13 Teams, a baker’s dozen, all competing to win the inaugural “The Dozen Trivia Tournament”. What is The Dozen Trivia? A 12 round trivia game show, created and hosted by Barstools Jeff D. Lowe. Each round is a different category, each team gets one question from that category with a chance to steal points if the opposition gets theirs wrong. Team with the most points after 12 rounds, wins. With over 100 matches in the books, it’s time for the final tournament to crown the first ever champion of the Dozen Trivia. A fitting dozen matches spanning from today, May 10th to May 27th. A little May Madness shall we call it. I break down team and pick all 12 match ups and predict the champion of this season Dozen Trivia. Choose your fighter, and fill out your bracket, tune in.
The Teams:
#1: Frank and The Frankettes (Peach Region)
The Frankettes, #1 in the fan vote and #2 in the computer rankings, land the overall one seed. 12–2 overall, a 7 match win streak coming into the tournament, 3rd most points per match and the largest overall margin of victory in the field. This team has been dominant since day 1 and the fans love them. Their only losses have come to The Experts and Team Chicago, two very solid opponents, and boast big time wins over Team Minihane and The Yak.
Why They Will Win: Academia. They are the best overall in academic based questions and KB is simply a savant at geography.
Why They Will Lose: Frank is not coming into the tournament in the right headspace. The Mets have him reeling. He is off the rails. The pressure of the tournament mixed with Mets brain could sink the Frankettes.
#2: Team Minihane (Pineapple Region)
Team Minihane is the #1 overall rank by the computers and Kirk is the top ranked player in the entire tournament. Team Minihane has never scored less than 11 and have the highest points per match in the league at 12.57. Their only loss was a 13–12 loss to the top ranked Frankettes. Team Minihane is a force….oh and by the way, they added RICO BOSCOE.
Why They Will Win: Steve Robinson has turned into a top 15 player to compliment Kirk. Rico is playing with a chip on his shoulder.
Why They Will Lose: Rico is a trojan horse sent by Ziti to take them down from the inside.
#3: The Yak (Watermelon Region)
Ranked #1 for a period of time and were the top team in 2020, The Yak has three top 6 players on their roster. #3 in the computers, and #1 in various other categories, The Yak is one of the most well rounded teams in the tournament. They have phenomenal team chemistry, a wide range of knowledge across categories, and no visible weaknesses.
Why They Will Win: Depth. The #3, #4 and #6 over players in the tournament are a formidable trio. They also do not give opposing teams many chances to steal points.
Why They Will Lose: They have not played many teams, so is their high ranking based on lack of competition?
#4: The Big Screamin’ Honkers (Grapefruit Region)
My absolute favorite name in the tournament. Ziti has my favorite logo but the Honkers fuck. They are 6–2 since adding Mintzy, 4–1 in their last 5 going into the tournament and have great team chemistry. I know somethings about Bird Law, and the Honkers are guilty of being the coolest damn team in the tournament.
Why They Will Win: Because HONK HONK, thats fuckin why.
Why They Will Lose: An incredibly difficult route to the title and Mintz is hard to understand.
#5: The Experts (Grapefruit Region)
The first ever Dozen Trivia team and the team with the most matches under their belt. Fran joined them in March and added a new line on knowledge that made The Experts even stronger. They are 4–1 coming into the tournament. Brandon Walker is motivated to win the whole damn thing, Fran is sneaky competitive and PFT is wolf in JNCO clothing.
Why They Will Win: Experience. They have seen it all through this season. Most matches played has prepared them for anything.
Why They Will Lose: Tough road all the way through and Brandon can lose his cool.
#6: Team Smockin’ (Watermelon Region)
What an odd bunch. 3 characters in their own way. A 15–12 loss to the Big Screamin’ Honkers knocked them out of the top 5 and they are 0–2 since Mark Titus replaced Trill Ballins. Is Titus better suited as a bench guy?
Why They Will Win: Because they’re SMOCKIN’.
Why They Will Lose: Were unable to find a winning identity with their new teammate before the tournament.
#7: The Misfits (Pineapple Region)
A very under the radar team, because they have only played 2 matches as a team. The Misfits are the only undefeated team coming into the tournament, albeit 2–0. I don’t know much about Donte’s trivia knowledge but I do know he is a handsome devil. Lets see if the Misfits can surprise some people.
Why They Will Win: They’re a brand new team and no one expects them too.
Why They Will Lose: They’re a brand new team and everyone expects them too.
#8: Spittin’ Chiclets (Peach Region)
A top 5 team most of the year, Chiclets have dropped all the way to 10 in the computer ranking. Their fan ranking of 7 boosts them up to an 8 seed. The fan rankings don’t matter come tournament time though so the Chiclets crew needs to he on their game with a tough match up vs. Gen XYZ in the first round.
Why They Will Win: RA has a shipping container full of useless knowledge and Biz doesn’t have to read, he just has to listen.
Why They Will Lose: They are not playing their best trivia come tournament and have to face the #2 overall player in Large in the first round.
#9: Generation XYZ (Peach Region)
Gen XYZ is only 4–4 overall but have the second ranked overall player in Large and are topped ranked in food related categories. Like their name states, they represent 3 different generations and have a wide sprectrum of knowledge between the three teammates. We saw Jakes competitive fire on the ping pong table, Large is coming off a record week in Dallas, and Vibbs has the stomach for anything.
Why They Will Win: The second ranked overall player can carry a younger team through a tournament.
Why They Will Lose: Food poisoning from Lowering The Bar.
