What’s Your Favorite Debate Memory? (Continued)
posted by Jon Cruz on March 20th, 2006
I take the subway home every day after work, and when I leave after team meetings, I tend to sit with my debaters. The other day, our team president, Ting Ting Tam, asked me out of the blue what my favorite “debate memory” was. I had difficulty coming up with just one. “MMMBop” in the car at Apple Valley with Mike Bietz and Teams Berkeley Carroll and Archer? Coaching a close-out? Clearing at the NCFL when I was in high school? Qualifying to States as a novice? There were many from which to choose.
So, it’s a little corny, I know, but for an “Off the Flow” question, I’m wondering: what’s your favorite debate memory? Why? (I’m frankly bumping this one back up because the conversation was just too good….)
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Posted from: 71.37.232.223
March 13th, 2006 16:38
My favorite debate memory is clear.
I kept the infamous Sam joke (VBI 2003 talent show) going with one of my friends for over a month- from Iowa Caucus to the novice/jv state tournament.
Needless to say she no longer talks to me.
Posted from: 63.224.185.10
March 13th, 2006 16:59
This was a tough call but I have to go with being trapped in the hotel at Emory last year and the hilarity that ensued. Close second was definitely seeing a real live pimp at Grand Central on the way to the Vassar RR. That was cool.
Posted from: 205.188.116.132
March 13th, 2006 16:59
I really feel like I have a ton of “favorite debate memories;” but my favorite would be going to VBI this past summer, which was a lot of fun.
Posted from: 66.208.26.115
March 13th, 2006 17:04
John Lynch’s favorite debate memory involves a hotel ceiling, the Greenhill tournament, and James Logan exerting its authority *over* him. I will leave it to him (or to Justin Hinojoza) to fill in the details but quite honestly, that has to be the most memorable thing to happen this debate season in my mind.
Posted from: 209.94.139.52
March 13th, 2006 17:04
mhmm too many to say, but if theres one that really stands out its housing with bronx science michael yang at this GI-NORMOUS mansion of a house in monticello…we had almost an entire floor, the pillow fight that ensued was quite beautiful…in a twisted way.
also…harvard tournament. that was just amazing. the billions of rounds of “presidents” card game was great.
Posted from: 24.6.139.100
March 13th, 2006 17:06
Massive ownage that JCruz still refuses to put on Crystallize.
Bobby Holley, at the Berkeley tournament, with an umbrella.
Posted from: 65.29.46.219
March 13th, 2006 17:14
All nighter last night of VBI session 1, without doubt.
Posted from: 69.86.161.233
March 13th, 2006 17:21
Meeting Jon Cruz :3
(For real. Your pink shirt blinded me.)
Karan, can you please bring me my jacket at Woodward?
Posted from: 24.131.177.141
March 13th, 2006 17:25
I can’t answer this! You can’t ask someone my age to pick one memory! Besides, I tend to remember random events that other people quickly forget, and my sense of humor…isn’t one a lot of other people share.
That said, I’ll offer two memories (not necessarily my two favorite, but two that spring to mind). The first is from Emory during my senior year of high school; my team was policy-heavy, so I had to get transportation to and from the hotel with another team and their coach. (I have no idea who it was anymore.) Throughout the weekend, the coach kept asking me my name, and whenever I’d answer, he’d hear “Jacob” rather than “Chetan.” So I spent the weekend as Jacob. It was odd.
The other memory is from my senior year of college. I was in an airport with Samira, one of my students, and she was carrying her trophy because she packed at the last minute and didn’t have room for it in her already-full suitcase. At the Starbucks, an awed couple stopped and stared before timidly approaching. “Did you…did you just win an Oscar?,” they asked in hushed tones. I expected Samira, who was normally very straightlaced, to nicely correct them. Instead, she responded, “Yes! It was for a small, independent movie called ‘The Glenbrooks!’”
There are many others, but those two always bring a smile to my face.
Posted from: 67.190.146.70
March 13th, 2006 17:27
Trapping our extemper in a hotel room and 8 of us flinging Outback our collection of 200 drink-coasters at him (the square ones with pointy sides) for 15 minutes.
He cried. We laughed.
Posted from: 65.11.83.162
March 13th, 2006 17:52
Seeing a real live pimp in grand central on the way to vassar rr. that was amazing. or my room with spirtos and lumperis at nsd winter was a fun week.
Posted from: 69.249.91.131
March 13th, 2006 17:52
It was earlier this year at the Wake Forest tournament. Millburn’s hotel was much farther away then expected, and we had bad directions, so we were already late for the tournament and had no idea how to get there. After asking a couple pedestrians, we were getting really worried about missing the first round (or even the first three) and no one had any idea where the tournament was. The situation was further complicated by tension that happened to exist due to claims thrown back and forth about whose fault it was. We skidded to a stop next to a building, and I was ordered by the father driving the car to get out and ask for directions. I ran- literally- to the door, and it had a sign that there was an alcoholics anonymous meeting there. Knowing that I couldn’t just run into that, I ran back to the car, only to see three infurious, anxious, and suddenly crazed people ordering me back. So I ran into the meeting, and about fifty southern men turned their heads slowly to look me in the eyes. Scared of being killed by debate parents less than being killed by southern alcoholics, I dashed back and jumped into the window of the car. While I was inside (although for only a second), Millburn people had found a police officer next to the building. After the police officer told us that he too was from new jersey, he personally escorted us for miles to the school.
Round one ended up being delayed for an hour, and we were all flight B anyway, rendering our efforts useless. Overall, the tournament was pretty boring compared to our journey there.
