WAMC's Ian Pickus and resident quizzer Mike Nothnagel switch seats for the final show of June.
Last week's challenge
Start with a word that names a thing you might see on an inspirational poster. If you add the letters IX somewhere in the word, the result will spell the last name of a famous character from literature. What is the word, and who is the character?
Answer: The answer is QUOTE -> QUIXOTE.
THIS WEEK'S CATEGORY: NAMING CONTESTS
On-air questions: After stints in Kansas City and Denver, on June 30th, 1982, a National Hockey League franchise that relocated to New Jersey adopted the name “Devils.” That followed a naming contest that garnered more than 10,000 votes. The other names considered were: Americans, Blades, Colonials, Lightning, Meadowlarks, Meadowlanders, Coastals, Generals, Gulls, Jaguars and Patriots. The franchise has gone on to win three Stanley Cups, in 1995, 2000 and 2003. In honor of the Devils, today’s show is all about naming contests.
1. During the nine years his Comedy Central show aired, from 2005 to 2014, when he left for CBS, which late night host successfully mobilized fans to hijack naming contests for a hockey mascot, a Virgin Airlines plane, and a new International Space Station module?
2. Hackers also wreaked havoc with a 2012 naming contest for a new green apple soda flavor. The contest had to be shut down early when the leading name was “Hitler did nothing wrong.” The contest was alliteratively named Dub the what?
3. In Binghamton, New York, fans have been busy renaming the local AA baseball team and its mascot this year, choosing Rumble Ponies as the name and Rowdy as the mascot. Notable alumni from the franchise include David Wright, Jose Reyes, Edgardo Alfonzo and Daniel Murphy. What major league has been the parent of the Binghamton franchise since 1992?
4. A 2011 poll in Austin, Texas asked residents to rename the local Solid Waste Services Department. More than 30,000 people voted in favor of “honoring” what rap-rock frontman of the 1990s, whose band’s first successful single was an aggressive cover of George Michael’s “Faith” ?
5. And finally, a question you knew was coming: Shackleton, Endeavour and Falcon were suggested names for a $287 million British research ship now known as the Sir David Attenborough. What other name, eventually rejected, had the most popular support and now adorns one of the ship’s remote controlled subs instead?
Extra credit
1. Past winners of an annual falcon naming contest for students for birds whose nests are located at what lower Hudson Valley landmark include Hudson, Irvwing, and Bridge-ette?
2. In 2012, Slovak lawmakers vetoed an online vote to rename a bridge in honor of what American action star, who was then the subject of a popular series of jokes?
This week's challenge
Start with the term NAMING RIGHTS. Rearrange the letters and you can spell a 12-letter word that is a synonym for restricting. As a hint, this word is probably familiar for sports fans. What is the word?
ANSWERS
On-air questions
1. Stephen Colbert (the hockey mascot was Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle)
2. Dew for Mountain Dew (two other particularly funny entries include Soda and Sierra Mist)
3. New York Mets
4. Fred Durst (Durst tweeted his support for the effort, which was ultimately unsuccessful)
5. Boaty McBoatface
Extra credit
1. The Tappan Zee Bridge
2. Chuck Norris
