Anchor Valley Trivia

12/18/2024

Ready for the final trivia competition of 2024? Have you given much thought to the Holy Trinity of TV Christmas specials? Maybe you should.

Also: extra points if your Christmas sweater is more stomach-turning than the Sergeant-at-Arms' sweater.

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12/10/2024

NORMS MAKE A STATEMENT, TAKE THEIR FIRST TITLE!

(THEIR STATEMENT: “WE WON’T BE HERE TO DEFEND OUR CROWN.”)

Sated and relaxed after Thanksgiving, the teams of the Greater Anchor Valley Trivia League convened last Wednesday to see if anyone would have the grit to unseat two- (three?) time belt winners Menage (Whatever I Say They Are), if the Trivia Master had recovered from his need to flog the players with a series of unanswerable questions and, finally, how the evening would proceed in the absence of the Sergeant-at-Arms, who’d been called to the Mother Ship in Switzerland, perhaps for the final time in her storied career. Two hours later, each question had been answered as follows:

1) Yes
2) Yes, thankfully
3) Somewhat chaotically, with the chaos continuing up to and through this recap, since I lost the scoresheet and don’t know who finished where, other than first. Our plea is simple and heartfelt: please return our full-time Sergeant-at-Arms in time for the next competition (December 16).

Not that we are complaining about the performance of fill-in Sergeant-at-Arms Joe, who brought his usual cheerful and entreprenuerial vibe to the proceedings, at one point interrupting a category to take an impromptu survey of local pizza offerings and tossed out not one but two wine specials that at this time we’re not sure how many people took advantage of.

Still, the crowd sensed from the jump that the absence of the Sergeant-at-Arms, who prefers to refer to herself as “The Producer” would mean a looser format and more space for antics and hijinks, which it took advantage of early and often, which is to say a riotous good time was had by all, even Menage, whose team name, after cratering in Round 2, evolved from Menage a (.com) to (High-pitched whistle to explosion), to (Last place) to (Having a good time) in ensuing rounds.

Why the bout of low esteem for Menage, on a night whose four food-themed categories were received with almost unanimous acclaim? They opened with a six in Current Events, good for a fifth-place tie ahead of only rookies Bachelors in Paradise and two points behind leaders the RaySpots and The Winnies (presently known as Winona Judd), each of whom came out of the gates with an eight.

But on this night it wasn’t wise to sleep on Norm (and the Caregivers), emerged from Round 1 in fourth place but launched themselves into first by mastering the Cola Wars round (9 points) and never relinquished their lead, despite a late charge the Hot Toddys, who finished second with 47, three points off the lead. Following these two teams with 44 were Pantone 294, whose comprehensive knowledge of Latin American and European food origins pushed them into contention mid-play until they stumbled in the final Ear Candy category, and the Winnies (Winona Judd, Wi******er Bay, etc.) who suffered no lapses nor reached any heights, good enough for 44 points .

In fifth place and showing a disturbing trend for late game fades was the RaySpots (42 points), followed by Menage a (We’d Rather Not Talk About This) with 41. Bringing up the rear were rookies Bachelors in Paradise, including team member Tom, who understood immediately on this night what matters most: jumping up and shouting then your team name is announced. Good work, Tom.

Afterward, as the Norms celebrated with baby pumps and high fives, a twist: almost immediately upon completing their celebration, Norm himself announced that the team will not be attending the December 16 trivia competition. The belt has been vacated almost as quickly as it was claimed.

Here are your awards for December 4:

MOST INFLUENTIAL TEAM: The Winnies, who not only continue to improbably think up five new names each week but have now inspired other teams to do the same; witness the Menage a (Anything is Possible) evolution and the plight of the Bachelors in Paradise, whose evening took them from Paradise to Near Paradise to Reaching For Paradise before descending into Hell and finally emerging back in Paradise.

