Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions

[ams1001]

10 minutes ago, catrice2 said:

Is this a new format? I don't recall three people being able to sit out until the semi finals before? i don't like it, and I don't like the exhibition game either.  I hope it was taped after the other games were completed. 

Yes, it's new. At least in part because of the number of qualifiers, I guess. I think there were 19 legit qualifiers and that doesn't work mathematically, hence the second chance games to add two more. So three bypass the first round, then play the six winners in the next round. I don't mind it though I'm not crazy about the whole "best of seven" thing for the finals. I like knowing when it's going to end.

I'm kind of looking forward to the exhibition game, though I'm also one who was thoroughly annoyed with a certain player long before the end of her run, and if they're not really playing for anything but bragging rights I fear it will encourage even more chitchat, so we'll see. I have a feeling it might feel more like the celebrity games. I'm curious how it works, though, since Ken said there would be no wagering...are there no Daily Doubles? I'm pretty sure the real reason they're doing it is because they don't want to risk a real tournament game getting preempted with election "coverage" (in quotes because there won't be much to actually cover when most people watch J!; polls here don't even close until 8:00, but that probably won't stop them).

[Prevailing Wind]

I think the "no wagering" was for us. Like Dave Letterman used to say before "Stupid Pet Tricks" - "This is only an exhibition; no wagering."

[ProudMary]

46 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

I'm curious how it works, though, since Ken said there would be no wagering...are there no Daily Doubles?

Exactly. No DDs? There is a Final Jeopardy because TJF posted a category. How does that work without a wager? I guess no one is declared a winner? I think I'm losing interest. 🥱 

[ams1001]

5 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

Exactly. No DDs? There is a Final Jeopardy because TJF posted a category. How does that work without a wager? I guess no one is declared a winner? I think I'm losing interest. 🥱 

I just glanced at the game (tried not to read any clues and didn't scroll down enough to see any scores) and there are DDs. Maybe Prevailing Wind has it right above. I guess it's more 'points' than dollar amounts.

Edited November 8, 2022 by ams1001

[chitowngirl]

The exhibition game is like any other, but there are no take home winnings. It’s a chance for everyone to get a game and buzzer prep under their belts…a warmup, if you will….

[ProudMary]

2 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

The exhibition game is like any other, but there are no take home winnings. It’s a chance for everyone to get a game and buzzer prep under their belts…a warmup, if you will….

This makes me feel a bit better. There needs to be a winner! To have the three of them together in a game and not name a victor would be ridiculous. I guess there will be wagers; they'll just be betting points, not dollars. 

[chitowngirl]

6 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

This makes me feel a bit better. There needs to be a winner! To have the three of them together in a game and not name a victor would be ridiculous. I guess there will be wagers; they'll just be betting points, not dollars. 

Or betting Magic Beans, to quote one player (I saw the episode already).

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

20 hours ago, annzeepark914 said:

It just dawned on me who Sam reminds me of...Steve Martin, when he wears his glasses🤓.  

We've been saying that since we first saw him on Jeopardy - which is how we recognized him

Sam Buttrey may be Steve Martin’s doppelgänger, but I always see him as representative of the work-friends and colleagues I would still have if I’d accepted the job offer back in 2000 as librarian at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey CA.

I am glad *tonight* is the showdown of the super champs, who will not only accept the winner, but applaud and support each other.

I do not expect to get any TSs tonight, but that’s okay.

[PaulaO]

Monday’s game:  it is not Trooping of the Colour.  It’s Trooping the Colour.

Sam looks like Scott Bakula.

Mattea is still tres annoying with the hand gestures.

Edited November 8, 2022 by PaulaO

[annzeepark914]

15 minutes ago, PaulaO said:

Monday’s game:  it is not Trooping of the Colour.  It’s Trooping the Colour.

Sam looks like Scott Bakula.

Mattea is still tres annoying with the hand gestures.

I do not look forward to seeing flappy hands again this week. She *must* know how much that irritates a lot of viewers.

[badgerwoman]

jeopardy is on early here, so no preemption.  I hope you all get to see the exhibition game, its a hoot.  

[PaulaO]

1 hour ago, annzeepark914 said:

I do not look forward to seeing flappy hands again this week. She *must* know how much that irritates a lot of viewers.

Doubtful.  Annoying people don’t have the self awareness to know they are annoying!

[ams1001]

Just saw on Facebook:

Quote

🚨 IT'S HAPPENING 🚨

The match-up between Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio and Mattea Roach will be on YouTube TONIGHT.

Be the first to ring in by subscribing to our YouTube channel, as the full Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions exhibition game drops at 8 p.m. PT: youtube.com/jeopardy

Of course, that's 11 my time...

