2008 Richard Montgomery Quizbowl Tournament (4/19/08)

[AKKOLADE]

[quote="segregold"][/quote]

This is the second post of yours I've had to edit for dropping f-bombs. Please read the forum rules regarding language in the high school section.

[wowitsquinthaha]

I wish we were coming (instead of states), because March 1st is my birthday and I know that Stephen would bake me a cake

[Blackboard Monitor Vimes]

I wish we were coming (instead of states), because March 1st is my birthday and I know that Stephen would bake me a cake

Quint, we still have to make states. No jinxing, please.

[STPickrell]

I wish we were coming (instead of states), because March 1st is my birthday and I know that Stephen would bake me a cake

Quint, we still have to make states. No jinxing, please.

Come to think of it, don't you have to make Regionals too? :-)

[Blackboard Monitor Vimes]

I wish we were coming (instead of states), because March 1st is my birthday and I know that Stephen would bake me a cake

Quint, we still have to make states. No jinxing, please.

Come to think of it, don't you have to make Regionals too? :-)

Yes, but we'll have a more difficult time with States. Just based on prior competition against the teams we'll face on Saturday... It's usually a three-team race in our district, so the odds are better.

[jbarnes112358]

I wish we were coming (instead of states), because March 1st is my birthday and I know that Stephen would bake me a cake

Quint, we still have to make states. No jinxing, please.

Yeah, Quint. Didn't you see the asterisks next to those dates?

Past performance does not necessarily indicate future success. Besides, we have no idea what kind of questions Mr. Pickrell has in store for us.

[ieppler]

yeah quint

edit: alex nutman will be making you a birthday cake and delivering it to you. he told me to ask what kind of frosting you want.

[STPickrell]

Besides, we have no idea what kind of questions Mr. Pickrell has in store for us.

They should be close to last year's edition.

[TheNuttyHopper]

edit: alex nutman will be making you a birthday cake and delivering it to you. he told me to ask what kind of frosting you want.

False.

[wowitsquinthaha]

chocolate, alex. i want chocolate icing

[segregold]

(Apologies for the swearing. That rule must have been updated since I stopped consistently visiting the forums.)

I would like it if, you know, any Virginia teams could actually come, so what about having it on the 8th after the taping? Ours is the first taping of the day, so we would still probably be able to get going at around 2:00. The only other teams going that day that are likely to come are Gonzaga and Rockville and I'd be fine working out something with them if the thing ran late. Thoughts?

[AKKOLADE]

(Apologies for the swearing. That rule must have been updated since I stopped consistently visiting the forums.)

It's okay dude. I'm pretty sure we've had that rule since you registered, but regardless, I doubt anyone's retinas were burnt away or anything like that.

[aestheteboy]

(Apologies for the swearing. That rule must have been updated since I stopped consistently visiting the forums.)

I would like it if, you know, any Virginia teams could actually come, so what about having it on the 8th after the taping? Ours is the first taping of the day, so we would still probably be able to get going at around 2:00. The only other teams going that day that are likely to come are Gonzaga and Rockville and I'd be fine working out something with them if the thing ran late. Thoughts?

I don't think that's a good idea at all. If you want to accomodate for Virginia teams, why not start around the normal time without the A-team? I'm sure there are people at RM who can direct a tournament besides you or Mr. McKenna. Or, if you need to be there, why not let an alternate play for you?

[Angry Babies in Love]

I'm sure there are people at RM who can direct a tournament besides you or Mr. McKenna.

Sure, other RM people can TD, but Keith is the designated TD and he should be present at the tournament, along with McKenna.

[segregold]

I don't think that's a good idea at all. If you want to accomodate for Virginia teams, why not start around the normal time without the A-team? I'm sure there are people at RM who can direct a tournament besides you or Mr. McKenna. Or, if you need to be there, why not let an alternate play for you?

There's no reason that we can't start it around 2:00. A lot of the reason that tournaments go so long is wasted time; if we run efficiently, we could easily be done by 7 or 8. Let's consider: 6 preliminary rounds plus 3 playoff rounds makes at most 9 rounds. If we want the tournament to be done within 5 hours, that means that each round can go for about 30 minutes, which is more than enough time to finish a packet of 20 questions.

If anyone else objects to this and also wants to wake up at 6 AM to go to RM's tournament, speak now.

[STPickrell]

Tournaments go as quickly as their slowest reader.

[First Chairman]

Sunday is not an option?

[segregold]

Sunday is not an option?

My coach doesn't like Sunday tournaments, he says fewer teams come to them; he's also a good Catholic boy, and I don't want to mess with religious sensibilities. In any case, I don't think we would be able to have a Sunday tournament until at least April.

[Lapego1]

I hear Chris Ray runs tournaments sometimes. mirite?

[segregold]

I hear Chris Ray runs tournaments sometimes. mirite?

Well, he ran our tournament two years ago when he was a student at RM, and he's having that Weekend of Quizbowl thing... he's not running our tournament or anything, I don't know where you're going with that.

