Pop Quiz

1. The Tamarisk Coalition is best described as what?

A. A group of Scottish ex-pats who trace their loyalty to Lord Howard Tamarisk, a Highland exile who built an underground castle here.

B. Folks who have banded together to battle a water-sucking weed.

C. A gaggle of women who travel in scooter packs on weekends.

D. Extended members of the Tamarisk family, who first settled Colorado in the 1850s.

2. When commenting on the team's new training-camp digs in Dove Valley, Broncos fullback Mike Anderson said what?

A. "I'll be closer to Krispy Kreme doughnuts, that's for sure."

B. "I hope we don't mess up and drive to Greeley one morning by mistake."

C. "Sleep is going to be a whole lot better."

D. "I'd finally gotten used to the smell of Greeley. I guess I kind of miss its pungent odors."

3. In honor of the Rockies' Chin-hui Tsao becoming the first Taiwanese pitcher to appear in the bigs, what happened?

A. The game was broadcast live in Taiwan.

B. Vendors were allowed to sell egg rolls.

C. The announcer read the lineup in Chinese.

D. The team manager allowed him to bring in a feng shui expert to arrange his locker.

4. In an attempt to help business, DIA's dominant carrier, United, is set to do what?

A. Put all ticket-counter clerks through a Dale Carnegie course, designed to win friends and influence customers.

B. Ditch the beaten-to-death music from Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" from its TV commercials.

C. Add an in-flight e-mail service.

D. Test-market soy peanuts as a way to help customers fight fat and fit into smaller seats.

5. Lockheed Martin is ready to blast off with a $1 billion satellite contract because rival Boeing did what?

A. Lost out on a bid after a clerk in Boeing's new Chicago HQ shipped a contract to Washington State, not Washington, D.C.

B. Sent gag-gift Barbie dolls dressed in space suits to Pentagon brass as a joke that backfired.

C. Refused to donate money to the re- election campaigns of GOP officials nationwide.

D. Was found by the Air Force to have stolen sensitive material from its rival here.

6. Cultural bonus: The race movie Seabiscuithas a local tie. What is it?

A. Jockey Pat Day, who appears in the film, was born in Brush.

B. An antique starting gate that was gathering dust at Arapahoe Park was bought by filmmakers.

C. Seabiscuit's cousin, Seafoam, ran at the old Centennial track, and is mentioned by Tobey Maguire's character.

D. Director Gary Ross spent a year at Regis University -- where he played the ponies -- before transferring to UCLA Film School.

ANSWERS:

1. B. The group is out to battle the rampant, water-swilling weed.

2. C. "Sleep..." was what Anderson extolled. Of course, last year's team put nearly everyone to sleep, anyway.

3. A. The game was broadcast to eager fans in Taiwan.

4. C. The carrier is hoping to boost morale (and profits) with e-mail.

5. D. The Jefferson County rocketeers are benefiting from Boeing's bad deeds.

6. B. Colorado gave filmmakers the gate.