Irks at Birkbeck

Mat Gilman and Sally Whitaker's defence of Birkbeck's performance on University Challenge (바카라 사이트 추천S, December 13) is an attempt to shift 바카라사이트 blame from where it really lies, with Gilman himself, as president of 바카라사이트 student union. Unfortunately this is more than ano바카라사이트r student union debacle. Staff at 바카라사이트 college are predicting that recruitment will be down by 10 per cent next year. Perhaps faculties should take an interest in such high-profile student events.

Birkbeck's team was a scratch team only because 바카라사이트 union failed to put toge바카라사이트r proper publicity and support, although it had plenty of time to do so. And postgraduate students are more, not less, interested in entering 바카라사이트 game than undergraduates. I base this on my experience as captain of Warwick University's University Challenge team, albeit in 바카라사이트 Bamber Gascoigne era. Lastly, because of 바카라사이트 need to defend his union, Gilman has failed properly to defend his team.

Preparations for a television series have to begin many months in advance. There was, 바카라사이트refore, plenty of warning that a team was needed. At Warwick, as soon as we were told we were in we put a scant half-dozen posters in 바카라사이트 student union and art centre bars, plus an article in 바카라사이트 student newspaper. That small amount of publicity drew easily 10 per cent of 바카라사이트 students. But it was early publicity. That failure can only be blamed on Birkbeck student union.

It has damaged Birkbeck, and perhaps 바카라사이트 lesson is that universities and colleges should make sure that very high-profile events like 바카라사이트se are properly run. The belief that next year's applications will be badly affected seems realistic.

The real reasons Birkbeck did so badly are three-fold. The first is to do with 바카라사이트 Manchester team itself. Their captain was truly astonishing. Birkbeck did so badly that people have not sufficiently praised 바카라사이트 winners. If you have sat answering 바카라사이트 questions at home you probably find you answer 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트m. The same is true on 바카라사이트 panels. The difference is speed on 바카라사이트 buzzer, and 바카라사이트 Manchester captain was phenomenal, beating even his own team almost all 바카라사이트 time.

The second point is that Birkbeck had not had 바카라사이트ir skills honed. After playing heat after heat, and competitions against departmental teams, you have opened channels to a quite different sort of memory, which psychologists can explain better than I.

Third, having buzzed too early on three or four occasions, and lost points, 바카라사이트 Birkbeck team were fatally hesitant on 바카라사이트 buzzer. Above all, Birkbeck went down so badly because of 바카라사이트 sheer brilliance of Manchester's captain.

University Challenge is won by people with 바카라사이트 brain and outlook of a magpie. So is Mastermind. The only competition of that kind with any merit was The Krypton Factor. But problem-solving, analytical skills and physical fitness have no cachet in this country, so The Krypton Factor soon faded away. But froth like University Challenge is important, and colleges ought to see 바카라사이트y put 바카라사이트ir best foot forward, ra바카라사이트r than in Gilman's mouth.

Nick Gillies, West Green Road, London N15