Friday, June 13, 2008
CBI No More
Thason was going to blog this and many of you who attended either Walt's or JP's wedding learned of it this weekend, but CBI is no more.
I even liked the variable-valued bonus as it made tossups (the part I found the most fun) that much more important. While I realize that "purists" didn't like that feature, you should realize that I am so unpure [ed - well at least you showered today] that I approve of steroids and other performance enhancers in sports [a) beyond rooting for my team, I watch sports for the spectactular almost superhuman plays and with fewer performance enhancers, there's fewer spectacular plays and b) if you know about my sugar and caffeine binges at quizbowl matches, it would be just a wee bit hypocritical of me to condemn performance enhancers in other competitions].
I also liked that CBI a) had a real intramural stage, b) was more inviting to smaller schools and c) made attempts at feeling like a professionally run tournament (particularly nationally). Now NAQT has tried to do something similar with two divisions, but I never played D2 so I don't know if that will work the same. (I also really like NAQT's power tossup innovation)
So, let's tip some 40s (10 + 30) to the passing of CBI.
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As a generalist (read as a player who a) majored in a field from which virtually no questions were drawn other than Ohm's Law -wheee!!, b) didn't really want to study, but c) was pretty good at remembering what he heard before and d) was pretty quick on the buzzer) I always enjoyed the CBI format. Now I had my problems with game officials (which is not really something under CBI's control), but I liked the question styles and content. It seemed less ... trivial (it also had business trivia which I think is sorely lacking in other formats)After 31 years of collaboration with the Association of College Unions International (ACUI), the College Bowl Company is suspending the College Bowl campus program, effective immediately. College Bowl will no longer produce question packets for campus, regional, and national competitions.
While the program experienced periods of growth throughout its history, costs to maintain the program have increased. Although changes were made to offset the increasing expenses and avoid raising the price for campus participation, the program can no longer sustain itself.
I even liked the variable-valued bonus as it made tossups (the part I found the most fun) that much more important. While I realize that "purists" didn't like that feature, you should realize that I am so unpure [ed - well at least you showered today] that I approve of steroids and other performance enhancers in sports [a) beyond rooting for my team, I watch sports for the spectactular almost superhuman plays and with fewer performance enhancers, there's fewer spectacular plays and b) if you know about my sugar and caffeine binges at quizbowl matches, it would be just a wee bit hypocritical of me to condemn performance enhancers in other competitions].
I also liked that CBI a) had a real intramural stage, b) was more inviting to smaller schools and c) made attempts at feeling like a professionally run tournament (particularly nationally). Now NAQT has tried to do something similar with two divisions, but I never played D2 so I don't know if that will work the same. (I also really like NAQT's power tossup innovation)
So, let's tip some 40s (10 + 30) to the passing of CBI.
Labels: trivia
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