3 Things you wish you knew.

Boopotts · October 24, 2006 2:45PM

Does anyone else have a list of little facts that they wished they knew the answers to, but don't? Obviously we could Google most of the answers, but that takes all the fun out of it.

Anyway, here's three things (all loosely sports or CU related) that I feel like I should know the answer to but don't.

1) Why North Carolina is called the Tar Heels
2) The year and issue of Christy Matthewson's rookie card.
3) Who the guy is in Xanadu Now's avatar.

If anyone has the answers to any of these three questions, or has three questions of their own that they'd like to drop off, please do so.

storm888 · October 24, 2006 3:01PM

# 3 = Orson Welles

Boopotts · October 24, 2006 3:05PM

<< # 3 = Orson Welles >>

A ha.

Wasn't Orson Welles monstrously obese?

zef204 · October 24, 2006 3:06PM

<< 

<< # 3 = Orson Welles >>

A ha.

Wasn't Orson Welles monstrously obese? >>

In his older years..

zef204 · October 24, 2006 3:08PM

djspann · October 24, 2006 3:15PM

#2 = 1908 E91 American Caramel ?

P.S. I hope he keeps the record of 27 consecutive IP without an earned run in the playoffs.

Doug

GDM67 · October 24, 2006 3:16PM

Check out most anything he was in up until the mid 50's or so. He was compelling, charismatic and simply as cool as a man can be.

Griffins · October 24, 2006 3:16PM

<< 2) The year and issue of Christy Matthewson's rookie card. >>

1902 W600 Sporting Life Cabinet, or
1903 E107

bobsbbcards · October 24, 2006 8:02PM

#1 - The University not only uses the nickname "Tar Heels," but the entire state does as well. One version of the nickname's origin has the name first being applied to North Carolinians during the Civil War. One record talks of a battle in Virginia, where their supporting column retreated, but North Carolina troops fought alone. The victorious troops were asked in a condescending tone by some Virginians, who had retreated, "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" The response came quickly: "No, not a bit; old Jeff's bought it all up." The Virginians asked: "Is that so? What is he going to do with it?" The reply: "He is going to put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight."

ArchStanton · October 24, 2006 11:02PM

#1) It is my understanding that it was because they were the last state to join the confederacy. It was stated that they had tar on their heels, thus preventing them from moving as quickly as the other southern states.

Oh, but I've been wrong a time or three before.

tkd7 · October 25, 2006 12:15AM

I want to know why icy/hot doesn't feel icy/hot on my hands when I rub it on my back.

Davemri · October 25, 2006 12:19AM

Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together? Shouldn't they be called Compartments??

dave

mikeschmidt · October 25, 2006 12:23AM

<< Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

dave >>

Dave - the derivation is from the 17th century, from French and Italian. The verbs in those languages mean "to separate, divide", much like "apart" does in our language. Although they are stuck together -- they are all separated by walls, doors, etc. Each apartment is individual and not universally accessible.

XanaduNow · October 25, 2006 12:27AM

And let's not forget married to Rita Hayworth. Anybody know the answer to this?

When you see a statue of a war hero riding a horse .... what is the significance of the amount of legs the horse has on the ground?

Arthur

zef204 · October 25, 2006 12:30AM

<< And let's not forget married to Rita Hayworth. Anybody know the answer to this?

When you see a statue of a war hero riding a horse .... what is the significance of the amount of legs the horse has on the ground?

Arthur >>

If the horse has only three legs on the ground, the rider died of wounds suffered in war. If the horse has two legs in the air, the rider died during the battle. If the rider is not on the horse, but standing next to it, the horse died too. And, if the horse has all four feet on the ground and the rider is on the horse, the man is a hero who died naturally. These are international rules that sculptors follow.

XanaduNow · October 25, 2006 12:37AM

<< 

<< And let's not forget married to Rita Hayworth. Anybody know the answer to this?

When you see a statue of a war hero riding a horse .... what is the significance of the amount of legs the horse has on the ground?

