The Leeds University Challenge Team 2002 - By Steve Kidd

The Formation of the team.

The First Round proper - vs. Liverpool John Moores. 13th June 2002

It was Adam who interrupted the first starter.

"Is it Laurie Lee?"

It was!

This, along with Jenny, got the early starters which enabled the team to establish a 100 - 60 lead. At this point the boat rocked (watch the game if you wish to understand the nuance), when James buzzed in for the most evil starter on heraldry, which demanded an answer (as it transpires) from the perspective of the holder of a shield rather than the viewer, making 'dexter' 'sinister' et vice versa. Leeds 100 Liverpool 90

I don't know at what time the game was a done deal, but I remember in retrospect crossing the 160 mark (To put us into a high loser position), being denied a perfectly good starter (What portion of 3/4 is 1/4,- I said a third, but you won't see it on telly!) and - well the rest is history. We won 230 -135, an aggregate score which was around the mean, and an above average winning margin.

In hindsight it seemed easy. It was not. Any team which gets this far knows some serious shit, and Liverpool were no exception. Collectively our team played wonderfully, buzzing appropriately, spreading starters around and each contributing unique answers. It is naive to say that at any stage we had a comfortable lead (this is a rare bird indeed during a game), but hell, the famous Gong sounded, the pre-stressed tension slid away, there were tears in the eyes for a few moments, and we had done what no Leeds team had done in six years under Paxman. WON.

For Weaver's Week review of the game Click here

It is impossible for a person to comprehend large numbers, so when we talk about an audience of 2.5 million, competing with the Simpsons as BBC2's main event, beating the world cup final on ITV by 1 million we might as well be talking about stars in the sky or molecules in a coconut tree. It's just 'a lot'. What would a company pay for that kind of exposure for 30 minutes? Is it ridiculous to speculate that one in 10 viewers might have to make a University choice discussion, and of those one in 100 might actually be influenced to raise Leeds in their preferences? 2,500 more students clamouring for a place would certainly be a punishment of luxury for the admissions officers.

Naturally the post match celebrations are something unique, as is the preparation for the second round. From a personal perspective, the time preceding the game is like the revision period for exams. Despite nothing any of the team had specifically revised cropping up in the first round, one must maximise ones chances, so the lawn grows, the wash basket fills, and Pears complete quiz companion becomes required reading, and .. Its worse than exams. The team at Granada are fantastic, answering your pestering 'phone calls and acceding to requests for extra admission tickets (Thanks Clare) and hotel accommodation of which you avail yourself by arriving the evening before, riven with cold and not in good form (OK, I know, this does not apply to everybody). The Big day starts at

12:00 Midnight . Asleep

1:00 A.M. People in the corridor, just going quietly about their nocturnal business wake you up, it's clammy, you read (Crib sheets), flick the telly on, read (The economist), make a cup of tea, read (Pears) Try to sleep, Read (Gideon's Bible), Lay down and shut your eyes, look at the time again, think, read (The University Challenge Quiz Book ), read (The Ibis Hotel guest guide), try to bloody sleep, have a bath, turn on the telly and listen to Radio 4 and finally

6:00 A.M. Sleep

6:50 A.M. Breakfast.

A.M. Generally prepare, while telling everybody you had a wonderful night's sleep and that you're on tip top form.

c 12 Noon: The walk to the studios is getting familiar, and, with the sun shining, your team with you and the carrot of salvation dangling a mere three hours away it is possible to feel very good actually! The matches are braced together, and unlike last time, ours was the first of the pair. Meal, Make Up, Costuming check all flit by, and before you know it, your being introduced stage right. AT LAST!

3:00 PM ish: The Game.

I love my Kids

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