It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Check out how young Larry Brown is here.
Month: March 2008
Get Your brackets done!
Just a quick reminder to get your bracket done before tomorrow at 11 a.m.!
Hilarious
I used to have a tradition of getting my best friend retro jerseys for Christmas. But not just any retro jersey, one of players who were bad or on teams that they didn’t stay with long. For example, I gave him a Sean Kemp Cavaliers jersey and a Dennis Rodman Dallas Mavericks jersey. Then, a few years ago, it became impossible to get him said jerseys because the retro jersey fad took off, and suddenly a Sean Kemp Cavalier jersey was actually a desirable piece of clothing to have. Fortunately, the fad came back down to earth, and now jerseys of mediocre players are hilarious again, as is demonstrated by this amazing website. Oh, and Nat, if you’re reading this, I’ve got a Jeff Hostetler Raiders jersey I’ve been meaning to mail you for a couple of years now. I’ll get around to it someday.
AI’s Return
With the Flyers tanking hard and the Sixers looking good but with nobody watching, tonight marks the first time many of you will pay any attention to pro sports in Philly since the Eagles were eliminated from the playoff hunt, due to the return of one of Philly’s all-time most captivating athletes. Well, here’s a few thoughts on the Sixers and AI: First of all, the Sixers are better off without him. This is a young, impressionable team that is going to learn a lot of positives from point guard Andre Miller, who came from Denver in the trade. Andre Miller isn’t just “talkin ’bout practice”, he’s attending it. The Sixers are one good power forward away from being the 3rd or 4th best team in the East, and they should make a splash in the free agent market this offseason due in part to not having to pay AI an obscene amount of money. The “let’s build a team around one guy” concept was intriguing, and worked for a year or two, but it is simply impossible to sustain in the NBA. See Kobe after Shaq and before Gasol. All in all, if I was attending, I would give him a hearty standing O, as I have been a fan of his hustle and heart for a long time. But I do think he’s a bit overrated, as he takes a ton of absolutely terrible shots every game. And, as a coach of impressionable youngsters, I’d rather not have him as a role model in my city. I appreciate the “keeping it real” stuff when it came to fashion and friends, but kicking down doors with a gun while looking for your wife? Yeah, I’m not really into that, and we haven’t really had to deal with a lot of that from Andre Miller and Andre Igoudala.
RELATED: JGT vs. AI in high school b-ball in Virginia. (True Story!)
Happy birthday Irene
Yesterday was Irene Cara’s birthday, and in honor of that I’d like to present a short clip my heartwarming performance of Flashdance at last year’s Quizzo Bowl, complete with leg-warmers, the headband, and the now infamous dumping of the tickets. What kind of horrifying surprises will we find at this year’s bowl? There’s only one way to find out.
Locust Rendezvous Signs on as a Sponsor for QB IV!
The good people at the Locust Rendezvous have agreed to help sponsor Quizzo Bowl IV. The Vous, the site of Wednesday night quizzo on Broad and Locust, has some of the best drink prices in Center City, and is a great place to see the games with their new HDTVs. The NASCAR-ation of this event continues! But again, without local companies helping out, $25 for an amazing show and all you can drink would have been impossible. So please check out the companies to the right when you get a chance.
Win $150 worth of prizes in the 4th Annual JGT Bracket-tacular
Alright guys, hard to believe, but this is the 4th year we’re doing this jawn. Here’s how it works: You click here, follow the instructions (Password is Goodtimes. You do need a Yahoo account to join, but it only takes a minute to get one), and you’re in. It’s free to enter. The person who finishes with the highest score will receive a $50 gift certificate from Barristers, a $25 gift certificate to the Mexican Post, and a $25 gift certificate to Ortlieb’s Jazz Haus ($100 total, in case you’re bad at math). Barrister’s will have all 63 games on their multiple high def TVs. If you wanna keep an eye on all of the games and not go to the worst bar in Philly, I highly suggest Barristers. Great food, great TVs, plus drink specials. 2nd place will get a $40 gift certificate to the Black Sheep, and 3rd will get a $10 gift certificate to O’Neals. Past winners include Stacie from the Champs, Eric of the Rocket Scientists, and yours truly (I won the first one, but finished 64th out of 75 teams last year.) Got to get your picks in by noon on Thursday! Good luck!