Posted from: 199.5.172.2
March 13th, 2006 18:06
It involves me, Greg Nance, Jeremy Schifberg, 5 strippers, a horse, and a long night…..
No seriously.
Posted from: 68.38.212.63
March 13th, 2006 18:07
hmm, josh and myself sure have had alot of interesting stories, but one that comes to mind was this year at big bronx we got back to our hotel around 11 that saturday and were hungry, so we tried calling a dominos for some pizza and not one would deliver to us. here’s the conversation from one of them:
josh: hey do you guys deliver to (hotel name, i’ve forgotten it)
domino’s guy: i don’t know
josh: can you ask your manager, or the delivery guy?
domino’s guy: i don’t know who’s here
josh: what do you you mean? are you the only one working?
domino’s guy: i don’t know
josh: how could you not know if you’re the only one working?
domino’s guy: i don’t understand, good bye.
so, as we were hungry, josh and myself left the hotel only to find ourselves in a pretty woodsy area of new york, and apparently the nearest food establishment was 5+ miles away haha.
another funny memory is that of my roommate at vbi session 1 this year, when my lab leader was looking for me.
ryan lawerence: hey, is dean there?
roomie: ummm i don’t know, hold on.
*closes door*
*minute later*
roomie: i don’t think hes here.
keep in mind that our ucla rooms were about 10×10, don’t really know where he thought i was hiding.
and the coolest memory was the new jersey states novice year when josh and myself found out we were 3rd and 2nd seeds respectivly, with 4-1 and 5-0 records. it was pretty funny how this year our two novices at states did a similar thing, alex was 1st seed and like me, was undefeated, and like me, dropped in quarters, and mike was the lower seed and got 2nd, similar ro josh who got 1st. thats kinda cool seeing the guys you help coach follow in your footsteps :)
Posted from: 140.247.73.223
March 13th, 2006 18:12
Josh Meah told me I had an incredibly sexy voice in the middle of cross-ex in round 6 of Harvard 2005.
I got perfect speaks that round too.
Posted from: 138.89.142.90
March 13th, 2006 18:20
Oh, my, how can I follow these?
My favorite memory is from Lexington 2004, I think, when John Shultz told me, as judge, that we was going all over the flow, that he would sign post, and that I would be able to follow him. In the 1 AR. I said, “Well, OK”.
He did. I gave him 30 points. He also got the win. It was, indeed, all over the place, but was so clear AND was so sensible….it was effective.
That, and also Josh’s face at Pburg this past December.
BC
Posted from: 128.135.112.141
March 13th, 2006 18:26
My favorite debate memory was when Jon Cruz IMed me to post on this thread. Maybe you guys can relate.
Posted from: 68.175.99.147
March 13th, 2006 18:28
I’m surprised by how few of these actually *were* coerced. Keep ‘em coming! :)
Posted from: 70.231.191.201
March 13th, 2006 18:34
Three words: Jews for Jesus.
Posted from: 131.229.177.243
March 13th, 2006 18:43
Too many to name, and as I think back, I’m literally getting misty-eyed, because as Jon tells me over and over… I’m such a “lifer”, and I might as well just admit it to myself.
I have an unjustified fondness for the Harvard tournament, half my soul secretly *lives* in CRLS.
VBI is a source of many many sweet memories each year; especially for all the friends I’ve made there.
The huge stack of old cases, flows, notes, reseach files jammed into a bookcase in my room is an ever-available source of amusement, horror, and humility…
But the number one thing in debate that is a memory for me, and always will be, is actually a person. It’s Jon Cruz.
It may not be possible to make this topic more corny than it already is, but I’ll try: Jon, you couldn’t have known how right you were that very first meeting of the season, 5 and a half years ago, when you told us novices that we would “eat, sleep, and breathe debate” from that point forward. I can’t think of anyone who inspired me more throughout my three remaining years of high school. Your *endless* optimism, faith in my always somewhat frustrated ability, and presence as a friend meant the world to me, and probably always will. I could go on at length, listing the more poignant or hilarious moments we’ve had – but I won’t, because I’m sure the best is yet to come.
Thanks, though – for everything. :)
Posted from: 69.112.174.134
March 13th, 2006 18:56
hahaha +1 to Adwait
My most interesting debate memory would definitely have to be The Villager tournament this year in Pennsylvania. In the fourth prelim my judge announced, for no apparent reason besides his own desire to see us suffer, that my opponent and I both had to remain standing the entire round. Thinking that this would make flowing nearly impossible, I politely protested, only to have him yell at me to not inturrupt. He then made us choose how we were going to allocate our prep between our speeches time before we began. The round that followed wasn’t one of the most satisfying I’ve had, but the most disturbing thing about it was that he had been judging for the three previous rounds while putting the same constraints on the debaters and still hadn’t been removed from the judging pool.
Posted from: 69.249.68.171
March 13th, 2006 19:04
this one time greg, brandon, peter and I were at Denny’s and they had something called the “lumberjack slam”
i thought that the name was quite amusing…the others agreed.
Posted from: 68.161.153.207
March 13th, 2006 19:16
At blake, after rounds, I was in my room with david weeks. We were hungry, so i suggest we order a pizza. As I walk to pick up the phone, someone knocks on the door. I open it, and its a pizza delivery man with a pizza for Mr Levi. For real. Thank you god.
