New Scaratings

It comes as no surprise that Covid was the final nail in the coffin for the best all-around NTN/BT site in history, Stadium Cafe. It had been going downhill for some time but still holding on as it was one of the few bars in the DFW area where smoking was allowed. It drew a ton of late night service industry patrons.

I started playing both trivia and QB1 there in 1996, we moved our QB1 team there in 1997, and our SD team there in 2000. We won back to back national QB1 titles in 2000 and 2001 as well as many national SD tournament wins throughout the years.

After our first QB1 title, 4 NTN employees including the president, flew out for the opening MNF football game the next season to award us our trophy as well as 20 yellow PM's, the first location in the nation to have them. And as it turned out, one of very few locations. NTN picked up the tab for the entire night and a great time was had by all. The 4 of them headed to DFW airport the next morning to head back to Carlsbad, but didn't make it. That was 9/11/01. They ended up renting a car and driving back, took them two days. We joked about that for years.

That night a few team members gathered at Stadium to simply be together as the nation was hurting. Several others in the bar took exception to us looking at a trivia screen instead of news and were referred to as Communists face to face. Somehow bloodshed was avoided.

One Monday night we won SIQ, no real surprise. Then the next night we won SD, we had never won back to back. So we decided to get a few players together the next night for Six. We won that as well. At that time there was no premium game on Thursday, but we made sure to get some players together for SL. We beat every team outside of the two LA area juggernauts and finished 3rd. And yes, all wetware.

Over the years we hosted many out of towners for every premium game except PB as well as a QB1 bash. I think most of the time visitors were surprised we were actually nice!

One embarrassing moment came one night around 1999 during a QB1 MNF game. Denver vs. Oakland, 2 teams I knew like the back of my hand. In the middle of Q2 while riding 300+ bonus points with Oakland we lost satellite connection during a rainstorm. (this was in the days of having a small dish on the roof that communicated with Carlsbad during QB1) So after missing several easy plays when we got the connection back I missed the very next play and lost all bonus. I was not happy and kicked a chair. The chair went flying through an open door and into the kitchen. One of the owners was sitting there and yelled, "Bo! What in the fuck are you doing?" I was still hot and not immediately remorseful until he got in my face and laid down the law. And rightfully so. Ah, good times.

Another time during an all day Sunday QB1 session we had six guys and HELIX playing when JIMMYJ returned from the bathroom. Some random came up to the table and chose to inform HELIX that JIMMYJ hadn't washed his hands before coming back to the table. HELIX looked shocked and asked, "Well, did he touch you?" The man replied, "Well, no." To which HELIX promptly stated, "Then mind your fucking business asshole!" Poor guy made the mistake of assuming the only woman at the table would be the easy target. Not the first person to make that mistake.

We did so many things there that I'm very proud of, a few not so much. But it was a ton of fun for over 20 years. And at times profitable. Wouldn't trade it for anything. The memories will always remain.

I am very sorry to hear about this, BO. It is never fun to lose one's home location (something my team knows all too well several times over), but it must be particularly poignant to lose one that your team has frequented for decades. Stadium was one of the last of the big locations from the 1990s that was still around. Apart from Teaser's, I'm not sure how many of the big from that generation are still around/have trivia. Sympathies to you and your friends there.

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

Sad to hear Stadium Cafe has closed. We enjoyed years of playing against them on many different nights.
They did last a lot longer than many of the other BT bars of the 90s/early 2000s.
My JJ Muldoons and Hardtimes of the 90s/2000s have long been out of business.

Opiee (JJ Muldoons) will still say you stole that Dodge Ram truck away from her. She was on that top 10 list for possibly winning the truck that ran on the screens for a few months.

Good luck if you are playing somewhere over these last few months till the Death day. I hope we do get notice of what the date of Death Day will be.

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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!!!!

Stole? Just glad HELIX immediately knew the guy in the commercial was wearing a black leather duster on Q15.

We held the award ceremony for the truck at Stadium Cafe as well. Promo pics taken in the parking lot while driving the truck.

Sorry to hear that BO. Always wanted to make it there, but haven't made it to Dallas since '74.

I sure saw that site on the boards for years, though