Test your Super Bowl knowledge

After 5 months of action, we’ve finally reached Super Bowl week. While the Broncos and Panthers go through final preparations, let’s take a short quiz to test your knowledge of the big game.

Questions (answers below)

1. Which city is hosting this year’s Super Bowl?
2. Who won the first two Super Bowls?
3. Player on the winning teams of the first 11 Super Bowls earned $15,000. What did the Patriots players earn after winning Super Bowl 49 last year?     a) $97,000  b) $150,000   c) $237,000
4. This brash, young quarterback promised a Super Bowl III victory, and then delivered the upset.
5. Name one of the three teams that have appeared in the most Super Bowls (8).
6. Phil Simms was the first Super Bowl MVP to tell the world, “I’m going to ____.”
7. This former contestant on Dancing with the Stars holds the record for most Super Bowl touchdowns. Name him. Hint: all touchdowns came on pass receptions.
8. Pittsburgh holds the record for most Super Bowl victories. How many times have the Steelers won the big game?
9. Of 49 games, how many Super Bowls have been decided by 3 points or less?
10. Which of this year’s two teams, Carolina and Denver, has a better record in the Super Bowl?

Bonus question – 3 points
Walter Iooss will be at his 50th Super Bowl this year. Who is he?
Hint: he does what I would want to be doing.

 

 

Answers

1. This year’s Super Bowl is in Santa Clara , California. Give yourself a point if you responded San Francisco or the Bay Area.
2. The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl I and Super Bowl II.
3. The Patriots players earned $97,000 for winning the Super Bowl 49.
4. Joe Namath promised and delivered a victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl II.
5. The Patriots, Steelers, and Cowboys have appeared in eight Super Bowls.
6. Phil Simms was the first MVP to say “I’m going to Disney World.”
7. Jerry Rice scored 8 Super Bowl touchdowns.
8. The Steelers have won the Super Bowl six times, followed by San Francisco and Dallas with five victories
9. Eight Super Bowls have been decided by 3 points or less.
10. Denver. The Broncos have won twice in seven games, Carolina is winless in one game.

Bonus answer:
Walter Iooss is a Sports Illustrated photographer.

Scoring
1-4       You watch for the commercials
5-7       All Pro
8 – 10   MVP

Let’s talk turkey with a Thanksgiving quiz

Thanksgiving traditionally marks the start of the holiday shopping season. To begin the celebration, let’s see how well you know the holiday with a short quiz (answers below):

1. While Christmas is always December 25, where can Thanksgiving be found on the calendar?
2. True or false. The origins of Thanksgiving can be traced back to the 1600s?
3. Who sings the Thanksgiving Song?
4. Which President declared Thanksgiving a national holiday?
5. The National Foot League features three games on Thanksgiving day. The Detroit Lions are one of two teams on the schedule each year. Name the other team.
6. How much turkey do Americans eat on Thanksgiving?
   A) 50 million pounds
   B) 250 million pounds
   C) More than 750 million pounds
7. What is the name of the parade that takes place that day? Bonus points if you know its original name.
8. Each year, the President of the United States pardons a turkey. Who started that tradition?
9. When the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line opened in 1981, six people responded to 11,000 calls. How many will the call center answer this year?
10. Which state produces the most cranberries? Hint: it also leads the nation in production of cheese.

 

Answers

1. Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November.
2. True. The Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in 1621. According to sources, it included 50 people who traveled on the Mayflower and 90 Native Americans.
3. Adam Sandler sings the Thanksgiving Song.
4. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving in 1863.
5. The Dallas Cowboys join the Detroit Lions as NFL regulars on Thanksgiving Day.
6. According to the National Turkey Federation, approximately 736 million pounds of turkey were consumed in the United States during Thanksgiving in 2012.
7. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was originally the Macy’s Christmas Parade.
8. The origins of the Presidential Turkey Pardon are somewhat fuzzy, but Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy are both believed to have spared a turkey. The first official “pardon” was issued by President George H.W. Bush in 1989. Give yourself a point if you named any of these leaders.
9. More than 50 experts on the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line will respond to 100,000 calls this year.
10. Wisconsin holds the title of largest producer of cranberries, followed by Massachusetts.

Scoring
1- 4   You’re at the kids table
5 – 8   You’ve earned an extra serving
9 – 10   The drumstick is yours!

Play Ball! Test your baseball knowledge with a quiz

The 2014 Major League Baseball season opens this week, and to celebrate its arrival, here’s a little trivia. Answers are  below.

