I read this group on the web, about once a year, when I start feeling nostalgic for the old days as a member of the Maryland team. I noticed that the Terrapin Invitational Tournament announcement this year mentioned the term "bastard teams." I'm glad to see that's become a fixture in quiz bowl jargon -- that rich dialect of English documented in so many team "lexica." Coining the term "bastard team" (originally of Alice Chou, Andrew Yaphe, and John Edwards) was probably my one lasting contribution to the game. I remember my quiz bowl years fondly, with a twinge of regret that my team never won ACF Nationals. A lot happened during those years: ACF flourished, NAQT started up, the rise of grad students occurred (not sure if it's still going on?). We had some good rivalries: Virginia, Georgia Tech. We got to see some of the real greats play, and beat them too. I was awfully obnoxious, if I recall. Whatever that "pajama" comment was that I made about Alice Chou, it probably wasn't nice. And the constant flaming posts to the newsgroup and listserve about how lame CBI and NAQT were. And spite and haughtiness and contempt...all part of the game, it seemed. Made it a little more fun sometimes. But the grudging respect one had to give to a team like Georgia Tech or Virginia was a more valuable part of the quiz bowl experience. As a player, I remember taking a lot of neg-fives, including some terrible ones to lose games and tournaments. "Jutes" for "Vikings" in the 1996 ACF Nationals finals comes to mind. "Karl Barth" for "John Barth." I had some good games, too, though. I remember trading taunts and competing with my teammates, especially David Hamilton. Long car trips playing Botticelli. I miss quiz bowl. It was good. Best, Matt Colvin
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