Law Students

Dan on Jeopardy: TOC FINALS

By Andrea

The Press:

Gloucester Times: Jeopardy champ?
A couple blog posts: The Thicket (blog of the Nat'l Conference of State Legislatures) and Kitten a Go-Go (expressing the theory that Dan is 'part robot')

The Preview:

What's left to say? It's go time!

OK, here are a few things. We had been friendly with Larissa's family all weekend. This was because her sister Arianna was my law school classmate, and also a friend of R, who was there with us. In the break between the semis and finals, Larissa's dad said to me, "Obviously I'm rooting for Larissa, but I can't root against Dan. He's just such a nice guy! And there was the way he lent Arianna his things." This was a reference to Dan lending Arianna his study materials both times she was on the show. I thought that was sweet.

It was pretty epic to have Dan, Larissa, and Aaron in the finals. There were a LOT of scary players, so no disrespect to them, but when Dan had made up his least-desired pairing before the tournament started, those were the two opponents he chose. The best part: Both Aaron's partner and Larissa's family confirmed that their champ had said the same thing about the other two! And to make things stranger, Aaron had actually defeated...Arianna in his third game. Arianna had joked at law school graduation that she asked her sister to avenge her in the TOC, and Dan had volunteered for backup avenger duty. So it was a weirdly close-knit group up there.

Right before the first game started, R asked me if I was nervous. I said no. He didn't believe me. HE seemed nervous, which is out of character for him.  But it was true - I felt completely Zen all of a sudden, just happy for Dan and accepting of whatever happened. I guess it would be nice to say I wanted him to destroy them both. And I knew he wanted to win. But I knew he was going to take home a lot of money and the experience of a lifetime no matter what, so I couldn't get nervous.

I feel more anxious NOW than I did then, because I want you all to see what happens! More tomorrow.

Full post as published by Peanut Butter Burrito on March 23, 2009 (boomark / email).