Grant ye, I didn't actually play or see anyone else play the tournament on Saturday because of my stats duties. But I have been a frequent ACF victim, which more than qualifies me to rant. ACF seems pretty intent to kill itself. There is no way for ACF to survive if the incoming generation continues to be treated like crap. This is a game--that means it's supposed to be fun. You can't have fun if all you're being allowed to do is hold a buzzer while some grognard is answering every question. Imagine a team that plays 12 rounds, scores 675 points, and allows 3455. They weren't getting to play quizbowl. They were getting to watch their opponents play quizbowl by themselves. It's like the difference between a football game between Nebraska and San Diego State and a game between Nebraska and the Utah State High School for the Performing Arts. I don't think you should isolate the young teams in ACF, but you have to at least reward them. If all they wind up doing at the tournament is watching 40-year-old professional students answering questions about subjects they'll never hear again, there's a good chance they won't just abandon ACF, but quizbowl altogether. Perhaps a Division II, with lower entrance fees and trophies all its own is in order. Lower the entrance fees and promise a better chance at recognition, and you'll get a healthy showing of young teams. You can still play them against the DivI teams, to show them how far they have to go, but by having plenty of DivII teams and awarding separate honors, you let them play on their own level and enjoy themselves as well. Don't you think a freshman whose first memories of ACF are enjoyable is more likely to come back when he's a Junior, a Senior, or a Grad when they're more prepared for the highest levels?
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