New Scaratings

Now that the year has come to an end, the Southern California team can finally announce an obsession that occupied many of our evenings in 2010. But before I go into how the year ended (I’m sure you’re on the end of your seat), let me go back to what started it all. The origin of said obsession has its roots in last January. After finishing 2009 with around 55 premium game victories (which we thought impressive), we posted our year-end results in a Buzztime thread. I haven’t been a member of the NTN/Buzztime “community” nearly as long as the veterans, but I wondered aloud if we had amassed the most wins ever in one year. Not long after, I got private messages from several reliable players who said that in time immemorial (in this case before Don Denton’s NTN archive, which goes back to 2002), there may have been a team or two that flirted with 65 wins. I was more than a little surprised, but the revelation would only serve to spawn an odd motivation amongst our crew: 100 premium wins in 2010. Dave (MR ALE/ROONEY) and I talked it over and came to the conclusion that it was definitely within the realm of possibility. Mere musings quickly turned into some sick form of devout resolution, and over the course of the next several trivia games, we pretty much planned out our yearlong, double-pronged attack. First and foremost, play a lot. Like a meathead buying a drink for every girl in the bar, we would have to play the numbers game; simply, the more nights we could play, the better our chance of success. Second, fly under the radar. Not that anyone would really care about our quest for 100 (let alone put together a group to thwart our bid for 100), but the last thing we needed was for a team like Houston to assemble a juggernaut in December and f up 11 months of work. I will say to this point, it did help that our win total was obscured by the fact we play at different bars during the week (Showdown at Danny K’s, Spotlight at Mr. B’s, the sports games at East Side Mario’s, etc).

So after a shaky start to the year and a state of quasi-desperation around July, the team pushed forward with several hot streaks in September and October. We recorded win 100 on December 15th and kept running through the finish line. Even after we reached the hallowed century mark, it was generally agreed we wanted a record that would survive, if not forever, at least until we’re retired from the game. When all was said and done, the So Cal win total for the year was 107. Just in case anyone cares, the complete breakdown was 16 wins in SIQ, 7 in Showdown, 21 in Six Wednesday, 21 in Six Thursday (including a game with the largest margin of victory since 2002), 33 in Spotlight, 1 in Playback and 8 in STC. We topped the win leaderboard in Six Wednesday, Six Thursday, Spotlight and SportsIQ, while finishing 2nd in Showdown (one win behind Damon’s Ohio, a scary good team by the way) and 2nd in STC (one win behind 86th Street).

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to the team members. Without naming the sundry players on Tuesday (usually 10-15) and Friday (generally 5-8), props go to John (JOHN), Mike (HHHHHH), Barbie (BARBIE), Darrell (GAMBIT), Bob (GOGETM) and especially Dave Sr. (MR ALE/ROONEY). Nice job team… for not having a social life in 2010, your only reward (beside the satisfaction of a record setting year) is this lame adulatory write-up on a website almost no one reads. Sad to say, but I’d probably do it again.

Dave (YOTCHO, aka Dave Jr)

Wow.

"Congratulations" hardly seems sufficient--that was a truly epic accomplishment. I think you are right, by the way, that it is a record not likely to be broken. Danny K's also had their second straight year of coming in first in Place Points in Showdown after setting the all-time all-wetware record for margin over #2 in this category in 2009.

A doff of my chapeau to your entire crew.

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Anon
"He may seem like Mr. Rogers but a dark spirit lies beneath."

I didn't contribute to all of them, but I enjoyed the ones that I played. Even though we played in different location, everyone made an effort to participate. I didn't see BWW in Buna Park, CA mentioned for the Wednesday Six game. That location should be mentioned as well. Also, I believe that we made some bartenders happier.

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Middle age is when a broad mind and a slim waist exchange places.

Congrats to the SoCal team...I joined up with y'all around August, and it was the thrill of my Fall 2010 to play many games with you, be part of 10-15 of those wins, and make many new friends. It was worth the sometimes two-hour drive in LA/OC traffic to play with the best.

It was also an impressive run of close 2nds and 3rds for the nights you did not get #1...I think Dave (MR ALE/ROONEY) has those numbers, and I hope those can be posted as well.

Christina/HEELAX (and sometimes COGNAC)

Oh sure, finish only one win behind Damon's Stow and they're a scary good team.
Finish one win behind us in STC and we barely get the call... sniff....

Congrats on the good work, but have you guys considered playing at just one bar?
Preferrably one that reports out consistently...

If you lived and played here you would understand.

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Middle age is when a broad mind and a slim waist exchange places.

It might have been more fun, though.

Huh?? Never heard of any of you. Where did you say you played? Don't think I've ever seen you on the boards.

Ohhhh Right, the guys that some how lost the Passport/SIX Cup.

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!

That's quite an accomplishment, congrats. Very impressive.

I might discuss with our guys a secret plan that we'll tell every one about next year.

Any ideas out there ?

Yeah, that's why I hadn't chimed in yet (or started the thread), because that's on me......no excuse, but I had been given the impression it was found, and was strung along...but still obviously no excuse...you (and Dmmm (sp?) ) will hear from me soon.

MR ALE (abashed)

Wow Scar, I would say that these folks are taking a shot at your website.

I read it daily.

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Middle age is when a broad mind and a slim waist exchange places.

Depending on your assumptions, approximately 0.00000004% of the world population reads this website, so it's fair to say almost no one reads it.

But, in that respect, almost no one plays Buzztime trivia, either, so, in respect to the actual regular player base, I'd say it's probably one of the better places for that type of adulatory write-up.

That is not how I took it. No problems here; that is the kind of content this site is for.

Wish we got more of it, so we could get up to "very few read".

Well, this whole thread is like a breath of fresh air to this old NTN er, BT player. If only Carlsbad would read it. This is the spirit that built and sustained NTN for many years. Remember when NTN put on their own championship every spring? Remember when they sent out plaques for the kind of feat posted above? Course, this was before we were expected to know who won the hip hop award seven years ago and which band so-and-so joined after their breakup, and before they showed what they thought of the type of players described in the original post above by kicking us to the curb almost exactly a year ago. To say nothing of 08/08/08.
As if Don and Scar aren't doing enough already, if they could publish an official list of winners in events like that above, the recent wet-ware competitions, McCarthy Cup runners-up, etc.,etc.,the bars/teams concerned could legitimately obtain their own plaques/trophies with the appropriate win inscribed thereon. This has been done in athletic and marksmanship competitions, and others, for many years. Perfectly legitimate, if you won it originally. You're just upgrading your award, that's all. We've got to do something to sustain this thing we love. I'm tired of Carlsbad's neglect. Comments?

That's good Dave, I know things happen with bars that are full of young punk fools. One of them probably swiped the Cup to drink out of, then the managers had to cover it up.

Maybe we can get a Wed. SIX tourney of some sort going soon. Dan (DMM) doesn't really play much any more so I don't know if he's up for organizing anything, though Stained Glass Pub is the last winner of the Passport/SIX Cup.

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BUD - Stained Glass Pub Silver Spring MD
OC BUD - Grotto Pizza DE near Ocean City MD

LET'S GO ....Caps and Os!!!!