Search found 76 matches

by fizzball
Fri Jan 25, 2019 2:10 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Trash prizes available (not any more)
Replies: 0
Views: 2442

Trash prizes available (not any more)

EDIT: stuff is gone. Anna Kournikova phone case (for a tiny phone I've never seen) Keeping Secrets , a memoir by Suzanne Somers Paula Abdul: Straight Up (a Weekly Reader-level bio for little kids) Propeller One-Way Night Coach by John Travolta The End of the Age , a novel by Pat Robertson Yanni In W...
by fizzball
Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:27 pm
Forum: Quizbowl History Forum
Topic: Famous People who played Quizbowl
Replies: 24
Views: 35216

Re: Famous People who played Quizbowl

Erik Nielsen (ex-BU; Garrett on Community) makes his Conan debut this Wednesday.
by fizzball
Fri May 04, 2012 6:05 pm
Forum: Quizbowl History Forum
Topic: Odd Ways of Learning Things
Replies: 177
Views: 198097

Re: Odd Ways of Learning Things

Got a question on Robbie Robertson based on his producing Neil Diamond's Beautiful Noise LP; for years my mom's favorite weekend house-cleaning soundtrack. Powered a question on Hollywoodland thanks to an acquaintance with a George Reeves biographer. One of the few times my wife has quizzed, she 30'...
by fizzball
Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:34 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Penn Bowl Trash III General Discussion
Replies: 18
Views: 3856

Re: Penn Bowl Trash III General Discussion

1. Not having actually looked at the set, it sure seemed like there was an overabundance of basketball. And as such, an overabundance of "this 6-foot-11 forward" or the like as a clue. This is a space-waster worse than "Born on/in", unless you're writing about Jon Rauch or Eddie ...
by fizzball
Mon Feb 14, 2011 1:00 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Penn Bowl Trash mirror @ Northwestern (2/13/11)
Replies: 21
Views: 5847

Re: Penn Bowl Trash mirror @ Northwestern (2/13/11)

I don't want to say too much in light of the upcoming mirrors, but:

1. Seemed to be way too much of one particular thing

2. the height of athletes is the new "born on xxxxx" as a lead-in clue that should be purged from use.
by fizzball
Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:02 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Power TUs in trash
Replies: 4
Views: 1441

Power TUs in trash

Splitting from the lames thread: What I do think hurts trash tournaments, especially open tournaments, is the power tossup, but that's another story. I can't imagine why you think powers have a tangibly negative impact on tournaments of any kind, let alone why having them at open and trash tournamen...
by fizzball
Mon Dec 27, 2010 6:25 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Lames In Modern Tournaments
Replies: 12
Views: 3417

Re: Lames In Modern Tournaments

With the narrowing of the trash "canon", and distributions pretty well settled, lames are less important than they were in the early aughts. I don't think their presence helps or harms a tournament, really, although lames without saves (the opponent picking up the lamed bonus to be read at...
by fizzball
Wed Sep 08, 2010 12:23 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Potential Full Time Job Offer in Quiz Bowl
Replies: 56
Views: 22570

Re: Potential Full Time Job Offer in Quiz Bowl

I have a question. What, specifically, about these potential positions requires them to be located in the NY area?


Not a candidate, even if they end up as remote positions,
by fizzball
Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:19 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Goodman CO Trash discussion
Replies: 33
Views: 6511

Re: Goodman CO Trash discussion

I tell you, if I had let a tossup on Yello go through when I was editing TRASH music, I would have gotten an earful... This was a very good set. I especially enjoyed the amounts of Criterion in the movies, and decent 80s music (aforementioned Yello, plus Bauhaus, Liquid Liquid, Kirsty MacColl, etc.)...
by fizzball
Wed Jul 28, 2010 4:19 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Ideal Trash Distribution
Replies: 23
Views: 5256

Re: Ideal Trash Distribution

I dislike gaming too, but give video games more credit than 5%. I know revenue isn't the defining criterion for distribution, but we are talking about popular culture. In 2009, the video game industry was second only to sports among the segments of pop culture in terms of US revenue: Sports: $25.9 ...
by fizzball
Sat Jul 24, 2010 11:46 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Announcement: Paul Goodman Memorial Open
Replies: 157
Views: 59568

Re: Announcement: Paul Goodman Memorial Open

What time Sunday? Should people not playing today expect 8-8:30 @ Harper, as with CO proper?