On the up side, I left work on time, voted, and still got home before 6.

[illdoc]

21 minutes ago, badgerwoman said:

I hope you all get to see the exhibition game, its a hoot.  

Ken!!!!!

[rubaco]

37 minutes ago, illdoc said:

Ken!!!!!

I know, right? What is... something you never expected to see Ken do.

Such a fun episode.

[SHD]

Did they have a little happy hour backstage before the exhibition game? 

Spoiler

[chessiegal]

Thank you, Michael Davies for such a fun it doesn't matter except for bragging rights show. And congrats to Mattea! Well done.

Wondered what Matt was doing now that he's not a graduate student. He's a post-doc. Makes sense. I think he said he wants to teach when he was on his original run.

[ams1001]

Figures, the exhibition game was my best so far of the tournament...(which still isn't saying a whole lot): 70% / 58% / 63%

This was fun. Love that they did a tribute category for Alex. Matt was funny when he rang in the first time with "Hi Ken; just wanted to say hi" before giving his response. Got a good laugh at the significance of the number category (even if Ken did give away the last question, which was even funnier).

I did pretty well in J! - ran nothing but missed only one each in Hits of 2002, You Sit On It, and Number, Please, and two each in the rest. As for DJ, sadly, I have not read Middlemarch, though I still got three right. Got four in Potpourri and Wrong But Excellent (they didn't get to the last one, so I'm counting it as a run 😉), two Rhymes with a Dwarf and Treaty of Paris, and zero Movie Quotes.

Went blank for FJ. Got no DDs or TSes, either.

A friend of mine had to go to Saskatoon for a business trip once; she sent me a postcard that said on the back, "Saskatoon at night." The photo on the front was just solid black.

Edited November 9, 2022 by ams1001

[BuckeyeLou]

This game is so fun to watch!  The 3 contestants are loose & making jokes & teasing each other & Ken...so enjoyable.  Every episode should be so entertaining

[annzeepark914]

Well, I saw a rather strange version of this show. Two different times a set of questions was repeated (e g , the nickel capital--Sudbury), and I can't remember the other ones but I do know the show was bizarre & I was drinking iced tea. 

[saber5055]

One of the best and most fun episodes of this show EVER. So many LOL moments. Although I did get a little verklempt when Ken said this was the second anniversary of Alex's passing.

[SoMuchTV]

Well, I was really expecting “hoe” to come up in the “wrong but excellent“ category. 

[secnarf]

1 hour ago, PaulaO said:

Doubtful.  Annoying people don’t have the self awareness to know they are annoying!

I do. I just can't help myself. You all would rip me apart if I were ever on Jeopardy (not that I am remotely smart enough for that).

Really enjoyed the game. I was surprised Mattea won - I forgot how wide her knowledge base is. They all seemed to be having fun though.

[HissyFit]

I expected the exhibition game to be much closer, and am glad I didn't bet on a winner. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and am still howling at Ken's flub. 

[SomeTameGazelle]

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

Got a good laugh at the significance of the number category (even if Ken did give away the last question, which was even funnier).

It's funny, I noted the 74 and that Ken didn't make any joke about it at the time but did not pick up on any of the other numbers in the category and was shocked when Ken started to point it out. 

I *have* read Middlemarch and lots of Eliot and the burden of knowledge is so great that I was trying to think of Lewes (the husband) before Matt's response of Eliot was accepted. I also wrestled with whether Middlemarch was more complicated than a town because why else would they ask. 

[853fisher]

That wasn't at all what I expected, but I enjoyed it for what it was.  All four people on the stage were clearly enjoying the game and each other's company.

I might have preferred something a bit less loosey-goosey for a charity prize, but I think they all had a chance to shake the cobwebs off anyway, so onward.

It's tough to believe Alex has been gone two years now.  I remember where I was when I heard the news - I can't say that about a lot of things!

23 minutes ago, SoMuchTV said:

Well, I was really expecting “hoe” to come up in the “wrong but excellent“ category. 

Spoiler

I think I read it was the "J!6" bonus question for that category for today.

[ams1001]

7 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

It's tough to believe Alex has been gone two years now.  I remember where I was when I heard the news - I can't say that about a lot of things!

  Hide contents

I think I read it was the "J!6" bonus question for that category for today.

I haven't played J!6 in a while but I actually got them all right!

[possibilities]

That was way more fun (and funnier) than the Celebrity Games, which are supposedly the loose ones.

Matt seemed sick (he sounded congested and his voice was scratchy). I wonder when this taped.

