50 States Game (FINISHED!)

[WSUCougar]

Last call for Tennessee

[WSUCougar]

With the quickest of three $15 bids, tarcone grabs Tennessee as his final state.

West Virginia is now up for bid.

[tarcone]

woo hoo
do i win something for getting 5 states first?

[Buccaneer]

I don't have a lot of time to do what I did last time but I feel that some comments are in order:

Hawai'i - I think there's a clue here regarding AR. You pick something that everyone knows what the state is famous for - but whatever that is, it does have a measure of comparative importance. For Idaho Potatoes are more important than Hawai'ian Pineapple but for AR, it has to be the best you can do. What would score a 5 for NB? Hawai'ian Sunsets.

Louisiana - NO Port is no doubt important but even I wouldn't take a trip there to see it.

Michigan - A state known for their orchards, one should not have picked the copper range (and one that is not producing anymore), esp. since other states would lay claim to copper more than Michigan.

Idaho - Didnt like the nuke entry. It got a big lab and has some historical significance but it's not that special and if one had not driven across that ugly part of the state and seeing those big signs, I don't think many would know that it existed.

Illinois - Not bad but I agree with the stockyards score. Illinois is known more for a crop state (corn, soybeans) than cattle nowadays.

Missouri - Weak entry on Total Farms but not sure what would get a 4 for AR.

Mississippi - Freedom Summer was one of the catalysts for Civil Rights Movement but for the wrong reason. The shooting of two white Yankees (regardless of why they were there) makes it relatively less important than racial killings and marches in other states (despite having a movie made about it). For what it's worth, I don't think its stretch of the Mississippi River is anything special (they don't call it the Big Muddy down there for nothing).

Ohio - You got dinged for "8" president when it only has 7. Firestones Tires would have been a better choice rather than the ubiquitous soybeans. Seeing and knowing the history of the Serp Mounds, it's not much to look at.

Iowa - Wrestling is a third-tier sport, even though Iowa dominates. Hoover sucked as president and an embarassing choice, imo, esp. for being rated as one of the worse of all time. Amana plays the forgotten stepchild to Pennsylvania's Amish, which has retained its HC better (they wouldn't be making appliances).

Rhode Island - The Providence Waterfront is still in development and still has a long ways to go before it can be mentioned in the same context as many other restored waterfronts along the east coast. I really like the Greene entry (easily the 2nd best general of the Amer Rev and one of my favorites). I would have gone with Newport Mansions or America's Cup for SA.

[tarcone]

I hate to do this, and i should either get a bonus point or lose a point for this but....... the Amana Colonies is a german settlement that that was religous in nature but not amish. it was a communal situation formed before the civil war. the whole community was owned by the community and different families were given different jobs. in the 50s a highway was being constructed through the area and the residents fed the workers, family style for 50 cents. word quickly got out and the amanas opened up and built a tourist and restaurant area (great food by the way. and if youve never eaten family style, you need to. bowl after bowl of side dishes.) No Amish here, thats kalona, iowa

[Buccaneer]

I believe they both have the same root (or relation) in the Anabaptism movement. My point is that the Pennsylvanian Amish are much more famous (and popular) than other religious German settlements here in the US.

[path12]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Illinois - Not bad but I agree with the stockyards score. Illinois is known more for a crop state (corn, soybeans) than cattle nowadays.

Good point. I had Carl Sandburg and Upton Sinclair in my head.

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Missouri - Weak entry on Total Farms but not sure what would get a 4 for AR.

"Meth labs"

[Radii]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Louisiana - NO Port is no doubt important but even I wouldn't take a trip there to see it.

I'm curious about that comment since I listed it as a resource, not as natural beauty or an attraction?

[JeeberD]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Missouri - Weak entry on Total Farms but not sure what would get a 4 for AR.

I wasn't very happy with that but there wasn't a really strong one to go with. Missouri is pretty strong (top 10-15) in a multitude of agricultural items, but nothing really stands out. I think I remember reading that Missouri produces the most hay in the country, but I really didn't think that would get me very many points. So I decided to go with the fact that the state has the second highest number of farms in the country...

