Re: Some thoughts on NAQT...

dargan_w <*no_reply_at_yahoogroups.com*> · Sun, 16 Feb 2003 04:56:48 -0000

Robin,
   I'm not going to argue the merits of your case, since I have not 
seen your team play, and frankly have no desire to look through the 
stats for every D2 team myself.  However, I am fairly confident in 
saying that if you want to go (you obviously do) and you have the 
money, enough teams in front of you will decline that UGA will be 
able to go to ICT.  In terms of the NAQT formula and its relative 
fairness, I will say this -- It sounds an awful lot like what has 
happened to us in CBI for a team to come in second to a team they're 
basically equivalent to and not get to go to nationals.  I had hoped 
that this type of situation was what NAQT's formula would remedy.

Dargan

--- In quizbowl_at_yahoogroups.com, ugacollegebowl <no_reply_at_y...> 
wrote:
> For those of you outside the south, I am Robin Richards and I run 
the 
> College Bowl/NAQT team for the Univ of GA. Those in the South know 
> who I am and I hope that these same people know full well that I 
am 
> not someone who would bitch and moan if something does not go my 
> team's way. However, after looking at the NAQT ICT Div II bid 
list, 
> as well as the stats for all the teams who were invited to play 
the 
> Div II ICT, I feel that I need to say my peace and see what those 
out 
> in Yahooland have to say (if anyone cares).
> 
> The basics: UGA B, our Div II team, placed 2nd in the Midsouth 
> Regionals by means of a playoff against Florida, a team they beat 
> previously. Upon looking at the stats, I noticed that UGA was the 
> ONLY 2nd place team in the nation to not get a bid to the ICT. 
Upon 
> further review (and some emails to NAQT), the following reasons 
were 
> given:
> 1- The Midsouth region, was, in NAQT's eyes, the weakest Div II 
> region in the nation. The reason for the supposed "weakness"
> of the 
> Midsouth D2 roster is the fact that most of the players were fresh 
> out of high school, and some have never played NAQT in their life. 
No 
> team can control who they play at the SCT, and penalizing them for 
> that just does not seem right. As opposed to college football 
teams, 
> we do not have the liberty of making our own schedules. If 
Florida, 
> who played the exact same "weak" teams we did, gets a bid for
> winning 
> a playoff, once again, why cant we? (I know they won the Region, 
but 
> someone out there has to see my logic, no?)
> 
> 2- The whole "secret forumla" spiel: If NAQT is so proud and 
> confident about their formula, then why is it so secret? We're
> not 
> talking about eleven herbs and spices here, we're talking about 
> Quizbowl, and keeping a secret formula just that, a secret, can 
make 
> some people begin to wonder what the truth really is. The solution 
> should be simple: take the top two from each region regardless, 
and 
> then go from there. In some cases (such as ours), the top two are 
> determined by playoffs and tiebreakers.
> 
> 3- Community Colleges playing Div II: In my eyes, CCs should not 
be 
> playing four years schools in the ICT. If you want CCs to play at 
the 
> D2 level at the ICT against four-year schools, they should play D2 
at 
> the SCT. If this is not the wish of NAQT, I suggest creating a 
> Division III.
> 
> 4- The "bonus factor:" Bonuses do not necessarily mean all that 
much 
> in my eyes. Sometimes you get extremely hard bonuses on Quantum 
> Physics (when no one on your team knows diddly about it) and score 
30 
> points on the ones your opponents get. Getting the right bonus is 
> (pardon the pun) a toss-up. 
> 
> I wouldnt be making this case to NAQT and the Court of Public 
Opinion 
> if I didnt feel that my team, who played to win, did there best. 
In 
> fact, they exceeded way beyond my expectations. Regardless of a 
bid 
> or not, Im proud of them, and I do not mind sticking my neck way 
out 
> for them. Im hoping to continue UGA's involvement in NAQT. It was 
> just that I couldnt sit on the sidelines and see what I feel was a 
> gross error go by the wayside. 
> Thanks for hearing me out,
> 
> Robin J Richards
> Speaking for and on the behalf of UGA College Bowl
> Quizdogs_at_u...
> "Knowing is half the battle...the other 60% is ringing in first."