EAR CANDY AWARD: The Hot Toddys scored a perfect 10 in the Ear Candy category, demonstrating a broad knowledge of food-related music and musicians ranging from Meatloaf and Richard Harris all the way to the Presidents of the United States of America, Prince and Jack Johnson.

REACHING THE BOTTOM: Menage a (Not Themselves Tonight) were tricked into thinking my niece set the record for most slices of pizza (83) consumed in a ten-minute period.

YOU'RE WELCOME: Speaking of pizza, you should all be relieved that the category did not ask you to identify New Haven-style pizza (aPizza), St. Louis-style pizza (cracker crust, provolone cheese), Quad Cities pizza (malt in the crust, cayenne pepper topping) or pizza strips. Quad Cities pizza.

OFFICIAL BABY OF ANCHOR VALLEY TRIVIA UPDATE: Competition continued to rage this week. Seager came out of the gates strong and had a significant presence all evening but it’s difficult to score points when your rival is being hoisted into the air wearing a gigantic championship belt.

2024 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AWARD: To the RaySpots, who, despite the return of their white boards, came come out of the gate early, flirted with the leaders, then lost momentum late and finished fifth. All gas, no brakes, RaySpots.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Tom of Bachelors in Paradise, who later confided to me, “I don’t know anything.” That may be, Tom, but you know how to bring some energy to the room.

BEST CATEGORY OF THE EVENING: According to the always-delightful Rebecca of Pantone 294, it was the Mexican Food or Not category which, if we’re being honest here, I would’ve scored a five on.

HARD TO ROOT FOR THIS: There is a rumor that Rick and Steve of the Hot Toddys have conspired to refuse a celebratory walk-up, should their team ever claim the belt.

That’s all for this week; hope to see you all (or at least everyone who raised their hands when I asked them if they’d be there) on the 16th.

12/04/2024

It's Wednesday and time for trivia; time to ask yourself, "just how much do I know about pizza?"

Find out tonight at 6 PM!

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11/26/2024

MENAGE A FILLS IN THE BLANK WITH A BIG WIN

There was a definite buzz in the air as teams gathered lat Wednesday for the latest installment of Anchor Valley Trivia. Maybe it was the return of Menage a (Fill in the Blank), here to reclaim the Championship Belt from last week’s holders, perennial bridesmaids. Winnie’s Winners. Maybe it was the return of Norm (and the Caregivers), who brought Baby Hadley to renew her rivalry with Seager for the title of Official Baby of Anchor Valley Trivia.

Maybe it was the post-yoga retreat glow of the Sergeant-at-Arms, or the sheen of midwestern toughness covering the Trivia Master upon his return from Sandusky, Ohio. Maybe it was the sheer joy of the long-awaited victory lap Winnie’s Winners took to kick off the evening.

It may have been any or all of these things, but we all know the truth: it was the anonymous (expect maybe to Joe; TBD) woman who strode into the room, ripped the mic from the Trivia Master’s hands and, despite there being no karaoke scheduled at either Anchor Valley or Jackass in the near future, launched into an a ca****la version of a torch song I didn’t recognize, handed the mic back, and exited, leaving a stunned room of trivia enthusiasts in her wake and a gape-mouthed Trivia Master with only his five categories (plus Current Events) to follow. “The categories were fine,” Pantone 294 mainstay Ryan later said, “but the questions? I don’t know.”

There was grumbling, it’s true, and it is a testament to the fine character of our seven teams — Pantone, Menage a (), the Norms, the Winnies, Magneto, Bomb Cyclone and impressive rookies Texas Exes (and Rick) — that they kept a positive attitude throughout and nobody (else) grabbed the mic and started singing, not even Molly, who could be forgiven after missing her long-requested Broadway musicals category two weeks ago, if she wanted to add a little music to the proceedings.

All seven teams scored seven or better in the opening Current Events round, then dipped a bit but held fast in the overly clever by half “Lennon or Lenin” round. There is only one rock star whose life could be confused with a career revolutionary; that rock star is John Lennon.

