Celebrity Endorsed Trivia

By Dan on Jan 27, 2010 in Blog | 1 Comment

Celebrities work hard to entertain us; the least we can do is buy the stuff they’re shilling.

Here’s a round of trivia based on celebrity endorsements. It’s pretty self-explanatory, including the part about not Google cheating.

 

(This round of trivia is being brought to you by the good people at the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., home of the tastiest ales in the world. At least it will be if they send me a t-shirt or a coupon or something for this completely honest and unsolicited pitch.)

 

Now, on to the trivia!

1 – This shag-topped actress sang a jaunty jingle about chicken and Wessonality.

2 – Bob Harris met Charlotte while in Tokyo shooting a Suntory Whiskey commercial in this movie.

3 – His booming voice reminds us that "This, is CNN."

4 – Nothing came between Brook Shields and this brand of designer jeans.

5 – This venerated thespian insisted that Paul Masson "will sell no wine, before its time."

6 – This actor has been the voice of Lowe’s and the Oppenheimer Fund, and also played a guy named Popeye.

7 – Faith Hill, Tyra Banks, Keri Russell, Christie Brinkley and Ellen DeGeneres have all provided a face to this company.

8 – Bob Hope served as spokesman for Chrysler and this petroleum retailer.

9 – A recent GoDaddy TV spot features this race car driver getting hit on by a comely female police officer.

10 – Wilco’s The Thanks I Get was heard on commercials for this auto manufacturer.

Bonus
He appeared on a billboard advising women to "Get a Mammogram, Man!"

 

 

Steroids are just vitamins on steroids

By Dan on Jan 13, 2010 in Blog | 5 Comments

Nothing makes my mind go numb faster than hearing the words "steroids" and "baseball" in the same sentence. It’s the sports topic that will not die, despite countless attempts to beat it to death. Yet it’s obviously a subject of interest to many and I do find myself holding an opinion on the matter, which is – "Who cares?".

I say this not to voice my indifference, but as a carefully considered conclusion that steroids shouldn’t be banned.

The common refrain is that McGuire and his juicing cohorts are cheaters who gained an unfair advantage. Some are particularly offended on behalf of the players from the pre-steroids era whose fallen records are seen as pure acts of athleticism. This is where the anti-steroid argument loses its way, in my opinion.

The modern player has countless advantages over his predecessors, advantages that have raised his level of play. Advances in nutrition and kinesiology. The use of weight training and conditioning. Corrective surgeries and procedures. Steroids, which do have a legitimate purpose, seem to fit right along with these other scientific and technological aids.

No one would suggest that a pitcher who had his career extended an extra five years thanks to a groundbreaking surgical procedure should have his additional victories asterisked out of the record book.

I know that the use of steroids for performance enhancing purposes is illegal. I assume this is because they’re harmful to one’s body when abused. Yet I would argue that being a professional athlete is harmful to one’s body.

How many players suffer career-ending injuries or leave the game with permanent afflictions? I’m not sure, but I’d say pretty many. I can’t pretend to care so much about them as human beings that I would oppose steroid use on the grounds that users might become infertile if I don’t have an equal concern for pitchers’ rotary cuffs as the result of throwing a ball repeatedly at a high velocity.

Again in my opinion, the advantage McGuire gained by taking steroids isn’t that much different than the advantage some other player gained by being an obsessive health nut. Both required sacrifice in exchange for a benefit. If steroids prove to have a disproportionate downside, there use will diminish on its own. 

I’m sure there are logical flaws in my argument and I’m exhibiting a disgraceful lack of ethics. Feel free to counter. After I read your comments I intend to never think of this subject again.

I just wrote in my blog a little bit.

By Dan on Jan 3, 2010 in Blog | 3 Comments

Lake Superior State University, which sounds made-up but apparently is not, releases an annual list of 15 words or phrases that should be retired from popular use. Some of them I agree with (chillaxin, teachable moment – unless used mockingly), while others seem too practical to discard (app as an abbreviation for application.)

Still it’s a worthy and necessary exercise, ridding our lexicon of annoying and tired language.

For years I’ve dreamed of the day when people would stop telling me to "have a good one."  More recently the Sethmeyersian practice of uttering repeated and disbelieving reallys to mock someone’s intent has grown beyond weary. But for 2010 I propose but a single act of banishment.

