Jeopardy regulars - SPOILER

[malaise]

If Matt wins today he will tie with Arthur - go Matt!!

[tishaLA]

1. Mr Jackson is amazing

And funny, too.

[malaise]

6. Arthur who

Arthur Chu - it's a tie

[Snobblevitch]

2. So far,

is Matt Jackson the most dominant Jeopardy winner? What I mean is, hasn't he won every game being ahead so far that he could not be beaten even if he doesn't get the correct answer (assuming he doesn't wager too much)?

[malaise]

3. He's amazing

The other contestants have been mere observers.

[Snobblevitch]

4. He's a paralegal and the attorney next to him didn't make it to Final Jeopardy

I wonder if he has any interest in law school. If he couldn't afford it before, he can now. (Not that we need more lawyers.)

[malaise]

5. That was funny

He has a liberal Jewish mother and a Conservative Christian African-American father -interesting background.

He may be a Constitutional professor one day -or President = seems politically astute

[Brother Buzz]

7. Wednesday was not a runaway

He got lucky at the end, though.

[malaise]

8. Two or three days weren't run aways

but he's good

[Brother Buzz]

9. He's actually kinda weak on his Jeopardy! responses

He's, like, 98% correct on the stuff he rings in on but I'm surprised how many Jeopardy! and Final Jeopardy! responses he's missed. Luck and speed have contributed a lot to his success. That, and knowing a lot of esoteric shit.

[malaise]

10. He may be the quickest ever on that buzzer

Would love to know -he's also a good gambler

[Mister Ed]

12. Of course, it's actually not speed, but timing, that counts.

When I competed on the show more than twenty years ago, the producer offered us a bit of coaching on our buzzer strategy. She explained that the sequence of events goes like this:

1) Alex reads the answer aloud. While he's reading, the buzzer circuit is locked.
2) As Alex finishes, a judge manually unlocks the buzzer circuit.
3) The first contestant to click in after the circuit is unlocked is given the opportunity to provide the question.

Of course, they don't want over-eager contestants clicking in and interrupting Alex's reading of the answer, so there's a penalty for jumping the gun: click in before the judge unlocks the circuit, and your buzzer is disabled for five long seconds. When you see contestants clicking frantically on their buzzers in frustration and futility, it usually means they've jumped the gun, and are paying the price.

So this contestant, who may be the quickest ever, would actually be the contestant with such an uncanny sense of timing that he innately knows just how long it will take that human judge to unlock the circuit when Alex finishes speaking, and clicks in the next instant - but not an instant before.

[malaise]

13. Thanks for that interesting explanation Mister Ed

Timing is everything- this Matt is good

[Ilsa]

15. I noticed he employs another tactic.

He will alternate between categories after each A/Q to keep the subject changing. I suspect it is partially to work down the highest values asap, but I also think it's a mind game on the other players.

[Mister Ed]

36. Yes. The opponent who defeated me after my initial win used that tactic.

I think the advantage he gained with that strategy was slight, but every little bit helps. In the end, though, we finished in a near three-way tie, and he was the only one of the three of us who knew the Final Jeopardy question.

[ProfessorGAC]

65. He Also Seems To Employ The One Sure Fire Positive Tactic

He doesn't guess much. The key to winning seems, to me, that one only pushes that button when one is quite sure they know the answer. The penalty for doing nothing is nothing. The penalty to buzzing in and then guessing at the answer can be huge!

[Snobblevitch]

11. How did he get lucky on Wednesday?

I am not really a Jeopardy regular, but I might tune in next week. There was a Fonal Jeopardy that I knew but Matt got it wrong. I don't remember the answer though.

[Spirochete]

16. Opponent didn't bet enough

If she had wagered it all, she'd have beaten him.

[CatWoman]

14. for some reason

i don't like Matt

[Spirochete]

17. He creeps me out

for some reason.

And I keep thinking of that movie "Quiz Show"...

[akbacchus_BC]

18. How does an intelligent person creep you out?

He is good at jeopardy!

[Spirochete]

19. I think it's his eyes

Just some intangible thing about him. And his normal face seems to be a scowl.

[akbacchus_BC]

20. It is jeopardy where intelligent people battle their

knowledge of world and local events. Too bad you feel that way!