#10: Team Nightmare (Pineapple Region)
Team Nightmare got a big win in the bubble showcase and their 7–3 record is nothing to scoff at and they have only lost as a full trio to Team Minihane. The reason they are in at 10 is because the fans absolute hate them. A cheating scandal surrounding them put a black eye on their season, but did not keep them out of the tournament. Can they shut up the haters and make a run? A match up vs. Hank, who just filled in for Team Nightmare, add some intrigue.
Why They Will Win: Feitelberg blacks out like Will Ferrell in Old School.
Why They Will Lose: Cons get caught cheating and they get DQ-ed.
#11: Team Chicago (Watermelon Region)
5–10 overall but have some strong wins over the Experts and Frank and the Frankettes. They also have had hardest strength of schedule throughout the season. Team Chicago is kind of a master of none. They know a little bit about everything, but don’t have a true dominant category like other teams. Whether that helps or hurts them come the first round, we shall find out.
Why They Will Win: Carl has won over 20 Dog Walk Drafts and if he prepares for this like he prepares for those, Chicago has a chance.
Why They Will Lose: White Sox Dave is an idiot.
#12 (Play-in): Team Ziti (Grapefruit Region)
A terrible 2–10 record but the fans got them in the field. There was some serious drama surrounding Team Ziti when Ed and Clem decided to move on from Rico and add Dave to their team after Rico bailed on a late season match. It was move that showed despite their record, Ed and Clem are in this to win it, putting friendships aside, and the Dozen first. Also, adding Portnoy is like this years Warriors getting Klay back before their play in game.
Why They Will Win: Ed was vocal about wanting to make the tournament and Ed and Clem just scream cinderella. I can think of better duo to root for to make a run.
Why They Will Lose: They love sayin the right answer but choosing the wrong answer. Ziti lead the league in changing their answer from right to wrong at the last second.
#12 (Play-in): The Uptown Balls (Grapefruit Region)
The second team ever to play in the Dozen. The Uptown Balls had 1 point loss to Frank and the Frankettes in January that was difference in them getting the outright 12 seed and avoiding the play in game. Now they have to go up against a fan favorite and re-vamped Team Ziti to open the tournament.
Why They Will Win: Tommy won the first ever Barstool game show, Survivor, so he is currently the only person in the tournament with a victory under his belt.
Why They Will Lose: They flat out don’t like each other sometimes and when the bright lights of the tournament shine you need to have team chemistry.
Bracket Prediction:
ROUND 1
Play In Game: Team Ziti v. Uptown Balls
Team Ziti has been the talk of the tournament so far and with their new addition El Pres, they beat a volatile Uptown Balls Team.
#8 Spittin’ Chiclets v. #9 Gen XYZ
RA and Biz do some poppers before the match and win a very close match up and move on to face the Frankettes in round 2.
#5 The Experts vs. #12 Team Ziti
Ziti will get one win but this will be the end of their story. Brandon Walker is a motivated man and probably says something to Dave that has him borderline fired. Experts move on.
#6 Smockin’ v. #11 Team Chicago
Team Chicago upsets Smockin’ and a double digit seed moves on to the next round. Team Chicago is better than their 10 seed ranking and their overall record when they can put a full game together.
#7 The Misfits v. #10 Team NightMare
A very tough match up to pick but you cannot ignore Team Nightmares record just because they are a hated bunch. Another double digit seed pulls an upset and moves on.
ROUND 2
#1 Frank and The Frankettes v. #9 Generation XYZ
They are number 1 for a reason and I simply do not see them getting bounced in their first match up. The Frankettes go the semis, you can use pen.
#4 Big Screamin’ Honkers vs. #5 The Experts
It’s hard for me not to scream HONK HONK here, but I think the Experts move on. PFT is too smart. Fran brings a unique plate of knowledge to the match up. Brandon Walker is taking names. The Experts have played too many matches to not be ready for this tournament.
#3 The Yak v. #11 Team Chicago
A match up that really pulls at the heart strings. The Father of Barstool Chicago must take down his own children. The Yak is too well rounded for Chicago. They are Team Chicago on steroids and the boys from the midwest will be overwhelmed.
#2 Team Minhane v. #10 Nightmare
Kirk is too good of a player to get knocked out first round. Team Minihane got stronger when they added Rico to replace Carrabis and that is a scary for a team already ranked 2nd. They move one to face the Yak.
SEMIFINALS
#1 Frank and The Frankettes v. #The Experts
The Experts were the first ever team in the Dozen Trivia tournament and they will be one of the teams to play in the first ever Dozen Trivia Tournament championship match. The bright lights and strict buzzer will be too much for Franks emotions. The Experts move on.
#2 Team Minihane v. #3 The Yak
As enticing as a Big Cat v. PFT final is to pick, Team Minihane are too good. Kirk is cold blooded and will handle the pressure of the semis just fine. The Yak are well rounded, but they don’t have enough to get past Team Minihane.
FINALS
#2 Team Minihane v. #5 The Experts
This is an absolute toss up. My head tells me to pick Team Minhane but my heart tells me to pick The Experts. What a story it would be if the original team of this whole thing were to be the final one standing. I am picking Brandon, Fran and Eric to hoist the Dozen Trophy and be crowned the first ever Dozen Trivia Tournament Champions.
I have really enjoyed The Dozen Trivia matches and am stoked for the tournament. Jeff has done an unreal job and the lead up to this tournament has been phenomenal. I look forward to all 12 matches and seeing how this baby plays out. Get your Dozen Trivia merch here.
