age can get them a break….. SURRRRVEEEY SAYS!!!……
Man, Aneel is having some good responses but they’re not getting him points. Fortunately, for him, Nicole, thus far, isn’t hitting on big responses. It’s time for her second response, Nicole, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And she is going with: “Remorse level” — good answer, good answer. I imagine if you look genuinely remorseful, you’ll probably get a break… even if it’s something really serious…. as opposed to going in there defiant and what not. Let’s see it…. SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!…….
Big points — Nicole is now sitting in a commanding position, leading 45-0; but Aneel still has a chance to win this game… he just needs to claim the remaining points on the board, and hope that Nicole strikes out to end the game. Aneel, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And he is going with: “Political influence” …. another good response — politically-connected folks tend to get a lot of support from The Man when they get in trouble…. unless The Man is in the mood to “make examples” of people…. ya know, since Justice is Blind or whatever…. then it’s the WORST time to be politically-connected. Let’s see if it’s on the board…. to stay alive… SURRRRVEEEEEEY SAYS!!!!!!……
With that miss, it seals the victory for Nicole, because, with just one response remaining, Aneel cannot secure the remaining points on the board; which would be the only way that he could win. But it was a strong performance, per usual, and a noble effort; he just didn’t get the breaks in this game, but I applaud the effort, nonetheless!!
Nicole gets the win and moves on to the Enduring 8, where she will face-off against Stephen in the Arbor Regional Championship! A very interesting prospective match; should be a good one!
AND NOW….
We move on to, arguably, the biggest showdown of the entire Smooth 16 round…. coming out of the ultra-competitive Portsmouth Region… it’s the second semi-final and the last match of the round….
If there was a comparable introduction for this match, it’d be the Bulls’ intro sequence from the Jordan era…..
….gets the heart pumping, for sure….
(Note: I always found the rather nonchalant coach announcement funny, though)
Maui vs. Ember Portsmouth Region
Semi-Final
I saved the best match-up for last, Good People. Maui vs. Ember — an established all-star against a wily newcomer who displays all of the traits needed in becoming a Champion of Champions! Very exciting times! Maui made his way to the Smooth 16, this year, by dispatching Kristin in the first round, and Jennifer last week; while Ember had to play her way past Kathleen in the opening round, and then John in the second — she has certainly had a difficult road to get to this point of the Tournament…. but there are no easy roads in the Portsmouth Region; 1-seed to 16-seed…. each one of them can get you if you’re not on your game. Let’s see who packed their A-game for tonight!
I have my first four responses on the board….
I ask both players, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
Ember buzzed in first and so she controls the board to start the game. Her first response: “Handicapped”. Good answer, good answer — just like Aneel, Ember has clearly shown up to play tonight, and I, of course, really like that. SURRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!!!!!!…….
A good response, but it wasn’t one of my first four responses. So we move on over to Maui, now, to see if he can get on the board. Maui, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And his response: “No prior criminal record” …. good answer, good answer — it appears like Maui has showed up to play, as well! I know that, when watching court-related shows on the TV, I’m taking their prior activities into account. Let’s see if it’s on the board… SURRRVEEEEY SAYS…..
And it is — the top response, and the 30 points attached to it, go to Maui, who jumps out to the lead in this showdown. However, as we learned earlier in the week, the top spot doesn’t secure one’s victory… and Ember is a very strong player. Ember, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And she is going with: “First offense” ….
Ohhh, Maui *just* beat her to this response. We go back to Maui, for his second response, as he looks to improve upon his lead, and maybe even seal the game. Maui, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And he is going with: “Mental issues” …
Similar strategy that these veteran players have taken. With the score still 30-0, we go back to Ember to see if she can get into this game. Ember, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And she is going with: “Has children” … good answer, good answer – I imagine that if someone has kids, that perhaps the judge is going to try and go easy on them… for the kids’ sake. It makes sense, but we’ve seen a lot of sensible responses go pointless — to get back into the game… SURRRVEEEY SAYS……..