[Spirochete]

21. If it was me

I'd probably be trying to be sure not to crap my pants, from the nervousness of being on TV, so I have no idea what I'd look like on there. At least he doesn't shift from one foot to the other constantly. Those are the people that drive me nuts on there. lol

[akbacchus_BC]

22. Well if you ever get selected to be on Jeopardy, please

tell us how you were feeling?

Meantime, leave the contestants alone!

[Spirochete]

23. I'll be sure to do that

Didn't know you had such an emotional investment in Jeopardy players.
And I thought Matt creeped me out...

Peace out

[akbacchus_BC]

24. I like intelligent people and I learn from Jeopardy.

I do not have a vested interest, just like wheel of fortune and jeopardy, two of my favourite shows. Thanks for your response.
Happy Thanksgiving!

[malaise]

26. That's precisely what I told my friend

My concern is his knowledge and skill at the game.

[joshcryer]

29. Concern?

He learned the answers. The vast majority of clues are already out there. He's simply learned them. All.

[malaise]

31. Not really concern

interest - I've been watching Jeopardy before Alex was host.

[malaise]

25. One of my closest friends says he gives her the creeps

She says his smile never reaches his eyes. She called me yesterday to say she doesn't like him either. We are both big Jeopardy fans.

[MADem]

27. I agree w/your friend. He looks like a serial killer!

The Soup did an hilarious piece on him:

[joshcryer]

28. Disgusting.

He did his research / knowledge acquisition and the smile is his trademark. He's good at it. Don't be a bastard and cut him down because he is doing a mere smile. WTF.

[malaise]

32. That video is hilarious

Of course he's good at it - even great, but others will find the jokes.

[MADem]

33. I think you're taking an opinion a bit too seriously.

I think he is creepy looking, my family thinks he's creepy looking, and people on this thread think he is creepy looking....just in time for Halloween, too!

And THE SOUP thinks he's creepy looking, too.

He's made enough money that he doesn't have to worry about what I might think of him. Sheesh, get over yourself! What's disgusting is your scolding approach to any opinion that does not match your own. "WTF" indeed....

[malaise]

30. That is hilarious

Still the guy is good.

[MADem]

34. He might well become the new all time winner. We'll have to see.

Still creepy, though!

[malaise]

35. My money says Ken Jennings

remains boss

[AngryOldDem]

37. I don't either.

As others have said, there is just something off-putting about him. I had the same gut reaction to Arthur Chu (who had gotten somewhat likeable during the Tournament of Champions) and Colby Burnett. Just the way they present themselves -- smug know-it-alls.

It's contestants like this is why I wish Jeopardy would bring back the 5-day rule. I am quickly losing interest when, night after night, he has well over $20,000 at halftime while the others are barely making 2-grand.

But I see him being around for a good, long while -- his combination of being quick on the buzzer and right most of the time is pretty much unbeatable. He's going to have to have a really bad night to lose.

[senseandsensibility]

38. He is certainly entertaining

for a variety of reasons.

[malaise]

41. And very smart

Here we go again

[Oneironaut]

39. I usually start rooting against a winner after 3 days.

I'm glad I didn't watch when Ken Jennings was on. Jeopardy is the best when it's a battle to the finish.

[malaise]

40. You sound like my 93 year old aunt

She hates anyone who wins more than three times.

[Snobblevitch]

42. That was another fun episode of Jeopardy today.

I got the Final Jeopardy answer correct.

[MinM]

43. That's really more of a tidbit than a spoiler.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Hepburn]

44. I love this guy!

My neighbors and I have been watching him and discussing this 23-year-old young man! Amazing!

It's just after 4:00 p.m. on the West Coast...will watch tonight as usual at 7:00 p.m.

GO, MATT!!!!

[Snobblevitch]

45. Matt does have a pretty good string of wins.

I saw a story in which Arthur Chu said Matt was a better player than he was.

[malaise]

47. Can be number two of all time

tonight. I'm rooting for him - he just did something totally decent - I won't tell you

[Snobblevitch]

52. I didn't see the whole episode...

What decent thing did Matt do?

By the way, at what point can we talk about the Final Jeopardy question? Not the result, just the answer.

