From the Stevens Point Journal April 9, 2005:

For some Trivia teams, the name's the thing

By Kelly McBride
Journal staff

Every year on Dec. 23., a group of longtime friends comes together to celebrate an obscure holiday.

Instead of a tree, they have an unadorned aluminum pole. They get dressed up and make dinner. They perform feats of strength.

Fans of the show "Seinfeld" will recognize these pals as staunch adherents of the holiday of Festivus, a little-known celebration that precedes Christmas.

But the friends aren't Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer. They're a group of local college students who claim membership to the "Festivus for the Rest of Us" Trivia team. And through the years, they've used Frank Costanza's favorite holiday as a chance to plan and strategize for the next year's contest.

"We've all been avid 'Seinfeld' fans for a long time," said team member and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point student Greg Ormes. "Now we use (Festivus) as kind of a Trivia get-together."
From the traditional to the bizarre, the trendy to the borderline inappropriate, Trivia teams choose their names based on myriad factors and for many reasons.
But most agree that a name with staying power is crucial for team identity, so many have stayed with their moniker - at least most of it - for years.
One such team is Fossil Fuels: Oil for Points, which has kept its core name for 18 years. Each year, the group adds a different name ending, often one having to do with current events, said team member John Slinkman of Vesper.

"My sister came up with that name, and I really don't know (why)," he said. "She said we were a bunch of old fossils. One thing led to another and it stuck. ... You get all excited with the team name."
Many team names, some of which stick, are based on popular culture or a well-known phrase. Team Ah Bin Hyp-mo-tized, which plays out of Park Ridge, originated from a once-popular David Letterman catchphrase, said team member Joe Larson. A group of UWSP students used to watch Letterman's show in the 1980s, when the famous late-night comedian would tell a joke or story, then look right into the camera and utter the phrase, Larson said.

"It's become our catch phrase now," he said. "This is like homecoming for many of these people, my friends."
This year, the team's official name is Ah Bin Hyp-mo-tized: Year 20, in celebration of two decades of Trivia fun.
Some teams hearken still further back to their roots, invoking their family lineage - and then some. Such is the case for "Yoda's Academy of Polish Wisdom," a family-based team that also pays tribute to the Star Wars films of the 1970s and early 80s.

"This (name's) probably stuck for about eight or nine years," said team member Nick Sondelski of Stevens Point. "My brother was a huge Star Wars fan, so of course, Yoda. My whole family in this area, we have a big Polish background. (And) everybody has their own unique wisdom that we put together."
Geography also plays a part in determining teams' monikers. After oscillating between several names - including "They're Coming for Us and Sasquatch, Too" - the Studio 54 team of Plover has stuck with their current title for the past three years or so. In addition to being the name of a former New York hot spot and 1998 movie, the team's name also refers to its playing location on Highway 54 in Plover. Finally having a name to stick with helps with recognition, said team member Lori Hoerter.

"It's easier, better name recognition, from other teams so they can know who to look for," Hoerter said. "And it's easier than trying to come up with a new name every year."
Still, some Trivia buffs are inspired by current pop culture, and opt for names that may or may not stick. At least two 2005 teams have names derived from the 2004 film "Napoleon Dynamite." Teams "Napoleon Donkeymite" and "Eye of the Liger" will be among those vying for Trivia's top prize this time around.

No matter what its origin, many team names carry with them a considerable amount of pride. That was the case for "Festivus for the Rest of Us," a team that has considered joining forces with other Trivia squads - but likely won't.

"The big arguing point we've always had is that we want to keep our name," Ormes said. "If we weren't 'Festivus for the Rest of Us,' it would make coming together on Dec. 23 pointless."

McBride can be reached at 715-345-2257 or kelly.mcbride@cwnews.net.