1. The first one’s easy: Who won the World Series last year?
2. In the television show Seinfeld, what was Jerry’s favorite team?
3. What was Babe Ruth’s primary position when he played for the Red Sox?
4. With a runner on first and one out, the batter hits a pop up to the shortstop. But before the fielder catches the pop, the umpire calls the batter out. Why?
5. What is a southpaw?
6. Which team did the Mighty Casey play for?
7. These three brothers all played professionally: Joe, Dominic, and Vince. What was their last name? Hint: the best known one played for the Yankees.
8. Name the last person to have a batting average over .400.
9. In the play/movie Damn Yankees, what does the lead character do in order to play for his beloved Washington Senators?
10. What is the claim to fame of Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance, of the Chicago Cubs in the early 1900s?
11. This uniform number has been retired across baseball. What is the number and who wore it? Hint, the number was the title of a 2013 movie about that player.
12. Name the two Major League Baseball teams with nicknames that do not end in “s.”
13. What is the distance between the bases?
14. Which team has the highest payroll in baseball?
15. The Cy Young Award is given to the best ___ in each league.
16. The popular movie series “Major League” is about a hapless team of misfits that unite and win the pennant. Name the team.
17. The 2014 season really began earlier this month when the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks played two games in this faraway land. Name it.
18. Speaking of the Dodgers … what is a Dodger?
19. What is a “can of corn?”
20. Shoeless Joe Jackson and other deceased players return from the beyond to play ball in a field built at the site of an old cornfield in this 1989 movie.

Answers

1. The Boston Red Sox won the 2013 World Series.
2. Like the real-life Seinfeld, Jerry was a Mets fan.
3. Babe Ruth was a pitcher with the Red Sox, and a very good one.
4. The batter is called out because of the Infield Fly Rule. It prevents the fielder from intentionally dropping the ball and turning a double play (the runner would be staying on first because of the pop-up, thus being an easy out).
5. A southpaw is someone who throws left-handed.
6. In the poem written by Ernest Thayer, The Mighty (albeit overrated ) Casey  played for the Mudville nine.
7. Joe, Dominic, and Vince DiMaggio all played in the majors.
8. Ted Williams batted .406 in 1941.
9. In Damn Yankees, Joe Hardy makes a deal with the devil to play for the Washington Senators.
10. The three Cubs ability to turn a double play was immortalized in a poem, “Baseball’s Sad Lexicon.” Written by a New York Giants fan during a game, it begins: “These are the saddest of possible words: Tinkers to Evers to Chance …”
11. The number 42, worn by Jackie Robinson, has been retired across Major League Baseball.
12. The Red Sox and White Sox are the only teams with nicknames that do not end with an “s.”
13. The bases are 90 feet apart.
14. The Los Angeles Dodgers have the highest payroll in baseball at $235 million, followed by the Yankees ($204 million) and Philadelphia Phillies ($180 million).
15. The Cy Young Award is given to the best pitcher in each league.
16. The “Major League” movie series portrays fictional players of the Cleveland Indians.
17. The Dodgers and Diamondbacks played the first two games of the season in Australia. The Dodgers won both.
18. The name Dodgers dates back to the team’s days in Brooklyn, when it was called the “Trolley Dodgers,” a tribute to the many trolley cars throughout the borough. The name was eventually shortened to Dodgers.
19. A can of corn is an easy-to-catch fly ball.
20. Shoeless Joe Jackson and others returned from beyond to play in Field of Dreams.

Scoring
16-20   MVP
11-15    All Star
6-10    Prospect
0-5      Bench warmer

Food for thought: Holiday wish list from 1913

What a difference a century makes. I recently ran across a list of children’s most requested Christmas gifts from 1913. No iPhone, X-Box, or designer label clothing. While some of the items — dolls, candy, skates — still resonate today, the list clearly reflects a simpler time:

• Candy
• Nuts
• Rocking horse
• Doll
• Mittens/Gloves
• Toy Train
• Oranges
• Books
• Hankerchiefs
• Skates

Yes, things were much simpler in 1913, and some would argue that we’ve become too materialistic with our big screen televisions and SUVs. Maybe, but after I wrap this up I’m heading outside to clear a foot of snow off my driveway, and am thankful that I have a snowblower, not an old wooden shovel to do the job.

Happy holidays to you and yours.

Your turn. Does this list represent a better, more practical time? Or is it more important to appreciate what you have, whatever era you live?

Celebrate Festivus with Seinfeld quiz

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Festivus, odds are good that you’re a Seinfeld fan. So to celebrate the season, let’s test your knowledge of the hit show.

