University Challenge

[hellywelly4]

A team with an average age of 20 were pitted against a team with an average age of 37. The older team won, although the younger ones did answer quite a few. Does anyone else think, as I do, that the older students should have a separate contest? Perhaps for the over 25s or over 30s - they have so much more life experience. I really didn't enjoy the contest tonight.

[jim360]

Quite often the older teams end up thrashed by the young guns anyway. Darwin won mainly because of Golfinos, who has a reputation on the quizzing circuit as one of the best. Think he has already grabbed 20-odd starters across two matches so far.

[JimF]

You could say that about most general knowledge quizzes, like 15-1, Brain of Britain. I can't remember how many times a young person has been ahead after the specialised subject rounds on Mastermind only to finish last at the end.

[Mamyalynne]

The age gaps don't bother me at all, I thought tonight's contest was a good one, it kept moving.

[ichkeria]

Darwin were a bit irritating regardless of age, but as long as they’re students I think it’s ok.

[Hopkirk]

My son was in it, in a team averaging 22, and that went quite a long way.

[Hopkirk]

.. they went quite a long way ..

[jno]

how many of the questions are about life experience?

[Prudie]

I thought it was a fair match and the age didn't really factor. There are always one or two life experience questions, especially in the music or film questions. Such as tonight, I don't consider being able to recognise a Sister Sledge song the height of academia.

[jno]

very true, Prudie. I didn't see the programme, but perhaps they throw in a few questions for people who haven't got PhDs. The way the first rounds in Who Wants to be a Millionaire were often about ITV soap characters.

[JimF]

I agree, Prudie! A Chic song, on the other hand... :-)

[hellywelly4]

Jno - I meant that they have lived longer and have therefore been able to absorb more knowledge. It seems I am only one who has my opinion. Thanks for the replies anyway.

[ichkeria]

The questions they ask the oldies in the Christmas specials are noticeably easier and yet the scores are noticeably lower ...

[jim360]

It's a claim that's often been advanced, helly, but I think that, at least in the modern era of UC, the older and more experienced teams have struggled to make an impression beyond the first couple of rounds. Student teams tend to be just too good.

Darwin may yet prove an exception, but that's at least partly because Golfinos is meant to be individually brilliant.

[bednobs]

The kind of knowledge you need to do well in uc is not the kind of knowledge you can gain simply by being alive longer. Very few of the questions are intelligible to people who have not studied that area

[MallyJ]

Golfino seems to have a huge amount of knowledge about a wide range of topics and appears to be a bit bonkers too (which is good tv!) I wonder if his team would have done quite so well without him. Often those who have studied in 1 area for a long time and in great depth do not have the general knowledge that is needed for quizes.

[Ken4155]

Golfino is undoubtedly a very knowledgeable chap but he is also a very irritating one with his high fives and fist bumps. He needs to grow up.
As for the question, if there was a separate comp for the over whatevers, how long before you'd want one for the over 50s or 60s, helly. As in knockout competitions of any sort, it's just the luck of the draw.

[goodgoalie]

Golfinos is undoubtedly a good quizzer (and I, too, find his high fives etc annoying), but I'd bet that Downing won't win, as the rest of the team don't make enough of a contribution. The best and most successful teams always have all four really 'switched on' and pitching in.
Golfinos seems to be going the way of Monkman and Seagull in terms of celebrity, but they didn't win either. One really strong player is never enough.

[jim360]

Darwin*, I thought, but yes, I agree that they'll need a better team effort in the later stages. Durham look like a big threat for the same reason, at least two or three equally good players on that side.

[Cloverjo]

I liked Gail Trimble from a few years ago. Can't remember which university she was from. A Cambridge college, I think. She was a one-woman encyclopaedia.

[goodgoalie]

Yes, sorry, Darwin. Agree Durham looked strong.