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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: wheelloon on February 20, 2006, 07:31:35 PM

Title: What was the point?
Post by: wheelloon on February 20, 2006, 07:31:35 PM
Going through my old game show tapes, and watching an episode of Combs FF right before they added the Bullseye Round, circa 1993, I again took notice of the red and white strike signs that individual contestants held up after they got a strike in the main rounds. To be quite frank, what the heck was the purpose of these things? Was it just so that the audience realized who got the strikes for each family, or so that the audience could look and laugh at the contestants like they were idiots, or was there some other kind of real purpose to them that I have completely missed over the years??
Title: What was the point?
Post by: clemon79 on February 20, 2006, 07:43:40 PM
[quote name=\'wheelloon\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 04:31 PM\']I again took notice of the red and white strike signs that individual contestants held up after they got a strike in the main rounds.
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I don't remember this at all, but then I didn't watch much of the Combs version. Someone want to explain this in a little more detail so I can confirm if this really is as idiotic and demeaning as I think?
Title: What was the point?
Post by: zachhoran on February 20, 2006, 07:59:47 PM
[quote name=\'wheelloon\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 07:31 PM\']Going through my old game show tapes, and watching an episode of Combs FF right before they added the Bullseye Round, circa 1993, I again took notice of the red and white strike signs that individual contestants held up after they got a strike in the main rounds. To be quite frank, what the heck was the purpose of these things? Was it just so that the audience realized who got the strikes for each family, or so that the audience could look and laugh at the contestants like they were idiots, or was there some other kind of real purpose to them that I have completely missed over the years??
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IIRC it was something like what you describe. In 1993, Combs Feud had the Bullseye round(it started in June 1992 on the CBS hour-long daytime run and September 1992 on the syndicated run)
Title: What was the point?
Post by: clemon79 on February 20, 2006, 08:28:03 PM
Let me rephrase that: someone OTHER than Horan. I don't read Horan posts anymore.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: zachhoran on February 20, 2006, 08:46:22 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 08:28 PM\']Let me rephrase that: someone OTHER than Horan. I don't read Horan posts anymore.
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Thanks for that life-changing knowledge
Title: What was the point?
Post by: The Pyramids on February 20, 2006, 08:55:27 PM
When GSN was running the final '92 half hour CBS shows two years ago for a few weeks (at least what I remember) contestants did hold strike signs they were supposed to display after a wrong answer. There was no point to it unless you wanted to call it window dressing. It came off as a dumb idea that I don't think lasted long.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: zachhoran on February 20, 2006, 08:57:56 PM
[quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 08:55 PM\']When GSN was running the final '92 half hour CBS shows two years ago for a few weeks (at least what I remember) contestants did hold strike signs they were supposed to display after a wrong answer. There was no point to it unless you wanted to call it window dressing. It came off as a dumb idea that I don't think lasted long.
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The sportsmanship between families in the later years of Combs Feud was less than stellar, as opposed to say, the ABC Dawson run. I think those strike signs were an offshoot of that.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: FOXSportsFan on February 20, 2006, 09:04:26 PM
I think it might have been discussed on this forum before...wasn't it an issue perhaps an issue with the 3 lights above the family sign that displays strikes to Ray that led to the debut of the X signs?
Title: What was the point?
Post by: JayDLewis on February 20, 2006, 09:06:24 PM
This doesn't really add anything to the conversation, but the Japanese version of  Family Feud also had the strike paddles.

Perhaps the lights above the opposing family had gone out and this was a way to fix it temporarily? If I blow it, I have to hold the strike paddle. There no intimidation factor. They would have shown the other family howm any strikes we have, not the other way around.

And as to the sportsmanship debate...please. You're playing a game to win fairly large amounts of money. If you can't take someone waving a little plastic paddle with a X on it, mild jeering from your opponents or someone making an X wih their arms then perhaps you should find a less extreme game. Perhaps tiddly-winks is more your speed.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: Brandon Brooks on February 20, 2006, 09:29:53 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 08:28 PM\']Let me rephrase that: someone OTHER than Horan. I don't read Horan posts anymore.
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Zachie's right.  I always felt it was quite stupid.  As for the argument "maybe the strike lights went out" is it really that hard to could to three?

Brandon Brooks
Title: What was the point?
Post by: Casey on February 20, 2006, 09:48:14 PM
[quote name=\'Brandon Brooks\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 09:29 PM\']Zachie's right.  I always felt it was quite stupid.  As for the argument "maybe the strike lights went out" is it really that hard to could to three?