The fourth response — a good start, and Ember is now on the board: 30-17. That is a *BIG TIME* play by Ember. She needed points, any points, to stay alive in this game, and that’s exactly what she got. She just needs to get one of the two remaining responses, and hope that Maui goes cold. It is still anyone’s game now, but let’s see if Maui can put it out of reach with his third response. Maui, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And he is going with: “Ratted people out” — it takes a snitch to know a snitch (#HateHateHate), but that is something that we see in TV and movies all of the time. Let’s see if it’s on the board…. cutting deals with The Man to get a favorable deal…. SURRRVEEEEY SAYS…….
….for the win……
….and advancement to the Regional Championship……
Ohhhh, another good response that yields no points. It does keep Ember in the game and sets her up for another big play. If she can get either of the remaining responses, she takes the lead and forces Maui to win the game on his last response…. BUT, if she doesn’t get one of the remaining responses, the game is over and Maui advances to the Enduring 8. The pressure is on but Ember can ball, so let’s see what she says. Ember, Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing…
And she is going with: “Bribery” — that’s one way to ensure that the sentencing will go your way, when you buy it straight-cash. Is it up there, though? …..
With the game on the line……
With a berth in the Enduring 8 on the line……….
SURVEEEEY………
SAYS…………
Ohhhhh…. a valiant effort, but comes up just a little short. Maui wins the match and advances to the Enduring 8, where he will face-off against Kathy for the Portsmouth Regional Championship!
####
It is matches like today that make me hope that people no-show in later rounds so that Dibs can be called. A lot of great competition in this Tournament; it’s awesome!
Programming note: from here on out, each round is being held on just one day, so everyone should keep an eye on that and see if anyone stumbles. This time next week, we’ll be on the eve of the Championship! Very exciting times.
Here we are, Day 3 of the Smooth 16 round of the 2015 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions! We have half of our Enduring 8 identified from earlier this week — Kathy (Portsmouth); Jay (St. Johns); Emily (Kenton); and Stephen (Arbor) — and we’ll add on another two to the party this night. It’s getting exciting, indeed.
Before we get started, of course, let us take a moment to honor America, with the singing of our National Anthem by Kelly Clarkson…
Let’s get to some games!!!!
First up, the St. Johns Region Semi-Final match to determine who will meet Jay for the Regional Championship….
Andy vs. Jason St. Johns Region
Semi-Final
Andy’s path to the Smooth 16 has taken through Amy (in the first round) and then Meredith in the 2nd round, avenging his dear brother’s defeat at the hands of Meredith in the opening round of action. He’s a seasoned veteran in this Tournament and a former Champion of Champions – he knows the game and has proven himself able to win it all. Meanwhile, Jason is a new addition to the Tournament this year, but he has stormed out of the gates defeating Ken in the first round and then Guamie last week: both are heavy hitters and it’s expected to be an uphill battle for him from this point out. Let’s see if he can shock the world or if the clock is striking midnight on his Cinderella story.
I have my first four responses on the board….
I ask both players, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working….
Jason buzzed in first and, thus, will start the game. His first response: “Copy machine!” Good answer, good answer. Every office has one and everyone hates it when the copy machine stops working…. SURRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!!……..
Jason is now on the board with 20 points — but Andy still has plenty of options on the board and can get right back into this game. So we go over to Andy for his first response. Andy, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. And he goes with: “Copy machine”….. even though Jason *just* played that one…… SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!……
We now go back to Jason, who has a chance to win the game — if he gets the top response — or, at least, take a commanding lead in this match. Jason, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. And he goes with: “Fax machine!”
Maybe a decade or more back, but let’s see if it’s up there! SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!!!……
Yeah, fax machines probably aren’t used as much anymore; I can’t recall the last time that I used a fax machine. I think that email may have killed that technology, too. Well, Jason still stays in the lead with 20 points. And so we go back over to Andy, to see if he can get back into this game. Andy, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. And his response…..
