Introducing the Tabloid Cover Derby!

[Benjamin Grimm]

All eight polls from Round One, Group Two have now closed, and we can now reveal the second group of eight covers that will advance to the second round. The Daily News repeated its Group One success, once again winning four of the eight contests. The New York Post improved its count from the previous group, going from two winning covers to three. The Post's gain came at Newsday's expense, with the Long Island paper dropping from two winning covers in Group One to only one in Group Two.

Round 1.2.1, Number 4 Seed: JAKE & BAKE (New York Post)
Round 1.2.2, Number 3 Seed: OH, BABY! (Daily News)
Round 1.2.3, Number 5 Seed: AMAZIN' MATZ (Daily News)
Round 1.2.4, Number 8 Seed: AMAZIN' MATZ (Newsday)
Round 1.2.5, Number 6 Seed: NIEUW'S FLASH! (New York Post)
Round 1.2.6, Number 7 Seed: HARV DAY'S NIGHT (New York Post)
Round 1.2.7, Number 1 Seed: CON4TO! (Daily News)
Round 1.2.8, Number 2 Seed: "U" DA MAN! (Daily News)

Tentative schedule:
December 9: JAKE & BAKE vs. AMAZIN' MATZ (Daily News)
December 10: OH, BABY! vs. NIEUW'S FLASH!
December 11: "U" DA MAN! vs. HARV DAY'S NIGHT
December 12: CON4TO! vs. AMAZIN' MATZ (Newsday)

[Guest cooby classic]

This has been fun

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'm glad you're enjoying it!

[bmfc1]

I'm really enjoying these threads. Thank you BG.

BTW, some of my criteria: if more than one cover has the same picture (likely from the AP) or caption, they are disqualified.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Me too. At the same time, worried that it's only a matter of time before the Snooze calls it quits.

[Ceetar]

I'm having fun with it, but also a little dismayed. I think 90% of these absolutely suck.

Another "If I had the time" projects, I'd love to next year mock up a cover for every game with my own pun/photo/etc and see how I did.

[Benjamin Grimm]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Me too. At the same time, worried that it's only a matter of time before the Snooze calls it quits.

So am I. It's probably inevitable for all newspapers, but the question is, is it a matter of months or years? I'll miss the Daily News when it's gone, but not as much as I would have twenty or thirty years ago.

I don't know if the Tabloid Cover Derby is a 2015-only thing, or if it will be a continuing tradition, but if it's the latter, I don't imagine it will have many years left. And it would be less interesting if it involved only two tabloids instead of three.

[Ceetar]

do other papers not do this stuff on covers? Bergen Record, etc?

[Benjamin Grimm]

I don't know. I've never lived in New Jersey and I don't know what those papers look like.

I did look for similar covers for the Mets playoff opponents, and couldn't find anything in Los Angeles or Kansas City, but did find some covers from the Chicago Sun Times.

[Benjamin Grimm]

[Frayed Knot]

Those papers suck, but apparently I can get a REALLY good deal on a Chevy if I lived there.

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I don't know. I've never lived in New Jersey and I don't know what those papers look like. I did look for similar covers for the Mets playoff opponents, and couldn't find anything in Los Angeles or Kansas City, but did find some covers from the Chicago Sun Times.

Connecticut too probably occasionally, particularly during World Series, has sports covers too. I briefly looked for Star-Ledger/Record back covers online but can never find them.

I couldn't tell you either, I'm not in places that display newspapers prominently. I think the bagel shop has one of them but I wouldn't swear to it.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Benjamin Grimm wrote:

This is pretty funny, the hell it must be being an old Cubs' fan.
hahaha

[Ceetar]

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That's a broadsheet, not a tabloid. Traditionally the latter more reliant on photographs, shorter, punchier stories, and take advantage of their smaller size providing 2 covers with the "back" devoted to sports. They typically are also more local in scope and aimed primarily at mass-market working-class folks who read them on trains, and supported by local advertisers like car dealerships and other retailers.

[Ceetar]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: That's a broadsheet, not a tabloid. Traditionally the latter more reliant on photographs, shorter, punchier stories, and take advantage of their smaller size providing 2 covers with the "back" devoted to sports. They typically are also more local in scope and aimed primarily at mass-market working-class folks who read them on trains, and supported by local advertisers like car dealerships and other retailers.

aha. Didn't know their was a difference. local paper is local paper to me. I guess NJ doesn't have 'tabloids' then? I don't know the financials of the Record or say the Star-Ledger, but I think they're pretty local. But I guess they're less trashy and sensationalist..

So it's literally the sports talk radio equivalent of news. no wonder I've always found them beneath a level of common decency.