Posted from: 71.250.208.62
March 13th, 2006 19:21
Last year, at the Harvard tournament, a bunch of people from the Millburn team decided to go to Quincey Market for dinner. We checked directions and got on the subway. After about 20 minutes, some people began to wonder if we had gotten on the wrong train. After another 20 minutes we realized that we weren’t going to Quincey Market – we were going to the town of Quincey. We got food at a McDonald’s after the train finally stopped, and took subway back to our hotel, which we didn’t reach until midnight. We never went to Quincey Market, but I still look back on it as a fun night.
Posted from: 71.250.74.243
March 13th, 2006 19:25
when max stevens picked me up at the airport my first year at vbi, i told him i’d never been to debate camp. he replied by telling me that i was “in for the ride of my life.”
i remember thinking that was pretty dumb, but i guess it turned out to be more true than i initially thought it could be.
Posted from: 71.250.74.243
March 13th, 2006 19:29
oh jake laperruque, wasn’t that the night when i kicked your ass in the subway station?? THATS my favorite memory :)
Posted from: 71.250.191.23
March 13th, 2006 19:36
While at VBI I decided to test out my frisbee skills by throwing two of them at once.
Both of them managed to hit this maintainence guy from UCLA that was driving by, one in the face, the other in the stomach. The guy then proceeded to throw the frisbees back at me, telling me that he was going to kill me.
Then Jeff Fox said I had no survival skills.
Posted from: 71.250.191.23
March 13th, 2006 19:42
Also, beating Jake Laperruque with 4 a priori voting issues somehow.
Posted from: 68.224.20.3
March 13th, 2006 19:47
During the immigration policy topic, in the final round at Cimarron (a local Vegas tourny), I negated against Zach Martin from Meadows. Zach and I know each other and have a friendly rivalry. After the AC, I started questioning him about his criterion of Majority Rule (being in front of 3 judges and a crowd of 20 people). It went something like this:
JK: Your criterion is majority rule, correct?
ZM: Yes
JK: Could you sum up what you mean by majority rule?
ZM: Basically, passing laws that are support by a majority of the American population
JK: Does majority rule exist in the United States?
ZM: Yes
JK: If majority rule exists in the U.S., then why did Bush beat Gore in the 2000 election?
(crowd laughs)
ZM: Well, U.S. majority rule doesn’t exactly do what the general population wants . .
JK: Wait, then how does the U.S. have majority rule?
ZM: Congress passes laws for the citizenry based on majority rule in Congress
JK: Doesn’t that mean Congress can pass laws that the majority of the U.S. doesn’t agree with?
ZM: Umm, no. Congress is checked by being elected by the citizenry of the U.S.
JK: But, does anything stop them from passing laws against majority rule?
(Pause)
JK: We’ll come back to that. How is immigration policy consistent with democratic ideals if it doesn’t follow your criterion of majority rule?
(Time with no answer)
I ended up losing the round 2-1 because two of the judges didn’t buy the argument and didn’t believe it outweighed some of his other arguments. Nonetheless, the west side district in Vegas still talks about it.
Posted from: 68.229.62.8
March 13th, 2006 20:02
yes, the west side of vegas is defintily gossip city…
once it gets better….people might know more than 1 school debates these
Posted from: 24.195.9.186
March 13th, 2006 20:02
My favorite memory is from yale this year , where we dared our coach to hit on a random girl, Thinking that he would never do it , we were amused when he said : ” yo baby , do you wanna f***” to a couple really skanky girls. However just as he said that , two huge guys walked around the corner. We were chased back to our car then tailed for about 4-5 miles. It was hilarious.
Posted from: 65.81.132.195
March 13th, 2006 20:08
i liked MBA this year, which saw:
1. max almost die
2. the introduction of VAULT
and
3. the introduction of “STOP – Jamertime”
Posted from: 151.202.36.17
March 13th, 2006 20:11
I agree with Jake; eating the lumberjack slam was definitely the highlight of this year. During that same meal, we asked the waitress what state we were in, because we didn’t know, and she told us “you could be in either state, in either Massachussetts or Connecticut,” so we didn’t feel as dumb for not knowing.
On the theme of debate road trips (I’ve made the trip from NYC to the Boston area far too many times), Schultz and Syosset’s Adhar and Rishi can remember being chased for more than an hour by an insane motorcycler as well as me winning money by picking the underdog each hand in heads-up hold ‘em.
Getting pulled over by cops is always memorable, whether it’s for going more than 50 miles an hour over the speed limit and ending up with a “sea boat” ticket, or losing my week’s poker money for making a turn on a green light in Philly.
For some reason, travelling to debate tournaments always seem more eventful (and probably more interesting) than the tournaments themselves.
Posted from: 169.229.118.148
March 13th, 2006 20:14
all of my best debate memories involve ashan peiris and the waffle house.
Posted from: 68.229.62.8
March 13th, 2006 20:20
that sounds somewhat sketchy mr. smitty
Posted from: 4.232.24.16
March 13th, 2006 20:21
NANCE IS THE HOTTEST KID ON THE PLANET.
thats all i gotta say
Posted from: 207.172.150.102
March 13th, 2006 20:32
My favorite memories are all from poker- losing three big pots to Schultz as a huge favorite at Stanford last year(last one was pocket kings against two under cards pre-flop) is one, and playing about ten heads-up hands in a row where the underdog won all-ins at Yale this year (also against Schutlz). But I think my favorite was last year at Stanford, when Greg Ihrie and I were staying up all night to play poker with John McKay and a few of his friends because we had a flight leaving at 5 a.m. On one hand, I had something like a 5-8 off in the big blind. Everyone but McKay’s friend Bethell(out of the small blind) folded, and we checked down until the river. The board was A-A-K-K-Q. Finally, after the Queen on the river, Bethell moved all-in. In my genius, I called him figuring that he was trying to steal my blind (my only excuse is that it was 3 in the morning), and of course he had the king and I lost the $20 (actually I think it was probably more than that) that Greg and I were supposed to use to take the taxi back to the airport, meaning that Greg had to walk accross Stanford’s campus at 3 to find an ATM to pay for our cab. I still feel awful about that…
Posted from: 4.232.24.16
March 13th, 2006 20:42
The family in front of me on the plane from LA to San Jose (Harker):
13 yr old kid: Mom, where’s San Jose? is it in Nevada?
