I often wonder what it takes to make a great team.  Is it people with varying ages coming from varying backgrounds?  Is it that sweet spot between being buzzed enough to unlock your brains recesses but not drunk to the point that you answer 'penis' for everything?  These things may have a lot to do with it, but I think that I discovered the key to winning this evening at 5th Street Ice House.  Here's the secret, ready?  It's the ability to go with your first answer.  After the quiz tonight, I had no less than 5 people (out of six teams, that's quite a bit) come up to me and tell me of all of the questions that they had right at the beginning and then changed.  Now, some of you could have just been telling me that because you don't want me to think you're a moron, and I appreciate your need for my respect, but I legitimately believed the majority of you actually knew some of these answers that you got wrong.  If this were the case, 1st, 2nd and 3rd places would have been reversed by simply going with your guts.  Now you know how to win, and I expect scores in the 80's for everyone next week.  You're welcome.  Let's see what else we learned tonight:

'Won ton' is two words and, whilst incorrect, was a rather decent guess for 'pot sticker.'

If you walk into Outback Steakhouse and ask for an onion, they're not going to make assumptions and give you a Bloomin' Onion.  They're going to hand you an onion (on a plate, I'm sure, they're not animals).

I am a straight man who also enjoys New Kids on the Block.  Now you know that that's a real thing.

'White Trash Summer' is a better title for Kid Rock's musical abortion than 'All Summer Long.'

'Cotillion' and 'Coming Out' both start with  'c' and both have nine letters.  Yes, the latter is more than one word.  Yes, you'll have to deal with that.  Yes, the latter is a correct answer.  Yes, you'll have to deal with that too.

Speaking of coming out, ANDERSON COOPER IS GAY?!?!?!  Come on, man!  Is there something in the water I need to be worried about because I did NOT see that one coming...

'Mario' is the universe so it's not the correct answer.  It's like putting 'Marvel' when the answer is 'X-Men.'  'Mario Bros' or any derivative thereof is incorrect because they're specific games that don't contain any of the tracks listed in the question.  Yes, you'll have to deal with that too.

Espresso and Drip Coffee go together like...well those two other things that you all though went into a Red Eye.

Ebonics/Ghetto should have been an acceptable answer for 'languages spoken the most in American households.'  I can tell you first hand, I work customer service.  No one has ever spoken Tagalog to me, but a hell of a lot of people call me up to 'axe' me a question every fucking day.

Alright, so that's done and my big hearty 'Huzzah' to the Swamp Donkeys who beat their old nemesis, Candy/Titty Van at the home field tonight.  You guys have been calling 5th Street 'base' for a while now and it's good to see you defend your borders when attacked.  Feeling right overwhelmed by the hostilities, the Van fell even further out of favor, finishing in 3rd behind 50 Shades of Cochino.  Terd Ferguson impressed the house tonight with answers that no one else had, Chippendale's Asian Tour impressed the bar with a name derived from Jo-Jo actually running the lights for the coincidentally named 'Chippendale's Asian Tour,' and my good friends and beautiful bride of Wyld Stallyns finished so far back in last place that it may take them two weeks of combined scores to even post something normal-ish/high enough to place.  Again, if you needed proof that I'm a standup guy with no plans of cheating, they're it.  I had such a good time tonight, I think we'll do it again next week.

Be Excellent to Each Other.

Matthew

• The Royal Hilltop - Aurora 8:00 PM
• Darcy's Bistro & Pub - Denver 8:30 PM
• Prickly Pete's - Denver 8:00 PM
• The Whiskey Bar - Denver 7:00 PM
• The Cheeky Monk - Westminster 9:00 PM
• The Ram (Meridian) - Meridian 9:00 PM
• Lisa's Restaurant & Lounge - Augusta 7:30 PM
• Opal Divine's (Marina) - Austin 10:00 PM
• Opal Divine's (Penn Field) - Austin 10:00 PM