I looked it up, in case anyone is wondering what a half moon key is for.

https://www.reidsupply.com/en-us/industry-news/half-moon-keys

I honestly don't think I understand the explanation, but I tried!

Edited November 9, 2022 by possibilities

[DrSpaceman73]

Fun game except for mattea. I had forgotten her hand gestures being so annoying. 

[kathyk24]

I loved the Sit on it category someone must have watched Happy Days. I was surprised Ken swore. I had no clue for the Middlemarch category or Final Jeopardy.

[possibilities]

9 hours ago, dgpolo said:

Lilly, @oneeclecticmom on Twitter, she does 'fashion recaps' on the contestants and Ken/Mayim (she never says anything bad, it just started as a fun thing she did and grew, she is acknowledged by contestants and the show itself) was at the ToC tapings (I believe someone from the show paid her way) and is writing recaps. This one discusses Jessica and has an interview with her that discusses failure.

https://oneeclecticmom.substack.com/p/tournament-of-champions-game-6-recap

That interview with Jessica was really great. 

[stonehaven]

Loved this episode. It kind of reminded me of the GOAT tourney from a few years ago. I will definately watch this again. It was nice to see all three of them back and surprised Matt didn't do better and that he actually rang in for pop culture questions...

...and yes, the Alex Trebek mentions were awesome! Miss that man...

[StaceyNotStacie]

Today’s game was fun. I’m guessing that the producers were afraid that one of the super champs would get eliminated in the semifinals and they wouldn’t get a match between the three of them. 

[Ohiopirate02]

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

As for DJ, sadly, I have not read Middlemarch, though I still got three right.

I finally got around to reading Middlemarch this year so I got all the answers. But, the clues were not that difficult. All the contestants needed was a basic plot summary order to answer. Nothing more difficult than when the works of other great authors are used.  

[sharifa70]

The exhibition match is preempted in my market (West Coast) and I’m so frustrated by it (even though I was also really bothered by the flappy hands and wasn’t looking forward to seeing them again). Our polls haven’t even closed yet, for crying out loud!!!!!

[3 is enough]

Well colour me shocked.  I found the episode on YouTube and watched earlier, but as I was flipping through channels I saw that my local station was actually airing it! Given that I am in Nevada and our polls closed at 7 I was sure the station would be doing election coverage.

That was a lot of fun to watch.  Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

Edited November 9, 2022 by 3 is enough

[Cherpumple]

1 hour ago, StaceyNotStacie said:

Today’s game was fun. I’m guessing that the producers were afraid that one of the super champs would get eliminated in the semifinals and they wouldn’t get a match between the three of them. 

I agree, and based on this game it would be Matt. He was worryingly off his stride tonight. I was genuinely shocked by how many answers he flubbed.

I enjoyed the collective groan when Mattea said she enjoyed one of those songs when she was four, as well as Amy's response later, lol.

I don't mind Mattea's hand gestures, but can't stand her constant stream of remarks throughout the game that she mumbles to herself. It's very distracting!

[PaulaO]

Based on today’s game, I predict Mattea to win it all.  Amy and Matt seemed disengaged, although as someone unthread said, Matt might be under the weather.  

[secnarf]

23 minutes ago, PaulaO said:

Based on today’s game, I predict Mattea to win it all.  Amy and Matt seemed disengaged, although as someone unthread said, Matt might be under the weather.  

Mattea lost eventually, too. 
I hope this game doesn’t dishearten Matt or Amy. I really like all three of them and wasn’t even sure who to root for today, and I think any one of them could win. 
 

[Bliss]

I thoroughly enjoyed tonight's episode for all the reasons mentioned - and way to go, Mattea!

A bittersweet day for me in remembering my teenaged crush (Alex), his passing, and also hearing of a family member who passed away. Hard to see the clues with wet eyes, you know?

Can't help but wonder if either Matt or Amy were sandbagging... I mean they're both brilliant, right? Might have been a "kind" gesture on someone's part (or they had too much fun at happy hour) to just not go for it... saving the attack for the game that counts. Just throwing it out there as a possibility.

Nothing against Mattea re the sandbagging comment. Mattea rocks, intelligence-wise. I don't notice the quirks (or perhaps they don't annoy me) as I'm too impressed with the incredible data storage facility and retrieval process.

Now, if Mattea slurps soup or clinks teeth on silverware, THAT would be irritating.

[Irlandesa]

Does Mattea use they/them pronouns now?  I swear I read that somewhere and I believe Ken used "they" when referring to Mattea during FJ. 

I don't think I'd worry about Amy or Matt.  I think Mattea was all in but I think Matt and Amy were being more casual.  I don't think they'd be buzzing in on answers they didn't know if real money were on the line.

