Date: Thursday, 18-Dec-97 23:09:59 GMT Server: WebSitePro/1.1f (S/N WPO-1536) Allow-ranges: bytes Content-type: text/html Last-modified: Wednesday, 17-Dec-97 18:10:30 GMT Content-length: 28600 What's New

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Last Updated December 16, 1997
(This page is updated every Tuesday)

There are certain images that always come to mind in the holiday season: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade; Jimmy Stewart yelling "Merry Christmas" in the streets of Bedford Falls; the Grinch's heart growing three sizes; Charlie Brown's pathetic little tree; and, most importantly of all, NTN games.

Sure, those other things are nice, but - other than an angry mob in a fight to the death over the last Cabbage Patch Elmo doll - nothing creates a sense of Yuletide cheer like playing NTN.

Besides, we happen to know that Santa definitely considers it "naughty" not to play. So get yourself in Santa's good books and grab a Playmaker.

Holiday Games || Football || Topix || AOL || IWN
Million Dollar Match Summary || TPI International Championships Summary

This time of the year also means that football season is winding up, and the regular schedule of games changes a bit. As a result, our game schedules will be changing, too.

The last Monday Night Football game of the season will be played on December 22. The last Weekend Roundup game of the year will be played that night as well. The following week will see the return of the regular NTN Monday night schedule: Sports IQ will be broadcast simultaneously across the country (9:00 pm Eastern/6:00 pm Pacific) and Trivial Pursuit Live returns, before and after Sports IQ.

That doesn't mean we're done with football, though. With the playoffs fast approaching, visions of the Super Bowl are dancing in heads everywhere. We have a Super Bowl vision, too: A vision of fans winning free trips by playing NTN's football games. Two monthly winners in Tailgate Trivia have already won trips for two to the Super Bowl. Get into the game now for your chance to win!

If you play QB1, you could also win a trip to a little out of the way place called Hawaii to watch the Pro Bowl live, because that's where we're sending the QB1 Player of the Year.

For those who require football trivia 24/7 (and who doesn't?), we offer Pro Football Countdown Trivia, the official trivia game of the San Diego Super Bowl XXXII Host Committee.

Also, if you're nuts for entertainment, check out Entertainment Asylum, with trivia content provided by….take a guess, now. You got it, NTN. (No jokes about the inmates running the asylum, please.) Those Asylum folks may seem crazy, but they know who to come to for entertainment trivia.

Holiday Games

The Holiday Season is the perfect time to play NTN games. What else allows you to avoid relatives, escape watching Miracle on 34th Street for the 34th time this year, and put your extensive knowledge of the Grinch and Frosty the Snowman to good use? Plus, while other people are out there spending money, you'll be inside saving money. As a public service, therefore, NTN presents a special schedule of Holiday games.

Winter Wonderland - December 19 (5:00 pm Pacific and 7:30 Eastern)
Mixed Bag - December 20 (6:30 pm Pacific 9:30pm Eastern)
A Literary Christmas - December 21 (6:30 pm Pacific 9:30pm Eastern)
Christmas on TV - December 22 (4:00 pm Pacific 7:00pm Eastern)
Christmas at the Movies - December 23 (8:30 pm Pacific 11:30pm Eastern)
Holiday Music - December 24 (4:30 Pacific and 7:00 Eastern)
Stocking Stuffers - December 25 (5:00 pm Pacific 8:00pm Eastern)

Then, after all the presents have been unwrapped and exchanged for better things, the focus shifts to the New Year. But before you ring in 1998, it's important to reflect back on the year that was.

That's why NTN is featuring year-end wrap-ups in your favorite games. Look for special editions of Spotlight (December 26), Playback (December 27), Sports IQ (December 29), Showdown (December 30), and Topix (December 31).

For the grand finale, what better way to count down to the New Year than with Countdown, starting at 11:00 pm local time? That's right, through the miracle of modern technology, you can count down with Countdown at 11:00, no matter where you happen to be.

Football

Pro Football Countdown Trivia || Tailgate Trivia || NFL QB1 || Power Ranking Playoffs
NCAA QB1 || NFL Football Trivia || Weekend Roundup

If you're a glass-half-empty kind of person, you might think we're heading toward the end of football season; if you're a glass-half-full kind of person, however, you're thinking of the excitement of playoffs and bowl games galore. (Glass-half-full kind of people tend to use the word "galore" a lot.)

