In which we head out to Sin City

Off today to Las Vegas for the NDCA tournament.

While the numbers for PF and LD continue to grow, there’s no question that the northeast does not embrace this tournament much. We’ve got a few new folks coming to do PF, I’m happy to see, and they’ve got strong, competitive teams. But as far as LD goes, well, the tournament of choice is TOC. Go figure. One of the good things about NDCA is that it’s run by coaches, an elected board, and there’s votes and whatnot, so it represents a democratic process at least to some extent. TOC? Beats me. Hell, I used to be on the LD advisory committee, and I don’t know why I got on it or why I got off it (although I have my suspicions). But the organization seems to abound with controversies about all sorts of things, starting with bidworthiness. Still, it holds a sort of spiritual hegemony over the nature of LD. Everything that I tend to dislike about what has happened to LD over the years is rewarded and applauded by the circuit, which is blindered in its run toward the TOC. I don’t think you can blame the institution itself; it’s all the people wearing those blinders. If we all close our eyes and wish it so real hard, then we can define TOC styles as the best styles because, well, they’re the styles that win the TOC. But it’s the proverbial vicious circle, feeding on itself. Meanwhile, there is apparently a universe of LD out there that is nothing like circuit debate. Given that the so-called national tournaments are attended by the same teams year in and year out, plane ride in and plane ride out, the circuit couldn’t be more parochial, the ultimate provincial mindset when you think about it. Oh, well. I really don't think about it much, and I’ve certainly made my views on it clear here over the years. As I’ve always said, if the TOC didn’t exist, I wouldn’t invent it.

NDCA, of course, has much of the same national constituency, but it does have the flow-through of coachean oversight. And so far, so good with PF not taking on some national, circuit style that separates the way it’s done by one group from the way it’s done by some other group. I mean, I’m certain there’s school and regional differences—how could there not be?—but overall, it is what it is. If it’s going to be the great provider of debate rounds for most new people in the future, so be it. I miss the philosophical underpinnings of old LD, and don’t see anything comparable in PF, but if debate is inherently good for students, and PF provides lots of debate for lots of students, I’m good with that. Maybe teams don’t travel so much, or get on a path toward some higher objective aside from NatNats and CatNats? I’m good with that too.