Withington Pub Quiz League - QuizBiz 11/12/19

Ethel Rodin beat Opsimaths

Third beats fourth down in Ladybarn

Mike Bath reports...

The two teams who seem to flatter to deceive most often in our league right now met in deepest Ladybarn - and this time it was the visitors from the Albert Club who were the flatter.

Geoff, Roddy, James and Greg just seemed to know more than Nick, Hilary, Brian and myself - and guessed better to boot. For instance I lobbed a gentle 3 points into Ethel's lap by opting for Liszt in the LIszt/Chopin pair when Chopin was first up. Later (much to the surprise of my colleagues) I did make amends with a bit of pop trivia by suggesting there might have been a pop duo called Everything But the Girl but overall it was Ethel's 16 twos against our 8 twos that clinched it. Greg was the standout Rodinista with 5 twos whilst Nick took the honours for the Opsis with 4 twos. I think there were 5 unanswered questions which broke 3-2, so no moans there.

Mebyon Kernow’s sop

(R1/Q1)

After the match we fell to discussing our impending doom, with James, who is closer to the corridors of power than most, leading the way. My own sad reflection was that after 73 years born in, and fashioned by, a Britain that stumbled out of WW2 and gradually moulded a liberal, caring, prosperous and outward-looking democracy I was now unable to express any pride in my country. I have a French son-in-law and every time I see him I feel the need to apologise for my country and its leaders. We have gone from being the light of the world to being the blight of the world in a few sorry lying Tory years. Shame on the lot of them!

The genteel heart of Manchester

(R1/Q5)

Prodigals beat Bards

Convincing win for the table-toppers

Dave reports...

Three generations of the Hammonds turned up to do battle at the Albert Club. The formidable Tom and Tony for the Bards, and 'our Kate' (as we like to call her now we have adopted her) for the Prodigals. The Lawless clan were heavily represented as well with Nick in the QM chair and ever present Jimmy producing his usual brilliance.

We eased ahead in the first half and just never relinquished the lead. Marvellous performances from the aforementioned Jimmy and Kate accompanied by our own Captain Marvel, Anne-Marie. Her very own WithQuiz winning streak continues.

The great Bards did not get the luck of the draw once they'd lost the toss. They will certainly be challengers for the title right through the season and a tough return match awaits us later in the season.

On to a fixture against Ethel Rodin with at least two of their team having eyes on a Stockport/WithQuiz double. Like every match in this league, it will be very tough. I am sure it will go to the wire.

A revered face from an age when the BBC spoke truth to power without feeling the need to balance it with a load of Tory lies

(R4/Q6)

Mantis Shrimp beat Albert

The Shrimps squeak a close run thing

Mike O'Brien, our man on the spot...

We threw this one away really. The night was a story of poor discipline -never have I had to show the Paddle twice to one team player. I will not name the individual concerned; what happens in The Albert stays in the Albert but in future if anyone in the League notices a team member looking furtive and ashamed you will have identified the guilty party. Until then we must all bear the shame. Afterwards I lined them all up and in my best impersonation of Terry Thomas told them they were "an absolute shower".

and James adds this Shrimp view....

Our penultimate match of 2019 was a convivial affair with Albert on great form throughout, with the Paddle of Rebuke only needing to be used once (I think!). We managed to open an 8 point lead in the first half with Albert steadily chipping away at it after the break. However, we just managed to hang on thanks to our knowledge of junctions in Swindon and Nick Hornby books.

Goverrated

(R8/Q5)

Farewell to Putney’s Gesturing Jennie

(R4/Q4)

Electric Pigs lost to Charabancs

Charas earn a much-needed victory away at the Moss

For once a gleeful Damian...

As is often the case, this was a game of two halves for us Charas. What is not often the case, however, is that we came out on top, thus recording only our third victory this season. In the first half we were consistently behind by two or three points. In the second half we picked up steam and began to forge ahead and, although the margin between us was always close as the final score suggests, we managed to get over the finishing line in front.

Tonight's paper was set by KFD and we were graced by the presence of the enigmatically named team's captain who promptly sat himself beside me but resolutely ignored my suggestion that he whisper the answers in my ear. Nonetheless his very presence must have acted as some sort of inspiration for us all as both teams fought neck and neck to earn his approval.

Farewell to Mid-Sussex’s Asshole Monica

(R4/Q7)

Turing Testers lost to History Men

History Men lift themselves to fifth with a good away win

Captain Ivor reports...

Our first match against the new boys (they were all boys tonight) - though the faces were familiar as most have been on the TV in recent times as members or captains of Manchester University teams in University Challenge.

I am sure they have met teams there with quirky or downright bizarre characters so we hope they didn't regard us as beyond the pale. Paxman always tells us the average age of the competing teams - mercifully such traditions do not apply to our league - but I would estimate there was at least four decades difference between tonight's two teams. Despite their youth the Testers seem to have accrued a tremendous amount of general knowledge already. Of course by the time they are our age they will have forgotten more than some people ever know (that’s our excuse when we're found wanting).

A record just waiting to be broken….

The only incumbent PM to have lost their seat at a General Election

(R4/Sp2)

The match was 17-18 to the Testers at half time and it was only a good second half for the History Men that allowed us to pull ahead.

Like all good quizzes there was plenty of chat during and after the contest. I managed to get a steal on Cliff Michelmore because 1970 was the first election results night I remember (I was 11 in 1970 and allowed to stay up late). The highlight of that night was George Brown, then de facto, if not de jure, deputy Prime Minister, losing his seat in Belper. Immediately after the result there was a strap line across the screen with 'Brown Out' in large letters which struck me even at the time as punching a man when he was down. Certainly in his interview afterwards he sounded punch drunk. Tomorrow will be my fourteenth election night and, like many of you, I await the dramas of success and failure.

Schadenfreude might be a German phenomenon but it does chime with many viewers. Elections are the ultimate audit of a politician's performance and I wonder which ones will be weighed in the balance and found wanting tomorrow?

to which QM Mike H adds...

A very pleasant experience co-QMing with Joe of TT - and despite Kieran's preamble, a very enjoyable paper. We took it in turns to read each round (Joe on 1,3,5,7; me on the others with Joe reading the spares) and we managed to finish by 10.30. This helped since some of the TT team have to travel some distance to play in our league. Despite this I do get the impression they are enjoying the experience so far.

The only poor bit of KFD's paper was the pair at the start of Round 4 (as I've said before, the worst questions for me are the ones which create the reaction "So what!"). This pair were two of only four questions that went unanswered.

For me the most enjoyable round was the 'Run-ons' Round with plenty of the questions qualifying for Question of the Week - in particular Question 5 which took a nice view of the role of our current Minister for the Cabinet Office.