Countdown in London | 22nd May | Registration full!

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 12:38 pm

Is that strictly a trophy, cos it looks more like a paperweight to me

EDIT:Yup, strictly it IS a trophy

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:11 pm

Christ that's beautiful. I want that. Practice starts here!

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:16 pm

James Robinson wrote:Is that strictly a trophy, cos it looks more like a paperweight to me

EDIT:Yup, strictly it IS a trophy

I considered getting a 'proper' trophy, but thought people might be a bit annoyed if I blew the entire prize fund on something for the winner to put in a cupboard.

Matt Morrison · Post by **Matt Morrison** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:18 pm

Michael Wallace wrote:
James Robinson wrote:Is that strictly a trophy, cos it looks more like a paperweight to me
I considered getting a 'proper' trophy, but thought people might be a bit annoyed if I blew the entire prize fund on something for the winner to put in a cupboard.

Nah dude, don't sell yourself short, that whole "bronze cup on block of wood" shit is well clichéd. Cut glass is pure class. (I done a rhyme.)

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:20 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:Nah dude, don't sell yourself short, that whole "bronze cup on block of wood" shit is well clichéd. Cut glass is pure class. (I done a rhyme.)

Cheers blud. Did I mention that the playoff final will be a rap battle?

(not really)

Matt Bayfield · Post by **Matt Bayfield** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:34 pm

The amusement value of getting some bemused engraver to etch something resembling "COLON MASTER" on a glass crystal has not been lost on me.

Does the winner get to spend 5 seconds in a geodesic dome collecting as many gold credits as possible?

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:35 pm

Matt Bayfield wrote:The amusement value of getting some bemused engraver to etch something resembling "COLON MASTER" on a glass crystal has not been lost on me.

I'm glad someone appreciates that.

When I rang them this morning to check it was done, I had to say "er, it was C, O, then a colon symbol, then L, O, N, master 2010". I avoided eye contact when I went to pick it up.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:36 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:
Michael Wallace wrote:
James Robinson wrote:Is that strictly a trophy, cos it looks more like a paperweight to me
I considered getting a 'proper' trophy, but thought people might be a bit annoyed if I blew the entire prize fund on something for the winner to put in a cupboard.
Nah dude, don't sell yourself short, that whole "bronze cup on block of wood" shit is well clichéd. Cut glass is pure class. (I done a rhyme.)

I actually do like the glass trophy. It looks much better than the other trophies I have at home. Yet, I doubt I'll be adding that to my collection any time soon.

Matt Bayfield wrote:Does the winner get to spend 5 seconds in a geodesic dome collecting as many gold credits as possible?

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:50 pm

James Robinson wrote: I actually do like the glass trophy. It looks much better than the other trophies I have at home.

Cool - what trophies do you have?

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:58 pm

I've just noticed it's got 2010 on so this is one to keep as well, unlike the CoLin which I had to hand over to Kirk in January. I really, really want it.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:12 pm

Jon Corby wrote:I've just noticed it's got 2010 on so this is one to keep as well, unlike the CoLin which I had to hand over to Kirk in January. I really, really want it.

Nah, I'm just going to get some Tip-Ex every year.

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:13 pm

Michael Wallace wrote: Nah, I'm just going to get some Tip-Ex every year.

...as the prize?

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:17 pm

Kirk Bevins wrote:
Michael Wallace wrote: Nah, I'm just going to get some Tip-Ex every year.
...as the prize?

Fewer questions, more excitement plz

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:33 pm

I thought it was a witty joke and I expected a few laughs but sadly not. I won't give up the day job - oh, wait...

Anyway of course I'm excited but I'm not practising anywhere near as much as I should be. Just under 4 weeks left to practice and I'll try to continue my run of being champion in all Countdown events in 2010. Hard task.

James Robinson · Post by **James Robinson** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:34 pm

Kirk Bevins wrote:
James Robinson wrote: I actually do like the glass trophy. It looks much better than the other trophies I have at home.

Cool - what trophies do you have?

They're a couple that I got when I was much younger.

One was a shield for being in the winning team at the inaugural West Yorkshire Youth Games swimming event in 1999. I won 2 events, believe it or not and came 2nd in the other one.

The other is slightly more bizarre. - I used to go to Sunday school at my local church and every year you raised money for charity with a sort of collecting tin, and the person who raised the most money got a special trophy, and when I was around 9-10 years old, it was me. It didn't impress my sister much because our mum kept giving us the same amount of coins each to put in the tin, so based on that, we'd have tied, but I kept putting in a tiny bit extra when I could, so I won it.

Not necessarily that impressive, but they are trophies, nonetheless.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 5:46 pm

James Robinson wrote:Not necessarily that impressive, but they are trophies, nonetheless.

