Cornell Tournament 2004

Scott Francis <*scottmfran_at_gloomstick.yahoo.invalid*> · Sat, 01 May 2004 23:56:40 -0000

Cornell Tournament 2004 (Offensive name not yet determined) 

Tentative date: October 2nd, 2004 

Tournament Editor: Scott Francis 
Tournament Director: Peter Onyisi 

Difficulty: For submitted packets, aim for ACF fall difficulty, but 
feel free to throw in some harder questions. The playoff packets 
will be harder. 

Format: (assuming 11 teams or less): Initial round robin, then break 
into top and bottom brackets, round robins again, championship if 
necessary (if there is a tie or if top team is ahead by one). 

Fee: $100 for the first team, $80 dollars for all subsquent teams 
Packet in by: September 4th = -30 
September 11th = -15 
September 18th = No penalty 
After September 18th and before September 23rd: +15 
After September 23rd and before September 26th: +30 
September 26th or later: +50, if I let you play at all 
Best packets (awarded to 3 teams): -5 
Buzzer system: -10 
Experienced moderator: -10 
Trip between 300 and 600 miles (one-way): -10 
Trip over 600 miles: -20 
First time at Cornell tournament: -10 
Minimum fee: $50 
Every team is required to write a packet, except for C teams and 
lower. I will also grant exemptions to teams composed entirely of 
players with less than two full years of experience and to other 
teams who have legitimate reasons for not being able to write a 
packet. If you feel you have a legitimate reason, email me about it. 

Distribution (25/25) 
5/5 Literature: No more than 2/2 English language lit, no more than 
2/2 biography, no more than 1/1 from same nation or civilization 
5/5 History: No more than 2/2 military, no more than 2/2 biography, 
no more than 1/1 from same nation or civilization. 
5/5 Science: No more than 1/1 biography, at least 1/1 each of 
biology, chemistry and physics 
2/2 RMP: No more than 1/1 from same belief system 
2/2 Art: No more than 1/1 of any one medium 
2/2 Social science 
1/1 Music: Maximum 1 biography question 
1/1 Geography 
1/1 Trash or current events 
1/1 Your choice 

If you want to write 1/1 less in one category and 1/1 more in 
another, go ahead, but only do it once. 

I had to do a lot of tedious style editing last year, so I'm not 
going to stand for deviations this year. I'm very explicit as to the 
styling, so any packet which violates the principles I am about to 
clarify will be promptly returned for correcting, and will not be 
accepted until corrected. 

Formatting: Send a Word or RTF file in Times New Roman 12 point. If 
you are incapable of sending either a Word or an RTF file, let me 
know and we'll work something out. Separate tossups from bonuses.
DO 
NOT randomize the packet, and do not number questions. Just send 
them in the order of the distribution requirement. At the top of 
each packet, be certain to include your team name and the names of 
the packet authors in the following manner: 

Packet by Douchebag A (Jimmy Douchebag, Cornelius Douchenozzle, John 
Mayer, Richard Reid) 

Shoot for 7 or 8 line tossups and 2 line bonus parts. 

Sample tossup: 
On the way to ACF Nationals 2003, Scott had to sit next to her on a 
plane and listen to her read a comic book and squeal about its 
intertextuality. In 2003, she learned that she could no longer write 
her doctoral thesis on the Icelandic sagas because an Icelander in 
her very department was writing a thesis on the very same thing. She 
promptly decided to write her thesis on her other favorite subject, 
Harry Potter slash. However, quiz bowl players probably most closely 
associate her with writing the first verses of Beowulf on the board 
at tournaments. For ten points, name this annoying linguistics grad 
student at Cornell. 
ANSWER: _Evelyn_ Ellen Browne 

Note that the phrase "For ten points" is not abbreviated, 
that "ANSWER" is in all caps, and that the necessary
information in 
the answer is set off with underscores (it should be underlined and 
in bold in the packet you send to me). 

Sample bonus: 
Name these terms for unwanted persons, 5-10-15. 
[5] This all-purpose word for a persona non grata shares its name 
with a feminine hygiene product manufactured by Summer's Eve. 
ANSWER: _Douchebag_ 
[10] This is a specialized term for a douchebag who lets words spray 
out of his mouth like diseased feces. 
ANSWER: _Douchenozzle_ 
[15] In The Emogame 2, this guitar-playing wussy attacks you in 
Abercrombie and Fitch with his flying douchebag. 
ANSWER: John _Mayer_ 

Note that the point values of each question part are set in brackets 
before the question text. Note also that the answer lines are 
identical to those of tossups, and that other possible answers are 
set aside in parentheses. Promptable or non-promptable answers 
should also be set aside in parentheses with the necessary 
clarification. 

If anyone wants to swap packets or freelance, let me know ASAP. If 
you want to attend, I'd prefer to know by Mid-September at the 
absolute latest. I'm expecting around 10 teams, but I'd be happy to 
have more. Oh, and if you have a tournament name you think might be 
clever, let me know. 

To contact me, email me at smf38_at_... (smf38 at cornell dot 
edu). 

Scott Francis, Editor