tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post1356945908057092486..comments2024-03-12T12:54:32.926-07:00Comments on Life After Mastermind: University Challenge 2019 - Heat 10 - University of London Institute in Paris v. Goldsmiths College, LondonLondiniushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07871325359167581176noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-6648503420330286392018-09-30T06:29:24.342-07:002018-09-30T06:29:24.342-07:00Admittedly I knew the answer anyway, but I'm a...Admittedly I knew the answer anyway, but I'm afraid guessing Molière as the author of a classical tragedy got a Paxman-type splutter from me!Ian Dalzielhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04145394208949245264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-49458981849572627702018-09-29T08:33:59.473-07:002018-09-29T08:33:59.473-07:00Hi Both,
It is a tricky question, the inclusion of...Hi Both,<br />It is a tricky question, the inclusion of 'obvious novelty teams'. This is just my opinion, and of course feel free to disagree. Yes, UC is, like any other quiz show, first and foremost entertainment and a bit of fun. So on that score why should one object? Well, while it is a bit of fun, there are some people take it very, very seriously. As an example, look at some of the abuse Liam Alcock received on twitter this week just for wearing a beret. By putting a team like ULIP on, the production team were putting them in a situation where they were always going to lose - which is not such a problem, but stood a very good chance of being heavily defeated and not answering many questions, which is what happened. You lose heavily like that in UC, and there is every good chance that afterwards you will face the situation that a cross section of people will decide - totally erroneously - that you are not very intelligent. I really don't like the idea that the production team are setting up a team to fail like this. We only have the evidence of this one show to go on, but the inescapable conclusion is that the ULIP team were nice, personable intelligent people, who don't happen to be quizzers. If the production team knew that they were unlikely to do very well on the show, then I think they were reprehensible in putting them in the show, and thus exposing them to some of the criticism and comments they have probably received this week. If the production team did genuinely think they might do better, I'd like to ask why, and respectfully suggest that their selection procedures could do with some tightening up. Because I'd hate to think that UC would ever stoop to putting on a team because they think they'll maybe give a couple of , erm, silly answers which will give Jeremy Paxman some ammunition. Yes, that might be entertaining enough, but it isn't University Challenge. <br />Londiniushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07871325359167581176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-70420038508740452352018-09-29T03:04:15.106-07:002018-09-29T03:04:15.106-07:00I had wondered what you would make of this match D...I had wondered what you would make of this match Dave! Goldsmith's to my mind turned in a highly respectable performance and seem to have at least two decent buzzers, with their captain being great fun and good at her job. I wonder how they will get on against some of the more balanced teams but looking forward to seeing them again.<br /><br />I think as Jack alludes to above, every year we seem to have novelty teams and I guess the ULIP lot were this years. I guess it is possible for more 'exotic' universities and institutes to do well, SOAS have turned in some decent performances in the past; but on the other hand I have some specific memories of some of the medical schools/teaching hospitals struggling as well, until they were largely merged into their 'home' universities in the last of couple of years (and thus haven't appeared). I had an ominous feeling ULIP were going to struggle, confirmed within, well for me within the first 5 minutes of the show. Even though some Oxbridge colleges are really quite dinky in terms of student numbers, we must bear in mind this typically reflects a wide range of subjects.<br /><br />The science questions? This match was very light on any serious science questions, as I suppose we might expect given the composition of teams, but I thought what was asked was within the realms of general quiz knowledge.Aethelstanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00941291511056658074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401280171563686515.post-69553089283268742172018-09-29T02:40:09.382-07:002018-09-29T02:40:09.382-07:00You raise a good point Dave about having obvious n...You raise a good point Dave about having obvious novelty teams like ULIP on the show. I too have discussed this with others this past week, and we are somewhat divided on the matter. I'm all for having teams like ULIP on the show, it provides a variety to the show, and reinforces that, at the end of the day, UC, while still a seriously taken quiz show, is just meant to be a bit of fun. On the other hand, though, these teams do usually tend to be not the best, and, with a few exceptions, will usually be easily beaten in the first round.<br /><br />Someone said a while ago that TPTB usually select the strongest teams in the auditions, but give a by to a couple of lesser teams who they think make good TV. That's a good way of doing it, but it's a hard balance to get right at times. In fact, this is probably a subject I'll deal with in greater detail over on my blog some time soon.<br /><br />As for Goldies, well, yes, it's hard to call how good they are based on that performance, but two buzzers getting four starters and a respectable 19/27 bonus rate (ULIP managed just 3/12) shows the basic traits of a reasonably good team. We shall just have to wait and see.<br /><br />On Monday, St Peter's of Oxford play Pembroke of Cambridge. The week after, another London derby, this time between U.C.L. and King's College.Jackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06254840979557920582noreply@blogger.com