The Quizbowl Resource Center

Slade was awesome, no doubt... However, I do have the advantage in that I can look back over the last 12 years of high school competition with a pretty clear memory. And in those 12 years, no one has come close to Ed Dean in overall kick-buttedness. I don't think Altamont lost a single match in the entire 1998-1999 season.


That being said, I have no clue what happened to Ed after he graduated in 1999. He never played in college.

Are any more of y'all planning to play in college? Slade, I'm still waiting for your glorious return to the game.

I think I said this before, but my playing career REALLY took off in college. That's when I actually became a decent player. I got very few individual awards while in high school (though they really didn't give many ind. awards in my day). The best one I got was at the Huntsville Invitational in 1999 where I was the 2nd highest scorer - 10 points behind - you guessed it - Ed Dean from Altamont....

From my playing career... '99 - '03...

1) Slade Gilmer (probably influenced by his XX - 0 record during my playing career. Also never had a strong team behind him after his soph year. Probably the Malone of HS Quizbowl. Best player never to win a championship.)

2) George Nelson (only played against him once, but he left a strong impression with his early buzzes.)

Honorable Mentions...

I never saw Shiva his Sr. year, so hard to make a good call on him, but Grissom had a string of good players... Blake, Daniel, Robert, Shiva, etc...

LAMP had a string... George, Tony, Alex, etc...

It's hard to gauage a playe when they have multiple strong players because they may not appear at the top of all tournament rankings.

The best from my alma mater is probably Neel (also '99 - '03)

Hey quizbowllee, I think my coach mentioned a guy from (Hayden?) a few years back who was pretty beastly. I don't think they've ever been good since that guy's tenure but I never saw him. Any idea? Also, have you seen Slade play in person?

NRLYAGODD wrote:From my playing career... '99 - '03...

1) Slade Gilmer (probably influenced by his XX - 0 record during my playing career. Also never had a strong team behind him after his soph year. Probably the Malone of HS Quizbowl. Best player never to win a championship.)

2) George Nelson (only played against him once, but he left a strong impression with his early buzzes.)

Honorable Mentions...

I never saw Shiva his Sr. year, so hard to make a good call on him, but Grissom had a string of good players... Blake, Daniel, Robert, Shiva, etc...

LAMP had a string... George, Tony, Alex, etc...

It's hard to gauage a playe when they have multiple strong players because they may not appear at the top of all tournament rankings.

The best from my alma mater is probably Neel (also '99 - '03)

Hey quizbowllee, I think my coach mentioned a guy from (Hayden?) a few years back who was pretty beastly. I don't think they've ever been good since that guy's tenure but I never saw him. Any idea? Also, have you seen Slade play in person?

The person for Hayden you are referring to was Chris Sanders. He was pretty good. I remember once he answered a question on Zoroastrianism off of one word. Granted, the word was "Ahriman," but it was still cool. I saw him single-handedly kill some great teams. But (a moment for gloating), Hayden NEVER beat my team with or without Chris).


And, yes, I saw Slade play several times. I saw him at his best and at his worst. Slade was awesome, don't get me wrong. I'd probably put Slade at #2. In fact, here is my rankings:

#1 - Ed Dean (Altamont circa 1999)
#2 - Slade
#3 - Carter Pelham - (CCA now)
#4 - George Nelson (LAMP a few years ago)
#5 - Taylor Hill (Springs circa 1999)
#6 - Daniel (Grissom 1998-2002)
#7 - Chris Sanders (Hayden circa 1999-2000)

That's about as far as I'm willing to go with this. I never saw some of the big dogs play (including Neel), so I didn't put them on here.

quizbowllee wrote:Slade was awesome, no doubt... However, I do have the advantage in that I can look back over the last 12 years of high school competition with a pretty clear memory. And in those 12 years, no one has come close to Ed Dean in overall kick-buttedness. I don't think Altamont lost a single match in the entire 1998-1999 season.


That being said, I have no clue what happened to Ed after he graduated in 1999. He never played in college.

