SCOTTISH TRIUMPH
The 2022 Quiz has made a fast start with an unprecedented five predictions before this first update. Some early stars have emerged;18 already in double figures, most notably Lady Lothian, aka Amanda Harvey. Excellent to see newbies Alan Booth and Terry Fleet off to a flyer.
Sadly, still 24 quizzers remain on zero, perhaps already setting their 2022 target on the inaugural Atlas Trophy for the December quizzer who bears the weight of the world on his/her shoulders.
Feeling depressed already, unable to get consolation in muttering MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT?
Rush off to Webmaster Henry’s website www.snedsquiz.net and set up a mini league.
It can be as big or small as you like; it can include all your friends and relatives; it could be just you, a league you are certain to win. I have already set up NEW FOR 22,which includes all quizzers not competing in 2021.More to follow for the Scots, the Welsh, the Australians and the Americans. If I can do it, then certainly you tech wizards can.
3)The headline I read in the Guardian just before the Games started,”Why Britain is now a winter sports power.”This proved as bitter an illusion as all those “Boris gone by the weekend” headlines. British admin had set a target of three to seven medals. Virtually all you quizzers were at the optimistic end of that spectrum, totting up all those snowboard and skeleton medals, funded by millions in lottery grants, all those fading American and French stars who had discovered a British passport. For twelve days, us Brits whistled to keep our spirits up but the skeleton disaster seemed the final straw. Like British cyclists, our skeletons had been state of the art marvels of technology and kept us in the medals for twenty years. Now they looked like the lumbering home made sledges I made in my youth.(Remember when it used to snow every winter, happy days. Every Winter Olympics has had to use some artificial snow since 1964.I’m backing the Saudis to host the 2036 Winter Olympics, another low in sport washing.)
The curlers, Scottish every man and woman, were our last hope. The three British teams all made the knockout stage; only the Swedes could match that boast. The mixed team could not turn that into a medal. The men could but having dominated the round robin, silver felt anticlimactic. Medal Number TWO came in the women’s curling. The ladies had a struggle in qualifying and in the last match, they had to win with three other results going their way. Phew and Eve’s gang went on to win gold in a canter.
4/5)Quiz HQ is intrigued by the Groundhog Day technique of young Quizzer, Otys Matthews who believes all 44 questions will have the same answer as last time. NORWAY did him proud, winning most medals and setting a new record of 16 for the most golds in a single games. Whisper it, the British funding of Winter Olympic athletes is TEN times that of Norway. Their total medal haul of 35 was slightly down on 2018.I laughed to read that questions are being asked in the Norwegian press. Germany finished second as last time with the USA 3rd. The Netherlands won eight gold medals overall, SIX in the 14 Speed Skating events, so slightly less dominant than in 2018.Wonder if the Dutch press are giving these Dutch skaters a mauling.
1)I tried to tell you in 2022 Quiz Tips-that England had scored only one try in the last two Calcutta Cups, that Covid and injury had limited team selection and preparation. With all the traditional February optimism(nee arrogance)of English supporters, most quizzers South of the Border waded in with try predictions of 3,4, even more. Marcus Smith scored England’s ONE try after 53 minutes. His 4th successful penalty of 4 ten minutes later gave England a 17-10 lead. What to do now,?pondered mastermind coach Eddie Jones. The light bulb flashed. I know, I’ll take off the genius who’s scored all our points, put on a journeyman and sit on our lead. Three minutes later, Scotland levelled with a penalty try;6 minutes later, a penalty gave the Scots the lead. England, as so often, could not think of a Plan B and never threatened a second try. Will an uninjured Smith ever be subbed again?
Superbowl Report by American correspondent Neil Dewhurst
The remarkable spectre of the $5 billion-dollar SoFi Stadium (about 5 times the cost of Wembley Stadium by the way) was the host venue of Superbowl LVI which pitted two of the lesser fancied teams at the start of the season, at the season finale to decide who got to take home the sports most prized trophy; ridiculously oversized diamond encrusted rings, I mean the Lombardi Trophy. Matthew Stafford brought to the LA Rams specifically for this reason faced off with the young gun Joe Burrow, who in less than 2 seasons had helped elevate the Cincinnati Bengals from the worst team in the league to the precipice of their first Superbowl, no small undertaking. A little nugget I enjoyed at the start of the playoffs was that no-one had ever sent a text message about a Bengals playoff win given their last was in 1991 a year before the first text message.
After the traditional America the Beautiful and the Star-Spangled Banner had rung out across the stadium & country, both teams were introduced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which was a little odd, but it was Hollywood so let’s go with it, lets play ball!! The Bengals kicked off the game after winning the toss & deferring with the Rams ending their first possession with a punt on 4Half-time was a hip-hop extravaganza with Dr Dre Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar & Eminem performing in a replication of some of Compton’s landmark buildings. It received mixed reviews over here but as a 15-minute music spectacle it was enjoyable to watch & listen to while scribbling notes on the first half action!! And I’m glad I did get time to scribble my take on the first half down then as the second half started with a bang.
Straight from the touchback the Bengals hit the Rams famed defense hard; a 75-yard TD to Higgins & PAT put the Bengals up 17-13 after just 12 seconds of play. 10 seconds later & the Bengals defense got in on the action claiming a Stafford interception at his own 31-yard line. The Bengals couldn’t get the TD on their drive but managed to get close enough for a FG to make it a 20-13 ball game. After that breathless start there was still so much time left but only the Rams ever scored again. A Rams failed trick play with Stafford & Kupp swapping roles meant their next up field drive petered out with a 41-yard FG (20-17), but the Bengals then ran into an improved Rams defense, one everyone had talked up in the buildup due to the presence of Donald & Miller. The next 2 possessions for each team ended in punts away with Burrow getting sacked numerous times in the process & then appearing to injure his right knee on another stunted drive. In fact, both Burrow & Stafford appeared to pick up injuries in the 2The last 2 possessions decided the game; firstly the Rams worked down the field, Stafford finding the trusted Kupp for multiple receptions & while their initial end zone connection was ruled out with offset penalties Kupp wasn’t to be denied claiming his 2The win for the Rams meant a repeat of sorts from the previous season; for Brady leaving Massachusetts for the sunnier climbs of Florida read Stafford leaving Michigan for California & for playing a Superbowl at home read, well exactly that. It was almost poetic for the Rams to defeat Brady’s Bucs in the NFC Championship game which ultimately become Brady’s final game after 22 seasons, like Stafford was copying the master’s playbook. Whether Stafford & his superstar supporting cast can bring repeated glory a la the GOAT only time will tell but for the first year since 1999 they’ll have one less superstar quarterback in their way as they try (if he stays retired that is!!)
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