Let the nerd come out: What things do you feel you're an expert on?

Definition of expert varies to everyone, so use your best judgement...

Here are mine:

-Godzilla
I watched him since a child and have followed his career closely... I know lots about the Big Guy.

-RL Stine books
Particularly the Goosebump books of the 90s -- I read them all and they were the Harry Potter before Harry Potter. I know most everything about all 62 GB books.

-WWE (AKA WWF)
Watched since I was a 4 year old in 1987. Up til now. I can name all the wrestlers, and their style. From Marty Jannetty to the MVP to Randy Orton. Generation to generation. When me and my brother take long car trips, we play this "Name a Wrestler" game. We keep naming wrestlers until one of us can't. The other person wins then. These battles can run us up to 2 hours, and keep in mind we go BANG BANG BANG BANG.
Like this:

-DDP
-Hogan
-Ultimate Warrior
-Damien Demento
-The Mountie
-Earthquake
-The Shark
Hey wait! Cheapskate, you know the Shark was Earthquake. You can't name a wrestler twice, nor an INDIVIDUAL. Now hurry up, you're holding up the game.
-Doink

And of course as the game reaches its later stages, where both of us are struggling to recall wrestlers, we'll taunt each other and say, "I dare you to keep going... I have like SIX SECRET WEAPONS up my sleeve. Just try me!"

And of course the ever-so-annoying-yet-infamous tag team gig.
i.e. I say "Scott Steiner" and as a result my brother automatically says "Rick Steiner"... sending it straight back to me... ugh.

etc. etc. etc. wink

-Sega Saturn
I feel I have amassed a fair amount of knowledge on this system, although my technical knowledge of the Saturn isn't mind-blowing. I just know that I own and play over a hundred Saturn games and counting. I have a fairly strong opinion on all those games too...

-The World Heroes franchise
Yeah... I know 'em pretty well... wink

-Basketball (and to a lesser extent, baseball)
NBA -- you name it. Especially the Golden State Warriors -- I know lots of things about them, their players, their style, their characteristics. I also know basketball fundamentals and how to play the game in real life, and it hurts me when I see kids playing the game the wrong way.

<small>[ February 07, 2003, 06:58 PM: Message edited by: Steve ]</small>

Dragon Ball Z
Yes, I too was once sucked up into the infinite vortex on DB fandom. I'm not a fan now, but I'm definitely an expert on the series.

Neon Genesis Evangelion
My current anime obsession. I'm definitely an expert on this.

Audio Cassettes
Don't ask. I had to do a lot of research on them for a science project.

That's about all I can think of now...

I'm not really a true expert on anything. But among my group of friends i am the resident video game, tolkien, and star wars expert.

Tool; the band. you know it.

Running; the sport. if you can be an 'expert' i guess i am.

Akira; the manga and the anime.

Neo-Geo
Well it's not very well known in Australia, and it was never released in home format or pocket. When I tell my friends about 2d games these days, they scoff, because most of the population here likes 'main-stream' gaming.

Video Game Specs
I often find myself talking down to people who think the PS2 is the 'best-console-ever'. When I talk about things like how Dreamcast has a mega 640-480 res compared to the lame 640x440 on PS2 they just get whacked out and call me a nerd.

Anime
I hate listening to kiddies who think Dragonball Z is the best anime ever, when they know nothing of Akira, Fist of The North Star, or Ninja Scroll.

Good topic Steve.

Castlevania series: One of the best series of games that you would want to be an expert at. I'm especially adept at the first three games on the NES, knowing all the secret treasure locations, plus I can win Castlevania on one man. I can play thru 3/4 of Castlvania 4 on one man as well.

Rocky movies: I feel I've analyzed and overanalyed these films more than the average schmoe, and I could probably ace any kind of quiz on the subject.

Marble Madness: I've never even come close to having serious competition at this classic game. Don't even know why I became an expert at it really, just one of those things.

Street Fighter 2 Championship Edition: I think once you've moved on to the level where you can beat expert Ken players with Dhalsim,and Balrog, I think that makes you an expert at this game. Could anyone beat a really good Ken or Guile player with someone like E.Honda though? I mean, thats tough.

aviation.

a true passion.

old skool games: i mean no one elese seems to care, so somones gotta leed the less fortunate in the right direction.

the aquabats: my favorite band.

the sonic series: no shit, really? well except for the comics, im not into them...why? cuz i try not to. i dont feel like snipin on ebay and spending mad bling so i can get em all, even though id love to.

The Final Fantasy series. I know mostly everything on I, and IV-IX. If you need help, I'll do my best!