Are any more of y'all planning to play in college? Slade, I'm still waiting for your glorious return to the game.

I think I said this before, but my playing career REALLY took off in college. That's when I actually became a decent player. I got very few individual awards while in high school (though they really didn't give many ind. awards in my day). The best one I got was at the Huntsville Invitational in 1999 where I was the 2nd highest scorer - 10 points behind - you guessed it - Ed Dean from Altamont....

Getting together a team at Ole Miss is tougher than I thought...although we've had some preliminary interest, we never can sustain it. I'd love to get back in it, although I'd probably be pretty bad right off the bat.

I went to a couple of practices as a freshmen and quickly realized the college circuit wasn't really for me. Too intense. That and I was by far the worse freshmen. =P

I noticed that Bob Jones has thrown their hats into the ring and entered the NAQT HSNCT Tournament. We'll see you Bob Jones folk in Chicago.

It now appears that Indian Springs has registered for PACE, meaning that 6 teams from five schools are representing Alabama in National Championships:

Brindlee Mountain A - NAQT and PACE
Brindlee Mountain B - NAQT and PACE
Covenant Christian - NAQT
Bob Jones - NAQT
Indian Springs - PACE
ASFA - Panasonic

That may be a record for Alabama...

(Go Bob Jones!)

If there is an ASCN, that's where LAMP's going, I guess.

It's kind of disappointing to me that they didn't register for NAQT nationals again this year, but oh well.

well, they haven't registered for PACE either.

Well maybe next year I will be able to add the group with my bunch from Scottsboro..
Dr. Chuck, how do I contact you about aligning my Fall tournament next year with PACE?

And maybe, by the end of next year, or 2007-08, Russellville will get back on the nationals scene. Good luck to BJ, ASFA, Springs, CCA, and Brindlee. I'd love to see a 'Bama team do well.

Matthew D wrote:Well maybe next year I will be able to add the group with my bunch from Scottsboro..
Dr. Chuck, how do I contact you about aligning my Fall tournament next year with PACE?

Eventually, you'll just email me. I'll have to start figuring out the list of tournaments at some point in the near future... but if you are able to make it to NSC, you can feel free to publicize your event here.

Yeah well we are going to ASCN, but would be going to NAQT if the SATs were not that Saturday. No one has really mentioned PACE.

Good luck to all the Alabama teams going to National tournaments.

DZ_LAMP wrote:Yeah well we are going to ASCN, but would be going to NAQT if the SATs were not that Saturday. No one has really mentioned PACE.

Good luck to all the Alabama teams going to National tournaments.

What is ASCN like? I've never been, and I've heard very little about it. We got invited this year, but we've already committed to PACE and NAQT, so we won't be attending. I doubt that we would anyway, but I'm curious.

Could someone who has been explain the format, question type, etc. We might try and go next year if it sounds worthwhile.

The questions are like ASCA, only there are very, very few hoses, and the format is a bit different. Assuming they didn't change anything, the format is:

Period 1: 20 questions worth 10 points each.
Period 2: 10-point questions asked until 4 bonuses are answered
Period 3: Lightning round worth up to 120 points (100 for getting 10 right, 20 as a bonus)
Period 4: All remaining questions are asked, for 20 points each

I have to question the merit of an organization that misspells its own tournament name at the top of their official website: http://www.amschol.org/index.php?option ... e&Itemid=1

Typos are one thing, but this is ridiculous.

So just curious, where are all you seniors ending up for college? Anyone going somewhere extraordinary?

I am going to UAH (Universtiy of Alabama in Huntsville).

I will be attending the University of Oklahoma and will major in meteorology.

DVader wrote:I will be attending the University of Oklahoma and will major in meteorology.

Hook 'em!

David, have you seen the schedule for Panasonic yet? You guys got the shaft in your first round. Good luck...

Yeah, I noticed our opponents in the first round. We'll try our best the first round and hope for a better lineup for the second round. Luckily with Panasonic you have another chance to qualify for the semifinals if you don't make it the first day.

