MLB Before and After

We’re about to hit the stretch run in baseball, so the time is right for an edition of “MLB Before and After!” Every once in a while, I do a “Sports Before and After” column as a way of paying homage to my Jeopardy! experience. As with the “Before and After” category on the show, the answer to each clue combines two different subjects, with the end of the first part being the beginning of the second. For example, if asked for the Florida Marlins pitcher who recently joined the Baltimore Ravens backfield, you would answer “Dontrelle Willis McGahee.”

Now that you’re prepared, go ahead and try your luck! Every entry relates to someone or something that’s currently involved with major league baseball. Answers are listed at the end, and there’s no need to phrase your responses in the form of a question. As a matter of tradition, the first clue always relates to UNC.


1. Detroit Tigers lefthander who’s a cold-filtered beer

2. 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner who just hit his 500th home run

3. 1978 Best Picture Oscar winner about a Houston Astros rookie outfielder

4. Stick shift named for the Philadelphia Phillies manager

5. Republican presidential candidate who’s a necessary piece of equipment for Ivan Rodriguez

6. Speedy Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder who’s a state capital

7. Fall Classic starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey

8. Colorado Rockies slugger who’s a hotel where guests “Stay Smart”

9. Barney Fife catchphrase centered on the MLB commissioner

10. 19th century American art movement inspired by an Atlanta Braves starter

11. Fenway Park fence that got into a 1988 street fight with Mike Tyson

12. New York Mets third baseman who sang “I’m Too Sexy”

13. Samuel Jackson and Christina Ricci movie about the San Diego Padres manager

14. Applebee’s slogan about a Philadelphia Phillies starter

15. Steve Miller Band hit about an automatic pop-up out

16. Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder who sang “Saturday Night”

17. Cincinnati venue named for an ancient Greek king

18. Los Angeles Dodgers starter who starred on Laverne and Shirley

19. Kansas City Royals manager who hit the charts in 1990 with “Poison”

20. 2002 James Bond movie about the 2005 World Series MVP

21. Saskatchewan city named for a Seattle mascot

22. 1979-81 NBC series set in 2491, about a Fox broadcaster

23. Pictionary-like game show inspired by a San Francisco Giants outfielder

24. Long luxury car in which “Take Me Out To the Ballgame” is sung

25. Cincinnati Reds starter who starred in Death Wish


ANSWERS:

1. Andrew Miller Genuine Draft

2. Afleet Alex Rodriguez

3. The Deer Hunter Pence

4. Charlie Manuel Transmission

5. Catcher’s Mitt Romney

6. Juan Pierre, South Dakota

7. Wayne’s World Series

8. Matt Holliday Inn Express

9. Nip it in the Bud Selig!

10. Tim Hudson River School

11. Mitch “Blood” Green Monster

12. David Wright Said Fred

13. Bud Black Snake Moan

14. Adam Eaton Good in the Neighborhood

15. Infield Fly Like an Eagle

16. Jason Bay City Rollers

17. Alexander the Great American Ballpark

18. Brad Penny Marshall

19. Buddy Bell Biv Devoe

20. Jermaine Dye Another Day

21. Mariner Moose Jaw

22. Joe Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

23. Randy Winn, Lose Or Draw

24. 7th-inning Stretch Limousine

25. Charles Bronson Arroyo

College Hoops Before & After

With March Madness kicking off next Thursday, the time is right for an edition of “College Hoops Before and After!” Every once in a while, I do a “Sports Before and After” column as a way of paying homage to my Jeopardy! experience. As with the “Before and After” category on the show, the answer to each clue combines two different subjects, with the end of the first part being the beginning of the second. For example, if asked for the animated Canadian mountie who’s the ACC Player of the Year, you would answer “Jared Dudley Do-Right.”

Now that you’re prepared, go ahead and try your luck! Every entry relates to someone or something that’s involved with this year’s NCAA tournament. Answers are listed at the end, and there’s no need to phrase your responses in the form of a question.


