Contest Update: Most of Y'all Don't Remember The Crunch Bunch

Monday, August 18, 2008 |

The overwhelming number of entries received, coupled with a limited supply of shirts, has forced us to end Bluenatic's first ever trivia contest earlier than anticipated.

Our sincerest thanks to all those who participated, and apologies to all who might have missed it.
We received sixty-three total entries, but only four contestants answered all twenty questions correctly and earned themselves a Reebok Speedwick shirt for their efforts.

Congratulations to our four winners:

1) Spencer Kerr
2) Ed Fassler
3) Matt Firing
4) Tim McGuffin

Each of you will be receiving an email from me shortly inquiring as to your mailing address and shirt size, so be on the lookout for that.

An additional seventeen "tough luck" contestants scored 19/20. The low score was 11/20.

The two most missed questions (by far) were numbers 9 and 12.

Question nine (
Who holds the New York Giants franchise record for games played?) was a tricky one, I guess, as up until last season that record was held by Howard Cross. Cross, the ever reliable if unspectacular tight end, played in 207 regular season games and five playoff games for the Giants from 1989-2001, including Super Bowls XXV and XXXV. His record was broken by Michael Strahan in week eight of last season, when the Giants faced the Dolphins in London's Wembley Stadium.

When Strahan announced his retirement back in June, he walked away not only with the franchise record for sacks (141.5) but also the franchise mark for games played, after having competed in 216 regular season games and an additional ten playoff games in his outstanding fifteen year career.

Most of the people who missed this one guessed either C: Cross or A: George Martin, who appeared in 201 regular season and nine playoff games as a member of Big Blue. Strahan, Cross and Martin are the only Giants players to play in 200 or more games for the franchise.

The amount of people who missed question number 12 (
What were the New York Giants linebacker corps of the early 1980s known as?) was astonishing. Maybe this was a generational thing, but I can only assume that the vast majority of contestants simply didn't recall the iconic photo/poster seen above, or remember the sensational linebacking exploits of The Crunch Bunch: Lawrence Taylor, Brian Kelley, Harry Carson & Brad Van Pelt.

I'll let Michael Eisen of refresh your collective memory.

Almost every single person who missed this one guessed D: The Big Blue Wrecking Crew. While that is indeed a nickname often attributed to the Giants, it is really a general nickname and certainly not one that's specific to the Giants linebacker corps of the early 1980s.

Next time read more carefully.

Thanks again to the good people at Reebok for supplying the shirts for this contest. More contests like this are likely to be held in the future, so please stop back for updates in the coming weeks and months.

Here's the complete answer key, for those that might be curious:

1) D
2) B
3) B
4) E
5) C
6) A
7) D
8) C
9) E
10) C
11) B
12) A
13) E
14) C
15) B
16) C
17) B
18) A
19) C
20) D

Everybody Loves a Free T-Shirt

Sunday, August 17, 2008 |

Including you.

For proof, just think back to the last time you were at a sporting event and a t-shirt launcher made an appearance.

Now tell me that you and/or half of your section didn't go apeshit. Tell me how, as those white cotton missiles arced skyward, you didn't see grown men shoving small children aside and throwing elbows at the elderly. Tell me it's never been you.

Maybe it was those wacky kids from the Pepsi Party Patrol that got your heart pumping. Or perhaps it was the Zambonified antics of red carpet regular Sparky the Dragon (or his cohorts) that shot you our of your seat. Either way, some of you were incredibly amped up about the prospect of getting your hands on one of those elusive freebies, regardless of its size or whatever was screen-printed across it. Just like you were that time you used a fake name (Art Vandelay?) to sign up for a credit card. Or when you ate that ninety-six ounce hamburger. Or the time you gave blood in the parking lot outside Modell's. Or when you rescued that three-legged dog.

I'm happy to announce that here at Bluenatic, we've got ourselves a t-shirt launcher of sorts, too. Thanks to the good people at Reebok. And if you want to win the shirt pictured above, all you have to do is correctly answer the twenty questions that appear below. No blood donation required unless you're from Philadelphia. Or you're this guy.

As you'll quickly learn, some of the questions are easy and some of them are not so easy. But to win one of these snazzy Reebok Speedwick shirts (retail value $24.99), you're going to have to get them all. Or at least more than everybody else gets.