So... Now that ASCN is cancelled and NAQT is full, is there any chance we'll see LAMP at PACE?

Might be possible now...

ASCN being "postponed" is really disheartening. Everyone planned the beginning of their summer around the competition and the 5 days in Chicago, so with ASCN gone and NAQT full, we dont know what we will do. The main problem is getting our money back from the airlines and also from ASCN because the competition is only currently "postponed." I doubt that you will be seeing us at PACE because of schedule conflicts and whatnot. Well.........atleast i hope that the remaining Alabama teams represent our state well.........and have a good time.

So this ASCN tournmant is the one in chicago that *was* set for may 25? like the one I'm supposed to be going to in 2 days?

I'm in arkansas, so we're flying of course, but now what am I gonna do?

Is it really cancelled?

That's okay... I'm sure Chip will still take latecomers. As for PACE, we are closed. It's too much trouble now to get additional rooms to expand the field.

E.T. Chuck wrote:That's okay... I'm sure Chip will still take latecomers. As for PACE, we are closed. It's too much trouble now to get additional rooms to expand the field.

Couldn't you take two more though to get up to 32?

E.T. Chuck wrote:That's okay... I'm sure Chip will still take latecomers.

That's a negative, ghostwriter--the field is full and the schedules have already been determined for all three of his sites.

What I'm wondering is what is meant by ASCN being "postponed?" Either it's on or it's off--I don't really see something in between happening. Do they just mean it's not happening this year but they intend to return next year? I hate to say it, but if that's what they're shooting for, it's not likely to happen.

Byko: it also does not explain why the website is completely offline. I think that the postponement is indefinite.

Matt: I would not mind taking one extra team into the NSC field. I did say "one" (to get us to 30). I would need to know before Friday, and they would need to fed-ex me a check for $525 minus buzzer discounts before Friday. A contact would need to send me everything required for the teams before the end of the month (May 31). In years past, I could have seen if there were a way to enter a team under the "minimum fee" (and there may still be a possibility), but the door closes Friday.

However, as it has been indicated, I'm very sure teams like LAMP and the other Alabama schools (since we are in their discussion board) have already made plans and could not attend on PACE weekend. LAMP has participated before at PACE, and we would love to have them back.

If I had enough interest to go to 32, I probably would consider it. But that would involve renegotiating the room and schedule arrangements within our group and with NCSSM. Hence, if there is interest, Friday is the last day I will field all comers. As such, if the reason why ASCN has cancelled is due to low participation, then my guess is that there aren't too many teams affected by this situation, and I won't expect a mad rush of teams to attend our event.

This is the reason why I wonder whether there really are teams interested in attending PACE NSC; yes, we cannot avoid various conflicts in the schedule, but even outside the NSC, there aren't too many teams that are willing to work with us with being part of the tournament network. If teams really voted with their feet (as Rick Barry likes to suggest), then ASCN's departure means that we assume the mantle of being the worst national out on the market. Granted, it's too bad the ASCN folks can't run their tournament to celebrate their 20th anniversary year. All good things... and one day it will happen with PACE.

E.T. Chuck wrote: If teams really voted with their feet (as Rick Barry likes to suggest), then ASCN's departure means that we assume the mantle of being the worst national out on the market. Granted, it's too bad the ASCN folks can't run their tournament to celebrate their 20th anniversary year. All good things... and one day it will happen with PACE.

This isn't really the right thread for this conversation, but I have to ask why you feel this way???

PACE has a smaller field than NAQT, but if we had to choose one over the other, I'd have a tough decision to make. In all honesty, I wasn't sure what to expect when we attended last year. It was really just an award to my young team for working so hard. Needless to say, I was very impressed with every aspect of the NSC. As long as it is around and it is remotely possible to attend, we will be there and will hold it in every bit as much regard as we hold NAQT's HSNCT.

Furthermore, don't EVER say that PACE is "worse" than Chip's tournament. Gimme a break....