[WSUCougar]

Last call for West Virginia ("...Mountain Momma! Take me home...country roads.")

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Radii

I'm curious about that comment since I listed it as a resource, not as natural beauty or an attraction?

I'm the kind that goes to important ports, plants, factories as if they were attractions (it's part of the geography of the local/region). But my thinking is that all ag and resources do go somewhere, that "somewhere" is a given (most cities in this country were built at a location where transportation of good change from one to another).

[WSUCougar]

In a real shocker, Anxiety takes West Virginia for $16.

Florida is on the block.

[Wolfpack]

Well, here's my take on this last round:

Hawaii (masked)
Pearl Harbor and Kilauea were easy five-pointers. Pineapple was a great choice for AR, but I didn't give a five because in the grand scheme, pineapple isn't a very important crop in the US. I also knocked a point from the Iao Valley one because of lack of familiarity. "Diamond Head" is always something everyone talks about wrt to Hawaii, for example.

Louisiana (Radii/olie)
Mardi Gras and Jazz music were great choices as they're definitely Louisianan (or more specifically New Orleanian) properties. Sugar cane was also a good choice. However, I do concur with Bucc that "NO Port" was not the best option. While New Orleans does ship a lot of tonnage, it's not unique. Long Beach and New Jersey could have the same claim. However, it's hard to peg a better choice. There isn't much in the NB category. "Zydeco music" or "Acadians" or "Jambalaya/Gumbo" (or similar cajun food fare) could be items that might have gotten a '4'.

Michigan (Butter of 69)
I was a little surprised that the Isle Royale score wasn't a '5' as it's one of the most isolated and pristine national parks in the system. I've not been personally, but everyone I know who has says it's fantastic. I'm not sure what would get a five, then. "Upper Peninsula" or "Great Lakes", maybe. I also gave a better score for copper, but I understand why it wasn't accepted and Bucc does have a point about cherries and other berries being good commodities to select for their current role in Michigan. As for the Red Wings, they have had a great recent stretch, but there was a long dead period in their history which prevents them from being a '5'. Other choices? "1984 Tigers", "Michigan football" (though I can understand why butter doesn't want this one ), "Great Lakes", "Upper Peninsula" (redundant, but these are great attactions that go beyond just their beauty...sailing, hunting, fishing, etc). I actually was the low scorer on the auto industry, probably because I feel like that's more a AR choice. "Henry Ford" or "Model-T" or "Overpass battle" would have been better historical auto industry references to me.

Idaho (TazFTW)
I'll admit I had potatoes down for a '4', probably on the same principle that Hawaii got a '4' for pineapple. However, I do think it's probably right as a '5' because it is so thoroughly identified with Idaho. Sun Valley was a good solid choice for SA. Tough to pick a better choice. "Snake River" or "Hells Canyon", maybe? Shoshone Falls was an okay choice for NB, but I was unimpressed from the pictures I saw (I'm guessing I might feel differently if I saw them in person). Having a hard time picking an alternative, though. Maybe Craters of the Moon? Nuclear power was a bit of a bland choice, IMO. Lots of places have nuclear power, so I wasn't sure if you were referring to uranium production or what. Having studied the history of the state a little more, I can see why you'd choose this, but it's still a bit too general to merit a high score.

Illinois (path12)
Chicago Fire was a good historical choice, but I wasn't that crazy about the Prohibition Wars. If it's Prohibition Wars, I would have picked "Al Capone" who embodied it. But, you overlooked a very obvious choice, Abraham Lincoln (another good choice would have been US Grant). Bulls and Cubs were an excellent choice for SA. "Michael Jordan" would also have done the trick, IMO. There isn't much for NB in Illinois, though you could have taken the Mississippi Palisades in the northwest of the state around Galena. Stockyards wasn't a great choice, but was servicable. Can't put my finger on a good alternative in AR, though. Illinois is a corn state, but it's not unique on that score.