1. What was Kramer’s first name?
2. Who was Jerry’s arch enemy?
3. George worked at which well-known organization?
4. Which comic strip hero appeared in every episode?
5. Who won “The Contest?”
6. During a blind date with Elaine’s cousin, Jerry was turned off by what physical feature of the woman?
7. What’s the fictitious name regularly used by Jerry and George?
8. What was Jerry’s favorite baseball team?
9. What distasteful act did Elaine do at a company party?
10. Seinfeld co-creator, Larry David, gained success as the star of his own show. Name it.
11. Elaine worked at which catalog company?
12. Which of the following was not part of the Festivus celebration: Airing of grievances, feats of strength, a metal pole, eating broccoli?
13. When Kramer moved to Los Angeles, he was mistakenly arrested for what?
14. Who was the voice of late Yankee owner George Steinbrenner?
15. What was the name of the diner where the gang hung out?
16. What career professional did George pretend to be?
17. Kramer was said to have the “kavorka.” What is that?
18. Which legendary comedian played George’s father?
19. What was unique about the episode in which Elaine’s friend, Sue Ellen Mischke, was married?
20. Jerry was unable to kiss his girlfriend, played by Kristin Davis, because she used something that fell in the toilet. What was it?

Bonus: The opening dialog in the first show and the closing dialog in the final episode were about the same topic. Name it.

Answers

1. Kramer’s first name was Cosmo.
2. Newman was Jerry’s nemesis.
3. George worked a number of jobs, most notably for the New York Yankees.
4. Superman appeared in every episode, usually in the form of a figurine on Jerry’s shelf.
5. In the final episode, we learn that Jerry won The Contest, when George confessed that he cheated.
6. Elaine’s cousin had “man hands.”
7. Jerry and George often referred to the fictitious Art Vandelay. BTW, he has a profile on LinkedIn.
8. Jerry was a fan of the Mets.
9. Elaine was a terrible dancer, a fact that George discovered at one of her office parties.
10. Larry David stars in HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.
11. Elaine worked at J. Peterman.
12. Eating  broccoli was not part of the Festivus celebration.
13. The police thought Kramer was a serial killer.
14. Larry David provided the voice for George Steinbrenner.
15. Monks Café was the restaurant’s name.
16. George pretended to be an architect (as well as a marine biologist).
17. The kavorka, or the lure of the animal, made him irresistible to women.
18. George’s father was played by Jerry Stiller (who happens to also be Ben’s father).
19. The scenes in the Sue Ellen Mischke wedding episode were aired in reverse chronological order.
20. Kristin Davis’ toothbrush fell in the toilet. She used it before Jerry was able to alert her.

BONUS: The first episode opened, and the last show ended, with Jerry commenting on the placement of a shirt’s buttons.

How did you do?
15 – 20 correct: NBC executive
10-14 correct: Comedy writer
5-9 correct: Network intern
1-4 correct: Kramer

Related post: Good communication no laughing matter for Seinfeld

Celebrate the Red Sox with some trivia

In honor of the Red Sox World Series victory, let’s test your knowledge of the Beantown nine. Answers are below.

1. Jimmy Fallon played a Red Sox fanatic in this 2005 movie, which also starred Drew Barrymore.
2. How tall is the Green Monster, the left field wall at Fenway Park?
3. What was Babe Ruth’s primary position during his time in a Red Sox uniform?
4. Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912, but was pushed off the front page by what event?
5. Which New York Yankee hit the game-winning home run in the 1978 playoff game at Fenway Park? Extra credit if you know his nickname.
6. In his book The Teammates, author David Halberstam writes about the lifelong friendship between Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, and which other Red Sox legend?
7. True or false: Ted Williams crash landed a plane during the Korean War.
8. Name the Red Sox centerfielder who won both the Rookie of the Year and the Most Valuable Player Award in 1975.
9. This former manager led the Red Sox to the 1967 World Series, and later won two World Series in Oakland.
10. How many World Series have the Red Sox won?
11. The manual scoreboard at Fenway has a series of dots and dashes — Morse Code. What does it spell?
12. In days gone by, Fenway Park sported only one advertisement. What was it?
13. Speaking of signs, what is the famous corporate sign, located in nearby Kenmore Square, that is often associated with Fenway Park.
14. Who is considered the greatest clutch-hitter in the history of the Boston Red Sox?
15. Let’s end with an easy one…what is the unofficial theme song of Red Sox Nation?