1. Horizon League champion who starts at forward for North Carolina

2. 2003 Diane Lane movie about the league represented by North Texas

3. 1984 Laura Branigan hit about the Kansas head coach

4. Bowtie-wearing pundit who’s the Big Ten Player of the Year

5. Tournament-ending song about a presidential airplane

6. Memphis-led league that sang “We Are the World”

7. Hit ABC drama about a Pittsburgh center

8. 1998 Valparaiso hero who plays guard for Michigan State

9. Katherine Anne Porter novel about a UCLA forward

10. Nevada head coach who’s a “Fair and Balanced” network

11. Florida big man who was a long-time ER cast member

12. Mariska Hargitay series about a clutch Texas A&M guard

13. 1980 Clint Eastwood movie about a controversial CBS commentator

14. John Milton poem about Indiana’s head coach

15. Led Zeppelin album about the Patriot League champion

16. Animated female character who plays guard for Maryland

17. Tennessee head coach who wrote The Good Earth

18. Mountain West Conference member who sang “Bust a Move”

19. Dean Cain/Teri Hatcher series about a CBS studio analyst

20. Southern Illinois star who won an Oscar for Paper Moon

21. Bookstore chain named for the Texas head coach

22. Hooterville-set sitcom about a Georgetown forward

23. Star Oregon guard who won four CMA Awards in 2006

24. 1984 Billy Idol hit about Ohio State’s nickname

25. Daily Show network that won the Northeast Conference


ANSWERS:

1. Brandan Wright State

2. Under the Tuscan Sun Belt Conference

3. Bill Self Control

4. Alando Tucker Carlson

5. Air Force One Shining Moment

6. Conference USA For Africa

7. Aaron Gray’s Anatomy

8. Bryce Drew Neitzel

9. Josh Shipp of Fools

10. Mark Fox News Channel

11. Joakim Noah Wyle

12. Acie Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

13. Bronco Billy Packer

14. Kelvin Sampson Agonistes

15. Houses of the Holy Cross

16. D.J. Strawberry Shortcake

17. Bruce Pearl Buck

18. Brigham Young MC

19. Lois & Clark Kellogg

20. Jamaal Tatum O’Neal

21. Rick Barnes & Noble

22. Jeff Green Acres

23. Aaron Brooks & Dunn

24. Buckeyes Without A Face

25. Comedy Central Connecticut State

Sports Before and After

Every once in a while, I pay homage to my Jeopardy! experience with another installment of “Sports Before and After.” As with the “Before and After” category on the show, the answer to each clue combines two different subjects, with the end of the first part being the beginning of the second. For example, if asked for the female race car driver who had a Hall of Fame career as an NHL goaltender, you would answer “Danica Patrick Roy.”

Now that you’re prepared, go ahead and try your luck! Answers are listed at the end, and there’s no need to phrase your responses in the form of a question. For more “Sports Before and After” fun, feel free to check out my first and second installments. As a matter of tradition, the first question always involves UNC.


1. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” singer who’s a force in the paint for the Tar Heels

2. All-time strikeout record holder who hosts American Idol

3. George H.W. Bush campaign promise about a Baltimore Ravens safety

4. Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter who starred on Sanford and Son

5. Film starring Greg Kinnear and Steve Carell about a Los Angeles Dodgers manager

6. Ohio State quarterback whose abduction brought about the Trojan War

7. Classic Steppenwolf song about Dwight Howard’s team

8. Legally Blonde star who played shortstop for the Brooklyn Dodgers

9. Big East member who sang “Maneater”

10. Don Johnson TV show about a two-time NBA MVP

11. Prison, named after a Buffalo Bills linebacker, where Sir Walter Raleigh was confined for 13 years

12. Beatles song about a 1980s New York Mets slugger

13. Evander Holyfield nickname, taken from a hit NBC game show

14. Hit Blondie song about Michigan’s star running back

15. Casablanca-inspired Woody Allen comedy about a Los Angeles Clippers guard

16. First day of Lent, named in honor of a late tennis star and activist

17. Lambeau Field franchise connected to a food product that Charlton Heston screamed was “PEOPLE!!!”

18. New Toronto Blue Jays signee who’s a locomotive in a children’s TV series and books

19. Pittsburgh Penguins star who sang “Woodstock” and “Teach Your Children”

20. Tearjerker starring Sally Field and Julia Roberts about an All-America guard for Alabama

21. Rob Schneider comedy about a legendary Los Angeles Lakers broadcaster

22. USA For Africa song about a female teenage golf sensation

23. Harvard Law School-set John Houseman film about a Philadelphia Phillies second baseman

24. “Playhouse” and “Big Adventure” star who coaches the Kansas City Chiefs

25. 1995 Heisman Trophy winner who hung out with Jerry, Elaine, and Kramer


ANSWERS:

1. Bonnie Tyler Hansbrough

2. Nolan Ryan Seacrest

3. Ed Reed My Lips, No New Taxes

4. Michael Redd Foxx

5. Grady Little Miss Sunshine

6. Helen of Troy Smith

7. Orlando Magic Carpet Ride

8. Pee Wee Reese Witherspoon

9. Seton Hall & Oates

10. Steve Nash Bridges

11. Tower of London Fletcher-Baker

12. Darryl Strawberry Fields Forever

13. The Real Deal Or No Deal

14. Michael Hart of Glass

15. Play It Again, Sam Cassell

16. Arthur Ashe Wednesday

17. Soylent Green Bay Packers

18. Frank Thomas the Tank Engine

19. Sidney Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

20. Ronald Steele Magnolias

21. The Hot Chick Hearn

22. Michelle Wie Are The World

23. The Paper Chase Utley

24. Pee-Wee Herman Edwards

25. Eddie George Costanza

Sports Before and After

Faithful readers will be interested to know that I shot an amusing T-Mobile commercial this week. I’m one of two dads who are research subjects in a science lab, watching our daughters chatter endlessly in isolation booths. As the “T-Mobile Dad,” I stay calm and cheerful throughout the process, while the “Competition Dad” goes bonkers as his daughter exceeds their allotted minutes. Look for the spot in a few weeks!


Today’s entry relates to another one of my on-camera experiences: Jeopardy! An entertaining category that appears on the show from time to time is “Before and After.” For each clue, the answer combines two different subjects, with the end of the first being the beginning of the second. For example, if asked for the Florida basketball coach who quarterbacks the Philadelphia Eagles, you would answer “Billy Donovan McNabb.” Now that you’re prepared, go ahead and try your luck at the latest installment of “Sports Before and After.” Answers are listed at the end, and there’s no need to phrase your responses in the form of a question.


1. Pet Benatar’s 1983 hit about the 1997 PGA Championship winner

2. Classic 1950s sitcom about Penn State’s home field

3. Steven Spielberg film in which soldiers try to find a San Diego quarterback bust

4. Herman Melville classic about a screaming college basketball announcer

5. Beloved Christmas tune about a legendary 1960 gold medal sprinter

6. Denver Nuggets star who acted in Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club

7. Annual presidential speech about the Buckeyes

8. Asia’s smash hit about Dwyane Wade’s team

9. Classic 1968 zombie movie about a fiery Texas Tech coach

10. Fast food franchise used to defend a basketball opponent with a dominant scorer

11. Annual Williamsport sporting event focused on a mouse voiced by Michael J. Fox

12. Foul shot that’s a comedy starring Billy Crystal and Danny Devito

13. Vanilla Ice’s hit song about the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team’s upset of the Soviets

14. Fighting Irish actress who won an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love

15. Van Morrison ditty about a loved one who resembles a legendary Cleveland running back

16. Mel Brooks comedy about a star Texas quarterback

17. 1971 AL Cy Young and MVP winner who’s a popular Las Vegas act

18. Roald Dahl children’s book about a Cleveland Cavaliers superstar

19. Wayans Brothers comedy in which the 2003 Heisman Trophy winner goes undercover

20. Tony Toni Tone’s hit song about the Arizona basketball coach

21. Legendary Alabama coach who said, “Only you can prevent forest fires”

22. Cedric the Entertainer movie about a star Bengals receiver

23. James Joyce novel about the Demon Deacons’ school

24. NBC series in which Jill Hennessy stars as a UCLA point guard

25. Animated Disney classic about a Gold Glove first baseman and his short companions


Answers:


1. Davis Love Is a Battlefield

2. Leave It To Beaver Stadium

3. Saving Private Ryan Leaf

4. Moby Dick Vitale

5. Wilma Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer

6. Carmelo Anthony Michael Hall

7. Ohio State of the Union Address

8. Miami Heat of the Moment

9. Bobby Knight of the Living Dead

10. Jack in the Box and One

11. Stuart Little League World Series

12. Free Throw Momma From the Train

13. Miracle on Ice Ice Baby

14. Notre Dame Judi Dench

15. Jim Brown-Eyed Girl

16. Vince Young Frankenstein

17. Vida Blue Man Group

18. LeBron James and the Giant Peach

19. Jason White Chicks

20. If I Had No Lute Olson

21. Smokey the Bear Bryant

22. Chad Johnson Family Vacation

23. Finnegans Wake Forest

24. Crossing Jordan Farmar

25. J.T. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Sports Before and After

One of the most enjoyable categories you’ll see on Jeopardy! is “Before and After.”  The answer combines two different subjects, with the end of the first subject being the start of the second.  For example, if I were to ask for the all-time major league hits leader who will host the BCS championship game this January, you would answer, “Pete Rose Bowl.”  Got it?  Sadly, I never had a “Before and After” category during my Jeopardy! career, but I’ve taken the liberty of creating numerous “Sports Before and After” questions for your enjoyment.  The answers are included at the end, and there’s no need to phrase your response in the form of a question.  Sorry, no Daily Doubles either.

 

Starting With the Home Team:

1.  2004 Democratic presidential candidate who let out an infamous scream and won a record 879 games as head coach.

2.  Long-time Las Vegas act who coached his team to the 2005 NCAA basketball championship.

3.  Refreshing mall staple who won the 2001 Lombardi Trophy.

4.  2005 Final Four Most Outstanding Player who’s a “Star Wars” catchphrase.

And One For the Rivals:

5.  Night Ranger hit song about the player who hit a famous buzzer-beater vs. Kentucky.

A Philly Sports Fan’s Worst Nightmare:

6.  Talented but oft-injured Dodgers outfielder who represents Terrell Owens.

For Fans of “The Simpsons”:

7.  Game-ending round-tripper who says, “D’oh!”

8.  All-Star second baseman who’s a Springfield newscaster.

9.  European Ryder Cup standout who owns a nuclear power plant.

10.  Elementary school employee who hit 660 home runs in the major leagues.

And the Rest:

11.  1994 National League MVP who’s a catchphrase used by the Church Lady.

12.  Female tennis star of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s who’s a long-running CBS sitcom.

13.  Eagles pass rusher who haunted Red Sox fans for 86 years.

14.  Star Lakers guard from West Virginia who recounted the feud between the Sharks and the Jets.

15.  Denver baseball player who’s the movie in which Ivan Drago kills Apollo Creed.

16.  Long-time Detroit Red Wings star who’s a Joey Tribbiani catchphase.

17.  Star Packers running back who’s a beloved Dr. Seuss work.

18.  1997 National League MVP who’s a Chuck Norris TV show.

19.  Tom Hanks-Meg Ryan movie who won horse racing’s triple crown in 1977.

20.  Survivor hit song about this year’s Masters and British Open champion.

21.  “Diff’rent Strokes” catchphrase who inspired Knicks in 1970 NBA Finals.

22.  2001 Heisman Trophy winner who’s a critically-acclaimed action film from China.

23.  Hockey player in Canadian capital city who’s a memorable line from Lloyd Bentsen.

24.  D.C. baseball player who’s a comedy set at Faber College.

25.  First Indiana Jones movie, about the 1994 NCAA basketball champions.

 

ANSWERS:

1.  Howard Dean Smith

2.  Siegfried and Roy Williams

3.  Orange Julius Peppers

4.  Sean May the Force Be With You

5.  Sister Christian Laettner

6.  J.D. Drew Rosenhaus

7.  Walk-off Homer Simpson

8.  Jeff Kent Brockman

9.  Colin Montgomerie Burns

10.  Groundskeeper Willie Mays

11.  Jeff Bagwell Isn’t That Special?

12.  Billie Jean King of Queens

13.  Jevon Kearse of the Bambino

14.  Jerry West Side Story

15.  Colorado Rockie IV

16.  Gordie Howe You Doin’?

17.  Ahman Green Eggs and Ham

18.  Larry Walker, Texas Ranger

19.  Sleepless in Seattle Slew

20.  Eye of the Tiger Woods

21.  Watchu Talkin’ Bout, Willis Reed?

22.  Eric Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

23.  Ottawa Senator, You’re No Jack Kennedy

24.  Washington National Lampoon’s Animal House

25.  Raiders of the Lost Arkansas Razorbacks