Ohhh, no response. That’s a bummer. So, let’s go back over to Jason and see if he can get command of this game. Jason, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. And his response: “Internet!” Judging by the exclamation marks that he’s providing, he seems excited and confident that it’s on the board…. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!…..
And it is on the board — Jason now has 37 points in the match; Andy still not on the board. However, with 55 points still available, Andy is not eliminated yet, but he needs to get back into this game. Andy, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working….
Ohhh, another non-response from Andy. This puts Jason solely in the driver’s seat — one more response from the board and he clinches the game and advances to the Enduring 8 round next week. Jason, for the win, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. and he is going with: “Synergy!” (consults with the judges)…. Okay, let’s see if it’s up there…. SURRVVVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!!…….
Unfortunately, that wasn’t close enough to any of the remaining responses on the board, so Jason doesn’t get the points. However, because Andy didn’t play any additional responses (beyond the first one….. that he knew Jason already called….), Jason still does win the game! A bold strategy – bordering on “rookie mistake” – that Jason took, laying out all of his answers in the public forum. That was bold; the veteran players tend to send me their responses in FB message or text, to give their opponent no easy strategy, by not tipping them off to what they are going to play.
I knew that Andy doesn’t work in a traditional office setting, so this one could have presented some challenges. Once Jason posted all four of his responses, I was expecting Andy to take the same four and maybe reorder them to maximize points, but, instead, Andy just repeated the first response that Jason submitted….. and then sat back and watched the plane crash into the side of the mountain.
I don’t get it. I’m like Cris Collinsworth: I’m sorry…. I cannot believe the call. I can *not* believe the call…. you know what your opponent is doing…. so you know how to beat them, and, more importantly, you know how not to lose to them…. and then you make a play that is doomed to fail??
I’m disappointed. I’m Cris Collinsworth for the first half-minute after the interception…. I don’t know what to say, really…. but give me a few moments and I’ll start analyzing it in great detail. 😉
If this was almost anyone other than Andy, maybe I could say: “Well, the pressure got to them – they hadn’t been in the Smooth 16 before, they got lost in the lights and the big stage, and just lost their cool; couldn’t hang with the contenders“…. but Andy is a former Champion of Champions, so the pressure shouldn’t have gotten to him; he’s been here — and beyond — before. It baffles me. More so than throwing from the 1yd line…. which really baffles me, too.
And it’s Wednesday, too, so it wasn’t like he could have gotten caught off guard, like if it was the opening day of the round…. so he has seen (or should have seen) the previous 8 matches, where people were playing with four responses….. right? So, to only play one response — a response that he knew was a duplicated response — had to have been a conscious decision……. right?? I really have no idea what happened.
It certainly is the worst play-calling in the Smooth 16 round in Tournament history, for sure. I kept holding out hope that he’d submit another 3 responses to make things interesting…. and maybe even win (after all, Jason only got 37 points…. a lot of points got left on the board)… but they never came. However, since he had played one response… and I did say that people could play under the allotted amount (just not exceed the allotted amount)…. it wasn’t, technically, a Dibs-eligible situation. I didn’t anticipate someone actually playing just one response…. especially, a response that they knew that they weren’t going to get points for, haha.
From now on, we will have the Andy Rule: if a player doesn’t submit at least half of the responses allotted, then their spot will become Dibs-eligible. Why half? Because it is technically possible to win the game with half of the allotted responses (ex. 1st & 4th responses, 1st & 2nd responses are both generate a winning point total). But it is borderline-impossible to win with just one response — a player would need the 1st response (highest points) and then a lot of luck to break in their favor with their opponent’s responses. So, let it be known: the Andy Rule is now in effect.
Someone who doesn’t have to concern himself with the Andy Rule, right now, is Jason — who wins the match and will continue onto the Enduring 8 to face off against another unlikely contender this year: Jay. This showdown presents some very interesting elements, so we’ll have to see how it pans out with the Regional Championship on the line.
