Moseley,+Michael

Moseley, Michael

This is my second year judging JV and Varsity Policy for Leland High School in San Jose, California. I like strategical debates and am always happy to consider anything. I think this is your debate, do what you want, but please do it well and even more usefully, do it better than than your opponent. You need to impress me, not the opposing team.

My thoughts:

Spreading is an artform. It’s awesome when done right. But, do NOT spread tags or analytics. If you do so, I will not be able to flow, and then that is a problem when you try to extend them. I always regret if I make a bad decision because I couldn't catch your arguments fast enough, but that is also on you. Be aware that judges are not reading your prewritten blocks or the cards. We can only listen and make decisions. To summarize, I am fine with speed but I don't consider myself to be the best follower, especially if I have to stop and think of what tags and analytics you are running with. So, if you're going to go fast make sure to take that into account.

I do believe that the more complicated an team or argument gets, the more time you ought spend on explaining it to me. That means is that I don't like to see people purposely spreading complicated arguments just to gain an advantage. When judging a round, I look to see which debater has won his/her framework and then can objectively evaluate the impacts to that framework. You are free to run whatever you want as long as (1) you can adequately justify it and (2) I can understand the argument.  Do not present affs that you don't pretend to engage in the topic. I am always disappointed in non-topical affs, but if they are indeed the direction of the topic, I am open to voting for them. If you want to avoid all topic education, then I will want to avoid voting for you.  Please don’t just your 8 minute overview in the 2NC and leave the 1NR do "case that wasn't answered in the overview." I do like a 1AR that explains responses to the K and says they were dropped. While you will clash with your opponent, if their team reads specific responses to your position, you need to specifically answer them.  This seems so clear but I see this a lot; do not be offensive. I believe that Offense is good, but being rude or offensive is bad. Offense impresses me, but again being a bully, butting-in, and behaving offensively is a big turn-off and I feel angry at that point. I don’t want to hear it; being nice to your opponent is expected and will make me judge you more highly.