Pro Footballer on Countdown Today

[Ross Allatt]

Just heard on 5 Live where he's been interviewed - Neil McKenzie of Notts County on this afternoon (30/06/08)

[Martin Gardner]

Just heard on 5 Live where he's been interviewed - Neil McKenzie of Notts County on this afternoon (30/06/08)

At least he's good at Countdown then (laugh).

Martin

[Jon Corby]

At least he's good at Countdown then (laugh).

Martin

wat

[Lee Simmonds]

I'm totally gutted that he is still winning, I lost my game he didn't win it and I could have been an octochamp! There's even a story on the BBC sport page now seeing as he's won a few games.

[Damian E]

Ouch Lee, thats bad.

You lost your game, he did win it i'm afraid. Why be gutted he's still winning?

All is fair in love and war matey. Kick yourself by all means, but not your victor.

[Jeff Clayton]

ITV Central News East profiled Neil McKenzie's initial success on Monday evening. Aswell as some VT of him solving a numbers game and the conundrum, the piece tried to show the guy as an all round brainiac, which he clearly had a laugh going along with - rattling through a Times crossword, and picking up his latest copy of New Scientist magazine from his doormat. Good for a laugh!

Jeff

[Lee Simmonds]

Ouch Lee, thats bad.

You lost your game, he did win it i'm afraid. Why be gutted he's still winning?

All is fair in love and war matey. Kick yourself by all means, but not your victor.

Damian, know it makes me look like a bad loser but it was hard to lose and when you just want to not be reminded about it he pops up on BBC sport website just cos he's a footballer. Great publicity for you though I guess. You say why be gutted that he is still winning? On the one hand fair play to him as you can only beat what is put in front of you but he is not a great player and it was a missed opportunity for me to come back for the q/f.

[Julian Fell]

(In a football-style chant:)

Are you Bolas,
Are you Bolas,
ARE YOU BOLAS IN DISGUISE?
Are you Bolas in disguise...

[Jon O'Neill]

(In a football-style chant:)

Are you Bolas,
Are you Bolas,
ARE YOU BOLAS IN DISGUISE?
Are you Bolas in disguise...

Seriously though, I've never and will never see a Countdown game where the person who won didn't deserve to win, aside of either cheating or a dodgy mass noun decision. It doesn't make any sense. It's like saying the same thing about chess. It doesn't make any sense.

It doesn't.





No really -- it doesn't.

[Charlie Reams]

aside of either cheating or a dodgy mass noun decision.

If you admit those exceptions then you might as well include lucky guesses, misspellings which turn out to be valid (ASTROID), buzzing before you know the answer, dictionary inconsistencies etc etc etc.

I'd say the player who gets the highest score is the deserved winner. Always.

[Matthew Green]

(In a football-style chant:)

Are you Bolas,
Are you Bolas,
ARE YOU BOLAS IN DISGUISE?
Are you Bolas in disguise...

Seriously though, I've never and will never see a Countdown game where the person who won didn't deserve to win, aside of either cheating or a dodgy mass noun decision. It doesn't make any sense. It's like saying the same thing about chess. It doesn't make any sense.

It doesn't.





No really -- it doesn't.

Jeffrey Hansford did not deserve to win his QF!

[Martin Gardner]

Yeah I find it unnecessary to say that though, Lee. It's like something I read on the Internet Scrabble Club in someone's personal profile:

"Those that accuse other people of cheating should occupy themselves with their own racks, there's often more that can be done."

If you'd have got the maximum in every round, you wouldn't have lost, so stop complaining and concentrate on getting better.

Martin

[Charlie Reams]

Damian, know it makes me look like a bad loser but it was hard to lose and when you just want to not be reminded about it he pops up on BBC sport website just cos he's a footballer. Great publicity for you though I guess. You say why be gutted that he is still winning? On the one hand fair play to him as you can only beat what is put in front of you but he is not a great player and it was a missed opportunity for me to come back for the q/f.

People round here get bored really quickly of contestants who moan about losing. Post about something else, you'll soon feel better.

[Lee Simmonds]

That's a fair point Charlie. Listen guys, all I'm saying is that it is tough to be magnanimous when you are reminded about it in the media as Neil happens to be a footballer. I absolutely agree that Neil deserved to win as he scored more points, just goes to show that you can't really get away with one poor performance.

That's my final point I promise.

[Jon Corby]

That's my final point I promise.

I thought that was last Monday?

[Damian E]

That's a fair point Charlie. Listen guys, all I'm saying is that it is tough to be magnanimous when you are reminded about it in the media as Neil happens to be a footballer. I absolutely agree that Neil deserved to win as he scored more points, just goes to show that you can't really get away with one poor performance.

That's my final point I promise.

I understand what you are saying Lee. You can get away with a poor performance, so long as its not poorer than the person you are playing. I think if Countdown were rerun in a sort of backward timewarp to 1982, you'd not get the same series winners as before. I got lucky winning my series, as one game i played in, my opponent was very good but just more nervous than i was - and i developed severe migraine due to the strength of the studio lights and the affect it has on me, having bright yellow-green eyes. Had i had to play one more game that first day, i'd have been out and finished as i was utterly shattered and couldn't spell my own name, let alone anything else.

Its hard lines sure - but the overall champs seem to conquer all adversities and tough it out. Just enjoy the experience and hopefully not let the 'what might have beens' get in the way of your achievments in winning 3 shows. Believe me, there have been some terrific Countdowners over the years who have blown it or fouled up under pressure.