Arthur >>

If the horse has only three legs on the ground, the rider died of wounds suffered in war. If the horse has two legs in the air, the rider died during the battle. If the rider is not on the horse, but standing next to it, the horse died too. And, if the horse has all four feet on the ground and the rider is on the horse, the man is a hero who died naturally. These are international rules that sculptors follow. >>

Guess that wasn't a difficult question at all.

Okay, let's try this one ... anybody know where the phrase "the whole nine yards" came from?

Arthur

zef204 · October 25, 2006 12:44AM

Why would to orders of the same service level, thet were shipped in the same box be entered into the system on different days?

bishop · October 25, 2006 12:55AM

.....parking on driveways and driving on parkways

sixdart · October 25, 2006 1:28AM

Tar Heel

A native or resident of North Carolina.

Tar Heel is the nickname applied to the state and inhabitants of North Carolina, as well as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's athletic teams.

Legend has it that the nickname dates back to the American Civil War. Supposedly, during a battle in Virginia, the North Carolinian troops held their ground while supporting troops retreated. After the battle, supporting troops asked the victorious North Carolinians: "Any more tar down in the Old North State, boys?" and they replied: "No, not a bit; old Jeff's bought it all up." The supporting troops continued: "Is that so? What is he going to do with it?" The North Carolinian troops' response: "He is going to put it on you'ns heels to make you stick better in the next fight."[1]

One legend has the nickname being applied to the state's residents as long ago as the Revolutionary War. According to this story, the troops of British General Cornwallis were fording what is now known as the Tar River between Rocky Mount and Battleboro when they discovered that tar had been dumped into the stream to impede their crossing. When they finally got across the river they found their feet completely black with tar. Their observation that anyone who waded North Carolina rivers would acquire tar heels led to the nickname first being used.

A letter found in 1991 by North Carolina State Archivist David Olson lends credence to another more direct theory. A letter from Maj. Joseph Engelhard describes a fight involving men from North Carolina in which Robert E. Lee was heard to have said, "There they stand as if they have tar on their heels."

The letter, dated August 24, 1864, told the tale of a battle on the outskirts of Petersburg, Va. Engelhard was elected secretary of state for North Carolina in 1876.

Boopotts · October 25, 2006 4:25AM

<< Why would to orders of the same service level, thet were shipped in the same box be entered into the system on different days? >>

That there is a question for the ages.

On a related note-- why would a group of cards that are submitted under the same service and sent in the same box be listed in two different orders?

Boopotts · October 25, 2006 4:25AM

<< And let's not forget married to Rita Hayworth. Anybody know the answer to this?

When you see a statue of a war hero riding a horse .... what is the significance of the amount of legs the horse has on the ground?

Arthur >>

Isn't there also something about whether or not the horse's face is pointing towards the sea?

XanaduNow · October 25, 2006 4:41AM

<< 

<< And let's not forget married to Rita Hayworth. Anybody know the answer to this?

When you see a statue of a war hero riding a horse .... what is the significance of the amount of legs the horse has on the ground?

Arthur >>

Isn't there also something about whether or not the horse's face is pointing towards the sea? >>

Is it the sea or is it a direction like north, south, east, west?

Arthur

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · October 25, 2006 4:54AM

When I was a kid I always wondered on card wrappers why Canadians have to answer the mathmatical skill question. 2+2x4-1=? to enter the NPN. That was one of the first things I looked up when I got a computer. A.-They cant gamble so its now a game of skill.

Boopotts · October 25, 2006 4:56AM

<< 

<< 

<< And let's not forget married to Rita Hayworth. Anybody know the answer to this?

When you see a statue of a war hero riding a horse .... what is the significance of the amount of legs the horse has on the ground?

Arthur >>

Isn't there also something about whether or not the horse's face is pointing towards the sea? >>

Is it the sea or is it a direction like north, south, east, west?

Arthur >>

Man, I can't remember. I 'think' it was the sea. I was looking at a statue of somebody in Jackson Square in New Orleans with an ex employer of mine, and he said something-- and for the life of me I can't remember the specifics-- along the lines of 'the fact that his horse is facing inland tells you that he died here in the U.S. If his horse was facing the ocean it would mean he died overseas'.

