Saying Farewell

[Adventure Temple Trail]

"If today were the day you had to stop dancing. ...How would you feel?"

I was gonna go full Joseph Knecht and write a huge detailed letter laying out this game's place in human history and its effect on me. Then I wasn't sure whether to write anything at all. I'll split the difference by keeping it short.


I have decided to leave the quizbowl community.


After nine and a half years in which this game-world gave so much to me and I gave so much to it, I look inwards and just don't find whatever it is that would let me reliably contribute to any future event, group, team, or discussion here. I prefer to take that reality as a cue to go, rather than to get more and more half-hearted and half-assed as time goes on. I may still visit an occasional future championship or jot down amusing question ideas, and I will definitely stay in touch with the many personal friends I've made here. But as new avenues for personal and intellectual growth start to come into view for me, the best thing I can do for myself now is follow them outward from here and see where they lead.

I have all due confidence that the current and upcoming generation will put its energy and zeal toward preserving this game and taking it forward in exciting future directions.

I regret that in much of my time here, I fell short of treating others with as much courtesy, decency, maturity, and restraint as I was capable of. I have no excuses to offer for that today. All I can do for each person I've wronged is apologize as sincerely as I can and dedicate the time and effort to doing better from here on out.

I have no idea what I'd be today without the life-within-a-life I had here. Best of luck and good night.

-Matt Jackson

[Sima Guang Hater]

[Cheynem]

See you in a few years.

(I mean this in a nice way--obviously thanks for the good stuff you did)

[1992 in spaceflight]

I'm glad for all you've done to make the game better, Matt. I hope you find your work and your life to be fulfilling, and fully welcome you to visit NASAT or any event in St. Louis if you happen to be in the area.

[AKKOLADE]

In 2015, a crack quiz bowl player was sent to a question writing gulag, by a History Bowl, for a tournament he didn't initially commit to.

This man promptly escaped from a maximum security television studio to the quiz bowl underground. Today, still wanted by Alex Trebek, he survives as a soldier of counting.

If you have a number of objects, if no one else can hold up their fingers, and if you can find him... maybe you can hire Matt Jackson.

[Excelsior (smack)]

F

[gyre and gimble]

Thanks for all of your hard work, sportsmanship, and competition Matt. While working on ACF Regionals with you I realized that, at least during the time I've been involved in the collegiate game, nobody is as competent, responsible, and well-meaning a member of this community as you have been.

Also:

I regret that in much of my time here, I fell short of treating others with as much courtesy, decency, maturity, and restraint as I was capable of. I have no excuses to offer for that today. All I can do for each person I've wronged is apologize as sincerely as I can and dedicate the time and effort to doing better from here on out.

Come on, man!

[gimmedatguudsuccrose]

F

[The King's Flight to the Scots]

I have no intention of saying goodbye to the community for a while longer, but I wonder if, as my generation moves on, this might not be a time to assess the state of the game. Are we on a sustainable course? Are we developing enough new writers to pick up the slack as older editors move on? Are people as engaged as they ever were? I'd appreciate hearing responses to those questions from people more intimately engaged in current competition.

[Skepticism and Animal Feed]

I thought it was pretty cool that one year when Matt saved NHBB and ACF Nationals in the same year.

[cchiego]

I have no intention of saying goodbye from the community for a while longer, but I wonder if, as my generation moves on, this might not be a time to assess the state of the game. Are we on a sustainable course? Are we developing enough new writers to pick up the slack as older editors move on? Are people as engaged as they ever were? I'd appreciate hearing responses to those questions from people more intimately engaged in current competition.

I hope that as people move on from playing/writing/editing quizbowl that they stay involved by reading at local tournaments. Quizbowl reading skill is a preciously rare commodity in pretty much every part of the country. A few Saturdays a year reading can make a big difference in the quality of a local circuit.

Best of luck Matt (and to the many other quizbowl alumni out there!).

[grapesmoker]

Thanks for all your hard work, Matt. The game is much better for your involvement.

I have no intention of saying goodbye from the community for a while longer, but I wonder if, as my generation moves on, this might not be a time to assess the state of the game. Are we on a sustainable course? Are we developing enough new writers to pick up the slack as older editors move on? Are people as engaged as they ever were? I'd appreciate hearing responses to those questions from people more intimately engaged in current competition.

This is a question that gets asked every 5 or 6 years or so, as one generation of players transitions from college/grad school into "real life." I guess we're just about due to have this conversation once again.

[The Ununtiable Twine]

Thanks for all your hard work, Matt. The game is much better for your involvement.

I have no intention of saying goodbye from the community for a while longer, but I wonder if, as my generation moves on, this might not be a time to assess the state of the game. Are we on a sustainable course? Are we developing enough new writers to pick up the slack as older editors move on? Are people as engaged as they ever were? I'd appreciate hearing responses to those questions from people more intimately engaged in current competition.

This is a question that gets asked every 5 or 6 years or so, as one generation of players transitions from college/grad school into "real life." I guess we're just about due to have this conversation once again.

Sometimes I come to think that having that conversation actually propels the next generation to have bigger and better accomplishments than their predecessors. I think the generation of the Matts answered quizbowl's calls for the next generation to step in a big way. Will next generation be able to live up to the last one? Only time will tell. Given quizbowl's growth since then I think they could very well end up being a better generation if they really want to.

[dtaylor4]

I hope that as people move on from playing/writing/editing quizbowl that they stay involved by reading at local tournaments. Quizbowl reading skill is a preciously rare commodity in pretty much every part of the country. A few Saturdays a year reading can make a big difference in the quality of a local circuit.

This, so much this. This goes out to anyone, but: if you relocate, please try and reach out to other quizbowl people in the area. Not saying you have to read at every tournament under the sun, but believe me when I say that most quizbowlers, even semi-retired ones, are miles better than the usual dreck, and the players notice (and appreciate the quality).