Maybe I shouldn't have been voting on these polls so objectively. If I'd approached with a "Which would I use as the cover for that day's WFAN talk segments" I would've voted differently.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I've been paying very little attention to the puns, and give them very little weight. (I agree that very few of them are clever.)

I judge them as visual works of art. And some of the covers are, visually, very appealing. From today's poll (1.4.6) I think the ROYAL PAIN cover from the Post worked very well.

Those broadsheets, like the image above, are an entirely different animal.

[Edgy MD]

I think New Jersey tabloids and I think The Trentonian.

[Ceetar]

Edgy MD wrote: I think New Jersey tabloids and I think The Trentonian.

Did a quick search and couldn't find a covers archive or anything for October.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I've been paying very little attention to the puns, and give them very little weight. (I agree that very few of them are clever.) I judge them as visual works of art. And some of the covers are, visually, very appealing. From today's poll (1.4.6) I think the ROYAL PAIN cover from the Post worked very well. Those broadsheets, like the image above, are an entirely different animal.

I like the puns, The puns are the only thing that even gets me to look at the cover. for me it's

1. Good pun
2. Non-incendiary blurb
3. quality and related picture.

But clearly what I'm looking for and what they're trying to do is different. I find the inclusion of the pun and blurb to often dominate the visual aesthetic anyway, so if it's bad, I often move on.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

The Philadelphia Daily News were proud tabloid whackos, as was the even more aggressive Delaware County Times.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Voting for all first-round polls in Group Three has now ended. The New York Post won four of the eight polls, with the Daily News and Newsday getting two wins each. 24 of the 32 second-round qualifiers have been set, and the Daily News has ten of them, the Post has nine, and Newsday has five.

Round 1.3.1, Number 8 Seed: TEARS TO CHEERS! (New York Post)
Round 1.3.2, Number 7 Seed: THE HIGH LIFE (Daily News)
Round 1.3.3, Number 4 Seed: WRIGHT OFF THE BAT! (Newsday)
Round 1.3.4, Number 3 Seed: LARGE & IN CHARGE (New York Post)
Round 1.3.5, Number 6 Seed: INSIDE EDITION (Newsday)
Round 1.3.6, Number 1 Seed: CAPITAL THRILL (New York Post)
Round 1.3.7, Number 2 Seed: YESPEDES (Daily News)
Round 1.3.8, Number 5 Seed: AS GOOD AS IT METS (New York Post)

Tentative schedule:
December 13: WRIGHT OFF THE BAT! vs. AS GOOD AS IT METS
December 14: LARGE & IN CHARGE vs. INSIDE EDITION
December 15: YESPEDES vs. THE HIGH LIFE
December 16: CAPITAL THRILL vs. TEARS TO CHEERS!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Voting for all first-round polls in Group Four has now ended, which means that all 32 second-round qualifiers have now been determined. In Group Four, the Daily News and the Post each picked up three wins and Newsday had two. Overall in Round One, the Daily News had 13 wins, the Post had 12, and Newsday had 7.

Round 1.4.1, Number 3 Seed: HAIR'S LOOKIN' AT YOU, KID (New York Post)
Round 1.4.2, Number 4 Seed: METS TAKE A HIT (New York Post)
Round 1.4.3, Number 7 Seed: DAN-TASTIC (Daily News)
Round 1.4.4, Number 6 Seed: APPLE JACKS! (New York Post)
Round 1.4.5, Number 8 Seed: HOW SWEEP IT IS! (Newsday)
Round 1.4.6, Number 1 Seed: TEAM OF DESTINY (Daily News)
Round 1.4.7, Number 5 Seed: WRIGHTS THE SHIP! (Daily News)
Round 1.4.8, Number 2 Seed: MURPHY'S FLAW (Newsday)

Tentative schedule:
December 17: METS TAKE A HIT vs. WRIGHTS THE SHIP!
December 18: HAIR'S LOOKIN' AT YOU, KID vs. APPLE JACKS!
December 19: MURPHY'S FLAW vs. DAN-TASTIC
December 20: TEAM OF DESTINY vs. HOW SWEEP IT IS!

[Benjamin Grimm]

Voting for all four polls in Round 2.1 is now complete and we have our first four covers to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The Daily News entered this round in a strong position with four covers but came up empty in losing all four polls, twice to the Post and twice to Newsday.

Poll 2.1.1 THOR'S DAY (Newsday) defeated JUAN DIRECTION! (Daily News) 10 to 4.
Poll 2.1.2 RUNAWAY TRAIN! (New York Post) defeated YOU'RE DAMN WRIGHT (Daily News) 9 to 7.
Poll 2.1.3 OLD TIMER'S DAY (Newsday) defeated de7 TRAIN! (Daily News) 9 to 6.
Poll 2.1.4 N.Y. CITI (New York Post) defeated QUEENS FOR A DAY! (Daily News) 12 to 8.