Edit: with the caveat that going late Saturday may also affect Sunday's start?
by fizzball
Wed Jul 07, 2010 10:16 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Announcement: Paul Goodman Memorial Open
Replies: 157
Views: 59568

Re: Announcement: Paul Goodman Memorial Open

Colby may have gotten in touch with marnold directly, but his team is going to include Jeremy White, Brian Hight, and myself.
by fizzball
Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:52 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Chicago Open date poll
Replies: 14
Views: 2955

Re: Chicago Open date poll

Other summer events in Chicago of note:

Pitchfork Music Festival, 7/16-18
Lollapalooza, Aug. 6-8
by fizzball
Thu Jan 21, 2010 12:21 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Minnesota '09-'10
Replies: 139
Views: 24984

Re: Minnesota '09-'10

Hey, my nephew is a freshman at Anoka and joined the QB team. Are they a factor on the MNQB scene? I think they're technically a Knowledge Bowl team--are KB schools exclusive to that format?
by fizzball
Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:31 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: CULT Nationals - VCU - 6/26/10-6/27/10
Replies: 107
Views: 23915

Re: CULT Nationals - VCU - 6/26/10-6/27/10

nalin wrote:
cornfused wrote:à la TGTT11?
Inspired by TGTT11, but in Trash form only. I feel its the only way you can run a trash topic packet, without alienating a significant part of the field in any given round.

Depauw did this at DUCK Bowl 2004. Sets have been wastebinned here.
by fizzball
Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:36 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Ferdinand Tönnies Discussion
Replies: 42
Views: 13990

Re: Ferdinand Tönnies Discussion

I think what Greg (S.) may be saying is that some of the "older" material tended to require a gentler level of knowledge in order to get fifteen, which may reward those who are either chronologically older or I guess someone like myself who likes that sort of stuff. For example, "The...
by fizzball
Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:45 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Ferdinand Tönnies Discussion
Replies: 42
Views: 13990

Re: Ferdinand Tönnies Discussion

I think I enjoyed last year's set a shade better, though this year's considerably toned down my least favorite part of CO Trash. Questions were mostly very good, though there were some blatant cases of non-pyramidality. Also, power marks in sports were often placed too low, as they've been in previo...
by fizzball
Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:59 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Announcement: Ferdinand Tönnies Memorial Trash Tournament
Replies: 116
Views: 31787

Re: Announcement: Ferdinand Tönnies Memorial Trash Tournament

Is Andrew (or an onsite runner) assigning team names as in past events, or are we submitting our own?


EDIT: full title defense team of myself, Jeremy White, Brian Hight, and Colby Burnett.
by fizzball
Wed May 06, 2009 7:30 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: New National Trash Tournament in 2010?
Replies: 58
Views: 13269

Re: New National Trash Tournament in 2010?

FWIW I think Charlie and Dan's points are mostly excellent. Adding time to a format that can easily run long; (ir)relevance of strategy; and the idea that teams should just suck it up and get better on certain things: While I may not agree with all of them, these philosophical arguments against the ...
by fizzball
Tue May 05, 2009 1:00 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: New National Trash Tournament in 2010?
Replies: 58
Views: 13269

Re: New National Trash Tournament in 2010?

Lames usually give you the first bonus part before a team needs to make a decision. Here are some questions from 2007 Chris McCray and 2006 Gottfried Keller -- two "modern", well-regarded tournaments -- that follow exactly that kind of bonus structure. I'm not saying they're bad questions;...
by fizzball
Tue May 05, 2009 5:58 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: New National Trash Tournament in 2010?
Replies: 58
Views: 13269

Re: New National Trash Tournament in 2010?

Dunno if I'd play, but this ex-TRASH writer is cool with this. Competition makes everyone better (in theory anyway). I voted for January. If this new tournament is supposed to attract the same wide market that TRASH shoots for, I suggest that it incorporate lames. They seem to be wrongly dismissed a...
by fizzball
Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:56 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Announcement: Ferdinand Tönnies Memorial Trash Tournament
Replies: 116
Views: 31787

Re: Announcement: Ferdinand Tönnies Memorial Trash Tournament

will likely bring some sort of oldster team.
by fizzball
Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:11 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Proposed trash/TRASH guidelines
Replies: 100
Views: 18590

Re: Proposed trash/TRASH guidelines

... I think one could write an effective and enjoyable trash tournament with 3/3 sports. However, where is the 1/1 that used to be in sports going to go? Will it be used for another core trash subject or for one of the minor subjects? I think you reverse the 4/4 sports, 3/3 movies you had in your o...
by fizzball
Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:08 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Proposed trash/TRASH guidelines
Replies: 100
Views: 18590

