Re: Get a life!

cdbarker · Sun, 17 Feb 2002 15:43:15 -0800

I don't have a problem with being called out by
an obvious troll who is too scared to make his name
known, but I do have a problem with factual inaccuracy.

As anyone who knows me knows, I'm not a grad
student, I am a college grad (Class of `00) who has a very
fulfilling and steady full-time job as a high school teacher
and only plays in Masters' trash tournaments when
time and locality permit. Like many of my brethren,
graduate and "retired" alike, I work to help build the
circuit through question writing, assisting my old team,
and reading at tournaments who need readers. Charlie
made this point much more eloquently than I did, so I
will let his statement stand.

If you have a
problem with that, well, I feel sorry for you, but I
think most players would agree that it is better to
play when you can and help make things better for
everyone else when you're not playing.

And as for
my earlier comment about research and learning can
make you a better player, well, it was a touch smarmy,
and to those people who know me, they know that while
I agree with the sentiment that research and
learning can make you a better player (how could they
not), there is no reason you should feel like you HAVE
to commit yourself to it to be able to enjoy quiz
bowl. Every player makes a choice as to how they want
to approach their game and their results will show
it. But in the end, it's just a game, people should
be able and be allowed to have fun with it on
whatever level they choose.

I will also point out
that you should full well know that quiz bowl tends to
be, for good or for bad, a community of results
oriented respect. So if you want to earn respect from many
denizens of this realm, don't tell us you're a pretty good
player. Instead, pony up your name, pony up some stats,
and let the people make the decision for themselves.
Facts always speak louder than unsubstantiated
opinions.

(Sorry to continue fanning the flames here, but like a
majority of people in the qb world, factual inaccuracies
make me quite frustrated.)

Craig
Barker

[once more, speaking only for himself and not for any
program or company he is associated with]