Answers:

1. Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore starred in Fever Pitch.
2. The Green Monster is 37 feet tall.
3. Babe Ruth was a pitcher, and a darn good one.
4. The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912,  five days before Fenway Park opened.
5. Bucky Dent homered off Mike Torrez to win the one-game playoff game. He’s known in Boston as Bucky “Bleeping” Dent.
6. Johnny Pesky is the fourth teammate in Halberstam’s book. The four are immortalized in a statue outside of Fenway.
7. True. Captain Ted Williams served in both WWI and Korea. During the latter, his plane was hit by enemy fire. He considered ejecting, but feared it would destroy his kneecaps.
8. Fred Lynn became the first player named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season, 1975.
9. Dick Williams managed the “Impossible Dream” season of 1967, and won World Series with the Athletics in 1972-74.
10. The Sox have won 8 World Series titles: 1903, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1918, 2004, 2007, and 2013.
11. The Morse Code on the scoreboard is TAY and JRY, the initials of former owners Thomas A. Yawkey and his wife, Jean R. Yawkey. See photo, below.
12. The lone advertisement at Fenway was the Jimmy Fund.
13. The CITGO sign, a landmark in Boston, is located just blocks from Fenway.
14. World Series MVP David Ortiz.
15. Sweet Caroline is played in the 8th inning of every home game.

A trip down Memory Lane

Remember when?

I found myself thinking about how things have changed over the years, and thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the people, events, and things that played a role in American pop culture during our lives.

How many items from this list do you remember?

1. You had to dial a telephone (above)
2. The world watched the first moon landing
3. Polaroid cameras meant no waiting for your photos
4. New York City had  two NFL teams
5. Before cable, most of us could only get three television stations
6. Pet Rocks were popular
7. Everyone wore Bell bottom pants
8. The once a year showing of the Wizard of Oz on television was a big deal
9. Calculators threatened to replace paper and pencil
10. TV dinners were heated in the oven
11. Wind up clocks lulled you to sleep (or kept you awake) with their tick-tock, tick-tock …
12. The S.S. Minnow set out for a 3-hour tour
13. Your could buy Sea Monkeys through the mail
14. Cassettes tapes replaced records
15. John Wayne was the hero of the west
16. Kids laced up PF Flyers sneakers
17. A drink at the drugstore soda fountains always tasted better
18. The Beach Boys sang about summer fun
19. The Gong Show offered talented and not-so-talented acts.
20. All pitchers in baseball batted before the designated hitter
21. Banana seats on bicycles were cool
22. Millions watched the Jerry Lewis Telethon every Labor Day weekend
23. The U.S. Bicentennial marked the nation’s 200th birthday
24. Soda came from vending machines in glass bottles
25. Klick-Klacks – loud and fun
26. What’s My Line? kept viewers guessing
27. Phil Donahue hosted a groundbreaking talk show
28. The world was stunned by the death of Elvis Presley
29. George Burns played God
30. The search for Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster was the rage
31. The Monkees offered an American version of The Beatles
32. Avocado green kitchen countertops were the latest style
33. The Le Car was certainly a conversation starter
34. ET, the Extra-Terrestrial set box office records
35. Al Capone’s vault came up empty
36. World Series day games meant no late nights for fans
37. And finally … The Flowbee promised a stylish haircut at home with no mess.

Your turn. What would you add to this list?

Best sports movies? Here’s my list

The NFL is in full swing. Baseball playoffs are underway. Hockey and basketball are just around the corner. To celebrate this sports lovers utopia, here’s my list of best sports movies, in no particular order:

61*
Yankee uberfan Billy Crystal chronicles the relationship between Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle as the two chased Babe Ruth’s single season home run record in 1961. Make sure you watch “the making of” special feature.

Remember the Titans
When a high district begins to desegregate, football unites students and townspeople.

Ali
Will Smith gives a stellar performance as The Greatest, Muhammad Ali.

Major League
Charlie Sheen leads a team of misfits to the pennant.

Hoosiers
Gene Hackman coaches a small town basketball team to the Indiana state championship.

The Natural
An aging baseball player finally gets his chance.

Eight Men Out
Eight members of the 1919 White Sox — the best team in baseball — were banned for throwing the World Series.

The Replacements
The football version of Major League, as Keanu Reeves leads a rag tag group of players across the picket line.

A League of Their Own
With Major League Baseball’s best fighting the war, Geena Davis leads a group of women onto the diamond.

Caddyshack
Dangerfield, Murray. Need I say more?

That’s my list. What’s on yours?

Movie trivia: Who said it?