But I guess we'll see next week this week.

Otherwise, so much of the episode was fun because they allowed themselves to have a bit of banter.  Ken's screw up was hilarious and classic.

Edited November 9, 2022 by Irlandesa

[Bastet]

I knew the exhibition game would be pre-empted by election coverage here, so I checked the archive and saw that Mattea had won, but didn't have time to read the clues.

Fast forward, and I just watched the game on YouTube, after several I'm off tomorrow drinks, and that was fun! 

It would only be left in in this type of game, which is as it should be, but I'm glad to experience something like Ken's bleeped "Oh, shit!" when he realized he jumped the gun on explaining the number category.

"One of my favorite songs when I was, like, four."
...
"One of my favorite songs when I was 27."

HA!!  Best moment of the game.

I was mildly dismayed by the "I don't know why farmers like Tuesdays" after that election day clue, rather than imparting the information on how that related to the agrarian calendar back in the day.

I liked Ken noting all three had different professions than when they first appeared.  I don't normally watch the interviews, but I did this time, and I enjoyed Amy shrugging Eh, I watched The West Wing, I can handle this about the White House press corps asking questions.

I didn't keep track of my own performance - again, with the it's election night and I don't have to work tomorrow drinking - but I don't think I ran anything.  Or got a single TS.  Alcohol really does kill brain cells (it just also makes election nights easier to bear).

[Driad]

Those who liked the "Wrong But Excellent" category might enjoy "Says You," one of my favorite public radio quiz shows.  It's great exercise for word nerds, and the host often awards points for answers that are wrong but hilarious.

[dcalley]

8 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I'm not crazy about the whole "best of seven" thing for the finals. I like knowing when it's going to end.

I still don't think this has been explained on-air. I feel bad for the upcoming regular contestants who can't even tell friends and family when their episodes will air!

2 hours ago, possibilities said:

I looked it up, in case anyone is wondering what a half moon key is for.

https://www.reidsupply.com/en-us/industry-news/half-moon-keys

I honestly don't think I understand the explanation, but I tried!

I also looked it up and still have no idea!

[853fisher]

59 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

Does Mattea use they/them pronouns now?  I swear I read that somewhere and I believe Ken used "they" when referring to Mattea during FJ. 

Ken definitely did use "they" on today's show.  I think this is a change from Mattea's first run but I'm not totally sure.

Edited November 9, 2022 by 853fisher

[30 Helens]

I watched Monday and Tuesday’s games back-to-back tonight. It was a nice break from depressing election coverage. (I live in Texas, y’all. The news is never good.)

Steve- I mean Sam- was impressive in his win. Good for him. This should provide a boost of confidence in the next round. I didn’t fully get FJ, but I did say “a sword”. Good enough? (I’m giving myself half a point.)

The exhibition game was fun. I previously thought it was a little unfair to give the Big Three a bye into the second round, but now I think it was actually more fair to give the other contestants a first round with people who were more on their level. Otherwise, some people would play against other 5-timers, and some would play against an Amy (or Matt or Mattea). That’s not a level playing field, either.

Today, floppy tiny baby hands were more a source of nostalgic amusement than irritation. I guess I can handle them in small doses. And Mattea may have won this round (mainly due to buzzer speed, it appeared), but they lost the Dry Wit battle. That title goes to my girl Amy. 😁

Love loved Ken’s very human, very cursing presentation error. I wonder if that would have been shown in a “regular” match or if it would have been edited out? Because I say leave that *bleep* in.

Edited November 9, 2022 by 30 Helens
Correcting pronouns

[labresq]

3 hours ago, SomeTameGazelle said:

It's funny, I noted the 74 and that Ken didn't make any joke about it at the time but did not pick up on any of the other numbers in the category and was shocked when Ken started to point it out. 

Will someone kindly explain what Ken was saying about the numbers in that category?  I didn't understand what pattern he was trying to say.

[dcalley]

20 minutes ago, labresq said:

Will someone kindly explain what Ken was saying about the numbers in that category?  I didn't understand what pattern he was trying to say.

"40, 23, 38, and then 74, which is larger than any of them--may be of specific relevance to your Jeopardy! streaks." Ken won 74 games, Amy 40, Matt 38, Mattea 23. (I didn't get it in real time, either.)

Edited November 9, 2022 by dcalley

[opus]

17 minutes ago, dcalley said:

"40, 23, 38, and then 74, which is larger than any of them--may be of specific relevance to your Jeopardy! streaks." Ken won 74 games, Amy 40, Matt 38, Mattea 23. (I didn't get it in real time, either.)

I forget. What was the fifth number?

[labresq]

Thanks so much!