Withington Pub Quiz League - quizbiz 09/03/06

Results & Match Reports

Opsimaths just pipped Albert Park in a protracted, close-fought, tetchy, low-scoring derby match at the Albert Club. It's fair to say that had the setters been as knowledgeable as Mark on the recordings of John Coltrane, Albert Park would have won!

FCEK and the Mad Dogs fought out a thrilling tie at the White Swan proving beyond doubt that these two teams are neck and neck as the top 2 Withquizzers of the season. After last night they both have the same number of league points and stay level on match points difference. The Dogs, however, have scored more 'points for' and so lead by a whisker. More importantly, though, the Dogs have the whip-hand going into the final 3 matches with a game in hand on FCEK. Pigs, Ethel or Albert - it's up to you to end their run by scoring a famous victory over the next 3 weeks!

History Men had a comfortable victory over Snoopy's Friends at the Red.

Albert scored a convincing home win over Ethel Rodin.

Amazingly X-Pats and Electric Pigs fought out the second tied match of the night - I can't ever remember that happening before.

Quiz Paper Verdict

This week the paper came from St Caths. It seems to have been a tough slog leading to lengthy, low-scoring matches. More worrying however, with such close results, some of the answers given on the paper seemed to have been incorrect (the John Coltrane/Miles Davis album titles, the one about Russia having been to the most European football finals, and the muddle over boxers Spinks and Holmes). It's even possible that these mistakes may alter the destination of the season's title since FCEK and the Dogs fought out a tie. I understand other quiz leagues have an appeals system for such situations which can change results after the event. Should we be going this way, or is that too anal? ("Too anal" is the resounding response from the Message Board, I subsequently note)

Perhaps the above sounds too negative a note. Fr M below (welcome back, Gerry!), and others of you in your emails have positive comments. The spread of questions and the inventiveness of some of the trivia kept up the interest levels and led to a number of QotW nominations apart from the one chosen.

If you'll allow me one final gripe, however: loose wording. Of the hundreds of unique features of Manchester Cathedral (Round 5 Q6) why should the width of the nave be the correct answer? "Unique" is almost certainly a word to steer clear of in setting quiz questions.

The Question of the Week

FCEK's Damian chose Round 6 Q8:

If Bruce Wayne was Batman, and Clark Kent was Superman, who was Eric Twinge?

Click here to see the answers to this and the rest of the week's questions and answers.

Chatterbox

Someone's watching you!!

A couple of emails received this week from the watching millions.

A Ronnie Mayes writes in relation to Albert Park's paper last week:

"Raymond Burr played a lawyer in Perry Mason not a detective. Great site though."

...and a Jon Gilbert (who nevertheless doesn't reveal his whereabouts):

"Eliza Manningham-Buller is head of MI5, not John Scarlett (who is head of MI6). I'm sure someone else has pointed that out.

I enjoy the quizzes, it's just a pity I'm so far away."

Fr Megson

Photo-Finish Illuminates The Stadium of Murk

A Chairde,

Well, they were certainly humming in the Reeks last night after this clash of the Tight'uns. As indeed were the combined 16 armpits (uxters to Roisin) of the shattered contestants. When the dust had settled - actually most of the current dust in The White Swan settled there in the early 1950s - the draw was seen as a tactical victory for the the Mad Dogs who can now relax and let their game in hand do the talking on the final evening of the league season. Notwithstanding the fact that the final quiz is due to be set by the less than neutral FCEK. Roz, can you let me know if you would prefer the questions to be set in Highland Gaelic or in the Lallans of the Lowlands - and Roddy, how do you fancy a round on GREAT RAILWAY SIGNAL BOXES OF EASTERN EUROPE?

That said, the moral victory last night could perhaps be said to belong to Fr. Megson's middle-aged heartthrobs. To negotiate a league season without being bought a consolation drink by Kieran's redoubtable squad is no mean achievement. Does anyone know when this last happened? Never mind, team, we play the Histrionic Men next week. They normally buy us a drink.

'Make Geography History' - that would have to be the new manifesto after tonight's Atlas-fest. Nobody likes a bit of 'where in the world?' better than myself or Mad Dog Barry but this was surely global overkill. There were many good and interesting questions in there but the intervening jetlag made them hard to savour. Overall, the paper contained a few blips and loose ends that could have been tidied up by a spot of judicious editing. In fairness though, Mike from St Caths has had a few squad problems this season and deserves a lot of credit for keeping his team on the road. The one or two blips last night were probably due to some of the team providing questions for the first time.

Our best player last night was that snapper-up of unconsidered trifles (and urine-sodden dimps), Ivan Denisovich. He may not know much but he certainly knows how to improvise. His educated guesswork was truly inspiring. A wave of sympathy went round the room on the one occasion when his deft footwork deserted him and he blurtingly attributed the song I'm Mandy, Fly Me to his hero Barry Manilow. Given his previous good behaviour we have let him off with a caution though he will have to report daily to the Didsbury Police station under his new name IVOR Denisovich.

One final point. Despite the high stakes and the fevered armpits last night's encounter was a truly sporting affair with a lot of hugging and kissing (no tongues) after the final whistle. Are you listening Fr. Mourinho and Fr. Robson?

Slan,

Fr. Megson