More forthcoming....

[Masked]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Well, here's my take on this last round:

Hawaii (masked)
Pearl Harbor and Kilauea were easy five-pointers. Pineapple was a great choice for AR, but I didn't give a five because in the grand scheme, pineapple isn't a very important crop in the US. I also knocked a point from the Iao Valley one because of lack of familiarity. "Diamond Head" is always something everyone talks about wrt to Hawaii, for example.

Ah, so I got dinged because the lazy masses are too stupid to get away from Waikiki.

[Wolfpack]

Missouri (sachmo/Jeeber)
The Ozarks were a good choice in a state that lacks a killer piece of real estate to gawk at, so I'm not sure there was a '5' to be had here. I'll admit to pegging the Cardinals down. Yes, they have a lot of history, but I guess my age prevents me from seeing that total picture. All I know about them are the World Series winners from the 80s, Ozzie Smith, and Big Mac's 70 home runs in 1998 (I'm less familiar and attached to baseball history than other sports, I guess). A good SA choice, using the "attractions" part would have been "Gateway Arch". That would have been a '5' in my book. "Total Farms" was a bit of a bland choice, but this one has been thrashed out and I don't have much to add. I had a difficult time with the Missouri Compromise. I went back and forth on it and ultimately marked it as a '3', mainly because while it successfully prevented the Civil War at the time it came about, it ended up as a stopgap and thus more of a footnote since the Civil War happened anyway. However, I can easily accept it being a '4'.

Mississippi (wade moore)
Freedom Summer I had a hard time pegging as well. Ultimately, I think I put it lower because it seems like every civil rights activist claims they were there and thus it's getting overplayed (or something...I understand cognitively it was important, but I guess I think it's been overexploited...unfair, perhaps, but there you have it). The river was an okay choice for NB, but it's common to so many states and states upriver I think have better scenery. Still, it's tough to find what else could fit here. BB King was a solid choice for HC, but I'll admit to being under on this one because I don't really connect him with Mississippi. Perhaps I should, but that's my own ignorance on the matter. "William Faulkner" would have been a better score. So would "Corinth" or "Jefferson Davis". As for Vicksburg, I admit to flubbing this one. This should have been a '5', but apparently I submitted '4' for it. Fortunately, Bucc and Coug overruled it.

Ohio (anxiety)
Cedar Point was okay, but, well, it's just like any other amusement park. Sure it's got a lot of coasters, but it is still at its base a very large amusement park. Alternatives...well, there's "Woody Hayes", "Buckeye football", "Oscar Robertson", "Jim Brown", and "Cincinnati Reds". "Eight Presidents" was a solid choice, but Serpent Mound was a little less so. "Neil Armstrong", "John Glenn", or "Wright Brothers" would have been better alternatives. You skipped out on NB, but "Hocking Hills" or "Lake Erie" would have been good selections. As for soybeans...eh. Not the only place that grows it and not what I'd think of for Ohio. It might've been better to forego the AR for Ohio rather than the NB.

Iowa (tarcone)
Corn was another one I had probably marked lower than I should have. Still, corn isn't unique to Iowa, so that's probably why I had it as a '4'. I can accept it being a '5', though. Iowa wrestling was okay, but it just doesn't break into the national conscience, really. Now, "Cael Sanders" would have gotten a higher mark because his unbeaten college years did make national news and people might've known who he was. Beyond that, though, it's hard to pick an SA that works since Iowa just has college teams and doesn't have many touristy things that could be pointed to as attractions. Amana Colonies was okay, but I couldn't give much for it because there are other, better known failed attempts at Utopia. I do beg to differ on the Hoover score, mainly because while he had a bad presidency, it was a well-known one (even if for all the wrong reasons). History is riddled with anonymous presidents, but everyone knows about Hoover, if only because of the Depression. Now that I think on it, another good choice would have been "Dust Bowl" (though I suppose this is more suitable for other Great Plains states).

