# American Idol Top 36 Pool **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 6, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733 "2009-02-06T18:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/21 "2009-02-12T14:00:37Z")
I’m in! I’m neutral to negative on the bonus question idea. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/22 "2009-02-12T14:11:33Z")
I like the bonus questions. They fill my nerdy need for extra credit. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/23 "2009-02-12T16:37:45Z")
I’d vote “no” for bonus questions, but it’s not like I’ll quit or anything. Just a quiet vote of “no”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/24 "2009-02-12T17:14:09Z")
I like the bonus questions. It gives a little something else to think about. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/25 "2009-02-12T17:22:31Z")
I’m in - do I do anything now, or wait until next week? ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/26 "2009-02-12T17:28:01Z")
[QUOTE=ME] I’m in - do I do anything now, or wait until next week? [/QUOTE] Never mind - figured it out…🆒 ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/27 "2009-02-12T23:55:29Z")
Keep 'em-- I like them as a source of increased randomness (my main problem now is Joanna getting disqualified!!!) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/28 "2009-02-13T00:39:15Z")
Do we get to watch the performance show before we spread our points out? Or do we have to put the points in before performance night? By the way, I take it we are doing the overall pick thing as well? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/29 "2009-02-13T02:03:10Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Do we get to watch the performance show before we spread our points out? Or do we have to put the points in before performance night? Picks must be submitted before 8:00 EST next Wednesday – that’s just before the airing the of the results show, so you get to see them sing before you need to have your picks in. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > By the way, I take it we are doing the overall pick thing as well? Sure enough. For those who aren’t aware, there are basically two games being played at the same time. On the left-hand side of the page after you log in, you’ll see a series of buttons. One is “Weekly Picks”, where you choose who you think will make it that week. The other is “Overall Pick”, where you pick who you think is going to win it all. Obviously, picking the eventual champ early is worth more than it would be to pick him/her later on in the game. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/30 "2009-02-13T03:05:20Z")
This will be a fun way to care about who goes on, without feeling like a dip by calling in to vote for contestants. I’m darkhorsing Tatiana to go through. Og, I can’t stand her, but at least she’s not boring. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/31 "2009-02-13T04:18:27Z")
> [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](#): > > I’m darkhorsing Tatiana to go through. Og, I can’t stand her, but at least she’s not boring. Oh, God. Don’t say such things! Women(children) like her don’t deserve to receive any attention! You might be right! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![critter42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@critter42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/critter42)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/32 "2009-02-13T13:44:42Z")
ok! I’m in ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/33 "2009-02-13T18:49:10Z")
**Hal** - I just saw that AI has changed the composition of the first group - Roughneck is out, Welder is in. [link here](http://www.americanidol.com/top_36/group_1) How does that affect the pool? No opinion on the bonus questions. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/34 "2009-02-13T18:57:05Z")
> [@BetsQ](#): > > **Hal** - I just saw that AI has changed the composition of the first group - Roughneck is out, Welder is in. [link here](http://www.americanidol.com/top_36/group_1) > > How does that affect the pool? > > No opinion on the bonus questions. Hmm…well, the folks who run the pool site haven’t updated the first group – Sarver is still in there. However, I’m going to guess they’ll update it at some point – hopefully sooner rather than later. I guess the safe best would be for everyone who puts in their picks early to take a look at the page at some point on Wednesday to make sure everything is as it should be. I’ll also make an annoucement in here if there is a change/problem. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/35 "2009-02-17T17:00:21Z")
> [@BetsQ](#): > > **Hal** - I just saw that AI has changed the composition of the first group - Roughneck is out, Welder is in. [link here](http://www.americanidol.com/top_36/group_1). Looks like someone at Idol – either on the show or on the web site – site screwed up a bit. Your link now shows that Michael “Roughneck” Sarver is singing tonight, just like originally scheduled. I’ve compared the 12 scheduled for tonight with the 12 listed on the pool site, and everyone is on the same page. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/36 "2009-02-17T17:39:41Z")
Well, I put my points in for this week, but I can adjust them tomorrow before the final results show, right? What’s the point of the overall pick each week? ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/37 "2009-02-17T18:10:31Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Well, I put my points in for this week, but I can adjust them tomorrow before the final results show, right? Yes, you can adjust your points up until 8:00 Eastern on Wednesday. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > What’s the point of the overall pick each week? The overall pick isn’t made each week – it’s who you think is going to eventually win AI. The only time you change it is when you want to change who you think will win (obviously, if your pick is eliminated, you change it). The earlier in the game that you make that pick, the more points you receive. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/38 "2009-02-17T18:55:40Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > The earlier in the game that you make that pick, the more points you receive. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/39 "2009-02-18T01:07:22Z")
I didn’t realize until just now that we have through the results tomorrow to place our bets. I guess that it makes sense, and we can distribute points based on that week’s performance, instead of previous weeks. That means I’ll actually want to pay attention each week. Interesting concept. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733/40 "2009-02-18T02:49:12Z")
Wow, I may have to allocate points over to Tatyana now. I respect that she calmed herself down and made herself look better. And she sang well. I’m oddly impressed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-top-36-pool/484733.md?page=3)