E.T. Chuck wrote:This is the reason why I wonder whether there really are teams interested in attending PACE NSC; yes, we cannot avoid various conflicts in the schedule, but even outside the NSC, there aren't too many teams that are willing to work with us with being part of the tournament network. If teams really voted with their feet (as Rick Barry likes to suggest), then ASCN's departure means that we assume the mantle of being the worst national out on the market. Granted, it's too bad the ASCN folks can't run their tournament to celebrate their 20th anniversary year. All good things... and one day it will happen with PACE.

As long as there are teams who care about good questions, I doubt the PACE NSC will fold unless it somehow merges with the NAQT HSNCT. The NSC is only the worst national on the market if you judge by field size. Based upon question quality, its still probably the best.
I'll probably write a comparison between ASCN TOC, PACE NSC, NAQT HSNCT and Panasonic because I will have, rather uniquely, played in all of them by the end of the season.

Hey, Lee... it's only because Rick and others have said as much (about people voting with their feet). Of course, PACE's motivation is different when it comes to running the NSC (I like a more intimate field consisting of excellent teams playing on excellent questions); a lot of teams say they don't feel "ready" to play at NSC but would try next year. I know that says a lot for the standard we are perceived to have for the tournament.

Why certain teams that are considered "high powered" or have great histories in national play don't come to NSC is always an odd question. I would just presume that Irmo, James Island, and other southeastern "powerhouse" teams (such as those in Arkansas) like them who have never played at NSC in the entire history of our event just don't like untimed, pyramidal bounceback questions* (as we dovetail back to the "why short questions suck" discussion).

* that we write ourselves.

P.S. Alex: writing a summary of the ASCN TOC is going to be a bit tougher now... or maybe it would be easier!

P.P.S. Come on... there has to be something redeeming about Chip's tournament for teams like Irmo, James Island, and the Texas teams to go back there year after year... right?

E.T. Chuck wrote:P.P.S. Come on... there has to be something redeeming about Chip's tournament for teams like Irmo, James Island, and the Texas teams to go back there year after year... right?

Chip's redeeming quality is quite obvious: TJ, Gov, DCC, State College, Raleigh Charter and Richard Montgomery won't be there. Who wouldn't want to go to a tournament where you could sneak away calling yourself a "national champion" and where you get treated better than other teams by the tournament director?

E.T. Chuck wrote:P.S. Alex: writing a summary of the ASCN TOC is going to be a bit tougher now... or maybe it would be easier!

My team wasn't planning on going this year, I actually went two years ago.

See if you can "pitch" your article to the Illinois group (IHSSCBA). Every year they have multiple coaches writing summaries of the various nationals. Rob Grierson's the contact.

E.T. Chuck wrote:P.P.S. Come on... there has to be something redeeming about Chip's tournament for teams like Irmo, James Island, and the Texas teams to go back there year after year... right?

Except for the fact that this year, he has his smallest field in over 10 years at 99 teams (across 3 sites, no less). He has no Irmo, no James Island, and not as much representation from Texas as usual. It wouldn't surprise me if New York is fully 25% or more of his field.

I haven't looked at it in detail, but for all the comments about Chip not having a strong field, this might be his weakest field ever.

But he has Copley... :)

New York definitely looks like a disproportionate representation of his field. But he still has more National Merit Scholars... hmm... maybe...

So the question is whether the NAC has become the "NIT" of high school quiz bowl...

I'd say it's probably even worse than the NIT, comparatively. I'll give you the Illinois perspective (that's what we're here for :) )

Last year, Wheaton North and New Trier made the NAQT playoffs. WN lost 2 games in a row to finish T-29th, New Trier won one before being eliminated to finish T-20th. Wheaton North was the AA state runner-up; New Trier's sectional was won by Deerfield, the eventual AA 4th place finisher.

Last year, at NAC, Fairfield placed in the sweet 16 at the New Orleans phase. They didn't place top 8 in Class A, losing to Toledo Cumberland, a team that lost all three of its matches at state the following weekend by a combined score of 671-142. Toledo averaged to score just over 5% of the possible points.

