dAVe80 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 My name is Wayne and I'm from Luton My name is Barry and I'm from Kent My name is Diane and I'm from Carlisle My name is MJ Mooney and I live in Leeds A small but important distinction, but I see you made a point of saying it. (I forget the location of the other three so I had to make them up...) I wondered if anybody would notice that. All the contestants were from the north of England. I'm 'from' Birmingham, but it would have seemed odd to say that, so I chose those words carefully. I'll be using it again on Friday. Yeah, if I'm ever asked where I'm from, I say something along the lines of, "Originally from Birmingham, and now live in County Durham." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 people don't tend to ask where I'm from if they've already heard me speak Oh! what's occurin'? Tidy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ4Q9_bDwLY I first saw them on 'The Tube' many many years ago. My dad was grossly personally offended by 'krauts' using an angle grinder as a musical instrument and shouting rubbish. So naturally, I was hooked. The question reminded me how much the programme has changed, as I imagined the sort of wry comment Bob Robinson would have come out with. It definitely is not quite what it was and with the questions now being compiled by a committee rather than a Mycroft or a Jorkins, it has lost a lot of its charm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 3, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 3, 2015 But I then awarded myself an extra point for getting the Conan Doyle question right, which no one else did. Your early sally got the job done and despite Diane Whitehead's rally, you scored enough quick singles to keep the gal at bay. Obviously, like Villa in the cup, you have to expect a higher class of opponent in the semi-final. Someone told me that a Villa fan was once Times Crossword champion, so the pressure is on for you to bring honour to the Holte. Yep, that'll be Guy Haslam, stalwart of the old Villa Mailing List, FB regular, and quite possibly a lurker on VT. There were at least three "D'oh!" questions I should have got - the Conan Doyle and Operation Typhoon, and I should have worked out Dubai airport. Listening back to it makes me realise how much luck is involved; my very first question - the Civil War Royalist HQ - was no more than an educated guess. That led on to another four easy (to me) questions, a bonus point, and an early lead that rattled the opposition. If I hadn't gone for Oxford (and I very nearly didn't), that wouldn't have happened, and it could all have gone differently. I may not get that luck in the semi (which will, as you say, have a higher standard of opponent). As for the "where are you 'from'?" thing, I considered using the format you sometimes hear on "Pointless" - "...originally from Birmingham, now living in Leeds" - but it just seemed unnecessarily verbose. Spotter's Badge to The_Rev, though. Did you also notice the rather formal 'Michael'? I went there with a bit of a dilemma, as half the people I know call me 'Mike' (which would be my preference), the other half uses 'Mick'. The latter group includes my missus (her 'ex' prior to me was a 'Mike', so she understandably wanted to use a different form). I was going to suggest that they use 'Michael', but they'd decided for me, and put that on my name card on the table. Looking forward to Friday, now, nothing to lose. Bring it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tegis Posted March 3, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted March 3, 2015 There were at least three "D'oh!" questions I should have got - the Conan Doyle and Operation Typhoon, and I should have worked out Dubai airport. Come on!! Everybody knows about the Tunnelbana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 3, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 3, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ4Q9_bDwLY I first saw them on 'The Tube' many many years ago. My dad was grossly personally offended by 'krauts' using an angle grinder as a musical instrument and shouting rubbish. So naturally, I was hooked. The question reminded me how much the programme has changed, as I imagined the sort of wry comment Bob Robinson would have come out with. It definitely is not quite what it was and with the questions now being compiled by a committee rather than a Mycroft or a Jorkins, it has lost a lot of its charm. I think that's true. In the previous round there was a Primal Scream question, which did elicit a rather sniffy "Not in MY collection" comment from Russell Davies. He comes across on the radio as quite affable, but actually he's surprisingly charmless. All the 'banter' with the audience came from the bloke working the timer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) But I then awarded myself an extra point for getting the Conan Doyle question right, which no one else did. Your early sally got the job done and despite Diane Whitehead's rally, you scored enough quick singles to keep the gal at bay. Obviously, like Villa in the cup, you have to expect a higher class of opponent in the semi-final. Someone told me that a Villa fan was once Times Crossword champion, so the pressure is on for you to bring honour to the Holte. Yep, that'll be Guy Haslam, stalwart of the old Villa Mailing List, FB regular, and quite possibly a lurker on VT. There were at least three "D'oh!" questions I should have got - the Conan Doyle and Operation Typhoon, and I should have worked out Dubai airport. Listening back to it makes me realise how much luck is involved; my very first question - the Civil War Royalist HQ - was no more than an educated guess. That led on to another four easy (to me) questions, a bonus point, and an early lead that rattled the opposition. If I hadn't gone for Oxford (and I very nearly didn't), that