Rhode Island (gstelmack)
Narragansett Bay is a good choice and for a state as small as Rhode Island, probably the only serious candidate. Maybe Block Island would be the only other candidate here. I couldn't rate the Providence waterfront very highly because even if it's improved, it seemed a bit generic given better known waterfronts. Newport is probably a better SA choice because of things like the America's Cup starting there, for example. Greene was a great choice for HC, but Perry was only average since his exploits are better connected to Ohio and the Battle of Lake Erie. Roger Williams perhaps could have garnered a '4' since he did found the original Providence colony.

[TazFTW]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Idaho (TazFTW)
Nuclear power was a bit of a bland choice, IMO. Lots of places have nuclear power, so I wasn't sure if you were referring to uranium production or what. Having studied the history of the state a little more, I can see why you'd choose this, but it's still a bit too general to merit a high score.

Yeah, I was referring to Arco, Idaho being the birthplace of atomic energy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBR-I

I was trying to find something historical and most of the things other states can claim to (Oregon Trail, Lewis & Clark, etc..).

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

In a real shocker, Anxiety takes West Virginia for $16.

Florida is on the block.

Please tell me you are being facetious. Hardly a shocker


-Anxiety

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Ohio (Anxiety)
"Eight Presidents" was a solid choice, but Serpent Mound was a little less so. "

I don't know how Eight Presidents didn't get five points, personally. No other state has as many, if I remember my history correctly. At least it got four.

Now, Serpent Mound on the other hand. Wow. It is the largest mound in the world. It is the largest native contruction in America. It is also aligned perfectly (well, it was when it was built, but the ground has shifted over time) with the head aligned with the summer solstice and the tail with the winter solstice. The geology around the mound is up for debate, because it is so unusual, which cannot be a coincidence. Scientists are not sure how the surrounding rock was shaped, whether by volcano or by meteor, but it is a very beautiful and historic place.

If any site of the native people in America were to score a 5, I was sure that the Serpent Mound would have. I must admit, that I am disappointed in that score, but then again, I'm not scoring this one


-Anxiety

[Karlifornia]

This is getting interesting.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Anxiety

I don't know how Eight Presidents didn't get five points, personally. No other state has as many, if I remember my history correctly. At least it got four.

Now, Serpent Mound on the other hand. Wow. It is the largest mound in the world. It is the largest native contruction in America. It is also aligned perfectly (well, it was when it was built, but the ground has shifted over time) with the head aligned with the summer solstice and the tail with the winter solstice. The geology around the mound is up for debate, because it is so unusual, which cannot be a coincidence. Scientists are not sure how the surrounding rock was shaped, whether by volcano or by meteor, but it is a very beautiful and historic place.

If any site of the native people in America were to score a 5, I was sure that the Serpent Mound would have. I must admit, that I am disappointed in that score, but then again, I'm not scoring this one


-Anxiety

I very much disagree with this statement, "If any site of the native people in America were to score a 5, I was sure that the Serpent Mound would have". Like I said, I know its history but the Mound Builders were one of many indigenous tribes in this count and left something that is not on par with the Anasazis or the Puebloans. It is, afterall, a mound of earth instead of an unique structure of architectural significance. In Europe, this would be like comparing the burial grounds in the peat bogs to Stonehenge. 3 is the appropriate score.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

I very much disagree with this statement, "If any site of the native people in America were to score a 5, I was sure that the Serpent Mound would have".

Can't disagree with that statement. I was sure, that's not up for debate


-Anxiety

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by Anxiety

Please tell me you are being facetious.

Totally facetious. I certainly remember the original states game!

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Other choices? "Michigan football" (though I can understand why butter doesn't want this one )

Yeah, that just wasn't going to happen.