And now, we move on over to the Kenton Region for the second semi-final match-up from that esteemed region….
Angela vs. Janelle Kenton Region
Semi-Finals
Previously on 2015 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions: Angela advanced out of the second round by defeating Elia… and her guys with knives. She is one of only two #1-seeds still left in the Tournament, with the loss of Jennifer in the opening round and Andy just moments ago. We’ll see if she can keep this winning train on track. Meanwhile, Janelle has proved that you don’t always have to win in the conventional method — as she used creative responses to dispatch both of her matches thus far in the Tournament. Will she keep the wild card responses going? It’s time to find out!
I have my first four responses on the board….
I ask both players, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working….
Angela buzzes in first and so she will control the board to start. And she goes with: “Computer” — we know it’s up there… SURRRRVEEEY SAYS!!!!!……
Good times, that is 17 points for Angela. Still a lot of points on the board, though, so we turn to Janelle for her first response. Janelle, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. and she is going with: “Your boss” — oooo yeah, that is something that certainly is bound to drive people crazy… when the people in charge aren’t doing any work. It’s up there, so let’s see it…. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!……
The top response! That gives Janelle the points and a 30-17 lead, but doesn’t clinch the game, yet; still some points to grab, but Angela will need to be careful now — Janelle just needs one of the two remaining responses in order to win. Angela, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. and she goes with: “Printer”…. it’s up there, we’ve seen it, show it to me…. SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!……..
And Angela is now in the lead — 37 to 30, with the last response on the board. Next points wins the game. Janelle, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. and she is going with: “Copier” ….
Unbeknownst to her, though, Angela already used that one, so she doesn’t get the points and keeps the score at 37-30, Angela leading. We now go back over to Angela — she has the lead and, now, an opportunity to win the game. Angela, Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working…. and she is going with: “AC” — good answer, good answer; I know that when it is either too cold or too hot in my office that the ladies start complaining, so the AC is certainly something that can drive people crazy. But is it something that I’d think of in my first four responses?
For the win…. and a berth in the Enduring 8 next week….. “AC”…. SURRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!…..
….
There it is!! With the points, Angela clinches the victory tonight and will advance to the Regional Championship next round to play against the defending Champion of Champions, Emily. It should be a very interesting showdown; I know that I’m excited to see what will transpire! Janelle had a great run in the Tournament, and, again, it may not be the last time that we see her — the Dibs rules make it possible for her to re-enter the Tournament
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We are now 6 down, and 2 remaining for the Enduring 8 / Regional Championships! I try to save the best for last and tomorrow is a VERY good show: Maui vs. Ember in the Portsmouth Region, and Nicole vs. Aneel in the Arbor Region….. a 1-seed against a charging 12-seed, and a 2-seed vs. 3-seed battle. You’re welcome. 😉
Here we are, onto Day 2 of the Smooth 16 round of the 2015 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions! We already have two of our Enduring 8 identified, and by the end of tonight, half of them will have a spot in next week’s Regional Championship round.
First, to honor America, the singing of our National Anthem by pop-music super-star and 5x Grammy Award-winner, Christina Aguilera:
She is 100% better than Britney…. in every measurable way. EVERY. MEASURABLE. WAY. And, now, let’s get to today’s action, with some Regional Semi-Final matches coming from the Arbor and St. Johns Regions, respectively.
Wes-now-Jess vs. Stephen Arbor Region
Semi-Finals
In a surprising turn of events, Wes – who had played and defeated Jennifer (1st round) and Yvonne (2nd round) – didn’t get his responses into me before today’s action began, thus, I opened it up to the masses and Jessica swooped in to take his spot. Jess was last seen in the Tournament when she was defeated by Aneel in the Battle for Canada (round one). Meanwhile, Stephen – who re-entered the game… in his original spot… after advancing by dual-forfeiture – made the most of his second chance and defeated Robin in the 2nd round, to find himself in the Smooth 16 match-up today.