Street Fighter. Since 1992...

Art. I'm no expert, but I'm proficient.

Much Like Steve I have a pretty good knowledge of wrestling, although I go back a bit further than him (Early '80 and up from my personal experience and way back to the '50s, '60s and '70s thanks to my Mom's intrest in wrestling). I've seen the road warriors drive a spike into Dusty Roads eye on WCW Saturday Night. I watched Hacksaw Jim Duggan win the first Royal Rumble on WWF Prime Time. I've seen every version of the 4 horsemen you can imagine and I watched Mick Foley take a 15ft swan dive off the Hell in a Cell live and in person at the '97 King of the Ring. Yep I'm a wrestling dork.

Mike

Shinobi series: I doubt there is something I don't know about this series that hooked me back when i was in the 3rd grade. I can go through both Revenge of Shinobi and Shinobi III on one life, and also I can go through Shinobi 2k2 on normal with one life( i would be able to go through hard mode but damn you Huriko ).

Art: Not an expert but I've been dangerous with a pencil since I can remember, scary when you think about it

Underground Dj's: Born and raised on em is all i can say

Video Game Specs: Everyone I hang out with always ask me about any givin system cause to them I'm like "Mr. Gamer"( in a good way ).

<small>[ February 07, 2003, 09:53 PM: Message edited by: Yung Burnout ]</small>

Bad Religion. The band. Quite simply because they blend the coherent lyrics with the melodic punk. Damned great stuff.

Transformers. I'm an aficioado in disguse (and probably a poor speller as well). And a proud owner of Mystery of Comvoy (mispelled there? Nope.)

Bionic Commando: Quite simply because I beat it. Took 4 years intermittently here and there, but it got done. Hell yeah.

GunstarHero:
Good topic Steve.

...Street Fighter 2 Championship Edition: I think once you've moved on to the level where you can beat expert Ken players with Dhalsim,and Balrog, I think that makes you an expert at this game. Could anyone beat a really good Ken or Guile player with someone like E.Honda though? I mean, thats tough.

Click to expand...

If you're ever in my hood (Los Angeles area), drop on by and I'll expect ya to make good on this- E. Honda and all. Hell- I'll even bust Zangief.

star wars- been a fan since i was five i love it i've read all of the books from the young jedi chronicles to the crazy insaneo clonewar series.

neo geo- yeah the minute i got into the thing i had to know all i could about the history of the homecart and the hardware of the homecart system plus how to mod the system.

nintendo-yeah i'm subscribed to nintendo power magazine have been since 95 my personal favorite magazine. and one that made me a super nintendo geek

world war 1- i've read all the books in my library on it plus watched all kinds of shows on the history channel about it. i got the whole synopsis of the war down from the entangled alliances throught europe to the assassination of archduke franz ferdinand to the treaty of versailles.

music- i was raised on muddy waters, eric clapton, louie armstrong, ella fitzgerald, dizzie gillespie, tennessee ernie ford, hank williams, johnny cash, b.b. king, srv, buddy guy, james cotton, the rolling stones, the beatles, and 80's new wave music. as i grew up so did my tastes i fell into elton john and stuck with the beatles, i also pressed into the metal and rap scene, and now i listen to classic country, and old school rap, but i still stick to my roots of blues, country, jazz and rock.

i'm sure there are other things i'm super nerdly about, but i can't think of anything now.

Well if we want to go all nerd here:

Import and Domestic Gaming: I know this
business inside and out, I know way too
much about this obsession of mine and I
still own my oddyess. It's all I do, all
I talk about, all I read about for the
most part...however as much as I know
about this industry we all love, I try
to keep it low key, but you know how it
is...when you walk in a game shop and
BAM you're discussing the play mechanics
of said game while flipping through a
game magazine and about to take out the
ipod with a castlevania techno remix so
you can listen to some game music. It's
insane.

Computers: When I switched to linux I
became an official "comp nerd." But with
that said, I love slackware like a son.
Other than that, I keep on top of comp
hardware pretty well, I usually keep up
software as well...but as I have said
before...my netw0rk skill5 will own you.

./

Japanese Animation: Well, well...I own
well over 200 dvds, 400+ tapes and fan
subs and a hefty collection of misc.
shit I don't need like a Jubei-Chan
tea-cup...hell yes. I'd like to make
a shout out to gits: sac...you are a
good series, keep it up.

Whoo shirow is the MAN.

Phreaking:

I used to know a great deal about phreaking
as well, but those days are long gone...no
more "boxing" for me. Fun hobby though. Still
know quite a bit about it so I guess that is
going to count. Oh well. Red is a fun color.
Eh...if you know the hobby, it's a joke.

