Texas wins Quidditch World Cup Championship!

[YTBulldogs]

If you go to Texas that's called normal.

Kinda like those cadets at games without a girl.

[Cam]

Kinda like those cadets at games without a girl.

....

[Phil C]

I like Quidditch.

[Phil C]

The game was originally a fantasy game in the Harry Potter Books written by J.K. Rowling. It was adopted to real life by Xander Manshel at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont in 2005. I am sure that he had others that made helpful suggestions but we thank everyone for their help in getting this great game established.

[Phil C]

This game was a quarter final game between Bowling Green and the Lost Boys (a quidditch club located in Lomita, California). The commentators said this was one of the best quidditch games ever played and it is excitlng as both teams played well and really went all out in this one and the snitch was magnificent.
If you watch this game from beginning to end you might just become another loyal enthusiastic fan of this great game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWOpxfSF1wc

[Phil C]

It is very rare but the two team captains can agree to end the game before the snitch is caught. Legend has it that one game lasted 3 months because the seekers didn't get the snitch. Finally the two team captains were so disgusted with the efforts of the seekers that they agreed to end the game. Thus an additional legend and lore to the game of Quidditch.

I may have inadvertently caused some anxiety with the above statement. But to ease your mind the rules have been revised to where the odds are over 500 Billion to 1 that it will ever happen again. The game currently is over when the snitch is caught. Remember the IQA requires that officials are trained as well as snitches who are neutral players. A referee is assigned as a snitch referee. The snitch usually leaves and doesn't return until twenty minutes after the game starts. Then the ref can handicap the snitch which usually at first makes him stay on the pitch (field) where the seeker can attack him. If needed the referee can use other handicaps if the game goes too long such as making the snitch not use his hands in defense. That is why most games just last about 30 minutes. When the snitch is caught regulation time is over and the team that catches the snitch gets 30 points. The team ahead is the winner. If it is tied we have an overtime which ends when the snitch is caught or after five minutes whichever comes first. If the snitch is caught the game is over. If a team is ahead they win but if they are still tied we have a second overtime and this one is sudden death so to speak because the team that scores first wins whether it be by a hoop score or catching the snitch. Fortunately overtime is rare but with these rules the game is easily concluded and not too lengthly,

I hope this helps ease the anxiety.

[Cam]

Holy crap!....Now I'm really convinced Phil C is on a quest to make this the longest running thread ever in Downlow history!!!.....Leon Jr beware!!!....

[Phil C]

Holy crap!....Now I'm really convinced Phil C is on a quest to make this the longest running thread ever in Downlow history!!!.....Leon Jr beware!!!....

Cam don't you like Quidditch? It is a fantastic game.

[Phil C]

As time goes by we can post what we learn of this fairly new exciting game. The field (pitch) has 2 opposing teams of 7 players in action all the time. There are three chasers who main job is to score by putting the volleyball called a quaffle through one of the hoops on the other teams goal. There is one quaffle in the game. Then there is one goalie that can helps defend a goal. The others help to but the keeper is the one that has more rights like a goalie in soccer. Then there are two beaters. The beaters work to get the dodgeballs (buggles) of which there are three. They hit other players with that ball and the hit player must dismount his brook and run back to his goal line and then he/she can return to the game. The 7th player is the seeker who is the one that goes after the snitch. Each position is shown by different head bands. A seeker can block another seeker and help the snitch if his team is behind. Before the game is started the head ref lets the snitch go and then when the snitch is out of sight he calls brooms up and the game starts. The seekers can leave the field if they wish to try to find the snitch but this is probably better done because if you get too far away you won't know what the score is. That is why nearly all teams wait for the snitch to come to the field. Sometimes there are several snitches but only one actually has the snitch.

[Phil C]

The IQA requires the refs to be properly trained as well as the snitches. A tournament director is the head official and he or she determines certain rules of the game and tells the refs when the snitch returns to the field as well as other certain rules. The head referee controls the actual game and makes all final decisions. He is assisted by several assistant referees since there is action going on all the time over all the field it would be too much for one person to keep up. There is even a snitch referee that goes on the job when the snitch returns and he watches that the snitch is fair and determines if the snitch is caught properly.
The snitch is somewhat complicated at first because a snitch is a golf ball attached with a bandana to the back of the referee that the seekers try to pull off and get to end the game. The snitch is also used to refer to the person carrying the snitch. The snitch is also an assistant referee and he or she is trained in his or her duties.
The snitch is very interesting because he or she is a neutral person who must be fair and consistent to both sides. He also works to provide excitement to the crowd and yes it can be a she too. The snitch and his fellow snitches can also throw water balloons on the field at the players but the referees have to be notified in advance as well as team captains. The snitch returns to the field within a certain time limit but the teams don't know when or where so now one gets and advantage. It is usually between 15 to 20 minutes but it can vary depending on the head ref and tournament director. If on rare occasions the seekers pursue him when he first flees he is an assistant referee and can verify that he is properly caught away from the action and the seeker must return to the field with the snitch as soon as possible. Fortunately this is rare. It is noted that the snitch is usually a male for obvious reasons pertaining to safety and not discrimination. However if a female shows the same abilities and gets the same training she will be used. But fortunately this is already a coed sport and problems are not anticipated.

Interesting game indeed isn't it?

[Cam]

Cam don't you like Quidditch? It is a fantastic game.

OH heck yeah!.....I even went to Academy Sports to buy my boy a quaffle ball.....but I guess they were plum outta stock!......I even asked one of the employees if he had quaffle balls.....he just kinda looked at me funny and said, "No sir, my vasectomy went just fine...no side effects whatsoever"..........

[Phil C]

OH heck yeah!.....I even went to Academy Sports to buy my boy a quaffle ball.....but I guess they were plum outta stock!......I even asked one of the employees if he had quaffle balls.....he just kinda looked at me funny and said, "No sir, my vasectomy went just fine...no side effects whatsoever"..........

I understand the frustration but be patient because as the sport becomes popular it will be easy to by the equipment needed such as quaffles, buggles, broom sticks, etc.

[BwdLion73]

[PhiI C]

Soon we will be having the 2014 world championship.

[PhiI C]

As of today (2-7-14) The Lost Boys at 12-0 are ranked at No. 1 in Quidditch while the University of Arkansas Razorbacks are ranked No. 2 with an 8-0 record. Baylor is No. 4 with a 10-1 record. Texas A&M is ranked No. 26 with a 6-0 record while Texas is ranked No. 39 with a 4-1 record. Excitement indeed.