I have my first four responses on the board…..
And I ask both players: What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?
Stephen buzzed in first and his first response: “Sexual partner count” — I try to interact with women who wouldn’t make this be something I’d be inquiring upon shortly after meeting, but to each their own….
DOES SHE GET AROUND…. SURVVEEEEY SAYS!!!….
Okay, Stephen is now on the board, with 17 points — but Jess is up now, with ample opportunity to take control of this game. Jessica, What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?…. And she goes with: “How many sexual partners she’s had”…..
Ohh…. Stephen beat her to that response, so it goes back to Stephen – who still sits 17pts. Stephen, What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?…. And he says: “Her age”…. good answer, good answer… it’s definitely something that I think guys (and ladies, too) try to figure out when talking with a woman that they have just met and may be interested in. Let’s see if it’s up there…. SURVEEEY SAYS!!!…..
BOOM! The top response, which, unexpectedly, wins the game for Stephen! That gives him 47pts in the match, and with only 45pts remaining on the board, there’s no way that Jessica can win the game, and so Stephen will advance to the Enduring 8 round of the 2015 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions next week; awaiting the winner of Nicole/Aneel later this week. Jessica, though, can re-enter the Tournament at a later time, just as she did tonight, so we may not have seen the last of her in this year’s Tournament.
Jay vs. Chuy St. Johns Region
Semi-Finals
Jay, who started the Tournament in the Arbor Region, was able to re-enter the game via Dibs prior to the 2nd round and found his way to the St. Johns Region. Here, he defeated Stefan last week and now comes one win away from advancing to the Regional Championship round, as a member of the 2015 Enduring 8. Similarly, Chuy joined the game in the 2nd round after not being one of the original 64 players — but the addition of the Dibs this year made it possible for him to get into the game…. and playing like a champ is where he picked up. He defeated fellow Pilot (Kelly) last week and now is squaring up against another Pilot, tonight, in Jay. Let’s see how this one goes!
I have my first four responses on the board…..
And I ask both players: What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?
Chuy buzzed in first, and thus will start off the series tonight. His first selection: “If she’s single” — that’s always something that we’re wondering, but may be hesitant to straight-up ask. Good answer, let’s see if it’s on the board…. SURRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!…..
It is! Chuy is now on the board, with 20 points. Jay still has ample opportunity on the board, and so we turn to him now, for his first selection.
Jay, What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?…. and he is going with: “Sex life”
Is it on the board!?!?! SURRRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!……
Yeah it is…. and now Jay is into the game! This is a close one, now, only 3 points separate them and two responses — the big-point responses, too — remain on the board. We go back to Chuy to see if he can close it out.
Chuy, What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?…. “If she has kids” — a good answer, good answer. Let’s see if it’s on the board…. SURRRRVEEEEY SAYS!!!……
OHHH! The second response! Chuy now has a near-commanding lead in the game: 45-17. We go back over, now, to Jay to see if he can stay alive. Jay, What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?…. his response: “Are they single”…..
OHHH NO. Chuy already played that response and collected the points. So, we go back to Chuy, with a chance to seal the game. Chuy, What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?…. his response: “If she is pregnant”…..
For the win…. and to advance on to the Enduring 8 round next week….. SURVEY…..SAYS…….
Ohhh, so Jay stays alive. This is getting intense, now. Jay, What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?…. his response: “How old are they”……
HE DID IT!!! The top response that gives him 47 points in the game, clinches the 47-45 win, and advances him to the Enduring 8 round, next week, where he will await the winner of Gorder vs. Jason later this week. Chuy had a strong performance, though, and, just as he entered the game via Dibs after the first round ended, he has an opportunity to get back into the game if another opportunity presents itself.