Re: Proposed trash/TRASH guidelines

I'm still not seeing why a 4/4 sports distribution gets the free pass it gets. Yes, sports are popular with quizbowl players and college students in general. So what. Knock it down to 3/3 or fewer. I echo Mike Bentley that they're dull to write and they're dull to play. But why continue to struggle ...
by fizzball
Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:54 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: GARBAGE set discussion
Replies: 44
Views: 7808

Re: GARBAGE set discussion

Eh, maybe I loved playing Hit the Road so much as a youngster, but on paper, it seems pretty clear who it's looking for. I mean, which one of Sam and Max do you "use" on items to achieve comical results? (Note: I didn't get this question because I couldn't remember which was which for a s...
by fizzball
Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:14 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: GARBAGE set discussion
Replies: 44
Views: 7808

Re: GARBAGE set discussion

As someone who derived his HSQB handle from the Freelance Police, I must commend (or damn, not sure which) Team Sorice for writing a Sam & Max question which I probably would have been beaten to, as it ignored the comics and cartoon series. It's clear after "little buddy," but the Hit ...
by fizzball
Tue Jul 22, 2008 3:44 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: ANNOUNCEMENT: VETO in Vancouver and Toronto, 7/19/2008
Replies: 23
Views: 5431

Re: ANNOUNCEMENT: VETO in Vancouver and Toronto, 7/19/2008

I refuse to be involved with any tournament run by the person who thinks curling's finals system is good for quizbowl. Minimum 30 min. drinking and cardplaying between matches, winning team buys the first round. Downside? If you're determined to have playoff rounds, a Page playoff *can* determine a...
by fizzball
Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:37 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: CO Trash discussion
Replies: 22
Views: 5714

itt I gasp for air

I've already been told the tournament skewed "old" compared to tournaments like ASS, but my instinct is that David and I might have pulled this a bit younger than previous incarnations of this tournament. I haven't read the ASS questions close enough to compare, but I think your instincts...
by fizzball
Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:08 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2008 Movies Singles Tournament (still on, hopefully)
Replies: 63
Views: 16298

Re: 2008 Movies Singles Tournament (still on, hopefully)

Congrats to Rom for his decisive victory! Decisive it was, too. Finals participants included Rom, Lorin, Matts Lafer & Weiner, Magin, me, and I know I'm forgetting someone and am sorry about it. Look for it on the podcast, I imagine. Thanks to Ray & Yogesh for putting it together, and thank...
by fizzball
Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:48 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2008 Movies Singles Tournament (still on, hopefully)
Replies: 63
Views: 16298

Re: 2008 Movies Singles Tournament (still on, hopefully)

I also won't be there Friday. I would imagine Colby is doubtful as well.
by fizzball
Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:38 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Quizbowl Radiogram
Replies: 7
Views: 2450

Re: Quizbowl Radiogram

My teammates might nix it, but "Gasping for Air" just shot to the top of my team name choices.
by fizzball
Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:59 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Chicago Open 2008: The End Comes...Beyond the Omega Point
Replies: 73
Views: 11671

Re: Chicago Open 2008: The End Comes...Beyond the Omega Point

It was, I saw; but no matter. If I'm in someone's afternoon staffing calculations I should be there anyway.

And it looks like a movie tournament could break out at any time, without warning. Vigilance is the watchword.
by fizzball
Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:42 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Chicago Open 2008: The End Comes...Beyond the Omega Point
Replies: 73
Views: 11671

Re: Chicago Open 2008: The End Comes...Beyond the Omega Point

As I'm arriving that Saturday "around lunchtime", I can pick up a food order from some place (singular) if that makes things easier/more reliable.
by fizzball
Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:27 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: catch-all CO staffing discussion
Replies: 0
Views: 1351

catch-all CO staffing discussion

I'm not sure which of the separate CO event announcements/discussions this is most appropriate for, so: I'm available to staff in some capacity from Saturday afternoon (after the Movie event) until whenever, and again Sunday night after trash 'til whenever. Can't make it Friday, sorry. I'm a little ...
by fizzball
Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:42 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: ASS II Discussion
Replies: 22
Views: 6602

Re: ASS II Discussion

Thanks for posting the set so soon. I enjoyed checking these out, though the visual doc only opened well for me after I PDFd it.

The Venture Bros. round was especially entertaining, though I was hoping to see a good Klaus Nomi question.
by fizzball
Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:16 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Vanity and Answer Selection
Replies: 6
Views: 2264

Re: Vanity and Answer Selection

Vanity answer selection is okay sometimes.

