# The Celebrity Death Pool 2011 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** death-pool\ **Created:** [December 1, 2010, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523 "2010-12-01T09:16:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 27
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/521 "2011-01-01T19:19:28Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > How many points WOULD these people have been worth? 247 if they all died. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/522 "2011-01-01T19:23:12Z")
> [@Andrew\_21](#): > > 247 if they all died. Thanks Andrew! That sounds like a pretty good score. ---
**Author:** ![Kitten\_Mitten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@Kitten\_Mitten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitten_Mitten)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/523 "2011-01-01T19:48:29Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > [Paul Gascoigne](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Gascoigne) former footballer. I laugh when people call Pete Doherty a train wreck. THIS is a real train wreck. If this guy makes it through 2011, he’ll be on my 2012 list. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/524 "2011-01-01T20:47:10Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Thanks Andrew! That sounds like a pretty good score. The maximum possible score is 1066. Your current score would be zero if you were a valid entrant. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/525 "2011-01-01T21:55:29Z")
> [@Cazzle](#): > > The maximum possible score is 1066. Your current score would be zero if you were a valid entrant. I meant good score AT THE END! (thought that was clear) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/526 "2011-01-02T00:45:32Z")
18 hours into the New Season and No Stiffs? WTH! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/527 "2011-01-02T01:26:21Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > 18 hours into the New Season and No Stiffs? > WTH! Calm yourself, Grasshopper. If you wait long enough by the side of the river, you will see the bodies of all your enemies…er, candidates…come floating by. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/528 "2011-01-02T03:21:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Calm yourself, Grasshopper. > If you wait long enough by the side of the river, you will see the bodies of all your enemies…er, candidates…come floating by. Is it bad if I came in here for the same thing? Oh, only if I say something? Darn. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/529 "2011-01-02T03:56:12Z")
> [@Tristan](#): > > I am sad to think that our champion deadpooler has skipped out, after his cult didn’t wipe themselves out last year. ☹ > [@Baker](#): > > Only 154 entries this year, by my unofficial count. That’s about a ten percent drop. Are Dopers getting less macabre? I submitted a list this year, but my heart wasn’t really in it, due to my consistent record of failure over the last several years. And if our undisputed Master of the Netherworld can’t get excited enough to develop a list this year, I fear for the future. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/530 "2011-01-02T06:22:37Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I meant good score AT THE END! (thought that was clear) Sorry, I didn’t realise we were celebrating a score you haven’t earned in a game you’re not playing. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/531 "2011-01-02T14:01:38Z")
> [@Randy\_Seltzer](#): > > Objection. I was overruled on this last year, but I think it’s still valid. > > Violates rule 3(e) for being a [registered member of the SDMB](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php). No new reasons have been offered against the arguments as to why I allowed that pick n 2010, so I will continue to allow it. See [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11921868&postcount=200) and [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11916421&postcount=154). If you like we can update the rule to add “who is not independently a celebrity”. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/532 "2011-01-02T14:10:56Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Calm yourself, Grasshopper. > If you wait long enough by the side of the river, you will see the bodies of all your enemies…er, candidates…come floating by. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/533 "2011-01-02T14:17:50Z")
> [@Walkabout](#): > > There are web pages devoted to him entirely separate of his illness, eg. [this one](http://rivals.yahoo.com/indiana/football/recruiting/player-Connor-Cosgrove-90718). I would think think that pretty much any college football player has some degree of fame. What’s the ruling on this? This brings us back to “what constitutes a celebrity”, which we have never been able to define, so there is no rule. My own list for 2010 all have Wikipedia pages, although that is a personal decision, not following a rule. When we instigated the rule about not being famous for being sick only, I did acknowledge that we would have to make a decision on celebrity status in those cases. With respect to college football players, I do not think I would allow any person on any roster. However, he is on the roster of a big ten team (aside: why are there 11 teams in the big 10? I know football players get a pass on having to do anything academically challenging, but being able to count should not be beyond them), so is not just any college player. Given our loose (or absence of) rules on celebrity status, I will give the benefit of the doubt to the selector and allow this pick. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/534 "2011-01-02T14:31:11Z")
[Chuck Berry](http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-live-0103-chuck-berry-review-20110102,0,7930886.story)collapses during performance. ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/535 "2011-01-02T17:25:05Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > [Chuck Berry](http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-live-0103-chuck-berry-review-20110102,0,7930886.story)collapses during performance. False alarm! He’s still alive! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/536 "2011-01-02T19:51:37Z")
> [@Andrew\_21](#): > > 247 if they all died. Wouldn’t that depend on when they died? If they all died on Dec 31 vs yesterday would be a difference of 13, Correct? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/537 "2011-01-02T20:25:45Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Wouldn’t that depend on when they died? If they all died on Dec 31 vs yesterday would be a difference of 13, Correct? It’s based on their age at death so it changes as they pass through birthdates during the course of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Kitten\_Mitten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b782af/32.png) [@Kitten\_Mitten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitten_Mitten)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/538 "2011-01-02T20:27:28Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > However, he is on the roster of a big ten team (aside: why are there 11 teams in the big 10?), so is not just any college player. If you think you’re confused now; just wait. Nebraska joins the Big Ten next season so there will be 12 teams in the Big Ten. The Big Ten is a brand and is no longer dependant on how many teams are in the conference. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bcef8e/32.png) [@Andrew\_21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andrew_21)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/539 "2011-01-02T21:31:05Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Wouldn’t that depend on when they died? If they all died on Dec 31 vs yesterday would be a difference of 13, Correct? Yes. 247 points would be the maximum possible score, the total if all 13 celebrities died prior to their birthdays. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523/540 "2011-01-02T22:00:05Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > This brings us back to “what constitutes a celebrity”, which we have never been able to define, so there is no rule. My own list for 2010 all have Wikipedia pages, although that is a personal decision, not following a rule. > > When we instigated the rule about not being famous for being sick only, I did acknowledge that we would have to make a decision on celebrity status in those cases. With respect to college football players, I do not think I would allow any person on any roster. However, he is on the roster of a big ten team (aside: why are there 11 teams in the big 10? I know football players get a pass on having to do anything academically challenging, but being able to count should not be beyond them), so is not just any college player. > > Given our loose (or absence of) rules on celebrity status, I will give the benefit of the doubt to the selector and allow this pick. I totally disagree. “I would think think that pretty much any college football player has some degree of fame” is totally false. Look at the sidelines of any major college football team. As far as I know there is no limit to the number of uniformed personnel on the sidelines. Conferences do limit the number that can travel. In reality that means that there are 70-100 players suited up on the sidelines. There are somewhere around 120 Division 1A football teams. Many of those may never play a down outside of the practice squad. All of those “players” are going to be on football stat websites in case they actually do get into a game. Most freshman do not play at all so they can be redshirted (allowed to practice but don’t lose a year of eligibility so they can be with the team 5 years instead of 4). So a non-playing freshman on a football team is famous only to his parents. If he gained some measure of fame its because of his illness only. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-celebrity-death-pool-2011/562523.md?page=28)