Well done, more than I ever had. For both sports and academia, I've always probably been kinda above-average-but-not-actually-good-enough-to-win-anything. My cupboard would be bare if Countdown didn't give out prizes for this

Matt Morrison · Post by **Matt Morrison** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:37 pm

I never knew people took these things so seriously as participants. Or is that just Kirk?
It's going to be fucking painful the way I'm playing at the moment - how long have we got between pub opening and event start again?

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:40 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:I never knew people took these things so seriously as participants. Or is that just Kirk?
It's going to be fucking painful the way I'm playing at the moment - how long have we got between pub opening and event start again?

I expect to do particularly badly as I intend to drink like an idiot before & during the tournament

That trophy is cool though, and I do want it. But if I get drunk enough I'll probably just steal it anyway.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:40 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:I never knew people took these things so seriously as participants. Or is that just Kirk?
It's going to be fucking painful the way I'm playing at the moment - how long have we got between pub opening and event start again?

An hour, so plenty of time I reckon.

I should point out that there will be Mystery Prizes to play for for those of us who don't reckon we can win outright. I'll be letting people know about them in the forthcoming weeks, as long as there is enough EXCITEMENT.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:40 pm

Michael Wallace wrote:
Matt Morrison wrote:I never knew people took these things so seriously as participants. Or is that just Kirk?
It's going to be fucking painful the way I'm playing at the moment - how long have we got between pub opening and event start again?
An hour, so plenty of time I reckon.

I should point out that there will be Mystery Prizes to play for for those of us who don't reckon we can win outright. I'll be letting people know about them in the forthcoming weeks, as long as there is enough EXCITEMENT.

Meh.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:08 pm

Jon Corby wrote:Meh.

I've just remembered the last tournament I ran was a pool tourney at school. I'd recently managed to win 72 Mars bars (one of those enter the code from your wrapper into a website dealies) and so used them as prizes. WOULD THAT EXCITE YOU MORE, JON? MARS BAR OR TROPHY? MARS BAR OR TROPHY??

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:12 pm

Michael Wallace wrote:
Jon Corby wrote:Meh.

I've just remembered the last tournament I ran was a pool tourney at school. I'd recently managed to win 72 Mars bars (one of those enter the code from your wrapper into a website dealies) and so used them as prizes. WOULD THAT EXCITE YOU MORE, JON? MARS BAR OR TROPHY? MARS BAR OR TROPHY??

I'm rapidly losing interest in the whole thing actually. Take my name off the list.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:14 pm

Jon Corby wrote:I'm rapidly losing interest in the whole thing actually. Take my name off the list.

Done.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:26 pm

Michael Wallace wrote:
Jon Corby wrote:I'm rapidly losing interest in the whole thing actually. Take my name off the list.
Done.

Put it back!

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:27 pm

Jon Corby wrote:
Michael Wallace wrote:
Jon Corby wrote:I'm rapidly losing interest in the whole thing actually. Take my name off the list.
Done.

Put it back!

Sorry, too late, if you look, someone else has already taken your place.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:30 pm

Michael Wallace wrote:Sorry, too late, if you look, someone else has already taken your place.

Haha, if you're lucky I'll regale you with the tales of occasions where I have actually pooped my pants, and even in one instance, my own driveway

Jon O'Neill · Post by **Jon O'Neill** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:29 pm

Jon Corby wrote:I expect to do particularly badly as I intend to drink like an idiot before & during the tournament

Moi aussi.

Phil Reynolds · Post by **Phil Reynolds** » Mon Apr 26, 2010 10:39 pm

Jon O'Neill wrote:
Jon Corby wrote:I expect to do particularly badly as I intend to drink like an idiot before & during the tournament
Moi aussi.

I believe this is called 'Co:Lonic irrigation'.

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:15 am

Wow - didn't realise Innis is coming. All the way from Scotland? Nice one. Train or plane Innis? That's if the ash ever fucks off.

Innis Carson · Post by **Innis Carson** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:21 am

Train, glad I can finally make one of these things.

Dinos Sfyris · Post by **Dinos Sfyris** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 8:51 am

Awesome trophy! FWIW Michael I'd be jizz-in-my-pants-excited if I were coming as it sounds like the beastiest co-event yet (Sorry Neb!) and there's a cracking line up of peeps Id've liked to meet (Yes I'm looking at you MWM!) I'm getting

er and

er that I can't make it.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:03 pm

Dinos Sfyris wrote:Awesome trophy! FWIW Michael I'd be jizz-in-my-pants-excited if I were coming as it sounds like the beastiest co-event yet (Sorry Neb!)

Haha. You realise the beauty of having it in a pub is that everyone will get drunk and no-one will notice everything falls apart at the seams, right?

