Comments on: GEEK MADNESS: The Battle for Secretary of Geek Affairs

By: slag

slag — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:39:23 +0000

Ben Stein’s presence on the field is truly disturbing. Freaks and geeks aren’t exactly interchangeable terms.

By: Roman V.

Roman V. — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:04:15 +0000

I finally worked it out – I have Stallman and the Mythbusters in the finals, with the former taking the crown.

I was really suck on a few – like Felicia Day vs. JoCo…

By: Shane

Shane — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:27:57 +0000

I was expected a play-in game. How about Dr. Walter Bishop versus me?

By: Michael Wiczer

Michael Wiczer — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:37:29 +0000

Ross: I’m pretty sure all of the non-fiction entries in the tourney are still alive, and, unfortunately, Mr. Wizard no longer meets that requirement.

Patton Oswalt is most certainly a bonafide geek. He’s well known for being obsessed with comic books and having a weekly D&D game with a group of comedians. This interview explores his geekiness pretty well: http://www.maximumfun.org/blog/2007/07/podcast-tsoya-patton-oswalt.html

By: Gingerlink

Gingerlink — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 01:51:26 +0000

I object to a lack of Sheldon from the Big Bang theory…

it was nice to think of several names before looking at it and having all of the others in there though.

By: Ross

Ross — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 23:31:27 +0000

Bill Nye but no Mr. Wizard? Really?

I love the Ben Stein add. He is indeed a geek. To Gary: There is a lot more to science than evolution and if you’re only basing the list on science alone that would eliminate at least 90% of the list.

The only one on the list I don’t really get is Patton Oswalt. I don’t see the connection, I’ve always seen him as a slacker pothead, not a geek.

By: Klopfenpop

Klopfenpop — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:20:28 +0000

How can Adam and Jamie vs. Penn and Teller be a first heat match? It breaks my heart, they both(s?) deserve to be in the championships… :’(

By: Colleenky

Colleenky — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:54:05 +0000

Aw! Simon Pegg vs. Peter Parker! How am I gonna make *that* decision?!

By: Michael Wiczer

Michael Wiczer — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:30:40 +0000

-Ooh! A play-in! Since Ben Stein is sparking controversy and a 16th seed, he should totally do a play-in vs. someone… All I can think of that thematically works is Ted Sorensen, but he’s not much of a geek.

-I partly disagree with the accusations of anti-Belmont bias. I think that Belmont v. Cerf is a really good first round match-up, and in fact I would put the percentage point spread around Belmont -15 if I were an odds maker. That said, I think both Belmont and Cerf are much too good to have to face Hodgman in the second round. In fact, I think the entire top half of the Bombadil region is way too stacked in general.

-I think the Granger v. Sagan match-up should be swapped with the Mann v. Stibbons match-up in the Jor-El Region so that there’s the possibility of a Hawking v. Sagan match-up in the second round.

By: Rick Sabourin

Rick Sabourin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:55:39 +0000

This is going to be a steel-cage deathmatch from the word Go!
I might have gone with Nikola Tesla vs. Al Gore in a play-in.

By: Rick C

Rick C — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:19:31 +0000

You guys must be Belmont haters, that bracket was cold. Also, I see Will Wheaton could be matching up with Wesley Crusher? Twisted. I kinda like it but still twisted.

By: Angelastic

Angelastic — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:02:34 +0000

What, not Stephen Hawking against MC Hawking?

Also, go Woz!

By: veronica

veronica — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:53:24 +0000

NOT FAIR! How can I compete with that? The answer is, sirs, that I cannot. I bid you adieu!

By: Erin

Erin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:52:35 +0000

Outside of the obvious ones, inclusions that made me happy: Simon Pegg, Dr. Who, and Bruce Campbell (despite the fact that I know he’ll be crushed by Wil Wheaton).

Also, Bombadil Region =

By: Michael Wiczer

Michael Wiczer — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:47:07 +0000

I really like the balance between keeping the first round interesting and saving the most exciting for later rounds. The one big issue I have, though, is that Ze Frank vs. Tom Lehrer is tooooooo good of a first round match-up.

My other last minute change would be somehow, somewhere include Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich (hosts of public radio’s Radiolab).

By: Ken Kopin (Is Serious)

Ken Kopin (Is Serious) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:15:46 +0000

I’m still not convinced that Ben Stein didn’t know exactly what he was doing. That movie was HORRIBLE, and raised the level of debate quite a bit. I prefer to think he leaned into the pitch for the team on that one.

By: Dan Coulter

Dan Coulter — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:15:14 +0000

By the way, you spelled “affecting” wrong in the job description.

Why not just appoint Hodgman and get it over with?

By: Ken Kopin (Is Serious)

Ken Kopin (Is Serious) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:10:39 +0000

I must point out that since Paul and Storm are the ones who came up with the whole idea, it would be slightly unseemly for them to appear on the list. That’s not to say they couldn’t be Special Advisers to whomever DID win.

@Robin I know how you feel, and BTW, is THIS going to be Twitter’s Legacy if they ever need one?

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:27:13 +0000

My final four are John Hodgman v Jamie and Adam and Kaylee Krye v Jonathan Coulton. Oh the decisions!

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:20:34 +0000

I object to the exclusion of Gabe and Tycho!

By: Rich

Rich — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:11:53 +0000

Now I have to wonder if president-elect Obama will be paying any attention to this oh-so-important poll. Might it be time to start an Obamawatch?

By: Gary

Gary — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:01:55 +0000

Y’all need to get Ben Stein out of there. Anyone who could champion the steaming pile of nonsense that was “Expelled” does not DESERVE to be on the geek list.

He invalidates the ENTIRE list. He should go. He doesn’t even believe in SCIENCE!

By: Timothy

Timothy — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:01:20 +0000

Really? JoCo vs Dexter? You tear my heart apart sirs.

By: Robin

Robin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:23:41 +0000

Oooh, Danica McKellar. I luff her.

@Ken Kopin, re: Trillian: Thank you. It’s good to know I’m not the only ~~pedantic~~ detail-oriented one around here.

By: LilMarauder

LilMarauder — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:21:37 +0000

You spelled Hermione Granger’s last name wrong…

Ernie Kovacs: a TV geek pioneer… or the first mad scientist of film???

Good lists!