Video: Robin

In this video, Robin Rowland discusses his 2010 book, Reagan at Westminster: Foreshadowing the End of the Cold War (Texas A&M Press).


Here's a 1 minute sample of Rowland making fun of George Will:

 

NDT champs honored: Naismith

This is pretty cool.



As Red Buttons used to say, some of the greatest "never got a dinner."

Yes, it's nearly tournament time. 

2009 NDT Final Round (video!)

I have an audio recording of the 1983 National Debate Tournament final round, but this is much better -- a video of the 2009 NDT final round, won by the Kansas team of Brett Bricker and Nate Johnson.




Has it really been 30 years since that 1983 season?

Video: Kansas Debate at Wake Forest (2010)

Kansas alum Jason Badgett made this film, which clocks in at just under 11 minutes:

 

Most of the film focuses on the performance of a Kansas team, Sean Kennedy and Dylan Quigley, at the 2010 Wake Forest tournament. It includes some footage from rounds as well as interviews. Coach Scott Harris appears too.

RIP: Dr. Wil Linkugel

Wil Linkugel's obituary from the Lawrence Journal-World, May 11, 2012:

Memorial services for Wilmer Albert Linkugel, 83, Lawrence, KS, will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lawrence, KS. Burial will follow at Pioneer Cemetery. He died on Thursday, May 10, 2012 at his home. Wilmer was born on January 12, 1929 in Bremen, KS the son of Otto and Louise (Knabe) Linkugel. He attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church school thru eighth grade, graduated from Marysville High School in 1947, received his B.A. in 1953 and M.A. in 1954 from the University of Nebraska and his Ph.D. in 1960 from the University of Wisconsin. He taught for four years in a one-room country schoolhouse, two years from 1954-1956 at North Platte High School, in North Platte, NE, and then taught at the University of Kansas as an Speech & Communication Professor for 42 years from 1956 - 1999. He was a member of the Speech Communication Association and received two awards for excellence in teaching. A member of Central States Communication Association and was inaugural inductee to Central States Communication Association Hall of Fame and Kansas Speech Association and received the Outstanding College Speech Teacher Award. He was also a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church and University Student Center and was President of the congregation and served as Elder many times. He was married to Helen Motyka on June 21, 1958 in Utica, NY. She survives of the home. Other survivors include two daughters, LeAnn Linkugel Ward, Lawrence, Kristin Linkugel, Rio Rancho, New Mexico; one brother Harold Linkugel, Bremen, KS. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service on Tuesday at the church. The family suggests memorials in his name to the KU Endowment Communication Studies Department and may be sent in care of the mortuary. Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com.

The last time I recall seeing Dr. Linkugel was the final week of September, 1993.  Late that summer, George Brett announced that he was retiring from major league baseball. I immediately called the KC Royals ticket office and reserved 6 tickets for the last home stand. My wife and I took our then 6-week baby on her first plane flight and were met by Donn Parson, Wil Linkugel and Robin Rowland.In my memory, Brett had a hit and KC won, so I think it was the game on the 29th.

Linkugel was a huge fan of baseball and told me that night of his planned book about phenoms who had surprisingly short careers. In 1998, McFarland published  They Tasted Glory, which includes chapters about Tony Conigliaro, Mark Fidrych, Lyman Bostock, J.R. Richard, Steve Busby, and Thurman Munson, among others.

I'm going to find a copy soon.

E.C. Buehler on film

I found this video on youtube. Unfortunately, there's a lot of talking over the film, but Buehler speaks throughout, beginning around 1 minute into it. Somewhere after 7 minutes, a student specifically addresses a question to "Professor Buehler."

CA

Chris (1980-1981)

1. What does this past Kansas debater look like now?



2. What does this ex-debater now do for a living?

Chris is a teacher at Truman High School in Independence, Missouri. She is responsible for Debate and Legal Argumentation. Yes, she's the debate coach.

She also teaches Argumentation at UMKC.

3. Has this former debater been "in the news"?

She is quoted a great deal in this school newsletter.

And is thanked in this NFL (National Forensics League) note.

4. What else do we know?

She sometimes teaches workshops and gives fundraising advice at STAM conventions. FYI: that is the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri.

TED

Tim (1977-1980)

1. What does this past Kansas debater look like now?



2. What does this ex-debater now do for a living?

Tim is the founding partner of The Law Offices of Tim Dollar, a Kansas City trial practice firm. I'm not going to say anything pejorative:

Tim's civil practice consists of representing plaintiffs in the areas of truck crash litigation, nursing home negligence, medical malpractice, product liability and other personal injury matters. Over the course of his career, Tim has participated in over 200 jury trials.

