Ely,+Michael

Hi, I'm Michael. I have been out of debate for about a year and a half. I have only judged a few rounds on this topic. Generally though, my ideas about debate tend to stay fairly similar regardless of what the topic committee puts together. They are as follows: I like smart debate. It doesn't really matter what style. Make smart, well informed, well explained arguments, and I don't really care what they are. What that means for you is, tell me how to evaluate your round, explain the links in your argument, weigh the impacts in comparison to your opponents, and try to mitigate their offense (and admit where you are losing), and you should be golden. Please be clear, I am hard of hearing, but speaking at an efficient and understandable pace can only help you. Call out ridiculous scenarios when you know they are ridiculous. Use your knowledge of history to your advantage. US history is a plus. Do whatever you feel most comfortable with, and whatever you think you are best at, rather than what you think I will like. I am here to help you, not to be catered to. Be kind. Tensions run high at tournaments, but there is no need to be rude just for the sake of it. That does not mean don't be assertive, but we are all at a tournament to have fun, and hopefully win a few rounds. If you have any specific questions, you can email me at ely.michael0@gmail.com To help me out, I had Micheal Stroud write up a large part of my philosophy for me. This is a couple of years old, so please excuse any reference to me being a first year judge. You should still pay attention to what he has to say though. He is my best friend, and often knows how I think better than I do. His portion is below: i am writing this for Michael Ely, in the spirit of elucidating his feelings about debate for you. he’s my best friend and one of the best debate partners ive had the joy of competing with, and i guess this is supposed to be a portion of his judging philosophy.

i am writing this for Michael Ely, in the spirit of elucidating his feelings about debate for you. he’s my best friend and one of the best debate partners ive had the joy of competing with, and i guess this is supposed to be a portion of his judging philosophy.

Ely’s got a core made of history. Every input gets filtered through that lens, and every output is given new light when its re-grounded by the history-machine. When you argue a particular risk, it too gets run through his history-machine and if you’ve ignored it, you’ll find that he may not agree with you. On the other hand, if you bring your own history-machine into the debate, he will often agree with you in fascinating and educational ways. That being said; i dont think hes got any single formula for deciding debates. hes the furthest person from an ideologue ive encountered in this activity.

you should feel comfortable presenting any set of arguments to him, he and i are constantly discussing new or innovative ways to think about the topic. were not always just sitting around talking about heidegger, baudrillard or deleuze (although, if those are your game, theres no better judge for you than mEly). keep in mind though, the history-machine rejects cheap-shots and poorly developed scenarios (so if those are your game, move him way down). making arguments well grounded in history, french [post-thinking] thought, or the topic are all good ways to engage and excite Ely.

ely is probably the nicest guy in the united states, and you should treat others the way will treat you: with respect, dignity and an open mind.

michael works extremely hard for us at UTSA, and his commitment to education in debate ensures he'll consider the debate at hand with the same zeal and intellectual propriety. as a judge, i think he's liable to be a favorite of yours regarding the style and quality of his post-round discussion. ive always found him generous with suggested improvements from speech to speech, and theres no-one id rather have reviewing my pre-tournament preparation - every constructive he's touched has come out 10 times more readable and straightforward.

keep in mind that hes hard of hearing in one ear (ill never tell), so SPEAK UP, but he debated and beat some of the fastest speakers out there, so dont be afraid to fly through your aff.

i think ely should be high on your list of first-year judges to try early and often. i think you'll find yourself with a new friend, and more importantly, a new advocate for what debate means to YOU. hes more honest, fair, and cleverer than alot of folks, and well worth a spot in your top 20 critics.

if you have any specific questions that you dont want to ask him, let me know: realityistooobvioustobereal@gmail.com

-stroud