Mom: No, it’s like (pause) halfway between here and Oregon
13 yr old kid: Oh! look I’m looking it up on my cellphone.
Mom (to husband): That reminds me, Honey, do you know where Dubai is? I can never remember
Husband (frustrated and loud): I’ve told you this a million times Carol! It’s in EGYPT!!!
Posted from: 172.195.168.201
March 13th, 2006 20:53
the time i didnt break at alta but was soothed by vbd pics with greer
Posted from: 69.249.91.131
March 13th, 2006 20:58
at the vassar rr Naveen and i went swimming at 3 in the morning, switching off writing a marxism case while trying not to get my powerbook wet
millburn has had some pretty crazy housing experiences also…including crazed cats and half an hour of sleep sitting up at lex two years ago and beating petraro at poker (a huge accomplishment) for a bed this year at lex
Posted from: 70.137.138.174
March 13th, 2006 21:00
sean john f00
Posted from: 67.180.72.222
March 13th, 2006 21:00
I second John Scoggin. And all of my all-nighters with the Edina twins from my lab at VBI. For which I can thank Lauren Robb for my Red Bull addictiong
Posted from: 69.115.223.185
March 13th, 2006 21:05
Watching McKay NAIL Jon Gordon with a water gun was probably the best experience of my life. That, and when at VBI this past summer, Brandon told Greg what his “birthday present” was. I’ll let one of them fill in the rest XD
Posted from: 205.188.116.132
March 13th, 2006 21:09
i don’t know if it’s my “favorite,” but probably one of my funniest:
at princeton ‘04, my drama friend and i were waiting for rounds to start when we observed a frantic debater trip on the stairs, grab onto the railing in time to save himself, but drop his expando, spilling papers everywhere.
my friend leaned over to me and said,
“that’s so debate.”
Posted from: 207.28.194.207
March 13th, 2006 21:39
The one thing i will never forget:
getting back from round 5 at toc my senior year at 930 in the MORNING and seeing ashan smoking a cigar and drinking a beer. i was in awe.
being told by michelin that i didnt suck anymore my senior year.
elderberries/what if god was one of us.
Posted from: 24.13.82.229
March 13th, 2006 21:53
yeah, Adam Groner was telling me about Emory years back. He was at teh Waffle House w/ JW Patterson and JW asks for some liquor. THe waitress responds that they dont carry any. JW responds that they have alchohal over at the waffle house in kentucky. AFter he says this, the coach sitting next to him tells JW “no JW, you bring your own liquor to the waffle house in kentucky.” Jw then says “ah, youre right.”
otherwise one of my favorite memories that I can talk about publically is at Iowa Caucus when Ernie wore a pregnant nun outfit while judging. that was hilarious.
Posted from: 24.195.9.186
March 13th, 2006 22:20
My favorite memory is watching alex williams and sohail syed act out a debate story they heard from boyang for three hours straight on the ride home from princeton( they were re-enacting paul schianos tab room show down at harvard)( after this boyang promised to never tell them another debate story)
Posted from: 129.2.193.196
March 13th, 2006 22:29
My personal favorite memory is from Apple Valley one year. Myself, Ryan Hamilton, Jack Noble and Alex Imas had just eaten a leisurely breakfast at a pretty nice place in the airport and where strolling down the terminal to our gate when we heard “Last call for passengers Hamilton, Ihrie, Noble & Imas,” with all names horribly butchered. After the initial confusion (“Was that us?” “S—!”) we ran through the terminal while the Schrieber kids pointed and laughed at us. The gate attendant informed us that “this isn’t some laughing matter,” but let us on as the last people on the plane.
Posted from: 68.229.62.8
March 13th, 2006 22:43
dude i need to see that re-enactment of mr. schiano
that has always been one of my dreams to see that in real life
not really
but it would be pretty damn funny
Posted from: 169.231.12.193
March 13th, 2006 22:45
Classics:
At the innagural Mountain View Round Robin (held at my house) Mckay paid Brugato a dollar to jump in my disgusting (it was green) pool. Brugato, despite lacking any change of clothes, decided it would be a good idea. As he was climbing out someone (Smitty I believe) threw a lemon at him. He fell back in.
Greenhill my senior year was my first travel tournament. I was debating Pawl in the 3-1 round. When I walked to the room, Jessica Duby (I was staying with the Duby family for the tournament, which is the only reason she knew me) looked at me funny. The following conversation ensued:
“What are you doing here?”
“Debating?”
“But Paul is debating in that room”
“I know.”
The last one is not an actual debate moment, but I have found that keeping track of Ari Parker’s chipotle burrito count is an entertaining (and mind blowing) activity, as you learn just how many servings of chipotle one can consume in a 24 hour period.
Posted from: 68.164.92.230
March 13th, 2006 23:11
It’s all about Greenhill for me.