Additionally, Tim has been an Assisting Prosecuting Attorney for Jackson, County, Missouri since 1984, primarily for homicides.

Finally, he also works as an Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy at UMKC (1985 to the present).

3. Has this former debater been "in the news"?

According to this September 13, 2006, press release, Tim continues to serve on the 16th Circuit Judicial Commission, which identifies nominees to fill Jackson County Circuit Judge vacancies.

About a year ago, Tim won Missouri Coalition for Quality Care's "Special Recognition Award for his efforts in improving the quality of care and quality of life for nursing home residents in Missouri." See for yourself.

Or, listen to Tim talk about "Elder Justice" by clicking the appropriate page here (via KMOX).

4. What else do we know?

This is from Tim's webpage:

In 1996 Tim was awarded the Lon O. Hocker Memorial Trial Lawyer award, which is awarded by the Missouri Bar Association to an outstanding trial attorney in the State of Missouri. In 1999, Tim was appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to the Disciplinary Committee, which oversees the ethical conduct of lawyers in the State of Missouri. He was voted by his peers as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" in 2004 and 2005.

ALR

Andrea (1984-1988)

1. What does this past Kansas debater look like now?



2. What does this ex-debater now do for a living?

Andrea has her own law firm in Jackson, Wyoming. The firm seems to specialize in real estate, construction, and employment matters.

3. Has this former debater been "in the news"?

Well, she has argued before the Supreme Court...of Wyoming. More than once.

And she was quoted briefly in this Jackson Hole News item.

4. What else do we know?

At one point, Andrea was a registered lobbyist. Fresh out of law school, she was a staff attorney for the Wyoming Supreme Court.

The law firm of Chambers and Partners has this blurb about her on its website:

Hard-working Andrea Leah Richard of The Richard Law Firm PC is a "forceful advocate" who practices business and general commercial litigation alongside real estate law. She is "a good, detail-oriented attorney" who is very strong on land use planning issues and "brings muscle to a development team to get things approved."

Muscle, eh?

ME

Mike (1995-1999) or Michael

1. What does this past Kansas debater look like now?



2. What does this ex-debater do for a living?

Mike is director of debate at Michigan State University. Given that MSU won the National Debate tournament in 2004 and again in 2006, he appears to be good at his job.

Oh, he's been involved in some CEDA success as well.

3. Has this former debater been "in the news"?

As you might expect, newspapers frequently quote him about the performance of his debate teams.

Debaters argue one topic the entire year, develop more arguments and cite more articles to prepare for competition.

"It kind of never stops until the end of the year," said Mike Eber, interim debate director. "It's amazing how you can do so much but there's always more. It's a weird process, but when you go to a tournament, you have to be prepared for anything. We basically have to prepare for every single thing."

That's exactly how I felt about the activity too.

4. What else do we know?

Mike was on the 2006 NDT Committee, as District V representative.

He's from Miami, FL and was a political science major as an undergraduate.

NP

Neal (1969-1970)

1. What does this past Kansas debater look like now?



2. What does this ex-debater now do for a living?

Neal is Associate Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.

3. Has this former debater been "in the news"?

Don't be silly. He's an historian.

Actually, on October 16, 2003, the on-line Catholic Herald published his essay on "The unimaginable happened: A Polish pope."

Neal's expertise has occasionally landed him on public radio.

4. What else do we know?

Neal's Poland, the United States, and the Stabilization of Europe, 1919-1933 was published by Oxford University Press in 1986. That book won the J. Pilsudski Institute of America's award for the best book on the modern history of Poland published in 1985-1986.

Given his scholarly interest, it is no surprise that Neal travels to Poland on occasion. He's affiliated with the Polish American Congress of Wisconsin and the Polish American Historical Association. Actually, Neal is "Second Vice President" of that latter academic organization.

Neal is a baseball fan and is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. Sometimes, he figures out a way to link his interests in baseball and Poland. Neal teaches a course on the history of baseball.

CB

Chris (1989-1993)

1. What does this past Kansas debater look like now?



2. What does this ex-debater now do for a living?

Chris is Debate Coach at Towson State University. He is also program director for the Baltimore Urban Debate League.

3. Has this former debater been "in the news"?

Yes. "60 Minutes" ran a story about Urban Debate Leagues and featured one of Chris's debaters. BUDL has also been featured in the Baltimore City Paper. The Afro American Newspapers also ran a story about the leagues.

4. What else do we know?

Chris is Treasurer of the International Debate Education Association. IDEA is headquartered in the Netherlands.

In fact, IDEA seems to be a great way for debate coaches to experience international junkets.

He excites easily.