The Thanksgiving TV Party did not materialize as anticipated; intended to be a lighthearted romp, instead the category was a blood bath. Menage a Fill in the Blank led all teams with a mere five points — enough to give them a sizable lead. Multiple teams emerged from the round with only two correct answers.

The veteran Menages cruised from there, claiming the belt by five points over the frisky Texas Exes (and Rick) and the resurgent Magnetos, whose recent turnaround has given them visions of their own victory lap — something unimaginable just a few weeks ago.

Defending champions “All We Ever Do is Win, Win, Win/Winnie's Winners” tied with the Norms for fourth place. Both teams’ performances were overshadowed by the much more heated battle for Official Baby of Anchor Valley Trivia, where the competition is far from over.

Rounding out the scoring was Bomb Cyclone, who finished sixth despite the best efforts of new team member Andrea to drill a hole in the Trivia Master after each question with her intense gaze and Pantone, who limped to the finish line short one member, as Rebecca had to go pick up Ryder from rehearsal.

Here are your weekly awards:

RANDOM KARAOKE AWARD: Obviously to the woman who might be Joe’s friend. I was actually kidding when I asked if she was “here to karaoke.”

SURPRISE TEEN APPEARANCE: To unexpected Pantone 294 team member Elise, who attended her first AV Trivia Wednesday, smiled often and didn’t look at me once like I’d just asked the stupidest question in recorded history.

BEST WINNIE DERIVATIVE OF THE WEEK: The simple, timeless “Winnie the Pooh.” Though Win Stefani was pretty good too.

LUV YA BLUE: The Sergeant-at-Arms and I have been trying to get the Texas Exes to trivia for several weeks, not knowing that once they showed they’d immediately be in contention for the win. Looking forward to hearing what music they choose for their eventual victory lap and hoping it’s Houston Oilers #1.

OFFICIAL BABY OF AV TRIVA UPDATE: Competition really heated up this week, with both babies in parade mode for most of the evening. Points to Seager for his giant beanie, countered by Hadley’s very positive motif onesie.

WARNING: I promised Norm some French in the near future. Players who enjoy listening to me botch name and word pronunciations, rejoice.

CAUSAL OR COINCIDENTAL: This week’s winners experimented with several team names (including an ill-fated dalliance with Alanis Morissette lyrics) before winning with Menage a (Fill in the blank), the name the Trivia Master has been calling for with annoying persistence and perhaps a touch of bullying all along.

DOESN’T SHOW UP IN THE BOX SCORE: A difficult Thanksgiving TV Party derailed Bomb Cyclone’s chances but as always their game-saving enthusiasm was a crucial element of AV Trivia’s success. Look for a bounce back next time as the core of Steve, Roe and Nice Guy Mike adds a returning Rick and sees more focus from newbie Andrea which is obviously impossible because there is no way she could be more focused.

KEEP AN EYE ON US AWARD: Apparently now beholden to English shareholders (how else to explain the Ltd. tacked onto their name), the Magnetos rode their knowledge of John Lennon, Vladimir Lennon and mafia movies to a surprise second place tie, despite the absence of International Man of Mystery Trenton.

YOUR HOMEWORK THIS WEEK: Is to watch Wacky Races clips on YouTube. Full episodes are there. I checked. And be glad I didn’t ask you about Scooby’s Laff-A-Lympics.

We have two more trivia session slated for the rest of 2024. Next one is December 4 and we will be without the Sergeant-at-Arms, so I am taking applications for fill-in Sergeants. If you are interested, please email me.

Have a great Thanksgiving and hope to see you all December 4!

11/21/2024

Everyone ready for trivia? Did you prep by watching a bunch of mafia movies? I know I did.

11/11/2024

WINNIE BREAKS THROUGH

It was the first Wednesday of November and the weather had turned cold; the reigning champions had vacated their title (“last minute cancellations”) and the Trivia Master and Sergeant-at-Arms had their actual son in the house. As the 6 PM kickoff approached, another shocker: The Team Formerly Known as Menage a Trois, presumptive favorites in the absence of E=MC Hammer, also no-showed. Joining them on the sidelines? Pantone 294.

