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Re: Pay attention. Period. -Reply

Bear says:

>Then, Tuna, why did you join me out in my van during Round 3 and quiz
>me extensively over whether I thought the tournament should be all
>high-lows and have some highs-highs? Just tweaking me? Just trying to
>raise my anxiety-level after leaking to me that a judge had just obliterated
>one of my team's points? Testing me to see if I'd go ballistic? I'm not the
>only one in that van that left with the disturbing impression that the
>precise number of hi-low rounds was, as of then, undetermined. I even
>asked several times at the ballot table which rounds were which, and no
>one could tell me for sure. Why isn't this info public? Why not put in the
>booklet? And there we are at a good argument against your advocacy of
>straight hi-lows: All it it takes is one judge with an attitude and you are
>practically out of the tournament. Two hi-his and two hi-lows in the last
>four rounds is the fairest way of preventing one judge from keeping a
>team from clearing. But, you seem like you've made your mind up.

I was gathering data on good reasons for high-high pairs, and reiterarting
my discussion from the executive committee meeting where I spoke against
high-highs. Every time I discuss a tournament procedure I'm not running off
to the tab room to implement it. Sheesh.

The info is public. Odd numbered rounds were high-high. Ask me, I'll tell you.

>Also, Tuna, a point of history. If you think I sound like a whiner, it wasn't
>too many years ago that you were calling CEDA judges lazy and
>irresponsible in your national judging philosophy. We've framed a copy
>for historical purposes. It was only about two years ago, when Gordie
>and Max went out early, that you publicly stated that you didn't think the
>orientation of your program would ever be conducive to getting into late
>elims at CEDA Nats. Look it up on the archive, though wading through
>your posts in the early years might take awhile. I know I would be a lot
>happier person if my long-term memory loss would catch up.

In many instances I was right. I recognize now, as Becky Gallentine noted
in her post, that the judging pool has improved GREATLY in CEDA. I am not
afraid to change my mind through time.

You also point out that I changed my mind on topic reform issues. Initially
I was opposed to one year long topic, then I engaged in discussion, thought
about it, changed my mind, and proposed a rules change that passed. I was
always in favor of early release. I proposed the rules change and it
passed.

>It's just troubling to me that you
>seem to interpret my frustration as whining and then proceed to prove
>how open to listening you are by engaging in a point-by-point refutation
>attack. I'm not even sure I understand why you felt the need to respond.

1. You called it whining in your post. What am I supposed to call it?
2. If a major program feels it necessary to withdraw from participation in
our national tournament I feel obligated as an officer to respond.

In terms of many other comments by Bear, I am reminded of my pledge to be
nice and to what Cleopatra Jones once said to me: "If you can't be polite
to me, don't talk to me at all." So, having used up my politeness reserves
for the day, I will stop here. More when I refuel them.

By the way, Michael Bryant will be featured as a lecturer and faculty
member at this year's National Debate Institute. The students rate him very
highly and he works with his research group to produce an excellent set of
briefs in his assigned area. He is one of the stars of our faculty.

And for some reason we get along very well in person.


Alfred Charles Snider III -- AKA "Tuna"
Edwin W. Lawrence Professor of Forensics, University of Vermont
Mail: Box 54225, UVM, Burlington, VT 05405-4225
Phone: 802-656-0097, Fax: 802-656-4275
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