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And, there we have have it — the second day of the Smooth 16 round of the Tournament is in the books, and we now have our first half of the 2015 Enduring 8. Two more days of action remain in this round and we’ll be adding two more players each night. It’s getting exciting, with championships just on the horizon!
It seems like just the other day we were starting this year’s Tournament of Champions and we find ourselves with the 16 remaining players. After tonight, though, there will only be 14 remaining, as we inch towards the Enduring 8 and the Regional Championships next week.
I don’t know if I had mentioned how the scoring will work, so each of my first four responses has a point value attached: 1st response = 30pts; 2nd response = 25pts; 3rd response = 20pts; and the 4th response = 17pts. As I explained earlier, it’ll go in a back-and-forth series format, and the player with the most points at the end of each match-up will advance to the Enduring 8 round. Pretty straight-forward. Again, duplicate answers don’t get any points.
And now, to honor America, the singing of our National Anthem by the Nashville Children’s Choir.
Let’s get to it!!!
First up, the first semi-final match-up in the highly-competitive Portsmouth Region….
Kathy vs. Leanne Portsmouth Region
Semi-Finals
Last week, Kathy defeated Michelle to advance to the Smooth 16 for, I believe, the first time in her Tournament history. Similarly, Leanne — who is making her Tournament debut this year — advanced to the Smooth 16 after re-entering the game via Dibs and defeating the talkative BDub last week. An interesting match-up with two players who, if they do know each other, I am not sure how well they know each other, and, furthermore, I am relatively confident that there is no rivalry between them…… so let’s see if we can start one. 😉
I have my first FOUR responses on the board….
And I ask both players: “Name a way people got around before cars were invented”…
Kathy buzzed infirst, and so she will start off the series. Her first response is: “riding horses”… SURRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!……..
Good answer, good answer — the use of animals for traveling purposes has definitely been a practice that has existed long before cars came into existence. That scores 25 points for Kathy, but there are still plenty of points on the board. So, we turn to Leanne for her first response. Leanne, Name a way people got around before cars were invented.… and she says: “Horseback”….. SURVEEEY SAYS!!!!…….
Since Kathy already used that one, it is no longer an option on the board. But, Leanne is still alive in this game, albeit now facing an up-hill struggle. If Kathy gets the top response, then the game is over; anything else — #3 or #4, or no points at all — and Leanne will still be alive in this game. We go back to Kathy, for her second pick.
Kathy, Name a way people got around before cars were invented…. and she goes with: “Walking”…. SURRRVEEEY SAYS!!!….
The top response!!! Which gives Kathy an insurmountable lead, with 55pts. Unfortunately, for Leanne, there is no way for her to win this match, as the remaining point totals only add up to 37pts, and so this is the end of the line for Leanne…. at least temporarily. There could be an opportunity later in the Tournament to re-enter via Dibs — which she is familiar with. Congratulations to Kathy for advancing to the Enduring 8 and she will be awaiting the winner of Maui-Ember for the Portsmouth Regional Championship!
And, now, we head on over to the Kenton Region for their first semi-final showdown…. WHICH IS A REMATCH OF LAST YEAR’S CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!! Which adds some historical significance and near-rivalry intensity to this match-up.
Emily vs. Kristen KENTON Region Semi-Finals
Last week, Emily defeated Larry to stamp her ticket for her 2nd-consectutive Smooth 16 appearance. Meanwhile, Kristen — who also is one of the few that re-entered the game via Dibs, after being eliminated in the first round — advanced past another Dibber (Ken), last week, to also make her way into the Smooth 16. Emily and Kristen have a slight history, as mentioned in the intro — as it was this same pairing that faced off last year in the Championship, with Emily defeating Kristen and becoming the 4th Champion of Champions in the history of the Tournament. While I am confident that there has been no interactions between the two since that fateful day, almost a year ago, this match-up has the potential of serving as a symbolic re-match. No title is on the line, but if Kristen can defeat Emily today, it will end Emily’s title defense. This could get very interesting.