Scratch all that I said about night tournaments and the month of March. RM's tournament will be held on Saturday, April 19th, 2008. This is an almost-official date, my coach will confirm with our principal tomorrow, but it is extremely unlikely that it will be moved again.

April 19th is the first day of Passover, but we guarantee that we will have you out of our tournament by sundown; my coach refuses to let us run these things with anything less than Prussian efficiency, so it should be done by 3:00.

Cost will be $55 per team, $10 off for each working buzzer set brought, $5 off for each additional team.

Please email me or post here if you're interested in attending. I promise with 95% certainty that we will not be moving the date again. Early registration should be completed by April 11th.

[BroNi]

2 or 3 teams.
4 buzzers.
1 moderator.

Bro. Nigel

[segregold]

I'm just making a new post so that this goes to the top of the forums again. Tournament is happening on April 19th- I've heard rumors that this is also tentative Virginia States, or something, but that's not listed here and we can't move the date again. Hopefully Virginia teams can still make it. Please express interest here or send me an email so that I know how many folks are showing up; keep in mind this tournamkent is really only a month and a week away. Thanks.

[STPickrell]

Segregold, can you email me your name (I don't have everyone down pat)

I want to get this put on the VHSL's list but ... want a name to go along with that email. :)

Thanks,
Shawn

[segregold]

Segregold, can you email me your name (I don't have everyone down pat)

Sorry, haven't been here in a while. This is Keith Jamieson.

[mithokie]

Virginia NAQT States is April 19, According to the UVA Quizbowl Web page.

[segregold]

Virginia NAQT States is April 19, According to the UVA Quizbowl Web page.

We announced our tournament before they did and I hadn't seen anything about it on the forums. It would be great if Virginia teams can make it or send a secondary team, but we've moved the date for our tournament too many times and, unfortunately, we're never going to be able to satisfy everyone. I'm sorry that the conflict exists.

[BroNi]

Is this tourney still on?

If so, what time would you like us to arrive?

And could we please have a field update?

[segregold]

This tournament is still on in the sense that I have all the questions and the date and the place; that said, no one has registered yet for it, so I hope interested parties start doing that within the week. When they do I'll update. Arrival would preferably be at 8:00-ish, we hope to start going early so that we can finish sooner.

[aestheteboy]

I'd like to just kindly ask the metro area teams (and beyond) to sign up for this tournament so it doesn't end up the disaster - i.e. cancellation - that was the Maryland State Championship. Even though RM this year is notoriously apathetic, they tend to write decent questions and run the tournament efficiently.

Also, Keith, sign us up for one team.

[Gonzagapuma1]

I'd like to just kindly ask the metro area teams (and beyond) to sign up for this tournament so it doesn't end up the disaster - i.e. cancellation - that was the Maryland State Championship. Even though RM this year is notoriously apathetic, they tend to write decent questions and run the tournament efficiently.

Also, Keith, sign us up for one team.

Yea, like what is going on?First states is cancelled, then UMD only getting around 16 teams and this tournament having no one signed up until last week? Come on MD/DC/VA teams.

[Blackboard Monitor Vimes]

I'd like to just kindly ask the metro area teams (and beyond) to sign up for this tournament so it doesn't end up the disaster - i.e. cancellation - that was the Maryland State Championship. Even though RM this year is notoriously apathetic, they tend to write decent questions and run the tournament efficiently.

Also, Keith, sign us up for one team.

Yea, like what is going on?First states is cancelled, then UMD only getting around 16 teams and this tournament having no one signed up until last week? Come on MD/DC/VA teams.

The VA teams are trying to keep our states from being cancelled.

[Howard]

Current information suggests we'll be able to enter a team, but I'm waiting on actual confirmations of availability.

[segregold]

Even though RM this year is notoriously apathetic, they tend to write decent questions and run the tournament efficiently.

I'm just saying it so that it's said: apathy is not my fault. As for the questions and the efficiency, I can promise both will be present in spades.

Please sign up for this so that we can finally have the tournament and I don't have to lug the questions around for another year.

[Down and out in Quintana Roo]

Hi.

I sent an e-mail to your school, but my students from Delaware would like to attend this tournament if possible. Let me know, in e-mail or in this forum, any other information you can give to us. We'd like to bring two teams if possible.

Also, in the e-mail, if you could please list a phone number that you could be contacted at in case of emergency, so i can write this down on the approval form i need to send to our principal in the coming days.

Thanks!

[Stat Boy]

Keith, sign Whitman up for two teams.

[segregold]

Just a general reminder: please email me at [email protected] with how many teams you're planning on bringing/buzzer sets so that we have that information better iorganized. Please do this even if you've already announced here that you're coming.

Information update: the rules meeting for our tournament will probably begin at 8:45-9:00. Please try to be there by then; it will probably be in the cafeteria but I'll tell you when I know.

[collbarbshock]

Field update?

[The Atom Strikes!]