Kai Laddiman · Post by **Kai Laddiman** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:06 pm

Michael Wallace wrote:
Dinos Sfyris wrote:Awesome trophy! FWIW Michael I'd be jizz-in-my-pants-excited if I were coming as it sounds like the beastiest co-event yet (Sorry Neb!)
Haha. You realise the beauty of having it in a pub is that everyone will get drunk and no-one will notice everything falls apart at the seams, right?

And then I'll scoop the award

(As long as I can fend off Ollie)

Ryan Taylor · Post by **Ryan Taylor** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 6:11 pm

Kai Laddiman wrote:
Michael Wallace wrote:
Dinos Sfyris wrote:Awesome trophy! FWIW Michael I'd be jizz-in-my-pants-excited if I were coming as it sounds like the beastiest co-event yet (Sorry Neb!)
Haha. You realise the beauty of having it in a pub is that everyone will get drunk and no-one will notice everything falls apart at the seams, right?
And then I'll scoop the award (As long as I can fend off Ollie)

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:28 pm

Ryan Taylor wrote:Naked mud wrestling.

Edit: Does this class as paedophilic?

I knew I was right to ban you from Co:Lon.

Julie T · Post by **Julie T** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 2:47 pm

My son Philip has recently decided he's grown out of family holidays, so, as there's now no need to wait till July when his BTEC course finishes, I've booked a fortnight's holiday in May in Cornwall for me, my daughter and 2 youngest sons. Great because it's cheaper and less busy than July, and we could all do with a break !

One downside is that I won't be able to attend CoLon 2010, as it's in the middle weekend. Luckily there are plenty of people on the waiting list for places. Please feel free to add the £4 fee towards spot prizes or whatever.

All the best, despite whatever else has gone on on the rest of the forum, I was actually looking forward to meeting you all again and playing Countdown. Maybe next time.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:26 pm

Julie T wrote:One downside is that I won't be able to attend CoLon 2010, as it's in the middle weekend. Luckily there are plenty of people on the waiting list for places. Please feel free to add the £4 fee towards spot prizes or whatever.

Thanks for donating your registration fee - we'll have to add a Julie T memorial prize to the Ryan Taylor one. Now all I have to do is think of one...

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 3:42 pm

I think she should have to pay the extra £1 for not bringing a board game.

Ryan Taylor · Post by **Ryan Taylor** » Wed Apr 28, 2010 5:24 pm

Taylor's are dropping like flies.

Lesley Hines · Post by **Lesley Hines** » Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:04 pm

Me me me me me me me me me me (please)!!

I know there may have been higher on the waiting list, but I'm ginger, fairly tall and a bird. It'd be a fitting tribute

Honest guv!

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 5:05 pm

Lesley Hines wrote:Me me me me me me me me me me (please)!!

I know there may have been higher on the waiting list, but I'm ginger, fairly tall and a bird. It'd be a fitting tribute Honest guv!

You make a strong case, but it's first come first served. You're now top of the list, though, so all you have to do is bump off one of the current attendees...

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Fri Apr 30, 2010 5:16 pm

Michael Wallace wrote: so all you have to do is bump off one of the current attendees...

mmmm

Lesley Hines · Post by **Lesley Hines** » Sat May 01, 2010 10:20 am

Michael Wallace wrote: so all you have to do is bump off one of the current attendees...

*reads PM with increasing horror...*
No Corby! I won't do that! Not Kirk - it's only a trophy...

(And Kirky, your birthday's not 'til June

)

David O'Donnell · Post by **David O'Donnell** » Sat May 01, 2010 12:00 pm

Lesley Hines wrote:
Michael Wallace wrote: so all you have to do is bump off one of the current attendees...
*reads PM with increasing horror...*
No Corby! I won't do that! Not Kirk - it's only a trophy...

(And Kirky, your birthday's not 'til June )

Can't you just go anyway?

I only attend these things for the booze up afterwards (during in this case), the countdown is a nerdy incidental.

Edit: If anything not having to play the silly game is a bonus.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Tue May 04, 2010 7:28 pm

So in light of Julie T's withdrawal (and her generous donation of her registration fee), there is another memorial prize on offer! Introducing...

The Romeo and JulieT prize

Before the first game, everyone can submit a guess as to what the final points total of our Co:Lon Master will be. Note that this does not include the final deciding game, just the first six 9-rounders they will play. Whoever gets closest will win a Special Prize!

A couple of points:

1) The Co:Lon Master cannot win the Romeo and JulieT prize, since a) they could theoretically diddle the system, and ii) they're already getting a prize anyway.
2) Ties will be broken by random number generation, unless I think of something more fun nearer the time.

Matt Bayfield · Post by **Matt Bayfield** » Wed May 05, 2010 6:55 pm

*applause for the name of the prize*

I am already frantically practising finding the longest word in ridiculous selections like OOCWOCMOP in preparation for 6 games of letters being drawn from the Countdown board game...