Appolonia answer selection is right out.
by fizzball
Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:13 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: 2008 Movies Singles Tournament (still on, hopefully)
Replies: 63
Views: 16298

Re: CO Movies Tournament

I'd be interested in playing this, but I'd defer to people actually involved in other Saturday events. If there's still room after them, pls. sign me up.
by fizzball
Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:10 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: CO trash announcement
Replies: 67
Views: 14254

Re: CO trash announcement

There are also free agents, e.g. Colby, and other tentative teams, e.g. Greg Sorenson et al. A number of people have volunteered to staff the tournament, so I don't think I'll have to close registration any time soon. As always, just let me know if you're interested in playing/staffing (adyaphe at ...
by fizzball
Wed May 07, 2008 7:41 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: (Correct) Answers that made you hang your head in shame.
Replies: 80
Views: 20041

Re: (Correct) Answers that made you hang your head in shame.

In the mists of time, Joe Wright and I played as a duo in a trash tournament. We were playing the Princeton team featuring the Stewart family (replete with kids.) The question on 'Debbie Does Dallas' was answered by the Mormon mother of three, Jen Stewart. I'm not sure who should be ashamed of what...
by fizzball
Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:46 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: CO trash announcement
Replies: 67
Views: 14254

Re: CO trash announcement

(Note that there will be less meta quizbowl than the Keller featured... So much for me playing in this. MaS However, you should expect the prices to resemble those announced by Matt Weiner for his incarnation of CO trash last summer, since apparently we were foolishly undercharging people in the pa...
by fizzball
Tue Mar 18, 2008 9:31 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Please Critique These Questions
Replies: 24
Views: 4384

Re: Please Critique These Questions

Would "This reliever died on April 29 in a car wreck with a stopped tow truck, a wreck later found to have been caused by his intoxication." be better?
"...in a DUI-related car wreck with a stopped tow truck" ?
by fizzball
Tue Mar 18, 2008 9:12 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Please Critique These Questions
Replies: 24
Views: 4384

Re: Please Critique These Questions

I'd prompt for Wade Phillips' first name. There are fraud points available on Bum (or Weeb, Knute, Woody, or Fielding).
C. This reliever died on April 29 in a car wreck with a stopped tow truck caused by his intoxication.
This is an awkward sentence. His intoxication stopped the tow truck?
by fizzball
Wed Jan 02, 2008 7:03 pm
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: Most Egregious Song Sell Outs - A HSQB Project
Replies: 10
Views: 2582

Buzzcocks "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" in an AARP ad. disconnect: 10 (does AARP really equate retirement with a phrase from Brave New World?) sacredness:7 origins: 10 reputation:8 wealth: 2 (I had to keep ratcheting this down after seeing the Post give the Clash and Ramones 4 and 3) time: ...
by fizzball
Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:21 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: Trash distribution discussion
Replies: 76
Views: 32486

For example, I love how noone here questions the inclusion of 4/4 sports. yeah, I'm not saying TV doesn't have problems, but I've also been wondering why 4/4 sports gets a free pass. So many sports questions regurgitate stat lists, or are biography or transaction bowl questions. Y'know, the stuff g...
by fizzball
Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:00 am
Forum: High school area archives
Topic: UPDATE: NAQT's website is up!
Replies: 15
Views: 6711

There were some nasty storms in the Twin Cities area over the weekend, knocking out power in various places (apparently also affecting NAQT's servers). The StarTribune says some areas may not have power restored until tomorrow.
by fizzball
Wed Apr 25, 2007 5:59 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: TRASHionals Discussion
Replies: 111
Views: 49398

Unfortunately, this requires that the scorekeeper recorded this, and in my experience in having this on ABD scoresheets, at best half will record this information. If a laming stat is to be taken seriously, then a scoresheet shouldn't be accepted without it. We're talking about recording four extra...
by fizzball
Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:36 pm
Forum: College area archives
Topic: TRASHionals Discussion
Replies: 111
Views: 49398

This certainly seems to be a polarizing category. We lamed literally every video game bonus that we could, and only one was stolen all weekend. In addition, most of our opponents lamed or bageled their bonuses as well. It seemed like N% of the teams (where N is a number between 50 and 80) really lo...
by fizzball
Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:53 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: TRASHionals Discussion
Replies: 111
Views: 49398

Pop culture tournaments with pyramidal questions and a regular, non-skewed toward old shit and indie music of the last 3 years, reasonable distribution such as Richler, Keller, and I'm sure some of Charlie's tournaments, count as trash... Keller's music distribution skewed much older than TRASHiona...
by fizzball
Tue Apr 24, 2007 12:44 am
Forum: College area archives
Topic: TRASHionals Discussion
Replies: 111
Views: 49398

I think that the audio tossups could use some work. I like the idea of them, but they really need to be editted in such a way that they are pyramidal. Did any room not buzz on the theme song to 90210 on the first note or two? That question probably would have been better served by giving clips from...