[malaise]

53. Let's not spoil it for our West Coast friends

We can talk about it later. I didn't get it.

During the first break he told them that he did more than mispronounce the word - that wasn't the word at all.

[Snobblevitch]

54. I see that there are some episodes on you tube.

Do you know if this entire episode will show up?

[malaise]

49. This is exciting tonight

Oh yes!!

[AngryAmish]

46. Greg Kihn is on the edge of his seat.

All kidding aside, The Breakup Song is one of the best.

[malaise]

48. Yah think

Damn this guy is good

[Nedsdag]

50. I got the answer!

They didn't!

[malaise]

51. I didn't

Oh my fugging gawd!

What an anti-climax - my phone will starting ringing in 3...2...1

[Brother Buzz]

55. I got it right, but I actually visited it when it was brand spanking new

I didn't know it lost its glimmer and needed sprucing up for its golden anniversary celebration.

Final Jeopardy! was Matt's weakest part of the game from the get-go, but his astounding daily winnings stood him well most of the time. Not so much today.

[malaise]

57. You pointed that out

Ah well - tomorrow we start over

[Brother Buzz]

58. He'll definitely be back for the Tournament of Champions down the road

With a little luck we'll see him matched up against Arthur which would prove to be grand entertainment.

That being said, I'll be rooting for my two all time favorite champions in the tournament, Frank and Eddie:

Frank Spangenberg

Lieutenant Frank Spangenberg (born July 26, 1957) garnered fame in 1990 when he set the five-day cumulative winnings record, becoming the first person to win more than $100,000 in five days on the show.[20] He has been called one of the "veritable legends" of the show.[21] He was also the first to exceed $30,000 (winning $30,600) in a single day.

Spangenberg, at the time a member of the New York City Transit Police Department (now the Transit Bureau of the New York City Police Department), won $102,597 in five days. Prior to 2003, winners were retired after five consecutive victories and due to a winnings cap in place on Jeopardy! at the time, Spangenberg was only able to keep $75,000 of his total winnings; he donated the remaining $27,597 to the Gift of Love Hospice, a facility operated by the Missionaries of Charity. The $102,597 record stands as the all-time net five-day record because of 2001 rule changes regarding clue values, and the 2003 abolition of the five-day limit restricts the record to a contestant's first five days.[22]

Spangenberg also won Jeopardy!'s 10th Anniversary Tournament in 1993, winning $41,800, and previously appeared in the 1990 Tournament of Champions, Super Jeopardy! earlier that year, and later competed in the 2002 Million Dollar Masters tournament, the 2005 Ultimate Tournament of Champions and the 2014 Battle of the Decades tournament.

Eddie Timanus

Eddie Timanus (born August 9, 1968) was the first blind contestant to compete on the show, appearing in October 1999.[48] He won five consecutive games—the limit at that time—and earned $69,700 and two cars. He subsequently appeared in the Million Dollar Masters, the Ultimate Tournament of Champions, and the Battle of the Decades.

[malaise]

62. I loved Julia Collins

Jeopardy actually made her sick - she was that stressed out.

[Snobblevitch]

59. Of course I could never have gotten to Final Jeopardy on any of these episodes with a chance to win,

but like all other viewers, I take pride in knowing the Final Jeopardy answer when the contestants do not get it correct.

I knew this question because my grandparents took the train to the Seattle World's Fair in 1962. They bought plastic insulated tumblers that I remember.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-rare-1962-Mid-Century-Mad-Men-Seattle-Worlds-Fair-Glasses-Bolero-therm-o-ware-/171964507423?hash=item2809e2251f

[malaise]

61. Well I pride myself with the reality that I'm better that Blitzer

but that's a really low standard

[tishaLA]

56. That Matt Jackson....

I can't feel too bad for him--he won $411K, after all--but I wanted him to remain champion a while longer. But there's just something wonderful about seeing someone do something as amazingly well as Matt Jackson playing Jeopardy

[malaise]

60. And that'swhy I love Jeopardy

I also learn from the contestants

[DrDan]

63. shrewd bet by Michael

[malaise]

64. Very shrewd because Matt expected him to bet it all

What would have happened if they all bet it all and all lost?

[DrDan]

66. tie - they all come back