We can all quote Seinfeld, but how are you at recognizing famous phrases from movies? Here are a few to test you (answers and scoring are below)

1. “I’ll be back.”
2. “You’re a wizard, Harry.”
3. “You had me at hello.”
4. “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
5. “Why so serious?”
6.  “Iceberg! Right ahead!”
7. “Here’s Johnny!”
8. “You’re going to need a bigger boat.”
9. “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
10. “Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? ”
11. “This team is your family, Michael. You have to protect them from those guys …  Are you going to protect the family, Michael?”
12. “Cinderella story, out of nowhere, a former greens keeper, now about to become the Masters’ Champion.”
13. “… and you have no style or sense of fashion … No, no. That wasn’t a question.”
14. “What do you mean he don’t eat no meat? That’s okay. That’s okay. I’ll make lamb.”
15. “Begone. Before somebody drops a house on you, too.”
16. “If we can’t protect the earth, you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it.”
17. “Was that the boogey man?”
18. “Dear Lord Baby Jesus … we thank you so much for this bountiful harvest of Domino’s, KFC, and the always delicious Taco Bell.”
19. “You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.”
20. “My momma always said, ‘life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’”

Answers

1. “I’ll be back.”                                                                                                  The Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) in The Terminator
   
2. “You’re a wizard, Harry.”
   Rubeus Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
   
3. “You had me at hello.”
   Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger) in Jerry Macguire
   
4. “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
   Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) in The Princess Bride  
   
5. “Why so serious?”
   The Joker (Heath Ledger) in The Dark Knight
   
6. “Iceberg! Right ahead!”
   Lookouts in Titantic
   
7. “Here’s Johnny!”
   Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) in The Shining
   
8. “You’re going to need a bigger boat.”
   Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) in Jaws
   
9. Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.”
   Rhett Butler (Clark Gable), Gone with the Wind
   
10. “Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes? ”
    Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in Raiders of the Lost Ark
    
11. “This team is your family, Michael. You have to protect them from those guys …  Are you going to protect the family, Michael?”
    Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) in The Blind Side
    
12. “Cinderella story, out of nowhere, a former greens keeper, now about to become the Masters’ Champion.”
    Carl (Bill Murray) in Caddyshack. Trivia: Murray reportedly did that entire scene as an ad lib.
    
13. “… and you have no style or sense of fashion … No, no. That wasn’t a question.”
    Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) in The Devil Wears Prada
    
14. “What do you mean he don’t eat no meat? That’s okay. That’s okay. I’ll make lamb.”
    Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin) in My Big Fat Greek Wedding
    
15. “Begone. Before somebody drops a house on you, too.”
    Glinda, the Good Witch (Billie Burke) in The Wizard of Oz
    
16. “If we can’t protect the earth, you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it.”
    Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) in The Avengers
    
17. Was that the boogey man?”
    Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) in Halloween
    
18. “Dear Lord Baby Jesus … we thank you so much for this bountiful harvest of Domino’s, KFC, and the always delicious Taco Bell.”
    Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell)in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
    
19. “You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.”
    Marie ‘Slim’ Browning (Lauren Bacall) in To Have and Have Not
    
20. “My momma always said, ‘life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.’”
    Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) in Forrest Gump

SCORING
0 – 5  You’re buying the popcorn
6-10  You’ve earned a small part
11-15  You may have a future in movies
16-20  Steven Speilberg is calling

50 things to celebrate this Independence Day

America is truly the land of the free and the home of the brave. There are many things that make this country special. Here are 50 of them:

1. Democracy
2. Norman Rockwell
3. Our 50 states
4. Firefighters, rescue personnel, and police
5. The Grand Canyon
6. The American dream
7. Picnics
8. Freedom of speech
9. M&M’s
10. Summer vacation
11. The Constitution
12. Niagara Falls
13. The Greatest Generation, our WWII veterans
14. The East and West Coasts
15. Baseball
16. Blue collar Americans
17. Disney
18. Fireworks on the 4th
19. The Statue of Liberty
20. Hamburgers and fries
21. New England
22. Mount Rushmore
23. Farmers
24. The Rocky Mountains
25. Presumption of innocence
26. Milk shakes
27. Teachers
28. Route 66
29. Barbeques
30. Seinfeld
31. Our military personnel
32. Redwood trees
33. The founding fathers
34. Drive in theaters
35. Apple
36. New York City
37. The Grinch
38. Facebook
39. Health care workers
40. Wrigley Field
41. County fairs
42. Bruce Springsteen
43. High school football
44. Mark Twain
45. Cheerios
46. Lincoln Memorial
47. Bigfoot sightings
48. U.S. Olympians
49. Kids
50. Fall apple picking

Your turn. What’s on your list of the great things about America?