Floodge
Floodge was an unidentified individual frequently found lurking in the IRC. The mystery surrounding their identity and their amusing handle has made them the subject of sporadic jokes throughout the years.
Identity
The IRC had a more relaxed real name policy than the Discord that succeeded it - users could have arbitrary handles but were expected to identify themselves upon being asked. Nevertheless, it was unusual that Floodge was both a frequent visitor to the #quizbowl channel and unidentified.
Several quiz bowlers have given second-hand accounts regarding the identity of Floodge, suggesting they were tangentially related to the quizbowl community (perhaps a friend of a quiz bowler) and that they attended grad school at Illinois c. 2021. It is alleged that Naveed Chowdhury knows who Floodge is.[1]
Mentions
Floodge was referenced alongside King Louis XV in the teamname "Après-moi le floodge (after me, the floodge)" at Scattergories 3, consisting of Mike Bentley, Tamara Vardomskaya, John Lawrence, and Andrew Hart.
Matt Bollinger mentioned Floodge as the only denizen of the IRC while speaking at the 2019 David Riley Coaches Conference.[2]
"Floodge" is still used as a byword for "being anonymous" by old people.