I have my first FOUR responses on the board….
And I ask both players: “Name a way people got around before cars were invented”…
Emily buzzed in first, and so she will start the series. Her first response: “horse” — we know it’s up there, so let’s see it!!!…..
And Emily is now on the board, with 25pts. Kristen still has options in this game, though, and so we turn to her for the ever-important first response. Kristen, “Name a way people got around before cars were invented”… And she goes with: “Bicycle”. Good response, I’ve recently taken to riding Little Blacky now that the weather has been a little bit nicer, and it’s definitely been a suitable/sufficient temporary substitute for Sunny Girl (my 2005 Hyundai Sonata). Let’s see if it’s on the board — SURRRRVEEEEEY SAYS!!!!!……..
Ohhh, it wasn’t one of my first four responses. This puts Kristen in a bit of a jam, and it falls, now, to what Emily plays next — if Emily takes the top response, then the game is over; any other response, and Kristen still has a chance.
We got back to Emily for her second pick. Emily, “Name a way people got around before cars were invented”… and she goes with: “By foot”…. SURRVEEEEY SAYS!!!!!…..
And, just like that, Emily, once again, defeats Kristen in the May Mayhem Tournament of Champions. Kristen had a good run, though, and played well today — she will have an opportunity, perhaps, of getting back into the game at a later round (via Dibs) so this may not be the last that we see of Kristen in this Tournament! Emily prevails, tonight, and advances to her second-consecutive Enduring 8 round. She will await the winner of Angela-Janelle to have a showdown for the Kenton Regional Championship next week!
Let’s see the other responses….
NUMBER THREE!!!!!
BOAT/SHIP — Kathy, Emily, and Kristen had this as later picks. Makes sense, to me — boats have been around FOR. EV. ER.
NUMBER FOUR!!!!
OTHER PEOPLE — It seemed like most folks today were thinking more recent-history than I was, with guesses like “Bicycles” and “Trains” — which are both very appropriate and likely responses. When I read this question, though, I thought of when wealthy folks or important folks would get carried around by other people. I guess my mind was more in the age of Antiquity.
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That will do it for today’s action. We have a quarter of our Enduring 8 identified now, and we’ll get two more identified tomorrow. Things are starting to heat up and we’ll see who will join these two on the continued quest towards being crowned the Champion of Champions!
Here’s where we are right now, with the Smooth 16 that are still in the 2015 May Mayhem Tournament of Champions, arranged by conference and region…
WEST PENINSULA
Portsmouth Region: St. Johns Region:
Maui vs. Ember Gorder vs. Jason
Leanne vs. Kathy Jay vs. Chuy
EAST PENINSULA
Kenton Region: Arbor Region:
Angela vs. Janelle Wes vs. Stephen
Emily vs. Kristen Nicole vs. Aneel
And now….
Here is the schedule and topics for the Smooth 16 round of the Tournament:
MONDAY – May 18 (by 5pm PT)
Name a way people got around before cars were invented.
Leanne vs. Kathy // Emily vs. Kristen
TUESDAY – May 19 (by 5pm PT)
What is something you might want to know when you meet a woman, but do not have the nerve to ask?
Jay vs. Chuy // Wes vs. Stephen
WEDNESDAY – May 20 (by 5pm PT)
Name something in an office that drives people crazy when it is not working.
Gorder vs. Jason // Angela vs. Janelle
THURSDAY – May 21 (by 5pm PT)
Name something about a person that might cause a judge to give him/her a break when sentencing.
Maui vs. Ember // Nicole vs. Aneel
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For any inactive players who would like to submit responses to incorporate/replace my initial four responses, send them on over and I’ll see if I like yours better. Otherwise, I have my four responses for each topic ready to go.
For the active players, this round, remember that you can submit 4 responses this round, instead of just one. You can submit under 4, if you are a gambler, but you cannot exceed 4 responses.
The May Mayhem Tournament of Champions 