At 01:52 AM 10/6/01 -0400 Gautam Mukunda wrote:
>To pick a different competition - I was on my state's academic all-star team
>for three consecutive national tournaments. We came in third my sophomore
>year, won my junior year, and came in second my senior year. The year we
>came in third, there's no doubt in my mind that's about where we deserved to
>be. The year we won - there were at least two other teams in the tournament
>who were better. The year we came in second I think we were probably the
>best team of all time. But the questions didn't bounce our way. Just luck.
>It happens.
Or, take this example. The CWRU Model UN Team usually attends three
competitions with our full squad each year. The first conference is the
Lake Erie Conference held at Kent State University Ashtabula Campus.
Since its only an hour from Cleveland, held in October, and primarily
caters to local colleges it is a great warm-up Conference each year. The
centerpiece Conference of the year is Harvard, which attracts @130 schools
from all over the *world*, as well as many of the top US teams. About 40
of those schools will have large-school delegations, and the remaining 90
will have small-school delegations. Traditionally, Harvard awards three
"outstanding delegation" awards, one to a small-school and two to
large-schools. The last Conference is at U. of Chicago, which is only a
few years old and attracts a potpurri of teams.
Anyhow, in my first year of college, 1995-1996, CWRUMUN set a record at
Lake Erie that still stands - where each and every member of our team won
an individual medal in their respective events. I believe we were 8 for
8. At Harvard, however, (admittedly the first year CWRU had ever competed
at Harvard) we were completely shut out of individual awards.
In the 1996-1997 season, we won 1st place at the Lake Erie Conference. At
Harvard, we did slightly better and had one individual take home a single
3rd-tier "verbal commendation" award.
In the 1997-1998 season, we again won 1st place at Lake Erie, this time be
a wide margin. This was also the first year of the U. of Chicago
Conference, were CWRU tied for 1st place. At Harvard, we again took home
a single individual award, this time a 2nd-tier "honorable mention
certificate."
Finally, in 1998-1999, CWRUMUN fielded what was undoubtedly the most
talented MUN Team in school history, as myself and many others entered our
Senior Year. Incredibly, however, all the breaks went against it at Lake
Erie, and CWRU was upset, taking only 2nd place. At U. of Chicago,
CWRUMUN was again upset, taking only 3rd place. At Harvard, however, CWRU
pulled in a fistfull of individual awards and took home the small-school
"outstanding delegation" award.
As in so many other sports, in Model UN, on any given weekend, any team can
beat any other team.
JDG
__________________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685
"Freedom itself was attacked today, and Freedom will be Defended."
-U.S. President George W. Bush, 09/11/01
