DAotW 4-7-12

Dumb Answer of the Week
What Happens When You Speak Before You Think

April 1st - April 7th, 2012

Text by: Jim Williams

In honor of Major League Baseball starting up this week, here's a Dumb Answer of the Week that actually comes from a late February episode of MLB Network's "Baseball IQ".

I'm a believer that sports can serve as a metaphor for life. No sport serves as a greater metaphor than baseball. Enter this week's Dumb Answer of the Week from the 2nd semifinal of MLB Network's "Baseball IQ".

With a berth in the championship game at stake, Shane representing the Los Angeles Angels and Josh representing the Arizona Diamondbacks enter the 9th inning tied at 10-10. The game rests on the following category:

Host Matt Vasgersian expands on the category citing that there are a total of 19 players or managers in Cooperstown that have a last name that starts with "R". The list does not include Hall of Fame award winning broadcasters or writers.

Since the game is tied, by virtue of winning the game's "Leadoff Home Run" question, Shane opens the bidding at 7.

Josh ups the bid immediately to 10.

Shane challenges.

So, to win the game, Shane must name 10 members of the Baseball Hall of Fame that have a last name that begins with R.

"Honus Wagner."

I'm literally in shell shock. The answer is obviously wrong and it takes a few seconds for it to register to Josh that he misunderstood the question.

He apparently thought they were looking for Hall of Famers that have a last name that ENDS in R.

Even Shane feels bad about winning in that fashion. But, still he wins another $5,000 for the Angels so...

Thank you, Angels' play by play man Victor Rojas. BTW, nice job on TBS last postseason, Vic.

Josh played a fine game leading up to the 9th inning, and he really knew his stuff. As a matter of fact, Matt asked him how many Hall of Famers he could name on his list of those who had a last name that ended in R. Josh rattled off a solid 10-12 names that would have been right. In the end, misreading the 9th inning question cost him a chance at the "Baseball IQ" title and an additional $30,000 for Diamondbacks' Charities.

I said from the outset that baseball is a metaphor for life. So, allow me to use one of baseball's most memorable moments to act as a metaphor for how Josh's 9th inning went down.

Vin Scully said the following of Buckner's gaffe: "If one picture is worth a thousand words, you have seen about a million words, but more than that, you have seen an absolutely bizarre finish to Game 6 of the 1986 World Series."

What we saw in this semifinal on "Baseball IQ" was every bit as bizarre, proving again that baseball is indeed a metaphor for life.