ThePocketProtector wrote:
I’m getting brave in my old age.
I wish people would realize there are a whole bunch of ways to skin a catfish. The truth is that the majority of the teams in the state aren’t doing things the “right” way. There might be one “best” way, but encouraging people to do ANYTHING that might help them to get better should be seen as a positive. Yes, there are caveats. Chip bowl won’t help you much. Memorizing random statistics might only help you on TV. I don’t think that starting with lists will lead to your permanent quiz bowl stunting. I feel the same way about it as I feel about coffee. They told me that coffee would stunt my growth. I started drinking it in 6th grade. I'm still 6'5".
Random Noobie “I want to do this thing to get better that won’t take me very long.”
Wise, Old Sage “Well, what you should really do is devote your life to quiz bowl and spend the next 3 months studying in ways I have approved. I can point to an unbroken chain of old masters that all agree this method is the only way to be great. If you do it your way, then you will never ascend to the Olympus of quiz bowl.”
Random Noobie “Oh heck with it. Homie ain’t got time for that. I’m out.”
Scene. We have lost random noobie and now we will never know how great he or she could have been. Random noobie may have been able to get some buzzes at his or her next tournament and got hooked. Instead he or she is going to go back to studying for their next AP Bio exam. That won’t help them with the next Guernica - Picasso buzz.
Before anyone says it, this isn’t a direct response to above, but an observation I have come to in the last 4 years. I’ve just gotten brave enough to say it. If I am wrong, I am sure that many people much smarter than me will tell me.
Bob isn't a "random noobie", but I stand by my offense against stock clues. Quiz Bowl is about the gathering of knowledge, not the ability to associate two words and get points.
Bob, I apologize if this was taken as an affront to your coaching, I have no doubt you are a very capable coach, especially after playing games that you moderated. It sucks to have kids who aren't motivated, as 80% of my teammates are.

I would suggest they anki stuff from old questions to get started. Like kind of make their own stock.