Jon O'Neill · Post by **Jon O'Neill** » Mon May 10, 2010 10:19 pm

My hot girlfriend and her two hot single friends want to come. They have volunteered to "put the letters up". I don't know if the tournament has this facility. If not, they will just get drunk. Is that ok?

Regards.

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Mon May 10, 2010 10:42 pm

Jon O'Neill wrote:My hot girlfriend and her two hot single friends want to come. They have volunteered to "put the letters up". I don't know if the tournament has this facility. If not, they will just get drunk. Is that ok?

Regards.

Sounds good. They might be able to do that for the Grand Final, which could be classy.

Matt Bayfield · Post by **Matt Bayfield** » Mon May 10, 2010 10:46 pm

Jon: this is perhaps an exciting development, but you have made the schoolboy error of neglecting to state the gender of the two hot single friends. To avoid potential disappointment, please rectify.

Matt Morrison · Post by **Matt Morrison** » Mon May 10, 2010 10:56 pm

Matt Bayfield wrote:To avoid potential disappointment, please rectify.

What, because that way you just shut your eyes and can't feel the difference?

Jon O'Neill · Post by **Jon O'Neill** » Mon May 10, 2010 11:28 pm

Unlike my error, they're unfortunately not schoolboys. Nor, for that matter, schoolgirls. But real, grown women.

Kirk - I'm disappointed this has only happened since you've got a girlfriend. It's almost as if this is no coincidence at all and you're reputed in the Countdown scene for being a sexual predator!

Matt Bayfield · Post by **Matt Bayfield** » Mon May 10, 2010 11:48 pm

Jon O'Neill wrote:Unlike my error, they're unfortunately not schoolboys. Nor, for that matter, schoolgirls. But real, grown women.

Jon: in that case I look forward to both the glamour and worldly conversation they will bring. Plus, if they're as hot as you suggest, I'm sure they won't be the only fully-grown specimens in the room.

Matt Morrison · Post by **Matt Morrison** » Wed May 12, 2010 1:07 pm

Quick drinking survey. How long are people staying in the pub for? All night? Don't you have homes to go back to? When do you have to go back to them you bastards?

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Wed May 12, 2010 1:09 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:Quick drinking survey. How long are people staying in the pub for? All night? Don't you have homes to go back to? When do you have to go back to them you bastards?

I suspect this will be somewhat molested by the fact the pub doesn't serve meals on a Saturday. I'd imagine that fairly soon after close of play those of us who'll be hanging around will want to set off in search of tasty noms, after which another pub will probably be in order.

Jon O'Neill · Post by **Jon O'Neill** » Wed May 12, 2010 1:40 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:Quick drinking survey. How long are people staying in the pub for? All night? Don't you have homes to go back to? When do you have to go back to them you bastards?

I'm able to stay out all night, I live in quite a good place. How willing I am depends on what you're like in real life.

Jon Corby · Post by **Jon Corby** » Wed May 12, 2010 2:09 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:Quick drinking survey. How long are people staying in the pub for? All night? Don't you have homes to go back to? When do you have to go back to them you bastards?

I'm kinda bound by the last train home (which is about 1am I think). I certainly hope to be out drinking until late.

Richard Priest · Post by **Richard Priest** » Wed May 12, 2010 5:56 pm

Matt Morrison wrote:Quick drinking survey. How long are people staying in the pub for? All night? Don't you have homes to go back to? When do you have to go back to them you bastards?

I'm carrying on by train to Brighton where I'm stopping with a mate for a few days but hope to have a good hour or two's drinking first

Kirk Bevins · Post by **Kirk Bevins** » Thu May 13, 2010 2:10 pm

Jon Corby wrote:
I'm kinda bound by the last train home (which is about 1am I think). I certainly hope to be out drinking until late.

I am catching a train and coach back to York the next day so I've decided to sleep on a mate's floor for the night. In fact, he is going to come and join us for a few drinks too. I intend to stay as late as the last tube train allows.

Jon O'Neill · Post by **Jon O'Neill** » Thu May 13, 2010 2:22 pm

Kirk Bevins wrote:
Jon Corby wrote:
I'm kinda bound by the last train home (which is about 1am I think). I certainly hope to be out drinking until late.
I am catching a train and coach back to York the next day so I've decided to sleep on a mate's floor for the night. In fact, he is going to come and join us for a few drinks too. I intend to stay as late as the last tube train allows.

Wheyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Michael Wallace · Post by **Michael Wallace** » Thu May 13, 2010 2:22 pm

Kirk Bevins wrote:I am catching a train and coach back to York the next day so I've decided to sleep on a mate's floor for the night. In fact, he is going to come and join us for a few drinks too. I intend to stay as late as the last tube train allows.

How far away is the floor? There are buses all night baby.