Brandon Brooks
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Certainly has to be a stupid gimmick.  If Dawson could deal with a broken fast money board and play the round on cue cards, someone certainly off stage could tell Ray how many strikes had been accrued...
Title: What was the point?
Post by: Hastin on February 20, 2006, 10:29:13 PM
[quote name=\'isucgv\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 06:48 PM\']Certainly has to be a stupid gimmick.  If Dawson could deal with a broken fast money board and play the round on cue cards, someone certainly off stage could tell Ray how many strikes had been accrued...
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Hell, someone could draw the Xes on a cue card, and then show it to the other family, and ray.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: BrandonFG on February 20, 2006, 10:49:53 PM
[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 08:46 PM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 08:28 PM\']Let me rephrase that: someone OTHER than Horan. I don't read Horan posts anymore.
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Thanks for that life-changing knowledge
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Damn, Horan's been getting some slams in left and right this month, and on more than just Henke. Don't respond, Zach, it's a JOKE.

Back to the topic, I was thinking maybe the X lights were broke or something, since I swear I've read this topic before. Oh well, it seems like a corny idea, almost like something they'd do on Karn's version.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: Game Show Man on February 21, 2006, 04:21:20 AM
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 08:49 PM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 08:46 PM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 20 2006, 08:28 PM\']Let me rephrase that: someone OTHER than Horan. I don't read Horan posts anymore.
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Thanks for that life-changing knowledge
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Damn, Horan's been getting some slams in left and right this month, and on more than just Henke. Don't respond, Zach, it's a JOKE.

Back to the topic, I was thinking maybe the X lights were broke or something, since I swear I've read this topic before. Oh well, it seems like a corny idea, almost like something they'd do on Karn's version.
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Chrissakes, Brandon, don't give 'em ideas.  It's bad enough as it is.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: Matt Ottinger on February 21, 2006, 01:26:40 PM
I didn't watch those shows that closely, but I thought the "X-paddles" were part of a rule change that said if you got a strike you were out for the round.  In other words, if you got a strike, and it came back around to you again (which it didn't do that often), they'd skip you and move on to the next person who didn't have a strike.  The obvious advantage is that one bad apple wouldn't be responsible for two lousy answers.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: wheelloon on February 21, 2006, 02:11:48 PM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Feb 21 2006, 02:26 PM\']I didn't watch those shows that closely, but I thought the "X-paddles" were part of a rule change that said if you got a strike you were out for the round.  In other words, if you got a strike, and it came back around to you again (which it didn't do that often), they'd skip you and move on to the next person who didn't have a strike.  The obvious advantage is that one bad apple wouldn't be responsible for two lousy answers.
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That crossed my mind at first, but I never saw a case during that time where that situation came up. Either way, whatever the rule was, it wasn't in place for long. It would be ridiculous enough to hold just one of those signs up, only to have it come doubly when the turn comes back to you and then you get another strike and have to hold up two of them...
Title: What was the point?
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on February 21, 2006, 02:59:53 PM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Feb 21 2006, 01:26 PM\']The obvious advantage is that one bad apple wouldn't be responsible for two lousy answers.
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Cause you know, One Bad Apple spoils the main game, baby.

OBgameshow: Donny Osmond hosted Pyramid.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: FOXSportsFan on February 21, 2006, 04:04:11 PM
From the people who brought you Woolery Left Wheel, I say to Mr. Odor...Davidson left Pyramid?
Title: What was the point?
Post by: GS Warehouse on February 21, 2006, 04:25:08 PM
[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Feb 21 2006, 02:59 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Feb 21 2006, 01:26 PM\']The obvious advantage is that one bad apple wouldn't be responsible for two lousy answers.[/quote]Cause you know, One Bad Apple spoils the main game, baby.
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[throws apples at Mark]

Didn't someone say sometime back there were these light-type geeeeeeezmos above and behind the families that helped Dawson/Combs keep track of the strikes?  If so, maybe they just weren't working, hence the X cards.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: Matt Ottinger on February 21, 2006, 04:36:04 PM
[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' date=\'Feb 21 2006, 05:25 PM\']Didn't someone say sometime back there were these light-type geeeeeeezmos above and behind the families that helped Dawson/Combs keep track of the strikes?  If so, maybe they just weren't working, hence the X cards.[/quote]
Again, I'm not 100% sure of my explanation. Still, it would seem to make a TON more sense that there was an actual game-play reason for the "X-Cards" rather than a need to rectify an off-camera malfunction.  There are plenty of low-tech off-camera ways of showing everybody involved how many strikes there are.
Title: What was the point?
Post by: HYHYBT on February 26, 2006, 09:40:16 AM
The "lights aren't working" explanation was given on-air the first day. Doesn't make it true, I suppose, but it seems to me the strike paddles would be a way at least to have fun with it. I do know that it wasn't part of any rule change, and only lasted a couple of weeks. Certainly no longer than, for example, they left a couple of old light bulbs lying on the steps behind the left family once.