Over the next two weeks, two crucial tournaments on the extemp calendar take place: the Extemp TOC at Northwestern University and the CFL national tournament in Albany, New York. These tournaments have big implications for the national points race, which has not moved since our last edition because of the “dull period” in April, and provide an early test for extempers seeking to write their names into the national record books.
To provide some information about the TOC, Ex Files contributor and TOC co-tournament director Michael Garson, sat down for an interview about the tournament, sharing some details on how it operates and how it hopes to grow in the coming years.
In preparation for the CFL tournament, this issue will provide a breakdown of the eight topic areas. This topic breakdown will provide a synopsis of major issues and some sample questions for extempers to practice with before the tournament.
Rounding out this issue are a topic brief over the future of the Supreme Court after David Souter’s departure and how Obama might go about choosing a nominee. We also have an article on canned intros from Hunter Kendrick and Omar Qureshi, both of which were finalists last year in IX at NFL Nationals.
The next issue of The Ex Files will be a NFL Nationals preview, which will feature an USX and IX topic area breakdown by Colin West (2006 NFL USX National Champion) and Omar Qureshi (2008 NFL IX Runner-Up). This will also feature an update on the national points race, a roundtable discussion of NFL, and a few strategy articles by our writers.
As always, the staff of The Ex Files thanks you for your support of this magazine and Extemp Central. Good luck in the prep room and at the Extemp TOC and CFL Nationals!
-Logan Scisco
TOC and CFL Nationals Edition (Volume 1, No. 6)
TOC & CFL Nationals Edition (.pdf file)
Extemp Central National Points Race by Logan Scisco
2009 CFL Nationals Extemp Topic Area Analysis by Logan Scisco
Inside the Extemp TOC: An Interview with Michael Garon by Logan Scisco
Can Do and Don’ts: A Discussion of Canned Intros in Extemp by Hunter Kendrick and Omar Qureshi
David Souter Retirement by Logan Scisco