I'm bored now.

Later

shir0

Rock music trivia. I was a music journalist before I got into game reviews (look very hard and you'll find a history of Van Halen I wrote for a book of Eddie's interviews), and I was a classic rock DJ before that, and a record store clerk before that. My chops are a little rusty in these days of R&B, but if it had a guitar in it from about 1955 to 1995, I'm your man. I passed the entrance exam for Rock & Roll Jeopardy, then missed zero questions in the practice game on the set...and they didn't call me for the show. But my goal was to try to pass the test, so I was really very happy with that. For me it was validation that, yes, I was a geek.

Solidbody electric guitars. I instantly lost the respect of all my friends when I announced one day that it was not only a Stratocaster but a pre-CBS Strat because it only had 7 pickguard screws. I don't think I need to go any further than that.

I am very proud when someone says "That's a bizarre question, let's ask Dan" at the office.

Geography: I can loose myself in an atlas for HOURS. Pretty sad, I know.

Twin City Bars: It's part of my job.

GI Joe:

Dan Elektro:
Rock music trivia. I was a music journalist before I got into game reviews (look very hard and you'll find a history of Van Halen I wrote for a book of Eddie's interviews), and I was a classic rock DJ before that, and a record store clerk before that. My chops are a little rusty in these days of R&B, but if it had a guitar in it from about 1955 to 1995, I'm your man. I passed the entrance exam for Rock & Roll Jeopardy, then missed zero questions in the practice game on the set...and they didn't call me for the show. But my goal was to try to pass the test, so I was really very happy with that. For me it was validation that, yes, I was a geek.

Solidbody electric guitars. I instantly lost the respect of all my friends when I announced one day that it was not only a Stratocaster but a pre-CBS Strat because it only had 7 pickguard screws. I don't think I need to go any further than that.

I am very proud when someone says "That's a bizarre question, let's ask Dan" at the office.

Click to expand...

hey its good to see you posting out of NEWS AND RUMORS

I'm a geek about music, geography and world languages and cultures. I can't speak a whole bunch of languages but i can recognize them by the sound.

Video games in general. Even though I am still in the dark about a few systems like the Atari Jaguar, in general I know so much about games it's absurd.

Sports. This is a new thing for me... Recently I'm becoming a real sports nerd. I know almost the exact record of every NBA team right now, and I'll even watch games with teams I care nothing about. And that's just the NBA... I've always been into watching hockey, and the NFL has me in its clutches the last few years. I still don't like baseball though....

Hey Kid Aphex, you're a runner? I haven't been training for a while because of a tight schedule, but I'm a fairly good runner when I get into shape... Well at least I have been before... I'm a lot more muscular than I used to be and thus I weigh more...

This is an interesting topic, I've never really given much thought on something like this.

Here goes...

ICP, Twizted, and all other bands that spout the wicked shit.

Slayers anime & manga.

The works of Bruce Cambell, not limited to the Evil Dead series but his whole career.

Pokemon (the games) <--- go ahead laugh

American and Imported beer/ale.

Dog breeds.

Pretty much dedecated to music ranging back to around 1972, my knewledge is pretty hardcore.

Football....the game where you kick a BALL with your FOOT, my anality about this subject cannot be hidden lol

lol, "let the nerd come out". Cool topic, as always, Steve!

Okay...

I know a lot about network/computer security, H.P. Lovecraft, electronic music, WW2 history, certain conspiracy theories and psychedelia.

Can you say... Otaku?

The Auction Sniper:
Anime
I hate listening to kiddies who think Dragonball Z is the best anime ever, when they know nothing of Akira, Fist of The North Star, or Ninja Scroll.

Click to expand...

Anime: Not to be a dick but I hate it when people think Akira and Ninja scroll are the best Anime's ever when they know nothing about a series like Berserk wink . Not that I'm saying you don't.

Gaming: History and rarer games.

Fantasy novels: Trust me on this one.

Hmm.. Well...

Gaming: When people say "The regular Nintendo was the first gaming system." I usually say "Pfft, Magnavox Odyssey biotch!" And deep discussions (read: rants) about why the NeoGeo is best. ME = NERD.

Star Wars: Yes... Yes, I'll admit it just this once! I'm pretty familiar with the movies and the extended universe (the novels). Suck it. :o

Trivia: I know more useless shit than most of the game show contestants that they actually put on the air. Hah!

stallone movies

<small>[ February 08, 2003, 01:11 PM: Message edited by: rugal2000 ]</small>