There is an interesting thread over at Victory Briefs Daily titled Facing A Debate Celebrity.
It is always difficult to debate a team with a reputation for winning. With Public Forum’s emphasis on lay judging, this is a mental game since the judge is unlikely to know the reputation of either team.
I had a coach in college that would tell me two things before an elimination round:
- Comb your hair.
- Look like you are winning.
That’s still good advice.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
its a bit odd to say that debate coaches (those who’ll be judging you in outrounds) dont know who wins on the circuit. the best advice that anyone can give is to simply go into the round, and win.
there arent any real national debate celebrities since there are so few people who routinely travel. however, i suppose there are people who are locally dominant, and then judge recognition is definetly an issue.
The best thing to do when facing a debate celebrity is to remember to walk in with confidence and intimidate them! Remember they may have a reputation but reputations can be lost … and replaced with … yours!