wouldn't have happened, and it could all have gone differently. I may not get that luck in the semi (which will, as you say, have a higher standard of opponent). As for the "where are you 'from'?" thing, I considered using the format you sometimes hear on "Pointless" - "...originally from Birmingham, now living in Leeds" - but it just seemed unnecessarily verbose. Spotter's Badge to The_Rev, though. Did you also notice the rather formal 'Michael'? I went there with a bit of a dilemma, as half the people I know call me 'Mike' (which would be my preference), the other half uses 'Mick'. The latter group includes my missus (her 'ex' prior to me was a 'Mike', so she understandably wanted to use a different form). I was going to suggest that they use 'Michael', but they'd decided for me, and put that on my name card on the table. Looking forward to Friday, now, nothing to lose. Bring it on. That is a bit of a tradition - Bob Robinson would have preferred the punctilious 'Mr Mooney'. Edited March 3, 2015 by MakemineVanilla 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 3, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) Just noticed how unbalanced my scoring pattern was - 14 in the first half, 3 in the second. Game of two halves, indeed. The other 'psychological' factor I didn't mention, was that we had a quick two-round rehearsal game before the recording, for setting levels, etc., which I won fairly convincingly. I think it rattled the other three a bit. Edited March 3, 2015 by mjmooney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) Just noticed how unbalanced my scoring pattern was - 14 in the first half, 3 in the second. Game of two halves, indeed. The other 'psychological' factor I didn't mention, was that we had a quick two-round rehearsal game before the recording, for setting levels, etc., which I won fairly convincingly. I think it rattled the other three a bit. You see it all the time on University Challenge, where a team loses its mojo after an early battering. It looks like you'll have to accept that you are Leeds' greatest acquisition since Eric Cantona and that the average IQ in Brum dropped ten points when you left. Edited March 3, 2015 by MakemineVanilla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 people don't tend to ask where I'm from if they've already heard me speak Oh! what's occurin'? Tidy. I just get called a cockney by hairy yeti northerners even though I live in Surrey and was born in Kent Hi Rob ... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisp65 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Yep, one of the construction crews down in Kent insist on calling me 'taff'. I've explained numerous times you can't even see the bloody Taff from my side of the office. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) Yep, one of the construction crews down in Kent insist on calling me 'taff'. I've explained numerous times you can't even see the bloody Taff from my side of the office. No accent does indignation better than Welsh. The so-called 'high rising terminal' is what does it - something the Brummies are easily identified by and why Americans mistake us for Australians. Edited March 3, 2015 by MakemineVanilla Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Yep, one of the construction crews down in Kent insist on calling me 'taff'. I've explained numerous times you can't even see the bloody Taff from my side of the office. No accent does indignation better than Welsh. The so-called 'high rising terminal' is what does it - something the Brummies are easily identified by and why Americans mistake us for Australians. I thought that was down to them being retarded ... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 3, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 3, 2015 When I first moved to Leeds (presumably with a much stronger Brummie accent), I was frequently asked if I was Australian. I thought that was weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xann Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I thought the tobacco one for your bonus point was too easy The guest questions were rock. Maiden names of the first five US presidents' wives? Jesus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugeley Villa Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 When I first moved to Leeds (presumably with a much stronger Brummie accent), I was frequently asked if I was Australian. I thought that was weird. you got a yorkshire twang now mooney? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 3, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 3, 2015 I thought the tobacco one for your bonus point was too easy The guest questions were rock. Maiden names of the first five US presidents' wives? Jesus. Yeah, although I may have seen that somewhere, a couple of the names rang bells. I wish we'd had the one from the previous week (Conestoga wagons & stogies), I'd have got them. When I first moved to Leeds (presumably with a much stronger Brummie accent), I was frequently asked if I was Australian. I thought that was weird. you got a yorkshire twang now mooney? Have a listen, there's a link upthread aways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted March 3, 2015 Author VT Supporter Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hope I play with the determination of tonight's Villa on Friday. Buzzing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Alimantado Posted March 3, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted March 3, 2015 Best of luck for Friday sir! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MakemineVanilla Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Hope I play with the determination of tonight's Villa on Friday. Buzzing. Having the perfect recall of Kim Peek might be a better blessing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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