Allen,+Isaac

Judging Profile

Isaac Allen

UMKC \ DEBATE - Kansas City

I have been in debate in one form or another since I was in 6th grade. I was a four year debater and coach for Missouri State in the first half of the last decade. I am currently working for the Urban Debate League in Kansas City. With that said I have listed some of my like and dislikes below. Please take note:

Likes: I like polite and courteous debaters. (Your attitude will affect speaker points) I like people who have fun doing the activity. I like a good counter plan disadvantage debate. (I used to live and die by the politics DA) I love case debates! I enjoy a good critique and I am generally down for alternative styles. My threshold for voting on T or theory is pretty high. I've certainly done it but the abuse story must be well explained. I like it when debaters clearly articulate what it is that wins them the debate. (Read as I like round and regional overviews….although you also have to cover the line by line) I like originality. Well executed humor is always appreciated.

Dislikes: I hate unclear debates. Quick blippy arguments will likely be disregarded. Spewing through theory is silly if you want me to vote on theory please explain it slowly. I really dislike people who go faster then they should. I can handle speed I just hate listening to debaters trying to hard. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKE NOTE I dislike debaters who are indignant or rude after a loss. I dislike nebulous impacts. This really means if your impact is “oppression” you will need a good explanation as to what kind of oppression the aff (or neg) creates and how it operates.

Other important information:

I generally do not have a problem with any kind of arguments. I am willing to listen to just about anything. If you are one of those teams that is non-topical all the time that’s fine but you will still need to defend why you get to do that. On the reverse side of that coin please don’t assume just because I prefer policy based debates I will automatically vote on arguments like “T key to education”. The truth is always somewhere in between and my decision will be based on specific issues in the round. Lastly I view debate as an academic endeavor so if your project adds to our understanding of the resolution then you’re probably ok.

If you have more questions please ask!

Isaac Allen