DeBellis,+Ruby

Experience: I debated policy for 4 years at Bloomington Jefferson High School and traveled nat circuit for 3 years. Was a 2N/1A. Graduate in 2014 and have been judging ever since. I was also a lab leader at the Minnesota Debate and Advocacy Workshop for one year. I have judged a very limited number of rounds on this topic.

So, it's 5 minutes before the round. Here's what you need to know:

FLASH IS PREP. Timer stops when the flash drive leaves the computer and not a second earlier.

I'm generally OK with voting on anything. I've run straight policy affs, I've run performance affs with no plan text. I've gone for DA/CP, I've played music in the 2NR. Do what you're comfortable with. Don't be a dick or run something personally offensive to the other team. That being said, I do have preferences.

You have 15 minutes before the round and wanna know more. So...

DA/CP: I was never a huge fan of super technical, convoluted DA/CP debates. Spreading is just fine, but if this is your style, PLEASE slow down a bit and articulate all of your crafty turns and take outs clearly. If I don't get it on the flow I can't evaluate it.

K's (aff and neg): Big fan of the K. I am familiar with the most common K's, but if you're running something off the beaten path, make sure I really understand your link and what the world of the alt looks like. You should be doing this anyways, but just sayin. K affs are cool too. Do you thang.

Performance: I dig it. But I've also seen a lot of "bad" performance, ie., the narrative dies out somewhere in the middle of debate and looses its message. If you're doing performance, it better be your baby. Make sure I know what the roll of the ballot/roll of the judge is. Make sure I know why whatever your performance is is important to you and why it should be important to me. Tell me a story.

T: Love it. Make sure I really understand why you have the best internal links to impacts like F&E, and if you have out of round impacts/spillover, make sure I buy it.

Theory: So, the other team drops a theoretical argument and then you bring it up in the next speech. SIT ON THAT SHIT. A dropped argument is true. I don't care if the other team is wiping the floor with you, if they drop condo in the block, it's game over. But only if you spend an appropriate amount of time on it and give me a good reason to reject the team. I'll vote on it, but you have t do the work.

If you have any more specific questions, feel free to ask me before round. Most of all, good luck and have fun! Also, I'll give you a .5 speaker point boost if you give me a high five the second you see me. It pays to read the whole judge philosophy.