Meeting of the Minds: Patton vs. the World

by Hayley Sugg


Students and faculty alike gathered on November 5th in Farmer to try and take down the campus' long standing trivia champion, Dr. Michael Patton.

This was the third year for the annual event, Patton vs. the World, and it's hosted by the University of Montevallo's Honors Program. Participants came together in groups of two to four in an attempt to defeat the philosophy professor at one of his greatest strengths: miscellaneous facts.

Participants gathered in Farmer for the trivia challenge

The categories ranged from common knowledge to the totally obscure. Some of the subjects included were physics, art history, entertainment, and famous quotes.

After much boasting (mostly on Patton's part), the final scores were announced and it was revealed that a three-way tie had been reached. Patton and two teams, V for Varagona and the Knights Who Say Ni, had all finished with 21 points each.

A sudden-death round was quickly played with questions hastily written by the judges. The winning team in the end was V for Varagona, which got it's namesake from team member and math professor Dr. Scott Varagona.

Winning team V for Varagona
with Dr. Patton and game host Colton Vandiver

Varagona, who also got campus-wide fame for winning this year's Life Raft Debate, believed it was finally time for the world to win. "Doctor Patton has won far too many of these," he said, "It's high time that the world stepped up and put him in his place."

Although he came in last in the final round, Patton didn't let that dull his spirits. "I will be back," he proclaimed, "They should not be fooled by the impostors who now hold the title of trivia champions."