What did this all mean? That none of the previous AV Trivia Championship Belt holders would be competing. The future was wide open for five teams.

The future was also wide open for our own Peggy McBee, who celebrated her 26th birthday by clocking in at Anchor Valley. What did Peggy get for her troubles? Her own bonus round category and an all-participant “Happy Birthday to You” to close the evening. But we digress.

Competition was fierce throughout, with surprise teams holding the early lead. After a very difficult Current Events category (“Tough to find anything that wasn’t about the election,” — Trivia Master), the two-way tie for first featured The Winnies and The RaySpots. After Round Two, it was the upstart Magneto (Banditos) with the lead, which was slightly surprising since the entire category had been designed with Seven Flags team member Kylee in mind. In fact, the category was called “Getting Saucy With Kylee.” Who could’ve predicted that the Magnetos’ knowledge of sauces would rule the day?

Sadly, the Magnetos’ joy was short-lived. They fell prey to the deceptively challenging “How’s the Air Up There?” Category, stumbling over all manner of questions about tall people and structures, though the Trivia Master did consider awarding them a half-point for thinking “That big Chinese dude” was the tallest person to ever play in an NBA All-Star game. At this point the Winnies emerged as the leaders, one point up on the RaySpots, and held their lead despite a late charge from Seven Flags, whose consecutive perfect scores in the Broadway tunes and Must See TV categories I will attribute entirely to the presence on the team of my son, who, obviously, is a genius. And good-looking.

Peggy’s bonus category left several teams tattered and confused (average score 4.2/10), giving us these final standings:

Winnyston Churchill (etc) 43
Seven Flags 42
Road Warriors. 37
Magneto Banditos. 36
Ray Spots. 34

Here are your bi-weekly awards:

BIRTHDAY GIRL: We hope we eased the pain of having to work on your birthday, Peggy, and are sorry that everyone thinks you’re at least 27.

UNBRIDLED JOY AWARD: To the Team Magneto (Banditos), whose brief moment atop the leaderboard was an exercise in pure happiness (and a bit of surprise). Though they stumbled later… ok, almost immediately… Magneto’s finished the evening only 7 points off the leader pace and escaped the cellar for the first time in several weeks.

UNBRIDLED JOY AWARD #2: To all of the members of the Winnie Universe, who pounced on the opportunity to grab the championship belt. The Winnies hung around the lead all night and then pushed themselves over the top with strong showings in On Broadway and Must See TV. Afterward, Team Captain Erik became the Most Humble and Soft-Spoken Champion in our short history, quietly nodding and saying, “I guess we have to come up with some walk-up music now.” Good on you, Winnies!

OFFICIAL BABY UPDATE: Consecutive no-shows by the Norms and a belt for the Winnies? Say hello to the Official Baby of AV Trivia: Seager.

MIDDLE-AGED MEN FLASHBACK: Yes, we all loved Laurie Partridge when we were kids.

I BAKED A CAKE AND YOU DIDN’T COME AWARD: To me, for finally including a category about Broadway musicals, only to have the people who requested it (numerous times) not show up. Sorry, Molly.

EASIEST CATEGORY IN THE WORLD: On Broadway. We could almost picture Brian scoffing. If he’d been there.

WE COULDN’T DO IT WITHOUT YOU AWARD: As always, to Road Warrior Roe. Like my beloved Golden State Warriors, trivia nights often get off to slow starts. When that happens, it takes little more than a quick, “Roe? Help me out?” To get things rolling. Also, nobody does the wave better.

SURPRISINGLY DIFFICULT QUESTION: Hollandaise and the Mother Sauces of France.

SERIOUS THREATS: Several weeks ago, RaySpot mainstay Beth threatened (twice!) to throw a penalty flag, so disgusted was she by some of the Trivia Master’s questions. She topped that this week, suggesting she might “come up out of this chair” during one particularly egregious category.

INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY: Magneto Trenton, whose smooth and smoothly correct. pronunciation of the word “gochujang” demonstrated a perfect accent and had the entire room wondering what sort of intrigue is buried under that sober cardigan sweater.

POOR PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS: To the Sergeant-at-Arms, who had at least eight chances to grab some video of Seven Flags team member Rick doing interpretive dances during On Broadway. That no evidence of those dances accompanies this recap means she failed.

That’s all for this time; thanks to everyone who participated and (hopefully) made Peggy’s birthday a knockout. See you all NOVEMBER 20.

11/06/2024

Who’s ready for trivia? It’s better than NBC’s old Must See TV lineup, amiright?

10/21/2024

HAMMERS TAKE SECOND STRAIGHT

Six squads full of trivia aficionados met at Anchor Valley last week on the first cold Wednesday of fall, each team hoping for a crack at the AV Trivia Championship Belt, presently in the cold, hard clutches of E = MC Hammer AKA The Death Star. On a night marked by the keenly felt absence of three core AV Trivia teams (the RaySpots, the Magnetos and Norm (and the Caregivers)), E = MC Hammer again led wire-to-wire, jumping out to the top spot with a solid 9-point Current Events showing and gradually expanding their lead until, by evening’s end, they had cruised to a 5-point victory.

Competition got off to a slow start, perhaps building off the tone set when the Hammers stalled out during their victory march; what was intended to be a moment of triumph became slightly confusing, as team captain Rick strode through the room, belt held high overhead as the Imperial March theme played, only to glance back and see the rest of his team lingering sheepishly at the front door. It took the first two rounds for the Trivia Master, aided as usual by Roe, who can be counted on to bring energy, to restore a proper vibe.

Speaking of Roe, this week her team called itself “Scary Larry,” which the Trivia Master found at first confusing and then plainly awkward and may have contributed to the squad’s collapse during the “I Wanna Be Sedated” round. Or it might be a coincidence. Either way, at least they can say they don’t know enough about illicit drugs to get more than three out of ten right.

“Scary Larry” finished in the cellar.

The evening’s categories, carefully curated to create thematic consistency, tied many players and teams in knots. Witness the Wet Blankets (nee Menage a Troi); perennial contenders from Phoenix, Oregon, the Blankets were cruising along in second place when the wheels came completely off during the final category, “Anarchy in the U.K.” By round’s end, the law-abiding crew had scored a single point, tying the AV Trivia record for single category futility set in the early days of the RaySpots. The Blankets finished in fifth place.

The evening’s surprise team was “Lets Get Quizzical!”, a team risen from the ashes of “Mediocre Since 1976” and steered by Jill and Jeff, who after a long absence made an impressive trivia return. Mired in last place after the opening round, Quizzical scored back-to-back perfect 10 scores in “People Who Died” and “The Kids Aren’t Alright,” almost matching front-runners E=MC Hammer over the final five rounds to finish in a third place tie with the Winnies who, as is the case far too often, came close enough to see the tread on the tires of first place but finished just a few points off the pace.

Best Winnie name of the night: My Cousin Winnie (H/T Joe Moxley).

The other surprise of the night was Jody’s Red Pumps, a team comprise of Pantone 294 mainstays Rebecca, Chris and Ron, with Former College Roommate Sandy and her husband Kurt standing in for the absent Ryan and Jessica. This team didn’t let unfamiliarity hamper their game; despite having met only minutes before the opening of play, Jody’s Red Pumps (which, we later learned, can fit both the Sergeant-at-Arms AND husband Kurt) were in the running all night and finished second, five points behind the eventual winners.

At 8:23, when the bonus round ended, though, it was once again E=MC Hammer hoisting the belt overhead and in fact taunting several also-ran players as they strutted around the room.