I've played all three of those teams this year, and Fairfield isn't on par with Wheaton North's B team, let alone the A teams of New Trier and Loyola. If NAQT is the NCAA of quizbowl, NAC might - MIGHT - be a Div 3 or community college level tournament.

So, in an effort to unhijack the Alabama thread: I really hope there are more NAQT tournaments run in the state next year. I think last year it was just Brindlee Mountain's and then States.

Snead State also ran an NAQT tournament, but it used an -A set and had no powers or negs. I could see Bob Jones's tournament possibly switching over, but I have my doubts about the rest.

Scottsboro HS will be hosting one on September 23 it will be an A packet. I haven't worked out on the where but I will have it posted. Also, I am going to try to have a JV/Middle School NAQT State again next year..

I noticed that Bob Jones is no longer on the list of teams attending the NAQT HSNCT next week.

LAMP, what are your plans now that ASCN was cancelled? Were you able to get your money back for airline tickets and such?

We are probaly just going to stay in Montgomery this summer. I think we got a partial refund on the plane tickets though.

Apparently Bob Jones's coach had a scheduling conflict, and they couldn't get another sponsor. That's why they won't be attending. Too bad for them.

DZ_LAMP wrote:We are probaly just going to stay in Montgomery this summer. I think we got a partial refund on the plane tickets though.

That's too bad... Were there any seniors on your team? It would especially stink for them.

DVader wrote:Apparently Bob Jones's coach had a scheduling conflict, and they couldn't get another sponsor. That's why they won't be attending. Too bad for them.

We talked to about 20, too.

Congratulations to Brindlee Mountain for coming in second in the small school division at NAQT.

Somerled wrote:Congratulations to Brindlee Mountain for coming in second in the small school division at NAQT.

Thanks. Danville is a tough team - they even beat TJ A on Saturday. I thought we might be able to take them. We were close at the half, but Danville played a much better second half than we did.

Also, I'd like to publicly say how proud I am of not only our "A" team, but also our "B" team. They have improved DRAMATICALLY in a short period of time. They only went 1-9 at NAQT state, but went 4-6 in the prelims ot Nationals, even beating a few "A" teams along the way. They also made the Small Schools play-off.

We're heading to North Carolina for the PACE NSC this weekend. Hopefully we'll make the playoffs there.


I also wanted to ask David John about PANASONIC. I figure you're still recovering from the trip, but when you get a chance, could you give a somewhat detailed account of the tournament. I'm still somewhat perplexed about how the whole thing works. I'm hoping, though, that we at Brindlee Mountain will be finding out firsthand next year

Here's my overall take on the tournament that I posted in the Panasonic thread:

DVader wrote:ASFA had a wonderful time representing Alabama at Panasonic. We didn't particularly care for the format of the games, but everything else was very well done.

Rounds: In the first round, we came in last mainly due to the superb performance of Virginia and Colorado and also because of negs erasing a lot the few gains we made. On the second day, we played mediocrely during the 5 and 10 point rounds but took off during the 15 point round to achieve a solid victory. The semifinal game turned into a repeat of our first game with negs erasing all the gains we made. In that game we placed 4th, putting us in 10th place overall (if you rank the teams by placing in semifinals and then scores, if you rank by scores alone we placed ninth, not that it matters either way). Our strongest area was the team questions, where we consistently put up high scores. ASCA worksheets were good prep for those.

The Rest of the Tournament: First, I want to thank the PAC officials for the very enjoyable experience they provided. The food was excellent, the awards banquet was top-notch, and I loved Casino Night (lost all my money on the last hand of Blackjack, but still had a good time). Panasonic gave out some very nice prizes too, to put it lightly. The parks were as fun as ever and not too crowded thanks to Senor Alberto. Probably the best part was getting to know everyone there during our various activities. Overall, it was a worthwhile experience, I'm glad we were able to attend it, and I hope the rising seniors on my team get to partake in it again next year.