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early release

Although basketball teams don't practice officially until certain dates,
their players certainly work camps over the summer!  There are also pickup
games that go on!

Pickup games--even between college and pro players--abound at these camps.
The difference is that they go by the actual rules of basketball--the don't
play "guess the sport" at these camps as we are forced to by having to play
"guess the topic" at these college summer debate camps.  I advocate release
before the camps.

I'm not an athlete nor do I (or could I) play on TV, but having grown up in
a family where my dad had received the opportunity to go to college on a
basketball scholarship, even with the restrictions that were there then as
they are today, the work was extremely hard year round.  Point being that
the sports analogy just does not apply.

If we want to achieve balance, the earlier release is desirable, as well as
keeping the same topic both semesters.  I agree with the take it easy from
time to time approach--all work and no play makes us all dull people!  I
disagree on the means advocated by the gentleman from Clemson, that's all.

I strongly agree that the debate community should refrain from restricting
student rights like the NCAA does, and, I might add, as the NCAA does in an
increasingly racist and exclusionary fashion.  Even Honest John Wooden once
said he broke NCAA rules--he and his wife committed the "crime," he
confessed, of having some students who could not go home for the holidays
over for Christmas dinner.  Furthermore, athletes who make millions for
their schools cannot even advertise or endorse products.  How utterly
ridiculous!

I don't think we'll be on TV advertising "NIKE designer debate tubs"
anytime soon, but the principle is that we do not need to capriciously and
arbitrarily restrict students as does the NCAA.  The stupid transfer CEDA
point rule is a case in point.  Let's not add to this.

Now, if you all will excuse me, I shall go read a preview of this week's
Clemson/Carolina basketball game!  Go Heels!

Tom Preston
Archive created by Jonathan Stanton (jonathan@cs.jhu.edu)
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