News and Views: 1993–4 Season

Compiled by Peter Cole

Fixtures and Results:

Week 1: 12 October 1993

Welcome to the Wagon & Horses 'B' who have joined the League at short notice to replace the Jolly Sailor, who dropped out at very short notice. Apologies to the E League again for lack of QMs [this] week. There is also a revised Cup draw to reflect the lack of Jolly Sailors.

Week 2: 19 October 1993

This week Nags Head 'A', our own AC Milan, emulated their heroes in losing to our own Sampdoria, Millstone.

Week 3: 2 November 1993

Congratulations to Dave Higginbotham of Chester Road Tavern 'A' for getting top score this week.

Week 4: 9 November 1993

We are suffering from a serious lack of question masters this year. I know there is a lot of flu going round at the moment, but so far this season some ten teams have not provided question masters and no (zero) teams have played with less than four players. This league will not operate without question masters. Please try your hardest to ensure that on the two occasions each year you do provide four question masters.

Week 5: 16 November 1993

Well, I didn't think they were very good either. I must start by saying that these are personal views and not those of the committee.

You will see from the news bit that both sets of questions received the worst marks of the season to date. When deciding who sets the questions I consider, among other factors, the pairings. Pairing an experienced team with a team only setting their second set of questions, even after the poor reception last year, seemed an acceptable risk. I presumed lessons had been learnt.

The questions were too hard. My sources tell me that the Millstone think an average aggregate of 280-300 is a good target for the A League. By these standards they failed. There was only one match that reached that target, and outside the A League the highest aggregate was 220.

The questions were dull. Presumably the only people who knew that a Tyg was a multi-handled drinking vessel were the people who remembered this stultifyingly dull definition from the Dictionary when it was asked in the quiz last year.

Having been destructive I would make the following positive suggestions:

I received criticism of the questions on the score sheets. Most were of no value, being just abuse. Other people commented that the quiz was supposed to be fun; I couldn't agree more. On a night when the questions are poor, you have to make the most fun from your team and your opponents.

However, Andy Johnson made the comment that four cricket questions in one Sport round was excessive. Maybe, but there have been rounds before with four football questions in, I'm sure.

We don't want rounds in which everybody gets three marks without having to think for the answer. But we do want questions that have a chance of being answered.

I wish to encourage debate on the way we can improve questions and question setting. I will publish, probably after editing constructive or mildly destructive ideas or defences.

Week 7: 7 December 1993

There is now only two undefeated teams, only one of those with a 100% record.

I have had some comments about question setting. Thanks to those who have bothered to comment; I'll publish a special edition in the New Year with the constructive ideas.

Week 8: 14 December 1993

Of course there are now only two undefeated teams, only one of those with a 100% record. I have had some more comments about the grammar of these notes but I'm ignoring the pedants.

Week 9: 4 January 1994

There is no result for the game between the Weavers and the Woodman as the teams could not agree on the result. Pathetic or what. However, these things happen. There will be a committee meeting on 23 January 1994 at the Millstone at 8:00 pm to discuss this game.

Week 10: 18 January 1994

The Boarhound have lost their 100% record, but they have still managed to contrive to have all of their team mentioned in the news this week!

Week 14: 1 March 1994

Each year I tell people that the tables show the total of their best twelve scores and that the 'lo' score is their lowest counting score. Each year somebody doesn't read this and I get a phone call saying their totals are wrong and so I explain that the tables show the total of their best twelve scores and that the 'lo' score is their lowest counting score. So please this year, remember that the tables show the total of your best twelve scores and that the 'lo' score is your lowest counting score.

Week 16: 22 March 1994

It's like the first cuckoo of spring. Three weeks ago, I predicted that somebody would complain to the league that their total score was wrong because they had forgotten that the total that is reported and that counts is your best twelve scores. John Mulley of Parkside Social Club is 11th and will (cont. on p94)

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