After Feldman talked to us about this tournament, Wilmington Charter is interested in coming. We just have to talk to our coach, get together teams, get a driver to Maryland, etc.

[segregold]

Field update?

Teams I am considering registered or semi-registered:

Walter Johnson (one team)
Caesar Rodney (two teams)
Whitman (two teams)
Gonzaga (at least one team)
Kellenberg (at least two teams)
Reservoir (two teams)
Wilmington Charter (at least one team)

So about 10-11 teams. Not great considering that the tournament is less than a week away. Please, if you've been thinking about registering and haven't for some reason, email me at [email protected]. If you know any other teams that might be interested in coming and just haven't heard about the tournament, feel free to tell them. The tournament isn't going to be canceled insofar as I know, but a field of ten would probably suck even if it did happen.

[Nine-Tenths Ideas]

Blake can bring one [slightly stunted] team.

[flylikeaneagle]

Wow. This is a little late, but Centennial is planning on coming, and we're bringing 2-3 teams. I'll tell them to send you an official email. :D

[Howard]

Consider Howard confirmed for one team and one buzzer. E-mail will shortly follow.

[Down and out in Quintana Roo]

Will additional moderators be necessary? I've been told by many (including Bill Tressler of Charter) that i'm one of the better readers for the tournaments my school attends, but i'd really rather not read if i didn't have to. I'll pitch in if necessary, however.

[segregold]

Will additional moderators be necessary?

I believe that we're okay for moderators at the moment. Certainly if you have a preference towards not reading, you will not be forced to.

Field update:

Walter Johnson (one team)
Caesar Rodney (two teams)
Whitman (two teams)
Gonzaga (at least one team)
Kellenberg (at least two teams)
Reservoir (two teams)
Wilmington Charter (at least one team)
Blake (one team)
Centennnial (at least two teams)
Howard (one team)

There are still a number of teams that I have not heard anything from. We are planning on capping the field at 24 teams, and we are probably going to make brackets tomorrow and Thursday, so if you're still interested in coming please email me at [email protected] as soon as you can. We have enough teams coming and I'm putting the finishing touches on packets as we speak, so we are officially on for Saturday. Registration will be between 8:00 and 9:00, please get there earlier rather than later so that we can finish as soon as possible. Look forward to seeing you all there.

[The Atom Strikes!]

Sorry Keith-- it turns out that Neeraj has a family event, so we won't be able to get a driver down to Maryland this weekend.

[segregold]

It is disappointing that Charter can't make it, but it still looks like we are going to have 16-18 teams and so the tournament is of course still on. I remember first announcing this thing as a fall tournament back in September; it has been a journey to where we are now, friends. I'd like to thank WJ's Daichi Ueda for helping me with the contact info for some of you teams to get you all to come.

Tournament details: we are looking to start registration at 8:00 and finish by 9:00. There will be three or four brackets that will play 4-6 rounds against each other, followed by 2-3 rounds of playoffs. Each packet has 20 pyramidal questions of mid- to high-difficulty level (but I've made the powers fairly generous), slightly skewed towards history, literature and science but with a little of everything present. Lunch will be at around 12:00 (there are plenty of fabulous restaurants in the area; details will be provided at the tournament) and hopefully we will all be able to go home before 3:00. If you are interested in purchasing the questions after hearing them, we can negotiate that. Please try to arrive at this thing fairly early so that we can get started and finished as soon as possible.

The school's address, for those of you not in the know, is 250 Richard Montgomery Drive in Rockville, Maryland. For questions, or if you haven't received confirmation of your registration from our coach yet, feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Very last-second registration is still open if you want in.

[Down and out in Quintana Roo]

Looking forward to Saturday. The kids are very excited to end our season on a good note, since this will be our last competition this year. Thanks for hosting this, and we'll be seeing you sometime after 8am on Saturday.

[segregold]

I'm happy to say that the tournament ended ahead of schedule (~2:30). WJ managed to beat Whitman in a close game. Kellenberg A and Gonzaga competed for third place, but I am not completely sure who won. I believe Feldman will be posting the official stats he was in charge of pretty shortly.

Thanks to everyone for coming. Hopefully we will be able to update your ahead of time for the probable tournament we will have in the fall and be able to keep the first date we see instead of having to push it back.

[segregold]

As a side note, if anyone is interesting in purchasing the questions we used (I may clean them up a bit first for some grammar mistakes) or arranging a mirror tournament, please contact me or another team member to discuss it.

[aestheteboy]

I don't know where to start, but I guess I should start off saying that I had fun at this tournament - the tournament ran with "Prussian efficiency" as promised, we got to play Chicago Open for a singles event, Abiola was a really nice/humorous moderator, the prizes were cool (boxing gloves and a cake!) etc. Thanks for hosting. Hopefully, this tournament gave you some much needed cash, and RM will be active in the circuit back again.

EDIT: I demand the "awesome prize" which Feldman promised for the singles event. I think I should also get something for winning the neg award.
EDIT: removed the critique of the questions