"I just threw up up in my mouth a little bit" started off as an adroit little phrase, an updated version of the 80s classic, "gag me with a spoon." When confronted with a nauseating person or situation, it was an effective way to voice the metaphoric gastronomical response that was being induced.

What made the phrase unique was its descriptiveness, including the addition of "a little bit." Yet that adverb phrase was also its downfall.

Had, over time, the phrase been shortened to "I just threw up into my mouth" it might have enjoyed a longer shelf life. But the insistence of its practitioners to retain that bit of detail quickly made the phrase seem mimic-y and unoriginal. "Don’t make me puke" sounds clever in comparison.

There are certainly are countless other words and phrases that I wish begone, but I’ll leave it at that and let you suggest others.

 

Answers: Sportos on Screen

By Dan on Dec 28, 2009 in Blog | 14 Comments

This round is quite simple. I’ll show you a picture of an actor or actress that was taken during their portrayal of a real-life, famous sports figure. You tell me the name of the sports figure, not the actor or actress.

You should do quite well, but if you Google you’ll go to hell. Really, you will.

As expected, your scores were much improved and you can start having recess again.

M.B. broke the curve with a perfect score, followed by A.C., Russ and M. de la Loyola with elevens. The rest:

Michele – 9

Johann – 8

Josh – 8

Kath – 7

LfS – 4

Nancy – incomplete

 

1 -

Lou Gehrig – Today – today-t’day-t’day, I consider this one of the most iconic images in all of sports moviedom.

 

2 –

 Jake LaMotta – De Niro so defined this role,  I’m not surprised that some didn’t know it was based on a real person.

 

3 -

Bobby Knight – I wanted to find a picture with him in his checkered blazer, although that might have made it too easy.

 

4 – The guy in the tie and cardigan.

George "the Gipper" Gipp – I had to throw in a Notre Dame question and Rudy would have been way too easy.

 

5 –

 Wilma Rudolph – Toughest question on the board with four correct answers.

 

6 -

Howard Cosell – Everyone knew this one. I was torn between this and Turturro as Billy Martin, but didn’t want to make this too Yankee intensive.

 

7 -

Gale Sayers – As a youth, this is the one movie that a young man could admit crying over and not be ridiculed. Kind of like how Twilight is for those sissy-boys today.

 

8 - The coach

Herb Brooks – Name recollection proved a bit of a problem with this one. I wanted a hockey question but wasn’t sure if the Mighty Ducks was based on a true story.

 

9 –

Sholess Joe Jackson – I’ve never seen this movie, but still would have known this one.

 

10 -

George Steinbrenner – I’m most proud of this question. "Heartbreaker, love-taker, shoe-maker, won’t you cut my shoes for free!"

 

11 -

Bille Jean King – I remember this movie coming out, but didn’t remember that Holly Hunter was in it. I really wasn’t aware of her until Raising Arizona.

 

Bonus Question -

Seabiscuit – How could you not recognize that mug? He’s a deadringer.

Turns out there is a Santa and the Tooth Fairy is real. BFS regrets the error.

By Dan on Dec 22, 2009 in Local, nonsense | 3 Comments

First I blew Santa’s cover with this column that sent my daughter into a tailspin of doubt and confusion. Then I let the Tooth Fairy out of the bag with this story* on two dentists. It’s clear that my writing should be kept away from children, even though I pen nary a vulgarity nor do I address subjects of an adult nature. Perhaps some child-like imagination sensitive training is in order.

I was honored to have one of my blog posts linked to the 100 Fun & Informative Blog Posts Every Grammar Geek Should Bookmark list compiled by Online Universities.com. That they saw fit to include it despite the comma splice in the title (why didn’t any of you catch that?) is humbling indeed. I attempted to excuse the error by citing my Eastern European ancestry and the acceptance of comma splices in the Russian language because it sounds better than admitting to be ignorant of that rule in front of a bunch of grammarians.

More trivia to follow. The next round will feature many colorful pictures and no obscure indie rock song lyrics.

*For those who read this story, that young girl who lost her tooth and was presented with a forgery so that her Tooth Fairy wishes could still come true, well, that was my niece. I didn’t realize it until after the article was published and my sister let me know. Pretty small world wouldn’t you say?

« Previous Entries
Next Page »