First let me give a shout out to J’s, the greatest dining establishment on the face of the planet. One phrase sums it all up: 2×4. If you don’t know what that is I sincerely pity you.
So now the dreaded toilet incident. So, laying aside accusations and blame games, suffice it to say that the toilet busted. Now we’re not talking about a little bit of water we’re talking about veritable rivers of liquid. Now at first we didn’t even pay any attention to it because it didn’t seem like a big deal. We just called the front desk and went back to watching Family Guy. Then Bilal noticed tha the water had reached Biblical proportions. It had managed to fill the bathroom and had begun to spill over the divider between the bathroom and the closet area. So we again called the Front Desk, they told us no one was on duty and we’d be moved to another room. So we began to slowly get our stuff together and pack up. Then we suddenly realized that we had been cut off. A lake had formed out of the blue in the middle of the room. It was moving like a flood. We had never seen water move this quickly. Mere words cannot alone capture the terrifying experience we were having. We litterally began to throw clothes, books, bags, etc over a humongous puddle of water. That’s when we noticed that Huu was still in the room after we had evacuated. We thought that he might be done for but he managed a leap of faith that, in my opinion, should have qualified him to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Now it’s hard to capture just how much water there was. But think about your generic Marriott hotel rooms. Now think of that room, from about 5 feet out in the hall to the beds. Now imagine that entire area filled with about 2-3 inches (not kidding) of water. And that’s sort of what we were facing. So we thought we had finally escaped and we began laughing and having a great time about our near death experience.
Unfortunately we had forgotten the laws of gravity. All that water had nowhere to go but down. Little did we know that none other than Lexy Green and the CPS coaching staff (including a hapless John Lynch) were not 10 feet below our wash room massacre. Without any warning the ceiling began to rain what Lexy could only describe as “shitty water.” The poor innocent coaches were literally rained upon as the dozens of gallons of toilet water began to literally rain from their ceiling. They rushed to get their clothes and posessions (not to mention themselves) out of the room. Unfortuanetly the water (and forutantely it was just water) had picked up rust and was coating all their possessions in a sort of brownish grime (they would eventually have to have the hotel clean all their clothes). As they were escaping, the ceiling tiles on their floor, unable to withstand the weight of the water, collapsed. And of course their replacement room just happenend to be next to our new room where we were busy celebrating our daring escape. It was at this point that Lexy declared that she would have her revenge.
Now keep in mind that the hotel knew long in advance of the impending disaster yet blithely ignored our calls for aid. Once we got into our new room we called them for the 3rd time urging them to take action to save themselves money. Later that night, a young managed called me, explaining that I should stay around till Monday (we were leaving that morning) to talk to the Day Manager because the damages were in excess of $20,000. Apparently, water damage is not easily undone. He explained that the hotel would have to pry up the floorboards and “knock down a few walls.” We happily explained that we could not accomodate him and quickly got out of dodge on Monday morning.
The moral of the story: never trust your toilet.
Posted from: 209.56.9.40
March 14th, 2006 05:36
Our team’s first tournament, coming out of a round and being confronted by our team’s three freshmen who didn’t know what the term “sodomy” was referring to.
Posted from: 63.98.105.72
March 14th, 2006 08:30
http://www.jimmenick.com/images/oc.jpg
Posted from: 207.76.182.20
March 14th, 2006 08:54
Seeing Menick post on VBD.
Posted from: 208.147.72.157
March 14th, 2006 09:27
I just want to mention that Justin is not exaggerating, the toilet flood happened this year at Ghill, and John Lynch was very very very unhappy. (not to mention Lexy). Justin also didn’t want to get into the blame game, but I can confirm it was either him or Bonan Zhou who caused the toilet to overflow ;)
Posted from: 24.195.1.253
March 14th, 2006 12:55
Neal, here is my response to yer Schiano thing:
Best debate moment, at yale. Neal M took his infamous “shit shower”.
We had to get ready by 6.30, so Neal gets up and takes an hour long shower consisting of him first taking a crap, then going to take a shower, pausing in the shower while it was running to take another dump, returning to wash himself all to be interupted a 3rd time by nature. That folks is Neal M and his shit shower.
Posted from: 24.195.1.253
March 14th, 2006 13:05
For those wondering about the Schiano thing, it is THE funniest thing ever.
(at harvard)
P.S checks schem and see’s he isnt on it, proceeds to tab
P.S: There seems to be a proble with the schems, Im not on them.
Tab (irritated, but they check): No no error
P.S: Let me see my ballots
Tab: No
P.S: Do you know who I am? Im PAUL FUCKING SCHIANO, I HAVE 9 FUVKING TOC bids!
Posted from: 65.81.132.195
March 14th, 2006 13:59
ernie forgot to add that it was 9:30 on a sunday; thats a big deal in the south.
Posted from: 65.81.132.195
March 14th, 2006 14:07
ps i think pawl needs to tell the pawl story; people always leave out the best parts.
Posted from: 138.89.142.90
March 14th, 2006 14:12
There are some memories better enjoyed in private.
:)
BC
Posted from: 209.6.251.133
March 14th, 2006 14:14
Aww there are soo many!
NCFLs last year, stayed up all nght, didn’t write cases, and Priya and I just did jumping jacks down the halls at 4am. Priceless. We will now induct her pub forum partner, Jennie, into the wild arm flailing experience at TOC this year.
Vestavia my sophomore year, Chrissy and I stayed up way late (as usual) and wandered around at 3am and found a park. We also had a mini balcony to which we dragged out armchairs and blankets and made a cute little bed for the two of us. We, and the people walking around on the ground, were quite amused.
