IT World has published a fascinating look at the “Nerdlympics” – nerdy alternatives to the blah in Beijing. A neat read, it looks at the world of speedcabling, obfuscated code contests, Soldering, Buzzword Bingo, and Speedrunning Super Mario Brothers.

There are of course, a few things they left out.

For example, there’s a documentary about CalTech’s Basketball team, called “Quantum Hoops.” It details the team’s goal to actually win a single game, despite the fact that the team has more valedictorians than high school varsity basketball players.

Of course, CalTech’s Basketball team is WAY less nerdy than Princeton and Middlebury’s Quiddich league.

“The role of the snitch is filled, not by an enchanted, plum-sized, golden-feathered ball, but by a hyperactive college student dressed in yellow with a penchant for running and wrestling. To capture the snitch, one of the seekers must grab a black sock hanging from the snitch’s shorts.”

I have found it impossible not to laugh at that previous sentence.

Of course, ultimately, there’s not much difference between Geeks and Sports Geeks…