Of course, the guy could have been full of B.S. Knowing what I know about him that wouldn't surprise me at all.

lostdart58 · October 25, 2006 5:25AM

There is no answer to the ''''whole nine yards origin""

XanaduNow · October 25, 2006 5:33AM

<< There is no answer to the ''''whole nine yards origin"" >>

Not true.

Arthur

lostdart58 · October 25, 2006 5:37AM

<< 

<< There is no answer to the ''''whole nine yards origin"" >>

Not true.

Arthur >>

Yes , yes, it did originate somewhere............but no one seems to know......Do you??

BugOnTheRug · October 25, 2006 5:42AM

What makes stupid people stupid?

XanaduNow · October 25, 2006 6:00AM

<< 

<< 

<< There is no answer to the ''''whole nine yards origin"" >>

Not true.

Arthur >>

Yes , yes, it did originate somewhere............but no one seems to know......Do you??

>>

In fact ... I do. It actually came from where a lot of our commonly used phrases came from ... WWII. Care to guess?

<< What makes stupid people stupid? >>

Inbreeding

Arthur

phreakydancin · October 25, 2006 7:02AM

More than you ever wanted to know about the origin of the expression "the whole nine yards".

XanaduNow · October 25, 2006 7:36AM

Well, thanks "Mr. Google Linky Guy" for coming in and ruining my question.

That was close. The one point he couldn't seem to grasp was that it came from the fighter pilots and the machine gun blets on the aircraft were 27 feet long.

Arthur

phreakydancin · October 25, 2006 8:59AM

<< Well, thanks "Mr. Google Linky Guy" for coming in and ruining my question.

That was close. The one point he couldn't seem to grasp was that it came from the fighter pilots and the machine gun blets on the aircraft were 27 feet long.

Arthur >>

Google rocks. Between that and Wikipedia, I don't actually need to know anything. I just look it up

Yeah, actually if you follow the links from the page I linked, there are further possible explanations, including the fighter jet bullet belts, and a joke originating from a Florida AFB about a fictional character's member. Those two seem to be the most plausible to me.

SDSportsFan · October 25, 2006 10:03AM

Why is "bra" singular and "panties" plural?

Steve

JackWESQ · October 25, 2006 1:34PM

How do you know when your pen runs out of invisible ink?

/s/ JackWESQ

Griffins · October 25, 2006 1:57PM

If dogs sweat with their tongues what are their armpits for?

5STAT · October 25, 2006 2:01PM

3 things:

1) Is there a Heaven..
2) Is there He[[
3) When exactly will I die...

That way I can determine...how much fun I could have...or how much making up I have to do ...and it gives me a timeframe!!

Cubfan · October 25, 2006 5:59PM

Im sure every one of you has been called a smart aleck at one point or another.

What is an aleck ?

jomer · October 25, 2006 11:00PM

BugOnTheRug

Can a stupid person be a smart-ass?

Pope · October 26, 2006 2:45AM

#2 actually his first baseball card was a 1901 Police Gazette Supplements

Griffins · October 29, 2006 1:18AM

The Police Gazette supplements were issued starting in 1901 thru 1917, and I don't believe Matty's was issued prior to the cards listed above.
But it was an excellent answer Sean, and you could well be right. Avoid discussions solely based on hypothetical value of cards and you'll find a lot more support.
I'm impressed with your answer on this one.

chaz43 · October 29, 2006 2:17AM

<< Does anyone else have a list of little facts that they wished they knew the answers to, but don't? Obviously we could Google most of the answers, but that takes all the fun out of it.

Anyway, here's three things (all loosely sports or CU related) that I feel like I should know the answer to but don't.

1) Why North Carolina is called the Tar Heels
2) The year and issue of Christy Matthewson's rookie card.
3) Who the guy is in Xanadu Now's avatar.