NDF this summer way amazing. Soo many memories. I personally loved the “I can’t debate her. She’s too cute” round. Best concession ever!!
There are too many more, but Jon asked me to post yesterday, and I didn’t, so I felt guilty. I guess this will have to suffice.
Posted from: 209.66.200.45
March 14th, 2006 14:33
Well, probably the night I stayed up until 5:30 am, only to be awakened the next day with promises of Santa Monica and Dance Dance Revolution.
Posted from: 65.29.23.139
March 14th, 2006 15:03
One time after debate camp, David Lebowitz and I went to a Mexican dive restaurant on Wilshire that was pitch black and filled with old and crippled people. My sugar rush from consuming three non-alcoholic margaritas was soon dampened by a combination of sunlight and accusations of self-righteousness.
Another time at debate camp, we were on the beach and I commented, “That man has tanned himself into a new race.” About five minutes later Will Leiter finally noticed the (at least 55-year-old) man I was talking about and started laughing very hard.
See also: Westman
Posted from: 67.83.102.103
March 14th, 2006 15:39
1. Lost in a car with Jen Zavaleta, Stacey Thomans and J.W. Patterson.
2. Elk Lake judge gives me a 20 pt loss and I’m top speaker (Ridge)
Posted from: 68.171.8.199
March 14th, 2006 15:54
I think puking in a lecture hall at Princeton in front of 300 people ranks right up there. That was pretty sweet.
Posted from: 69.226.178.110
March 14th, 2006 16:13
Watching Swan work the room at Atlanta nationals.
Posted from: 151.202.45.242
March 14th, 2006 16:28
On one of our many journeys to Poughkeepsie, me and Schultz were at that Pizza/Billiards place right across from the Vassar campus, getting lunch. We each came to the counter to pay with a slice and a drink, and told the guy that we wanted to pay seperately. He said “ok $1.50,” and then after I handed him that, said “now $1,” and then proceeded to do the same for Schultz.
Playing cards is obviously a big part of the debate tournament experience for me and Schultz. Losing $500 at the Stanford airport, playing gin rummy while half asleep, was probably the least memorable experience. The highlight had to be during the snowed-out Emory tournament, where we played poker for about 30 hour straight at one point. At one point, Schultz and I were sitting alone playing gin, and this really old guy came up to us and started talking. It was about 9 in the morning and he was waiting for the bar to open. He showed some interest in our game, and when we asked where he used to play gin, he told us that he had learned in jail. We didn’t ask, but he went on make conversation with us, alternately excusing himself for the restroom every 15 minutes, giving us poker advice (“if you’re ever in this city, I forget which one, and you go into this one bar, you can go up the stairs and look to your right, and you’ll find a good poker game”) and sharing his experiences with us (“I’ll never go to Boston again; those circle roads are so confusing, I always end up going the wrong way on those”). Since I only saw like 2 rounds at that tournament, that’s definitely what I’ll remember most about Emory…
Posted from: 68.196.129.16
March 14th, 2006 17:08
Speaking of Schultz–Monticello 2004:
The Randolph-Westbury carpool stopped at McDonalds on the way home, and schultz took too long in the bathroom. We decided to “drive off” without him while he was in there (meaning taking the car to a secluded part of the parking lot at hte far end of hte other side of the McDonalds). It took Schultz a few minutes to find us and, when he did, we drove aroudn the lot with him chasing us and throwing a soda cup in vain. We let him back in eventually, but it was classic comedy for some tired debaters and their judge.
Posted from: 68.38.212.63
March 14th, 2006 17:49
hahha to millburn.. thats funny, because john monagle and myself did that this eyar at harvard, we wound up in the town of quincey and ended up spending around $30 in public transportation thanks to the millburn gals haha
Posted from: 69.249.67.65
March 14th, 2006 18:25
dean’s lying. his getting lost in quincey and subsequently missing his subway stop to the actual quincey market wasn’t my fault in ANY way. at all.
Posted from: 71.250.189.33
March 14th, 2006 19:16
“dean’s lying. his getting lost in quincey and subsequently missing his subway stop to the actual quincey market wasn’t my fault in ANY way. at all.”
It was all Julia’s fault.
Posted from: 69.231.78.79
March 14th, 2006 19:17
i have many favorite debate memories as a competitor and as a coach:
competitor: winning the air force college parli tournament; being top speaker at the hatfield debates in oregon; qualifying to the state tournament in extemp even though i laughed my way through my round 1 speech; my senior year at the npda national tournament when i received a standing ovation from 3000 people even though i was only 7th speaker.
coach: a.t. announcing an epic 3-2 decision in david vivero’s favor at the greenhill fall classic in semis over tommy clancy; nate zerbib-berda somehow knocking down the mighty john mcneil to qualify to nationals in front of ruth larson who hopkins was 1-65 in front of that year; jason fernandez telling me that david vivero won the mba round robin; joe cassidy going on a sick run beating everyone but apple valley on his way to semis at the 1998 nfl national tournament; greer feick going 5-2 at the glenbrooks after a 2-4 start at greenhill.
there are many others, but those are just some.
michelinmassey.
Posted from: 172.195.168.201
March 14th, 2006 19:26
to second ep the real live pimp (with the official pimp cane) was a memory second to none. the night with joe allen and the horse was also pretty sweet. rooming with ben hudgens at vbi is something i will never forget either
Posted from: 171.64.130.7
March 14th, 2006 19:51
Justin Hinojoza, you win the Internet.