Here are your awards for October 16:

MULTI-TASKING AWARD: To Erick, mastermind behind the Winnie universe. He arrived at 5:45 with a stroller, a dog, and maybe a plate of nachos; I’m not sure, the nachos might’ve come later. Explanation: “Ellery is out of town for a week.”

M.I.A.: The RaySpots, The Magnetos, Norm (and the Caregivers). Come back soon, AWOL teams. We miss you.

GENTLEMEN OF HONOR: Two unnamed players demonstrated the proper way to dispute a question: they quietly approached the Trivia Master between rounds or after the competition and made their case(s). This is how you earn favor with the Trivia Master.

OFFICIAL BABY OF AV TRIVIA UPDATE: Seager capitalized on Hadley’s absence by making himself available to anyone who needed some baby in their life. During the evening he was spotted by the Trivia Master in the arms of at least four different women (and Joe, whose preference of Seager as his “favorite Barney” is by now well-known.

REALITY CHECK AWARD: To me, for realizing that when it comes to commanding the attention of a crowd, MLB Playoff Game > Me.

RULE FOLLOWERS: Anarchy in the U.K. was the Wet Blankets’ kryptonite, underlining something we already suspected: that they are completely uninterested in the sort of upheaval and chaos endemic to anarchic movements, protests and coups. Maybe it would’ve been different if Brian had been here.

HONORARY BARNEYS: College Roommate Sandy and her husband Kurt slid right into the Ryan/Jessica role at Pantone 294, wresting naming control from remaining team members Rebecca, Chris and Ron but helping the team to a second-place finish. They did not, however, take a turn holding Seager.

EMBRACE THE DARK SIDE: E = MC Hammer is getting used to this championship belt thing; upon retaining their title, the team sprung from their seats and stalked around the room, belt held high, showing everyone that to the victors do, indeed, belong the spoils.

GONE BUT APPARENTLY FORGOTTEN: Jim Carroll wrote The Basketball Diaries (made into a movie in 1995 starring Leo DiCaprio) when he was 15, dated Patti Smith and once Keith Richards helped him get a deal with Atlantic Records. His song, “People Who Died,” was featured in the movie E.T. Nobody got that question right. R.I.P. Jim.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Lets Get Quizzical took the center table, survived a Current Events Body Blow, traded quips with the Trivia Master all night and finished third in their first outing as a team. If there was a second belt, in this night it would go to Lets Get Quizzical.

DEPENDABLE: Things started slowly on Wednesday and when they do your Trivia Master always looks to Steve, Roe and Rick and Kelsie, (Official Teen of AV Trivia) of Scary Larry to liven things up. When you get home after trivia and think, “Man, that room is always rocking; how do they do it?” Think of these people.

Thanks again for a great night; see you all November 6!

10/16/2024

It's trivia time again, time to check your Fantasy Dead Pool team and time to think about...anarchy?

See you tonight!

Send a message to learn more

10/07/2024

DEATH STAR RETURNS, SNATCHES BELT

With the September introduction of an actual championship belt to the AV Trivia proceedings, it was not surprising to see E = MC Hammer re-appear last Wednesday, eager to add the most literal of victory spoils to their long history of trivia success. Add to it they did, squeaking out a one-point win on a night of record-breaking crowds, technical snafus and levels of rowdiness seldom seen in the AV Trivia sub-universe.

The evening began with a joyous entry by last week’s champs, Menage a We’re Changing Our Name This And Every Week. The team out of Phoenix, OR, High School charged into a packed room to the aggressive strains of LL Cool J’s classic “Mama Said Knock You Out,” carrying the belt high over their heads as prior champs like Pantone 294 looked on with envy. E=MC, for their part, sat transfixed, all eyes on the gleaming belt.

Somewhat intimidated by the almost 50 players in the room (some wearing new AV Wine Club/Trivia t-shirts with his face on them) but up to the task, the Trivia Master launched into the opening Current Events category, peppering the nine assembled teams with questions about Pete Rose, sheep cloning and the Menendez brothers, somewhat surprised when the category yielded a seven-way tie for second place. Sitting atop the fray, a single point above the rest: E = MC Hammer. The fully armed and operational Death Star was back.