[WSUCougar]

Last call for Florida

[Wolfpack]

As folks will recall, I did a points-to-dollars ratio for the players after last round. Here's how things stand after this second round of scoring:

1) TazFTW--$1.21/point ($32/27 points)
2) Butter of 69--$1.31/point ($42/32 points)
3) gstelmack--$1.44/point ($45/29 points)
4) Masked--$1.56/point ($54/34 points)
5) wade moore--$1.69/point ($40/23 points)
6) tarcone--$1.70/point ($53/31 points)
7) sachmo/JeeberD--$1.74/point ($45/26 points)
8) radii/oliegirl--$1.74/point ($48/27 points)
9) path12--$2.41/point ($77/32 points)
10) anxiety--$2.55/point ($71/28 points)

Average: $1.74/point

The average over all teams floated up a couple of cents. The big mover was gstelmack who actually made money this round by getting 12 points for a $10 state ($0.83/point), which trimmed sixty cents from his average and moved him to the top three. Overall leader Masked spent a lot to get Hawaii and it drove his average up, but he's still doing quite well from an efficiency standpoint because Hawaii did net the largest amount of points in round two. TazFTW has been the most efficient through two rounds, breaking even with Idaho after falling a little short with Arkansas in round one.

One thing that will be interesting to see is how TazFTW and gstelmack do with respect to their last states that they acquire. gstelmack has just $1 to his name, so any state taken by him will guarantee a high ratio, but he may have very little choice in what he gets. Taz, on the other hand, still has $30 which should give him the ability to pick any state to finish with, but it would remain to be seen whether that state was worth holding out for.

[WSUCougar]

Butter of 69 takes Florida as his third state, for a $25 bid.

Nevada is next up on the block.

[WSUCougar]

I'm betting that Nevada needs a bump

[WSUCougar]

Last call for Nevada

[WSUCougar]

Team Radii grabs Nevada with a $20 bid.

Next up for bid is Kansas.

[KevinNU7]

I think that is a steal for Nevada

[WSUCougar]

Last call for Kansas

[WSUCougar]

sachmo & Jeeber take Kansas as their fourth state for a rather high $16 bid, given the competition.

Georgia is now up for bid.

[digamma]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Iowa (tarcone)
Iowa wrestling was okay, but it just doesn't break into the national conscience, really. Now, "Cael Sanders" would have gotten a higher mark because his unbeaten college years did make national news and people might've known who he was.

Not to quibble, but it's Sanderson--of course maybe that makes your point about wrestling not breaking into the national conscience.

I would think "Dan Gable" would/should get the highest mark.

[WSUCougar]

Is Georgia on your mind?

[WSUCougar]

path12 takes Georgia for a bargain $12 bid.

Next up is New Mexico.

[Wolfpack]

Wow. I think path12 is going to make good coin on that one.

[path12]

Originally Posted by Wolfpack

Wow. I think path12 is going to make good coin on that one.

I'm really surprised to get that one. Hopefully it can help make up the hole I put myself in with Illinois.

[Butter]

Damn, I totally almost bid $13 for Georgia. Lowballed it just a tad too much.

[WSUCougar]

Could be the steal of the draft.

[path12]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Could be the steal of the draft.

Ah shit. Now there's pressure.

[WSUCougar]

You're from Seattle...no worries.

[path12]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

You're from Seattle...no worries.

My gf's a Coug. Will that help with the scoring?

[WSUCougar]

Pix plz k thks

[WSUCougar]

Last call for New Mexico

[WSUCougar]

Masked grabs New Mexico with a resounding $15 bid.

We now move to Stage 3 judging. Please post your third state with value categories as soon as you can. Judges are standing by!

[Butter]

Florida
1. Disney World [SA]
2. St. Augustine [HC]
3. Citrus fruit [AR]
4. Florida Keys [NB]

[Abe Sargent]

West Virginia

1. Coal (AR)
2. Gorge Bridge (NB)
3. Jerry West (SA)
4. Mine Wars (HC)


-Anxiety

[gstelmack]

Alabama:

Crimson Tide [SA]
GW Carver [AR]
Space Race [HC]
Tuskegee Arimen [HC]

-1 for NB

[WSUCougar]

I'm liking this round a lot so far.