The Playoffs are already here for locations involved in NTN's QB1 Monday Night Power Ranking competition. In addition to the built-in excitement of post-season QB1, keep your eyes open for special playoff editions of our regular NFL Trivia games.

Pro Football Countdown Trivia

The official web site of the San Diego Super Bowl XXXII Host Committee updates football fans of Super Bowl- related events, activities and news. At the site, football fans have a chance to test their knowledge of the sport with NTN trivia games. Players compete live, in real-time, against other participants in Pro Football Countdown Trivia, which features continuous 15-question trivia games based on information about football players, NFC and AFC teams and past Super Bowls.

Tailgate Trivia

How do you get to the Super Bowl? No, not practice, practice, practice. There's no need for that when you can play, play, play Tailgate Trivia and win a trip for two to the big game! The top score for each month qualifies for the finals held in San Diego at the NFL Experience - that's right, junior, three finals qualifiers get a trip to the Super Bowl! As a bonus, each week the top scoring player will win a Super Bowl Football.

The game features Super Bowl and general NFL Trivia every Sunday through December 28 at 7:30 pm Eastern/4:30 pm Pacific (between the late afternoon game and Sunday Night QB1 game).

Two of the three monthly winners have already been decided. That means December is your last chance to get in on the action, so unless you have something against winning incredibly cool prizes, start playing, already.

Participants must be Players Plus members to qualify for prizes. All ties will be broken by playoff.

NFL QB1

What other network can say that it covers every NFL contest on the schedule? NTN lets you call the plays before they happen in our interactive QB1 game. Ask your server for a Playmaker, or get online at home, and jump into the action.

Matchups to watch - Week Seventeen

Indianapolis at Minnesota (1:00 pm Eastern/10:00 am Pacific)
The playoff picture for both of these teams is pretty simple. Minnesota is in with a win; Indianapolis makes it if every other team in the AFC East disappears in the Bermuda Triangle. This game is far from a foregone conclusion, though: Minnesota has dropped five straight, and the Colts have proven against Green Bay and Miami that they love the spoiler role.

New York Jets at Detroit (4:00 pm Eastern/1:00 pm Pacific)
Another simple playoff scenario: Whoever wins this game is in the playoffs. The Jets have had an amazing turnaround season under Bill Parcells, but they won't be satisfied with anything less than a post-season slot. Detroit, meanwhile, is looking to ride the amazing Barry Sanders to a wild-card spot.

New England at Miami (Monday 9:00 pm Eastern/6:00 pm Pacific)
Miami will have to regroup after last week's embarrassing shutout at the hands of the Colts. New England, meanwhile, is stinging from a home loss to Pittsburgh in overtime. Whichever team can pull itself together here will win the AFC East.

(Check out the complete NFL schedule and more at http://www.nfl.com/)

QB1 Player of the Year

The finalist from the first half of the NFL season has been crowned; now it's time to separate the pretenders from the contenders in the second half.

Rack up the top five scores in the second leg of QB1's NFL season and you'll win a trip to the Pro Bowl! The two finalists will go head to head during the Super Bowl for the title of Player of the Year. (Check the current Player of the Year stats here.)

Sunday Night Shootout

Find a Playmaker or log on to AOL for the Sunday Night Shootout - the highest score (on the NTN Network and AOL combined) for the entire season wins a trip to the Pro Bowl!

Power Rankings Playoffs

The Playoffs have already started for locations involved in the QB1 Power Ranking competition. This playoff-style elimination tournament pits the top 100 locations and 28 wild-card teams head-to-head each week. The December 15 Monday Night Football contest has already pared the teams down to 64. The final two teams standing will compete during Super Bowl XXXII for all the glory.

The location with the best Super Bowl Power Ranking will win the Perpetual QB1 Location Championship Trophy, NTN/QB1 merchandise, an NTN-sponsored party, and a trip for two to the Pro Bowl!! (Check the current Power Ranking stats here.)

Note: the Monday, September 29, Night Football QB1 game will not count towards the Power Rankings, Player of the Year, or Location League Play.