Two hours later, with questions about acronyms, famous Jewish pseudonyms, notorious murders (and murderers) and the ill-fated Epic 80s Saxophone Solos category still fresh in everyone’s mind, E = MC Hammer was still one point ahead of the field. Despite the best efforts of the defending champs (now known, simply, as The Middle Ages) and top-flight rookies I Googled It, who finished third, a mere two points behind the winners, the Hammers came and did what they’d set out to do, securing the belt they’d long since come to think of as theirs.

At the close of play only six points separated the top six teams. Pantone 294 AKA Dodger Blue finished four points off the pace, while the multi-generational team from South Loop, “DUB,” finished one point behind them; one point behind them were the Winnies with 42 points, rounding out the top six. The RaySpots, who sat in second place after two rounds, finished seventh, with Norm (and the Caregivers) in eighth and the Magnetos, despite having one of their suggested categories (thanks for that, Magnetos; category suggestions are always appreciated) used, finished in the cellar.

Here are you awards for October 2:

TOTALLY GETS IT: I Googled It rookie team member Sarah Ann concluded her first AV Trivia Session by firing off a text to the Sergeant-at-Arms that included several useful suggestions for future categories.

MY DAD MADE ME DO THIS: The other text we got was from DUB team member Lisa, apologizing for disputing the meaning of BYOB in front of God and everybody perhaps because, I later learned, she’d been scolded by her dad.

WORST CATEGORY OF THE WEEK: Epic 80s Saxophone Solos; way too high concept and dependent on bluetooth speakers that don’t cut out at random, this category was apparently well-received by fans of chaos and the Trivia Master’s improvisation skills, which are limited.

OBVIOUSLY A TEACHER: Jessica, of Pantone 294, would not rest until she was satisfied that the Trivia Master was not going to The Dark Place during Epic 80s Saxophone Solos. There is no doubt that her soothing voice has defused many a middle school crisis.

DISPLACEMENT AWARD: Unseated from their customary spot near the dais, Norm and his Caregivers seemed off-kilter all evening, leading to an unfortunate series of events in which Norm began shouting out answers for the entire room to hear.

ALL LIFE IS TRIVIA AWARD: To Spot of the Ray Spots, who is always ready with a trivia reference when we run into him around town.

THE BELT BREEDS CONFIDENCE: It wasn’t a fluke; Brian of The Middle Ages has a new-found trivia attitude. Where he once faced his team, hunched over in concentration, he now reclines, faces the Trivia Master, and occasionally nods confidently.

OFFICIAL BABY UPDATE: Who is the Official Baby of Anchor Valley Trivia? According to Winnie Team Captain Erick, Seager is hands-down the Official Baby, based on attendance. But maybe not, says his teammate (and wife) Ellery, who reasons that Hadley has been attending trivia for well over a year, albeit mostly in vitro.

I OBJECT, YOUR HONOR: This award goes to Death Star team standout Tim, who set a new AV Trivia record by disputing three answers during the evening. Mark David Chapman’s mom also wishes he wasn’t in prison for the past 40 years, Tim.

A PLEDGE FOR THE MAGNETOS: There will be no sports questions on October 16.

OVERWHELMING CROWD AWARD: To the 48 people, two babies and one dog who came for trivia on October 2: Pat yourself on the back. You set a new record and made Anchor Valley the hottest place to see and be seen in Jacksonville, OR on a Wednesday night.

Here’s to setting a new record on October 16. Who isn’t dying to know what sort of entry E = MC Hammer makes when they come to defend their title?

See you then!

10/07/2024

Here are some photos to help you relive the magical night of October 2.

Official recap to follow later today.

10/02/2024

It’s trivia day at Anchor Valley!

Hoping for a packed house.

And speaking of packed houses…

… do you know what the acronym for a packed house is?