Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Debate update and Meeting with big guy

It kind of looks like I'm getting the OK to stay with D1, D2 and Rex out west between nationals -- YEA -- now all they have to do is qualify, which looks pretty good. It took some negotiations with Super Dean, but so far so good...

Now all I have to do is to get the OK to book the tickets myself and not use the expensive and terrible travel agent...

Also -- I have a meeting with big guy in about 3 weeks to talk about my plans for debate. I'm thinking more and more that what I want to do is to build a program someone would like to take over... there are several amazing coaches out there who would probably love BNCC, and if we can develop a solid program for them to step into, we can lure an amazing faculty member who also coaches debate. Debate and teaching philosophy aren't really compatible career paths, so I get little extra out of doing it for the next 10 years that don't have after the lat 9.

"Mr. Wilson" (not his real name...) has, it seems, withdrawn from the debate course. This is sad, but kind of ok as he had a bad habit of not wanting to do full practices, leaving early, missing because he had to work etc.. .of course, the real rant comes if you ask D1 about Wilson's "need to work" -- suffice it to say that D1 both needs to work and manages to debate, and well. It is pretty much his position that Wilson is either lazy or disorganized -- and that Wilson's father can support him, while that is far from D1's situation... and, hmmm -- D1 is being offered scholarships, Wilson will be at BNCC drifiting along for a few more years --- hmmmm....

Although I generally like Wilson, he is a challenge to travel with, as he has some peculiar eating habits. Also, the Rev and Wilson are pretty much arch-enemies... so Wilson's departure resolves that little quandry.

This weekend we get to debate in BN state for the first time this year -- after jerk host changed the rules for his zillions of tournaments, we don't go to them -- and all other BN fall tournaments that had debate conflict with better tournaments in other states within driving distance... so we go there instead. It will be fun to put these two new teams into competition... it will also help me to think about taking Herbie and the Russian to nationals...

Next weekend we go to Notre Dame, with the A and B teams -- I've got to call my aunt to let her know we will be there -- that should be fun... my family hasn't met debaters yet... I'm sure they'll get an insight into me, and I know she'll have some interesting things to say about them -- she's always an astute judge of character.

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