NCAA QB1

It's the best time of the year to be a fan of NCAA football. If you can't find a Bowl Game to your liking, you just aren't looking hard enough. You can play QB1 for all of these games:

December 20
Las Vegas Bowl - Air Force vs. Oregon (6:00 pm Eastern/3:00 pm Pacific)

December 25
Aloha Bowl - Michigan State vs. Washington (3:30 pm Eastern/12:30 pm Pacific

December 26
Ford Motor City Bowl - Marshall vs. Mississippi (8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific)

December 27
Insight.com Bowl - Arizona vs. New Mexico (8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific)

December 28
Independence Bowl - LSU vs. Notre Dame (8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific)

December 29
Humanitarian Bowl - Utah State vs. Cincinnati (3:30 pm Eastern/12:30 pm Pacific)
Carquest Bowl - Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia (7:30 pm Eastern/4:30 pm Pacific)
Holiday Bowl - Missouri vs. Colorado State (8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific)

December 30
Alamo Bowl - Oklahoma State vs. Purdue (8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific)

December 31
Sun Bowl - Arizona State vs. Iowa (2:00 pm Eastern/11:00 am Pacific)
Liberty Bowl - Pittsburgh vs. So. Mississippi (3:30 pm Eastern/12:30 pm Pacific)
Fiesta Bowl - Kansas State vs. Syracuse (7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Pacific)

January 1, 1998
Outback Bowl - Wisconsin vs. Georgia (11:00 am Eastern/8:00 am Pacific)
Gator Bowl - North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech (12:30 pm Eastern/9:30 am Pacific)
Citrus Bowl - Penn State vs. Florida (1:00 pm Eastern/10:00 am Pacific)
Cotton Bowl - Texas A&M vs. UCLA (2:00 pm Eastern/11:00 am Pacific)
Rose Bowl - Michigan vs. Washington State (5:00 pm Eastern/2:00 pm Pacific)
Sugar Bowl - Florida State vs. Ohio State (8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific)

January 2
Peach Bowl - Clemson vs. Auburn (3:00 pm Eastern/12:00 pm Pacific)
Orange Bowl - Nebraska vs. Tennessee (8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific)

NFL Football Trivia

Where there are NFL games, there is NTN trivia. Watch out for additional games on Saturday, December 20 at 12:00 pm Eastern/9:00 am Pacific. Also, keep in mind that the games on December 27 and 28 will be special editions devoted to playoff trivia. Meanwhile, don't forget to keep tuning in to our regular Sunday Trivia Games at these times:

12:00 Eastern/9:00 Pacific

3:30 Eastern/12:30 Pacific

7:00 Eastern/4:00 Pacific

7:30 Eastern/4:30 Pacific (Tailgate Trivia Competition)

Weekend Roundup
Monday Nights (12:30 am Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific) we'll wrap up the football week with 15 trivia questions on the weekend's NFL games. Current events quizzes were never this much fun. Be sure to get out and play soon, because once the regular season is over, so is the Weekend Roundup - the last game of the year will be on Monday, December 22.

Keep your eyes open for a special Super Bowl edition of Weekend Roundup. Check back here as the big game approaches for more details.

*Note that since not all locations got the same Monday Night Football game on October 27, that night's games will not count toward any competition. All locations involved in league play will be awarded a win.

Topix (7:00 pm Eastern/8:00 pm Pacific on Wednesdays and Fridays)

Show off your knowledge of these upcoming Topix:

Hot Beverages Wednesday, December 17
Titanic Friday, December 19
Ski Resorts Wednesday, December 24
Cheers Friday, December 26
Yearly Recap Wednesday, December 31
Ads Friday, January 2
The Roman Empire Wednesday, January 7
Sports Bad Boys Friday, January 9
Western Outlaws Wednesday, January 14
Black Actors Friday, January 16
Pirates! Wednesday, January 21
BBC Productions Friday, January 23

AOL

Put faces to those names you're always competing against: Check out TBone Steak's Player Gallery, our gallery of player pix and bios. Send in your own, and we'll put them up there with the rest of the field. Show your mom, pretend you're famous. While you're there, head to the NTN Games Studio and check out all these games:

Holiday Trivia || MTV Trivia || VH-1 Trivia || Rosie O'Donnell Trivia

Nickelodeon Trivia || Nick at Nite Trivia || Marvel Comics Trivia

Entertainment Asylum || NTN Fantasy Football

Christmas Trivia

Those whose Yuletide spirit extends into cyberspace can enjoy some Christmas trivia on AOL. There will be one special Countdown game a night from December 19 through Christmas Day at 9:45 pm Eastern/6:45 Pacific. As a special bonus, Christmas trivia will run all day on December 24. Think of it as trivia to keep you awake while you wait for Santa Claus to arrive.

