It seems that Mr. "Octopus" said a few things which struck a nerve, Stan; at least, the vehemence with which you responded to him (or her; what gender is a "Gangster Octopus", anyway? Well, let's just assume GO is male) would suggest as much. I personally was not moved so, since a) I enjoy honest spite when I see it, and b) his point -which, in case it was missed, was that "It might have been a little discourteous to start something like a pool, get people interested in it, and then suspend it without reason or warning"- is quite a valid one. Nevertheless, I am interested in what YOU had to say, since, as cunning as your refutations of "Gangster" are, a few things have apparently missed your attention. Since you have helpfully encapsulated your objections in a user-friedly list format (and lists are certainly something, again, which a grizzled QB veteran can appreciate), allow me to do likewise. "1. I don't see you running a pool." Of course, were he so inclined to do so, Andy would have beaten him to the punch, wouldn't he? I tend to lose patience with this argument; it's the same sort of drivel those who run bad tournaments use: "Well, I didn't see you run this tournament this week at our school and do a better job than we did, did I?" "2. If you miss the pool for a week, is it the coming of Ragnarok you suggest it is? Hardly." Well, hardly Armageddon; but does your little zinger dissolve his main point (see above)? I don't think it does; again: "I know you may have though the questions at this tournament were horrible, but it isn't the end of the world, is it?" "3. Let's refrain from insulting someone who is doing this: A. For everyone's enjoyment B. In his spare time C. For people who are not overly serious about this (must I say it AGAIN?!) *fun* competitive event we all share as a bond." Oh, yes, the best one of all. "Gosh, man, why do you take this all so seriously? IT'S JUST A GAME, right? If you just relax and don't bother to adopt the assumption of quality, than everyone's OK." At least you didn't use the old "Get a life" bromide. "Perhaps someone is a little too much of a "hardcore quizbowl junkie", and should get to be more of a junkie by indulging himself in something like A LIFE." Oh, wait; my bad. You did use that tired old cliche, didn't you? Well, can't accuse you of being anything less than thorough; though keeping in mind that before you employed this entirely new, completely on-topic, exceptionally novel riposte, you did accuse someone of using "the English language in a hackneyed manner", I was wondering: when you hurl those boulders in that glass house of yours, don't you ever worry that something might break, like your credibility? Just some thoughts. Of course, I fully expect that no one will fire back, and will be stunned and hurt (and will publicly voice my pain) if someone does.
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