Quiz competition decided (Photo by Nate Regan, The Daily Campus)
Name this competitive college program — In the 1950s, NBC radio network, under the sponsorship of Good Housekeeping Magazine, aired this game via three-way phone. In the 1960s, it became a popular network television show, airing 17 seasons. Upholding its slogan, “The Varsity Sport of the Mind,” this program has brought competition to more than 500 schools, according to its website. Give up? The correct answer is College Bowl.
Though it has since lost its broadcast appeal, College Bowl remains alive and well at SMU. Last night, Hughes-Trigg Commons transformed into a trivia battleground as three teams mentally competed for a shot to participate in regionals at Texas A&M in two weeks.
To begin, Nancy Bernardino, moderator and Hughes-Trigg marketing manager, recited the game rules aloud before reading the first toss-up question. According to Bowl rules, once the moderator begins reading, either team can answer the question by buzzing in first. If that team answers correctly, they earn 10 points and are then read a bonus question. Bonus points vary depending on the complexity of the question. All questions come from the College Bowl packet, which the Hughes-Trigg Department pre-orders for each tournament. Trivia questions include: history, geography, literature, spelling, pop culture and entertainment, to name a few.
In preparing for such broad trivia, Amy Hartson from Team Patterson named one pre-planned edge her team had over the two other teams.
“We are really different [in terms of each member’s major] and we knew we’d have an advantage,” she said, naming her teammates’ majors. Members of her team included Grayson Wendell, a computer science and physics double major; Phil Jones, a history major; Katie Patterson, a computer science and mathematics double major; and herself, an English and business double major.
Bowl teams Goodman, Spirito and Patterson each had four players and competed against each other in three rounds. Each round consisted of two, seven-minute halves.
In round one, Team Spirito members Chase Spirito, Bill Thompson, Richard Knuaf and Grant Hill dominated Team Patterson, with a 130-point lead over their opponents.
In round two, Team Goodman members David Goodman, Alan Skaggs, Steve Schulte and Andrew Barnett won by a slim margin of 15 points.
In round three, Team Goodman and Team Spirito ended with Goodman winning by 45 points.
At the end of the third round, each team’s points were totaled. Team Spirito and Team Goodman accumulated the most points, and advanced to the championship round.
Team Goodman shut out Team Spirito with a 90-0 advantage in the first half. After all four rounds the teams tallied their scores; Team Goodman dominated with five more points than they scored in the first half, raising their final victory score to 415, while Spirito finished with 335 points.
Team Goodman member Alan Skagg named two tactics that helped him and his teammates persevere as Bowl champions.
“A lot of mental preparation and watching ‘Jeopardy!’ every day,” the senior engineering major said.
Team Goodman expects to compete Feb. 18 and 19 against 12 regional teams from Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and New Mexico.
According to Bernardino, the Hughes-Trigg Department will cover all their travel expenses.
College Bowl has been in conjunction with the professional organization Association of College Unions International since 1977, and has brought the Bowl to the campus, regional and national championship levels across the country.
SMU’s next tournament will be held during homecoming week next fall.
For more information contact Nancy Bernardino at (214) 768-4498.