If anyone has the answers to any of these three questions, or has three questions of their own that they'd like to drop off, please do so. >>

1) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
2) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
3) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
4) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
5) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
6) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
7) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????

chaz

phreakydancin · October 29, 2006 2:32AM

8) What is a chaz?
9) Why is he unable to grasp the difference between hand-cuts and sheet-cuts?

Stone193 · October 29, 2006 2:52AM

I have only one - "I wish I knew"

And it's perennial - how do I keep my wife from being pissed at me half the time!

mike

Boopotts · October 29, 2006 3:04AM

<< 

<< Does anyone else have a list of little facts that they wished they knew the answers to, but don't? Obviously we could Google most of the answers, but that takes all the fun out of it.

Anyway, here's three things (all loosely sports or CU related) that I feel like I should know the answer to but don't.

1) Why North Carolina is called the Tar Heels
2) The year and issue of Christy Matthewson's rookie card.
3) Who the guy is in Xanadu Now's avatar.

If anyone has the answers to any of these three questions, or has three questions of their own that they'd like to drop off, please do so. >>

1) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
2) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
3) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
4) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
5) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
6) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????
7) WHAT THE HELL IS A BOOPOTTS??????

chaz >>

Hi Chaz,

Boopotts is a nickname that I gave long ago to my Labrador-Pointer mix.

Hope that helps,
Guy

Boopotts · October 29, 2006 3:06AM

<< 
9) Why is he unable to grasp the difference between hand-cuts and sheet-cuts? >>

When you spend virtually all your waking hours tryin' to keep it real, Mike, it's hard to set aside time to meditate on these kinds of subtle distinctions.

chaz43 · October 29, 2006 3:22AM

<< 8) What is a chaz?
9) Why is he unable to grasp the difference between hand-cuts and sheet-cuts? >>

There is no difference. They are both cut. chaz

Overrated · October 29, 2006 5:41AM

Why is the 52 topps mantle so underpriced? it is one of the most Important cards in the hobby.

Futureman · October 29, 2006 6:05AM

<< 

<< And let's not forget married to Rita Hayworth. Anybody know the answer to this?

When you see a statue of a war hero riding a horse .... what is the significance of the amount of legs the horse has on the ground?

Arthur >>

If the horse has only three legs on the ground, the rider died of wounds suffered in war. If the horse has two legs in the air, the rider died during the battle. If the rider is not on the horse, but standing next to it, the horse died too. And, if the horse has all four feet on the ground and the rider is on the horse, the man is a hero who died naturally. These are international rules that sculptors follow. >>

Not true. The link has some examples of statues that do, and do not, follow this "rule".

From the link:

<< Folk wisdom has it that equestrian statues contain a code whereby the rider's fate can be determined by noting how many hooves the horse has raised. The most common theory has it that if one hoof is raised, the rider was wounded in battle (possibly dying of those wounds later but not necessarily so); two raised hooves, death in battle; all four hooves on the ground, the rider survived all battles unharmed.

The hoof code mostly holds true in terms of Gettysburg equestrian statues, but there is at least one exception. James Longstreet wasn't wounded in this battle yet his horse has one foot raised.

Even the most cursory look at the statues around Washington, D.C. quickly disproves that the hoof code at all holds sway in that locale.

GEN. WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN: 15th and Pennsylvania and Treasury Place NW (1903). All hooves on ground; died in peace, pneumonia.

MAJ. GEN. ANDREW JACKSON: Lafayette Park (1853). Two hooves raised; died in peace. >>

I guess rules are made to be broken. If anyone is interested, there is a lot of good information in the link. The website (Snopes) is a great source of information too.

The whole nine yards. This doesn't appear to be much help, but it's good to see that no one else knows about the origins either.

Boopotts · October 29, 2006 10:14AM

What is wainscoting?

RipublicaninMass · October 29, 2006 11:57AM

<< What is wainscoting? >>

That wood chit in your kitchen prolly about 1/4 way up the wall.

RipublicaninMass · October 29, 2006 11:59AM

3 Things you wish you knew.

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