I picked up the paper this morning to see that my college debate coach died. (I didn’t really stay on the team very long – constant weekend travel, even free, got old for me fairly fast).

“James Unger, 66; Debate Coach at Georgetown, AU.”

In the late 1970s, Mr. Unger’s “policymaking” approach to debate strategy became standard practice for debate teams at the high school and college levels.

“Jim is regarded as a pacesetter in terms of theory and technique of debate,” University of Kentucky debate coach J.W. Patterson told The Washington Post in 1978. “He is regarded as one of the two or three best coaches in the nation. If there is any criticism of Jim, it is that his teams are over-coached, but they always acquit themselves well.”

Mostly, I remember that James Unger was the only human being I ever encountered who could use phrases such as vis-a-vis in casual conversation without sounding completely insane. A little bit like Frasier Crane at times, perhaps, but who’s perfect?