FOILED: So, I headed out again with the remnants of the Hoeffel '04 campaign for our shot at glory in Quizzo Bowl 3. If only we had a former Who Wants To Be A Millionaire stud on our team, we could have placed better than our 6th place (out of 50+ teams), and though we aced the entire "Chicago or Indianapolis?" round ("which was founded on the White River in 1821?"; "which is the home of Kiwanis International?"; "which hosted the first controlled nuclear reaction?"), we could have used some help on the following, each of which we got wrong:

• Which bombshell's image was painted on the first nuclear bomb tested after WW2?
• In what country was Mata Hari executed?
• What team has won the most NFL championships? (note: not Super Bowls)
• Indianapolis is the second-largest state capital city, based on population. What's first?
• What artist, who would have turned 113 today, painted "The Problem We All Live With"?

No Googling, because it's not like we were allowed to. Hardest one I got right (IMHO) -- which of these Philadelphia institutions opened first: Bookbinder's, McGillin's Olde Ale House, Pat's Steaks or Gimbels Department Store?

ALSO, LUIS ZENDEJAS DESERVED IT: Philadelphia has had coaches like Billy Cunningham and Dallas Green who have actually won championships here, but none of them remain as beloved as James Earl "Buddy" Ryan, master of the 46 defense and head coach of the 1986-90 Philadelphia Eagles. The New York Times catches up with him on his Kentucky farm.

SEE YOU LATER, DECORATORS? We haven't had a thread about the debut of Top Design yet, so now that I've finally had a chance to see it, well, let's see how well it fits the requirements for a Bravo reality competition:

• Allows us to enter the world of high-quality people being allowed to demonstrate high-end work to impress us: Yes.
• High-class production values: Yes.
• First elimination is clearly based on "who's going to make for good television?" and not "who did the worst job at this challenge?" Yes.
  
• Does a decent job explaining what it is these people are doing so well: Eh.
• Has a confident lead host-judge who conveys mastery of this sphere and doesn't sound like a Muppet every time he speaks: Hells no.
  

Will I watch again? Yes. Am I enraptured the way we were from the start of Runway? Not quite.

THE BALD BLOGGERHOOD: Kornheiser and Wilbon will be liveblogging the game (and commercials) on Sunday. As always, we'll have an open thread here.

IF YOU LIKED 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN...: This trailer confirms that Judd Apatow's Knocked Up is going to be the funniest movie of 2007.

THIS ALLOWS THEM TO SUIT IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION: The folks behind HIMYM have signed a deal that keeps them in the employ of Fox TV (HIMYM's production company) through 2010. The article also notes that unlike CBS's other, more ratings successful sitcoms, HIMYM has "buzz," indicating that contrary to what some folks we're not talking about might like to think, we're important out here in blogland.

SO WHICH ONE OF THE TWO AMERICAS IS OUR COUNTRY? Not every political candidate can have a rockin' theme song--apparently, at least for the moment, John Edwards is using the much maligned in these parts "Our Country" as his entrance music. Still, I suppose it's a step up from the 1988 Dukakis theme music. (If I had more fluency in professional wrestling, there's assuredly a joke here, which you're invited to insert in the comments.)

edited by Adam: According to Jerome Armstrong, today's other song choices were Chris Dodd -- "Get Ready", by The Four Tops The Temptations; Hillary Clinton - "Right Here Right Now", by Jesus Jones; Wesley Clark -- "I Won't Back Down", cover by Johnny Cash. No music for Barack Obama or Dennis Kucinich, from what I've gathered so far.