Quizzo Bowl FAQ
Ok, you know the basics. Saturday, March 29th at the Blue Horizon on 1314 North Broad Street. Kickoff at 8 p.m. Here are a few of the questions I’ve been getting.
Where can I get tickets?
You can purchase them from me at each of my events this week, or you can purchase them online here.
How much are tickets?
I have always made an effort to keep Quizzo Bowl Tickets as cheap as possible while ensuring that I don’t totally lose my ass. The $25 per ticket in advance ($30 day of the show) is actually the best deal ever, as it will include not only the show, but also your drinks for the evening, courtesy of Sly Fox.
Why should I pay for this one when I can play for free anywhere else?
I see this as a huge party celebrating the community we’ve built over the years, unlike any other event in the world. There is no Quizzo Bowl in NYC, none in DC, and none in LA. There is only Quizzo Bowl, and it will only be found at one place in 2008: the Blue Horizon in Philadelphia, PA on March 29th.
How many people can I have on a team?
Up to eight. In order to make seating as easy as possible (no assigned seating this year), I do ask that you please try to come as close to 8 as possible.
Is it going to be difficult to get to the Blue Horizon?
No, the Blue Horizon is roughly a mile north of City Hall. I have been there on nights that were busier than Quizzo Bowl and did not have trouble finding parking. If you are taking SEPTA, take the Broad Street line to Girard. It is then a two block walk North of Girard.
Will the questions be harder than usual?
Yes, a little bit. This is, after all, the Grandaddy of them all. But not unbearably, overwhelmingly hard.
Will there be food at this event?
Light snacks will be provided. The Philly Pretzel Factory is hooking me up with a great deal on pretzels, so we should have a fair amount of those, but I would suggest grabbing a bit before you leave the house. There will be some late-night snacks for sale at the Urban Saloon afterparty.
Will this be one of the most fun nights in Philadelphia this year?
Yes, guaranteed.
Will you be wearing a garish outfit at this event, Johnny?
No, I will be dressed quite plainly.
What’s up with all of this sponsorship? Are you selling out on us Johnny?
Absolutely. To rent the room, get the band I wanted, get a halftime host, come up with prize money, buy all of the kegs, etc. tickets would have been at least $50. But thanks to our sponsors, tix are a ridiculously cheap $25. That is why I do ask that you please take a moment to check out our sponsors on the right hand side of the page, because they really did make this event possible.
What will the winners get?
There is a $1,000 purse. Winners get $600 plus free memberships to Zipcar, 2nd place gets $300, 3rd place gets $100.
What time should I show up?
Doors open at 7, band will start around 7:30, and quizzo will start at 8:15 p.m.
What time do you think we’ll be done?
Gonna try to be done sometime between 10:30-11 p.m.
Will you be rapping at this event, Johnny?
Damnit, you just won’t let this one die, will you? No, no I won’t rapping at this event. I know I said that before Quizzo Bowls 1,2, and 3, but this year I mean it!
If you have any more questions, post them below.
Ain’t Nothin’ But an After-Partay
Found the spot for the Quizzo Bowl afterparty. The Urban Saloon, a short cab ride from the Blue Horizon, will be the home of the post bowl bash, and they are hooking us up with $2.50 domestics and $3.50 crafts and imports for the event. They will also be keeping the kitchen open late just for us with a few late night snacks. As those of you who played the City vs, City Smackdown in December can attest, it’s a great bar, and will be a great spot to unwind after the big event.
Free Mental Floss at Quizzo Bowl!
Hey gang, the good people at Mental Floss magazine have sent me 100 copies of their upcoming edition to give away at Quizzo Bowl. If you’re a giant nerd Because you’re a giant nerd, you should definitely be reading this magazine. It is honestly the best new magazine I have read in years, full of strange and fun trivia. From George Washington self help tips to Quizzes about Celebrities With Girlie Middle Names, you’re gonna dig this mag. Free copies to the first 100 people through the doors at QBIV. And after the annual dumping of the tickets, the Lovely Ginger and I will picking up tix to give out more prizes than ever before. We’re gonna be giving away tons of gift certificates to some of Philly’s best restaurants and museums. I’ll have more details on free stuff as we get closer to game time.