Thinking Strategically
The 7 Deadly Sins of CX
Unscripted. Fast-paced. No prep time. Cross-examination is the true test of a debater, and my personal favorite in a debate round. It forces you not only to think on your feet, but to reason. It also necessitates a very artful crafting of your questions. This article...
Briefs Aren’t Strategy
Before every tournament, my partner took me outside the registration building and had a pow-wow. He wanted to go through each of our briefs and make a strategy out of them, card by card. These two-hour meetings were stressful. As we watched other debaters enjoy...
Why do great teams lose AFF? No Theme
I just got this question from a debater I bumped into at the NCFCA NC national open last week. While it's from Team Policy debate, my answer will equally apply to Lincoln-Douglass LD debaters as well. "Hey Isaiah! It was great to meet you at NC. I wanted to see if you...
Debater Spam is Like Email Spam
I have met not only parents and debaters, but even coaches that say something like the following: "It's ok for one team to make bad arguments and quote evidence that shows only half the story, or leave out half the article's points, because it is the other team's job...
Impact Calculus
What would you say if you saw a warrior do battle and lose—because he never thought to use his strongest weapon? What would you think if you saw a chess player who refused to ever bring out his queen? And what would you think of a football coach who never threw to his...