A Battle Of... (No.1)

I will endeavor to put forth a convincing argument for why TIGERS should win this face-off. The OP gives us three fairly specific criteria that are to be used to weigh the round. These criteria are: (a) appeal and charisma, (b) effectiveness and fitness, and (c) venerability and richness of its past. I will argue that TIGERS meet all three of these criteria, and I will structure my arguments to very clearly conform to them. This should help to keep things organized. Also, since this round is reserved solely for constructives, I will hold off on my myriad objections to both the admissibility of LIGERS and their ability to meet the three criteria presented. CONTENTION ONE: CharismaWhat is Charisma? It is "a special charm or appeal that causes people to feel attracted and excited by someone. " [1] If any animal exhibits charisma, it is the TIGER. We can use popularity as a one metric by which to measure charisma, and the TIGER is certainly hugely popular. It is the official animal of not one, but of five countries: Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, and South Korea. [2] The ubiquity of tigers in modern culture often escapes us, but from Tigger in Winnie the Pooh, to Exxon's mascot, to Shere Khan in The Jungle Book, to songs like Eye of the Tiger, references to this majestic feline are everywhere. [2]"One of the most popular icon movies of all times is Scarface from 1983. In this movie, one of the characters wants to do it all to realize his American Dream. For him, part of that realization is to be able to have a pet tiger that lives on the land where his enormous house is found. A fictional tiger in popular culture that has kept us all laughing for years is Hobbes. This is a stuffed tiger of a young boy named Calvin. The two have many adventures together and to Calvin his tiger is real. This story line originated as a comic strip but now you can find complete books in the Calvin and Hobbs series as well. Another cartoon form of the tiger that we all know and love is Tigger from Winnie the Pooh. He is the sensible sidekick that often keeps Pooh from getting himself into so much trouble. One of the famous Disney movies with a tiger in it is called Jungle Book as well. .. Today you will find the symbolism of the tiger still alive and well. Many sports teams on high school, college, and even some professional levels use the tiger as their mascot. It is often part of the logo for promoting products in business as well. One of the most well loved tigers in advertising is Tony Tiger for Kellogg"s cereals. " [3] The Tiger is even found on many coats of arms worldwide. [3]In fact, this ubiquity speaks volumes about the Tiger's popularity. In a survey spanning 162 countries, which reached out to 14,000 people, the TIGER was listed as the second most popular species in the world, beating out Lions, Elephants, Wolves, Polar bears, Pandas, and all of the apes. This is truly an impressive feat. [4]Surely, the tiger's appeal, it's majesty, enigmatic expressiveness, and charisma, are points in its favor. Even it's appearance sets it apart, as it is the only striped cat in the world [5] and the largest member of the felid (Cat) family. [6]CONTENTION TWO: EFFECTIVENESSThe tiger is an incredibly effective hunter in its environment, and is well-adapted for its purposes. "Like the other big cats, the tiger is a formidable predator. It is exceptionally well adapted for hunting large prey, with short, heavily-muscled forelimbs and long, sharp, retractable claws. It also has a long, slender body, a short, thick neck and broad, powerful shoulders to capture and subdue its large prey. The skull is foreshortened, increasing the force that can be exerted by the powerful jaws and enabling the tiger to deliver crushing bites to its prey. " [7]Tigers are also versatile, able to survive in myriad different biomes. "Tigers occupy a variety of habitats from tropical forests, evergreen forests, woodlands and mangrove swamps to grasslands, savannah and rocky country. " [6]Thus, tigers are able to operate in myriad conditions, and are well-designed to fulfill their predatory functions. CONTENTION THREE: Richness of Past"There is no denying the majestic beauty of the tiger or the power that one possesses. This is why the tiger has always been held in awe when it comes to popular culture. You will find many stories in mythology and early folklore that include this wonderful creature. You will also find plenty of art from ancient times that depict the power of the tiger. In many cultures it wasn"t feared but highly respected. " [3] The Tiger has great importance in Chinese mythology, for example, as evidenced by its place on the Chinese zodiac and its symbolic affiliation with war and power. [2] In Greek mythology, the tiger is associated with Dionysus; it was also portrayed heavily in India mythology. Below is an image of a tiger depicted with an India goddess. click="document. location='/bsh1/photos/album/3486/22711/'" src=". ./. ./. ./photos/albums/1/4/3486/92604-3486-6qcfn-a. jpg" alt="" />Certainly, the Tiger has a rich past and history--a major player in many folk tales, mythologies, and belief systems, it certain is a majestic and storied creature. SOURCES[1] . http://www.merriam-webster.com...[2] . http://en.wikipedia.org...[3] . http://www.tigers-world.com...[4] . http://www.arkive.org...[5] . http://www.worldwildlife.org...[6] . http://www.defenders.org...[7] . http://www.arkive.org... [8] Pics: . http://www.debate.org... + . http://www.debate.org... + . http://www.debate.org... + . http://www.debate.org...And below I close with some images of that most majestic of beasts, as if my profile picture were insufficient reminder of the beauty, ferocity, gentleness, and power of this creature. click="document. location='/bsh1/photos/album/3486/27114/'" src=". ./. ./. ./photos/albums/1/4/3486/92604-3486-4wb3x-a. jpg" alt="" /> click="document. location='/bsh1/photos/album/3486/27115/'" src=". ./. ./. ./photos/albums/1/4/3486/92604-3486-4f3sa-a. jpg" alt="" /> click="document. location='/bsh1/photos/album/3486/27116/'" src=". ./. ./. ./photos/albums/1/4/3486/92604-3486-z89mu-a. jpg" alt="" />