A Tale of Two Academic Teams

Chapter 8: Delusions of Inferiority

In the weeks after the Grapevine Classic, which was a complete disaster for her, Sadie mostly kept to herself, and she inexplicably cries at lunchtime on Friday.

"Has my own debating talent vanished?" Sadie asks out loud.

"What do you mean, your debate talent has vanished? I might have heard a thing or two about debating last year on the morning announcements, but I didn't realize you were part of it!" Qian, the linebacker asks her.

"Chantal used to have an inferiority complex, but now I'm the one who feels like I have no business debating! I can't just... stick to quiz bowl! I crumbled to dust as a debater, what will my collegiate future look like now?" Sadie sobs again.

"What makes you think you crumbled to dust as a debater?" Qian questions her.

"I finished two-three at Grapevine, whereas I went to the semifinals at debate-State... you can't advance to the semifinals at debate-State with a two-three preliminary record! If that's not a sign of regression, I don't know what it is. But I mustn't let the team down!"

"Maybe you should cool off a bit. Maybe you should watch our home opener" the linebacker insists her.

"What's your name then? I'm not familiar with who's who on the football team, I was so focused on debate prep" Sadie asks him.

Maybe watching the football team's home opener is a good thing. Even though quiz bowl plays its first tournament tomorrow, Tal Atkins. For weeks I kept doing my research on the debate topic, as well as for quiz bowl... and now people all across the circuit refer to me as Quiz Bowl Sadie! And not just at DCC either, she ruminates, while the linebacker stands ready to pop the question.

"Qian. My last girlfriend graduated last year, and I have one free ticket left for the football game, what about I take you to tonight's game?"

"What position do you play?" Sadie asks.

"Linebacker"

Ever since I have been on this team, the greatest female stars on academic teams, except for one, all had footballer boyfriends. So, while Sadie has apparently fallen from grace as a debater, she used to be good. If a date is part of what could get her back on track... Qian muses while she waits for Sadie's answer, which he feels takes a while.

Now that Chantal is the star of the debate team, until such time I can, relatively speaking, return to her level, she'll have a much easier time on the dating market, Sadie thought, also reflecting as to what future she would have in dating. Richter was a very passive date and basically dated her in name only. I may as well date Qian before Chantal finds a date!

"Oh yes!" Sadie answers as enthusiastically as was feasible given her issues.

"See you at the stadium tonight!" Qian then replies back, before handing her the ticket.

She then gives her contact information to him prior to the game. The date itself is not the most spectacular in the world, and she spends much of the football game reworking her opening statements based on the judgments from Grapevine and updating her files as necessary. Not the best place in the world to do so, but better than nothing at all.

But before the players get their stuff in order, in the dead of night, they get in the parents' cars, with their textbooks and other materials so they can do whatever homework they can. Upon arriving at Shreveport for their quiz bowl tournament, Warren harangues the players...

"Before the tournament begins, I hope Sadie can take up Imélie's mantle and score as much as she did. It worked for us last year, Debate Girl" Warren then fixates on Sadie.