5 in Five - The Post Script - Recollections, reflections and lessons learnt...

Robson Hound

Sunday – The Rail View 

What a soulless place! Back in the day I remember this being one of the nicer South Croydon establishments but it now looks ripe for turning into a Tesco Express or a block of flats with easy access to South Croydon station. Quiz wise – nothing stands out – we came in and did an effective job. Number one for bar snacks though – just have many bags of crisps can you actually get from one ox?

 

Monday – The Woolpack 

Where do you start? Pub-wise I thought this was ok actually, the food and beer ranges were both decent and there seemed a bit more “going on” than the average place of that nature. Could probably fill the whole piece though about “Duncan” and his irksome habits and ways. Baffling popular – I know Banstead doesn’t have much else to offer on a Monday but really.

 

Tuesday – The Windsor Castle 

By contrast, here was a quiz that definitely deserved more support than it got. Maybe music – with precious little before 1990 is a bit niche and self-indulgent – but no harm in that. Maybe it suffers with the Sun quiz on the same night in Carshalton. Quite probably the best beer of the week here – though I forget exactly what – and a rip-roaring charge through the field from the Hound. Marvellous stuff.

 

Wednesday – The Oval Tavern 

Now this is one of my favourite pubs in the vicinity. Don’t always agree with the music they have on, but seems to come with a laid back relaxed atmosphere to it. Wendy showed that a quiz doesn’t have to go on until 10.30 pm as well, I guess this is normally a slightly cynical move to keep the punters in but was more than happy to stay. Even got on ok with the love theme.

 

Thursday – The Purley Arms 

Back to the usual stamping ground. I guess we’ve arrived at the Purley Arms by way of comparing a number of factors. It definitely stands up by way of quiz but certainly isn’t the best pub and certainly doesn’t have the best beer. An ideal scenario – take the Oval Tavern, with beer from the Windsor Castle and the Purley Arms quiz and have it all on a Thursday. And move it all to the Ramblers Rest while we’re at it. As for the actual night, I was way too tired to care.

 

 

G-Force

 

Sunday: Low key describes this one best I think. I though we worked hard for the win. Would have been nice to actually see more of our fellow competitors.

 

Monday: Bingo was the best bit, felt a bit like we had nothing in common with any of our fellow competitors. Liked the Freak Show though.

 

Tuesday: Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees! We won the music quiz, coming up on the rails to finish strongly. The anagrams of sixties bands were right up my street, and I thought that the format was generally reasonably innovative. Low point was my piqued behaviour in respect of the Hull question, but the 2-0 win for the Mighty Whites cheered me up no end. Enjoyed sinking a few Guinness as well.

 

Wednesday: Had a real blast at this one. Possibly because the questions were condensed into a relatively short space of time. Girls, Wine, Quiz App and Darts, what’s not to like? Slightly surprised that somebody aced the jeopardy equivalent round, but pleased with our celebrity recall.

 

Thursday: Back on familiar territory. I really think this quiz is improving weekly, the more general knowledge based rounds replacing Top 10 etc. can only be a good thing. Total strategy breakdown on the KFC question, all the less excusable in my case given that I was sober. Rarely have I seen Robson so jaded as half way through this event, certainly not before closing time at any rate.

 

A stamina sapping success overall, but don’t mind if I never hear a Valentine themed question again. Would do the Windsor again, and possibly The Oval with a full complement of Hounds sometime.

 

Kevster

 

It is said that a week is a long time in politics but no-one ever says what it is in quizzing because no-one, in the history of the world*, has ever quizzed for a week.  Until now.  Kind of.  So, a long time?  Or not?  Well, by way of auto-interview, let's see...

So, Kevster, are you glad it's over?
Yes.  And no.  Hopefully that's clear enough...

What were your highlights?
Sunday's Roast Ox crisps, Wednesday's wine and darts, the battered onion rings that wouldn't have looked out of place around Saturn, three epic 'warm chicken salads', walking out of The View to the closing strains of Kirsty MacColl's wonderful 'New England' and the Oval's beautiful birthday brunette

Were there any low points?
Averaging over two hours a day on a bus for five days, forgoing two post-quiz epic 'warm chicken salads' and Monday's bizarre excursion to Middle Earth replete with an array of characters that Tolkien himself would've considered too outlandish

Favourite moment of the 5 in Five?
Early in Thursday's proceedings - D2 pulling 'bulldozer' out of the ether when the collective Hound's entire focus had been fruitlessly 'on it' for five full minutes

Would you do another 5 in Five?
Yes, as long as Middle Earth wasn't on the itinerary.

Can you summarise the 5 in Five in five words?
Two wins and three losses
More answers right than wrong
Pubs, buses, beer, quizzes, blogs
Yes that's actually fifteen words...

Thank you Kevster.

My pleasure.

* probably

D2

There's more to life than quizzing but not much more.

When a man is tired of quizzing he is tired of life.

I think that sums it up neatly if not obliquely.

 

My highlights? In no particular order;

1) Graham's onion rings

2) Graham's pork scratchings

3) Graham's lift home on Thursday 
4) the Alan Partridge quote session brought on by Duncan

5) ignoring government advice with regards to units and probably having a whole week's allowance by 8 o clock on a nightly basis

The lowlights?

1)2)&3) Duncan, Duncan's voice, everything Duncan has ever said or done. A plague on the house of Duncan.

4) missing the 127 to Coulsdon by such a small margin that I was then forced to chase it across Purley whilst there remained a glimmer of a hope that I could still catch it

5) Robson's unhelpful text messages after said incident with bus.

All in all a memorable week and congratulations are in order for my fellow team members.

Here's to the next one!