My favourite debate memory is when I saw Avenue Q on Broadway. My second favourite debate memory is the same as Bobby’s — in other words, when he stabbed me square in my left testicle with his umbrella.
Posted from: 68.38.212.63
March 14th, 2006 19:52
lies usha, lies.. as i remember john and i were saying something along the lines of “hey, you girls coming on this stop?” and you know, next thing i know the doors close :)
Posted from: 70.253.147.58
March 14th, 2006 19:52
best moment: watching two cxers talk about how 50 cent’s album “get rich or die tryin” promotes capitalism and “drop it like its hot” refers to revolutionary governmental change.
worst moment: forgeting that i had to make the 1AR and timing myself for 3 minutes thinking I was in the 2AR. (Apple valley this year)
Posted from: 71.132.154.106
March 14th, 2006 20:09
Jay, Justin’s the one who clogged the toilet. This is why you shouldn’t go to J’s.
Posted from: 169.231.12.193
March 14th, 2006 20:57
I would like to add that reading Jake Gelfand tournament reports is an experience that can never be duplicated.
Posted from: 71.202.40.245
March 14th, 2006 21:46
awww I’ve got tonss!
but this one never gets old-
Wake Forest this year with Ryan Lawrence&The Pres girls in the hotel room playing Big Booty, watching Talk Sex, and dancing to the song “My Humps” in the middle of the street.
Posted from: 68.163.181.235
March 14th, 2006 23:06
There are a lot, so I’ll pick a recent one from
districts this past weekend. I was entered in policy with someone who had crossed over after their novice year. Our round 3 was against a team who in every almost every respect was better than us, but by some act of god our judge had been replaced by Dan Blynn. Some awesome moments with sign posting:
Before their 2NC “we’re going T, XO, DAs, hollow hope then activism on the DAs” *blank stare*
Before my 1AR “we’re starting with dispo theory on the CP…” *blank stare*
Before our 2AR “raise the CP from the dead” *massive shuffling of papers and evil glare*
Then there was Dan’s actually RFD which was basically “in any sense of the word you guys lost this round, there are about a million reasons why you lost, I just don’t know or understand any of them by the end round. so… I voted on what I did understand”
our 2AR was basically “they tell the CP is dispositional, they tell you that means that if we straight turn it they have to go for it. They say we don’t so they kick it and defend the s’quo with their DAs. But we put a nuke war straight turn on it that they completely miss. Even if you don’t buy the straight turn they drop it, give it full weight, they don’t go for the CP and they tell you they have to, so strike them down” only reiterated 7 different ways because we were getting owned everywhere else
The absolute best moment of this round was Garth’s game of insanequarium which he lost with the best timing ever.
Dan: … I affirm
Garth: *GASP* noooooo
*room stares*
Garth: My aquarium… it was so… insaneeee. Why??????
*weston coach looks like he wants to cry*
Posted from: 12.216.167.76
March 15th, 2006 12:04
Most of my favorite ‘non-debate’ debate memroies are from VBI Session II:
– watching Jamie Heine say with a totally straight face(which I still find incredibly impressive) ask a novice debater if he had found any “immigrationization” cards
– knock-knock jokes!!!
– Doug Jeffers’ “eye contact” story
– discovering my “unparalleled” hacky sack abilities
– watching Matt Aks and Andrew Harris bicker like an old married couple about the proper way to operate the washing machines
Posted from: 68.38.212.63
March 15th, 2006 14:26
ooo that eye contact story is def one of the best, i forgot about that one. an excellent story told over some southwestern food at ghill rr heh
i guess similar to that was this eyar at princeton round 2 when my judge told me he wanted a debate as if we were talking over dinner. so, i was forced to make a quick adaption and not read any cards and talk the slowest i have ever. dispite dropping the majority of my opponents analysis in his cards i won simply because i was “most dinning friendly.”
and this year where a judge of mine said that certain points “flowed through like a mongol.”
Posted from: 138.89.142.90
March 15th, 2006 18:08
Dean said “adaption”.
That would be adaptation. I don’t teach him everything :)
He also knows that ‘dining’ has two, not three, ‘ens’.
But we like Dean anyhow.
BC
Posted from: 4.131.142.214
March 15th, 2006 19:26
Carlos Ochoa and I had fun debating each other round 7 at Berkeley. actually what was most fun was seeing “arma virumque cano, Troai qui primus ab orbis” scribbled on the wall in the classroom we were debating in, but Carlos is a cool kid too.
Posted from: 140.247.161.214
March 15th, 2006 19:51
The entire post-VBI experience in Santa Monica, and especially the trip to Casa Escobar mentioned above by Jake, which was surreal beyond my capacity to articulate it. Dinner that night was also pretty special–especially the part when Jake showed off his considerable talent for alliteration.
Posted from: 66.214.152.212
March 19th, 2006 21:54
st. mark`s was my first bid tournament at the beginning of this, my sophomore year. it was a 2-3 hour plane ride and a 1-hour drive. we arrive at red lobster, tired and our schedule`s thrown out of whack. we`re sitting at dinner. i had recently seen an episode of penn & teller’s show entitled “BULLSHIT” that served as an expose on how weird Mother Teresa was. conversation at the dinner table was sorta dead, so i decided i`d just throw it out there that i had heard that Mother Teresa was a sadist.
me: “did you guys know mother teresa was a sodomist?”