MTV Trivia

Running out of body parts to pierce? Lamenting the death of Beavis and Butt-head? Wearing pants that show off your underwear? We have just the game for you. If you think you know everything about what's cool in music, fashion, TV, and movies, put your mouse where your mouth is and kick some cyber-butt in MTV Trivia. (Keyword: MTV)

VH-1 Trivia

Calculating those mortgage payments? Deciding between a minivan and a sport utility vehicle? Trying to tell your kids that Sting really wrote that Puff Daddy song? VH-1 has some trivia for you adult-contemporary retro types, too. Questions about music, TV, and movies in the days B.N. (Before Nirvana). And since VH-1 is behind those Fashion Awards, you can learn a few trendy facts and surprise those young whippersnappers with how "with it" you still are. (Keyword: VH1)

Nickelodeon Trivia

Fun and challenging trivia for kids, available 24 hours a day, dealing with everything from science and geography to books, movies and sports. Do your homework first, and then put that knowledge to good use in Nickelodeon Trivia. Keyword: Nickelodeon.

Rosie O'Donnell Trivia

We all know that the Queen of Nice is a certifiable TV nut, and that she also digs movies and music - especially the music of Broadway. In fact, Rosie is a walking pop culture encyclopedia!

If you think that you can outshine the Daytime Diva, grab a couple of Ho Hos and settle in for the long haul: NTN will be hosting trivia provided by Rosie O'Donnell!

Watch her show all next week…she just might be playing on the air!

Nick at Nite Trivia

Nick at Nite runs the classic TV shows we all know and love - but how well do you know them? Here's your chance to find out, with 24-hour trivia for experts on the Nick at Nite lineup. If you Love Lucy and are Bewitched by Jeannie, this is the game for you. Keyword: Nickatnite.

Marvel Comics Trivia

If you spend all your time chasing radioactive spiders in the hopes of getting cool superpowers, you'll love this game. Heck, you'll have fun even if you just want to show that you know the Sub-Mariner from the Silver Surfer, and can name every mutant who was ever part of the X-Men. Keyword: Marvel.

Entertainment Asylum

If you're a wild and crazy guy or gal, check out Entertainment Asylum's AOL site (keyword: asylum) for NTN entertainment trivia. If you're tame and sane, you can also play.

NTN Fantasy Football

Which QB will pass for the most yardage this week? If you're savvy about sacks and gonzo for yardage gains, then play NTN's Fantasy Football. Play General Manager and put together the team you think will rack up the best stats; but just like a real GM, you have to watch that salary cap. Prizes will be awarded for weekly, monthly and seasonal winners. Find it in the NTN Sports Studio (keyword: ntnsports).

IWN

IWN is a Delaware-based subsidiary of NTN that maintains an online service providing wagering-related entertainment and information in conjunction with licensed gaming entities on a worldwide basis. In other words, it's a cool web site devoted to gambling.

HomeStretchTM

Contrary to the media rumors, HomeStretch has nothing to do with Jane Fonda's new workout tape. HomeStretch provides all kinds of services and information related to the pari-mutuel industry. This dynamic web site deals with everything from entries, odds and results to handicapping services and even helpful hints on how to write your congressperson. All of this is topped off with links to other racing information providers.

For a sample of what IWN is up to, check out the coverage of the 1997 Breeders' Cup and our Online Challenge 97 at http://www.iwnonline.com/.

In the near future, IWN will provide internet users with access to an even greater variety of horse racing related features, such as online chat and discussion groups, live audio race calls, and audio and video clips of the races.

Frankly, this site is so good it may induce the odd sensation that you're riding a thoroughbred down the stretch yourself. We're still researching this effect, but don't say we didn't warn you.