I think that as long as quiz bowl is around, this thread on the
future of the circuit and question difficulty and blah blah blah
will arise about once or twice every year. In previous years, such
complaints might have been very justified; I don't really know since
it was before I was playing QB in college. Today, I think it's still
worthwhile to have this discussion because I think it demonstrates
the vitality of the circuit and serves to reassure less experienced
people that other more experienced players are taking these issues
into account. If you look at this thread carefully, you'll notice
that a lot of valid concerns have been raised, and many of those
concerns have been assuaged or refuted with plenty of evidence to
support the view that the circuit today is a better place for new
players than it was three or four years ago. I certainly think it
is, better even than two years ago when I was starting out. I don't
want to rehash arguments made by people more knowledgeable than
myself, but I would say that this discussion, whatever its outcome,
is both useful and maybe even necessary to the vitality of the
circuit.