NFL player names were real stumpers during Stupor Bowl

DIXON – The answer to a series of questions from United States history? No problem.

How about matching up these hit TV shows with their respective streaming services? Hit the buzzer quick!

Provide the spelling for full names of these star players in the NFL?

Record scratch.

“I love this,” said a smiling Tom Wadsworth, host and presenter, now that he at last had a stumper.

“You are a company of one,” deadpanned Jim Campbell, a member of the Quad Cities Knowmads.

Based on how both teams struggled with the category, Campbell was speaking both for his team and the opposing Harrison Family, which met in the championship round of the Stupor Bowl trivia contest held Saturday at Reagan Middle School.

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Stumped? Members of the Quad City Knowmads contemplate their answer during the Stupor Bowl trivia contest championship on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Reagan Middle School in Dixon. (Troy Taylor)

The Stupor Bowl is a fundraiser for Dixon Public Schools Foundation, back after a pandemic-imposed hiatus of two years. Started in 1997, it’s usually held the day before the Super Bowl, thus the inclusion of football-related questions in the final round.

The foundation raises money to supplement the purchases of supplies and equipment for classrooms within the district. Since 2000, the foundation has raised $450,000.

Twenty-one teams started in this year’s competition, which is down from the peak of 28 two years ago, Wadsworth said.

It came down to the QC Knowmads and the Harrison Family. The scoring in the championship remained tight until the Knowmads were able to list off the names of adult animated cartoons.

Both teams were still in the running up to the final question, but spelling the names of football players proved to be the bane of both squads.

(For the record, they were Rhamondre Stevenson, Cordarrelle Patterson, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyreek Hill.)

In the end, the QC Knowmads won 165-125.

In accepting the trophy, Campbell said the key to his team’s success was the inclusion of older and younger players so they could cover the range of pop culture questions. Campbell, a former scholastic bowl advisor at Port Byron Riverdale, said his team included players with trivia contest experience.

Based on a quick estimation of entry fees and auction revenue, Wadsworth said it seemed likely the foundation earned about $10,000 from this year’s event.

Families and nonprofit entities entered teams at $150. Corporations and businesses paid $300 each.

Even with a smaller field, it was good to return, Wadsworth said.

“People really had a blast today so I think they’ll be back again,” he said.

The format’s been tweaked since it started in 1997, and Campbell said the structure of the quiz games makes it one of the best that his team takes part in.

The participants in the final round were Kurt Dennison, Ben Anderson, Colin Vaughan, Jim Campbell, John Burkardt, Kim Crandall for QC Knowmads and Andrew Harrison, Scott Harrison, Jackie Harrison, John Berek and Jessica Berek for the Harrison Family.