Posted from: 66.139.8.66
March 20th, 2006 21:19
while the eye contact story is very memorable, my favorite moment in debate is likely the thor/shane o’neal death match watched by roughly half of the population of VBI session one
Posted from: 69.165.219.190
March 20th, 2006 21:53
at camp, past summer, videoing Josh Anderson and Babb talk to a homeless/mentally handicapped man on the promenade about moviestars for like a full half hour…absolutely hysterical
Posted from: 24.54.239.171
March 20th, 2006 21:54
-Seeing the look on Belinda’s face when I had to wake her up at Ghill before a round with Chris Bentley.
-A series of events that took place my freshman year at Glenbrooks including the 3 rules of Victor.
-Steph saying “Hey good lookin’” at VBT
-Watching Peter Phillips and Peter Damrosch argue over everything from Chinese food to how to iron pants.
-Of course, Doug Jeffers telling the eye contact story during lab at VBI II
Posted from: 71.105.85.197
March 20th, 2006 22:12
Last year at the Glenbrooks I was a tiny little novice and, knowing very little, I thought I had to read my AC rather quickly, so I asked the judge if he was “okay with speed.”
Needless to say, after the round he goes, “that was fast?”
I’ve been SchallyGonzales ever since.
Posted from: 69.118.138.58
March 21st, 2006 00:46
DELETED
Posted from: 68.237.116.172
March 21st, 2006 08:02
thanks, mencher
Posted from: 205.196.188.155
March 21st, 2006 08:26
VBI. So many camp memories. Even if none were of the one Mencher just recreated.
Posted from: 172.190.183.128
March 21st, 2006 08:27
asking my teammate sean fraga how to respond to possible criteria like “quality of life” or “morality” i was always sure to have a pen ready so i could write down his advice.
bainbridge closeouts are definitely some of my favorite memories- eastside catholic in 2005 allowing sean and I to qual to state, and then 3A state, where we once again were able to closeout (both times we had to debate and sean was declared champion)
Posted from: 24.155.128.7
March 21st, 2006 11:07
1) qualling for toc – and jon cruz being on the panel!
2) paul in atlanta
3) paul in san antonio
4) paul speeding down a neighborhood street and getting behind a kid on a scooter and causing him to fall by honking at him…
5) anyone who was at tfa state this year will probably have hear of the shampoo incident involving justin bexley and i…
6) at ndf this year at lunch, we were doing impressions and ari parker was laughing so hard we couldnt get him to stop for not kidding at least 15 minutes. i think he also had whatever he was drinking come out of his nose…
7) losing coin flips
Posted from: 216.165.43.243
March 21st, 2006 11:47
Fine, fine, fine.
In the airport on the way to Wakeforest, we got delayed somewhere along the way (this was right in the middle of hurricane season, people), and in the terminal, as we were debating which one of the captains would make the best president in 30 years (definitely Smoore), Ben Sadun attempted to clear up his sinuses by taking Airborn. Orally, instead of dissolving one of the tablets in a glass of water like you’re supposed to. He started foaming at the mouth and screaming helplessly and it was one of the funniest moments of my life.
But seriously, winning sweeps at Nat Quals (too tired to contextualize it) is probably it.
Posted from: 166.102.136.111
March 21st, 2006 11:58
Being forced into the hotel bathtub by my brother to sleep during TFA state. I guess that really one of my “best memories”. It was interesting though.
Posted from: 167.206.203.14
March 21st, 2006 12:12
winning my first trophy
Posted from: 205.173.47.254
March 21st, 2006 12:43
big jews
Posted from: 71.141.20.248
March 21st, 2006 15:49
HE ANSWERED THE TURNS
Posted from: 70.251.116.181
March 21st, 2006 15:53
Debating Jacob at the Stanford RR, in the best/coolest round i have ever had, between the concept of human nature being “will to power” or whether it is based upon an ethical relationship with the “Other”. So it was a round only about the value, it was really cool. It also made me think Dave Mcgennis was reasonable, which i didnt think i would ever think.
Posted from: 68.117.35.53
March 21st, 2006 19:00
mr perleman and myself already know what will be our favorite debate moment.
let’s just say it involves mike spirtos, a cindarella costume, and the TOC.
but my favorite that has actually happened has probably been playing pokemon snap in the hotel for 3 hours at like 3 am or the time i debated alok hopped up on too much cold medicine
Posted from: 24.155.128.7
March 22nd, 2006 06:44
I saw a towel fight between dudley and ryan hamilton once. It was on video and i watched it at ndf… ill never look at jeremy the same.
Posted from: 67.172.54.237
March 22nd, 2006 17:29
My favorite memory will be receiving a giant SUV (by accident–it’s actually not legal for me to rent it) as a rental car for Berkeley and cruising down the freeway listening to G-Unit.
My second favorite memory involves the same SUV and listening to Jay-Z.
Can you guess what the third is?
Posted from: 165.82.96.89
March 24th, 2006 13:24
Columbia 2004: Barfing in a trashcan in the middle of my NC, asking the judge for some kleenex to wipe my face, then finishing my speech.
Posted from: 117.193.170.197
July 15th, 2009 12:26
i guess similar to that was this year at Princeton round 2 when my judge told me he wanted a debate as if we were talking over dinner. so, i was forced to make a quick adaption and not read any cards and talk the slowest i have ever.
Posted from: 71.106.194.198
July 16th, 2009 12:06
hahahahahahahahaha if everyone will just take note of posts 91 and 92, thats the funniest stuff i’ve read on vbd in years
Posted from: 76.182.198.103
July 16th, 2009 12:43
too bad it got deleted.