I've only got a limited quantity of shirts, so please email your answers to by Friday, August 22nd.

No cheating.


1) Who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XLII?

A) Amani Toomer
B) David Tyree
C) Randy Moss
D) Plaxico Burress
E) Steve Smith

2) What is the New York Giants record in the Super Bowl?

A) 3-0
B) 3-1
C) 2-1
D) 3-2
E) 1-2

3) At what college did Bill Parcells serve as head football coach before joining the New York Giants coaching staff in 1979?

A) Vanderbilt
B) Air Force Academy
C) Wichita State
D) Army
E) Florida State

4) What member of the Super Bowl XLII Champion New York Giants is the son of a member of the Super Bowl XXV Champion New York Giants?

A) Aaron Ross
B) Ahmad Bradshaw
C) Chris Snee
D) Amani Toomer
E) Zak DeOssie

5) Which of the following New York Giants has never been named MVP of the National Football League?

A) Charley Conerly
B) Lawrence Taylor
C) Kyle Rote
D) Y.A. Tittle
E) Mel Hein
F) Frank Gifford

6) What New York Giants legend was selected to the Pro Bowl at three different positions?

A) Frank Gifford
B) Emlen Tunnell
C) Roosevelt Brown
D) Kyle Rote
E) Mel Hein

7) Counting the Super Bowl and their game in London, how many consecutive road victories did the 2007 New York Giants amass?
A) 8
B) 12
C) 10
D) 11
E) 6

8) Who was the only player to represent the New York Giants in both Super Bowl XXV and Super Bowl XXXV?

A) Lawrence Taylor
B) Jessie Armstead
C) Howard Cross
D) John Washington
E) Keith Hamilton

9) Who holds the New York Giants franchise record for games played?

A) George Martin
B) Amani Toomer
C) Howard Cross
D) Phil Simms
E) Michael Strahan

10) Which of the following players has not had his number retired by the New York Giants?

A) Lawrence Taylor (56)
B) Mel Hein (7)
C) Harry Carson (53)
D) Charlie Conerly (42)
E) Frank Gifford (16)

11) What former New York Giants offensive lineman missed the entire 1987 season with Hodgkins Disease only to make an inspiring return to the field the following season?

A) Chris Godfrey
B) Karl Nelson
C) Jumbo Elliott
D) Doug Riesenberg
E) Brad Benson

12) What were the New York Giants linebacker corps of the early 1980s known as?

A) The Crunch Bunch
B) The Blue Wall
C) The Giant Headache
D) The Big Blue Wrecking Crew
E) The Blue Bombers

13) Which of the following stadiums have the New York Giants never called home?

A) Giants Stadium
B) Yankee Stadium
C) Shea Stadium
D) The Polo Grounds
E) Baker Field
F) The Yale Bowl

14) What New York Giants placekicker kicked 5 field goals (including the game winner) in a 15-13 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in the 1990 NFC Championship Game?

A) Ali Haji-Sheikh
B) Bjorn Nittmo
C) Matt Bahr
D) Raul Allegre
E) Brad Daluiso

15) What Giant sacked John Elway for a safety in Super Bowl XXI?

A) Harry Carson
B) George Martin
C) Carl Banks
D) Leonard Marshall
E) Lawrence Taylor

16) Which of the following coaches was never an assistant with the New York Giants?

A) Bill Belichick
B) Vince Lombardi
C) Chuck Noll
D) Marty Schottenheimer
E) Tom Landry

17) Who preceded Bill Parcells as Head Coach of the New York Giants?

A) Dan Reeves
B) Ray Perkins
C) John McVay
D) Bill Arnsparger
E) Alex Webster

18) What quarterback led the New York Giants to the 1997 NFC East division title?

A) Danny Kanell
B) Kent Graham
C) Dave Brown
D) Tommy Maddox
E) Kerry Collins
F) Phil Simms

19) What was the final score of the 1986 NFC Championship Game between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins?

A) 24-3
B) 17-3
C) 17-0
D) 21-0
E) 14-7

20) Who was the New York Giants all-time leading rusher before Tiki Barber?

A) Joe Morris
B) Ron Johnson
C) Alex Webster
D) Rodney Hampton
E) Frank Gifford