Tentative schedule:
December 21: RUNAWAY TRAIN! vs. OLD TIMER'S DAY
December 22: N.Y. CITI vs. THOR'S DAY

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[Benjamin Grimm]

Voting for Round 2.2 is now complete. The Daily News won three of the four polls, going 3-1 this round. The Post won the fourth slot, but also had two losses. Newsday came up empty, with one loss.

Eight covers have now qualified for the Sweet Sixteen: Three each from the News and the Post and two from Newsday.

Poll 2.2.1 AMAZIN' MATZ! (Daily News) defeated JAKE & BAKE (New York Post) 7 to 4.
Poll 2.2.2 NIEUW'S FLASH! (New York Post) defeated OH, BABY! (Daily News) 8 to 4.
Poll 2.2.3 "U" DA MAN! (Daily News) defeated HARV DAY'S NIGHT (New York Post) 15 to 1.
Poll 2.2.4 CON4TO! (Daily News) defeated AMAZIN' MATZ (Newsday) 14 to 1.

Tentative schedule:
December 23: "U" DA MAN! vs.NIEUW'S FLASH!
December 24: CON4TO! vs. AMAZIN' MATZ!

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[Benjamin Grimm]

With the close of all voting for Round 2.3, we now have twelve of the qualifiers for the Sweet Sixteen. It was a strong round for the Post, with three winning covers. The Daily News got one win, and Newsday was shut out. The total number of Round 2 winners to date include six from the Post, four from the News, and two from Newsday.

Poll 2.3.1 AS GOOD AS IT METS (New York Post) defeated WRIGHT OFF THE BAT! (Newsday) 9 to 7.
Poll 2.3.2 LARGE & IN CHARGE (New York Post) defeated INSIDE EDITION (Newsday) 11 to 5.
Poll 2.3.3 YES-PEDES (Daily News) defeated THE HIGH LIFE (Daily News) 12 to 3.
Poll 2.3.4 CAPITAL THRILL! (New York Post) defeated TEARS TO CHEERS! (New York Post) 8 to 7.

Tentative schedule:
December 25: YES-PEDES vs. LARGE & IN CHARGE
December 26: CAPITAL THRILL! vs. AS GOOD AS IT METS

And thus comes to a close the storied run of the Girl in the Golden Dress.

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[Guest d'Kong76]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: And thus comes to a close the storied run of the Girl in the Golden Dress.

She had a nice run, but it will always be backpack girl for me.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Voting for Round Two is now complete and the final totals for the Sweet Sixteen are eight covers for the Post, five for the Daily News, and three for Newsday.

Poll 2.4.1 METS TAKE A HIT (New York Post) defeated WRIGHTS THE SHIP! (Daily News) 9 to 7.
Poll 2.4.2 APPLE JACKS! (New York Post) defeated HAIR'S LOOKIN' AT YOU, KID (New York Post) 10 to 4.
Poll 2.4.3 MURPHY'S FLAW (Newsday) defeated DAN-TASTIC (Daily News) 8 to 5.
Poll 2.4.4 TEAM OF DESTINY(Daily News) defeated HOW SWEEP IT IS! (Newsday) 9 to 7.

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The following Round Three matchups from Group Four are already in progress:

MURPHY'S FLAW vs. APPLE JACKS!
TEAM OF DESTINY vs. METS TAKE A HIT

The last poll from Round 3 has been posted today, and Round 4 will begin on Tuesday. Now that we're in the later rounds, with fewer polls, there will no longer be a new poll every day as we'll need to wait for active polls to close.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The Round 3 (Sweet Sixteen) polls are beginning to expire and we have our first two entries into the Elite Eight, both from the New York Post. We also have now eliminated two of the three remaining Newsday covers in this competition.

Poll 3.1.1 RUNAWAY TRAIN! (New York Post) defeated OLD TIMER'S DAY (Newsday) 9 to 7.
Poll 3.1.2 N.Y. CITI (New York Post) defeated THOR'S DAY (Newsday) 9 to 7.

Tentative schedule:
January 4: N.Y. CITI vs. RUNAWAY TRAIN!


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[Benjamin Grimm]

Yeah, I know, I'm starting to get tired of this thing too, but it's almost over and we're going to see it through to the end.

The two polls from Round 3.2 have now closed, and we have two more covers in the Elite Eight, both from the Daily News, joining the two Post covers that won in Round 3.1.


Poll 3.2.1 "U" DA MAN! (Daily News) defeated NIEUW'S FLASH! (New York Post) 9 to 5.
Poll 3.2.2 CON4TO! (Daily News) defeated AMAZIN' MATZ! (Daily News) 8 to 7.

Tentative schedule:
January 5: CON4TO! vs. "U" DA MAN!


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[Guest cooby classic]

I'm not tired of it