Brich,+Kevin

I have been coaching debate for seventeen years. It is safe to say that I am a traditionalist. LD is a debate of value, and it should be based in philosophy. Yes, other evidence and research is important, but win the value clash, and you win the debate. In order to win the value debate, your criterion should give me a framework which I should use to judge the round. The best way to win is to communicate. If you are trying to win by using all the tricks and jargon that college debaters like, you probably won’t. If you are trying to convince me, who I consider to be an average person looking for reason in the world, then you have a chance. There is no place for speed in LD debate. Speed is not debate, argument is. Kritiks, plans, counterplans, and other methods brought in by Policy Debate have no place in LD as well. I do not appreciate theory arguments. I can appreciate topicality on the neg, but don’t count on that alone to win a debate.