[bmjfelts1988]

I got a chance to see last year's BOA National Champion live and was very impressed and walked away from viewing it pondering just where they might have placed at the 2011 DCI Championships.

So, if this show were allowed to compete at the DCI World Championships, where would they have placed? I know, they have woodwinds. You can still compare design, execution and quality. I've limited my poll between 10th and 25th place.

I know, some will say "you can't compare". Pretend, humor me and try anyway.

Request: If you have never seen this show, please don't vote without watching the following youtube video first. I'm really interested in honest opinions.

This post has been edited by bmjfelts1988: 22 February 2012 - 05:04 PM

[contrajedi8]

I know they are one of the better HS Marching Bands in the country.

However, thats just the point. They still look and sound like a high school marching band.

Not to mention their show was boring as sin. If I was getting a hot dog and heard them playing, I wouldn't stop getting a hot dog.

I think that is one of the bigger problems in competitive marching band today anyway. I was on staff with a few groups in Michigan's MCBA circuit. I went to finals this year for the first time in a long time. Most of the shows were ####-near unwatchable.

Call me a curmudgeon if you wish. Just my opinion.

Since you asked about placement, I would put them in about the 18-22 range.

This post has been edited by contrajedi8: 22 February 2012 - 05:16 PM

[bmjfelts1988]

contrajedi8, on 22 February 2012 - 05:15 PM, said:

I know they are one of the better HS Marching Bands in the country.

However, thats just the point. They still look and sound like a high school marching band.

Not to mention their show was boring as sin. If I was getting a hot dog and heard them playing, I wouldn't stop getting a hot dog.

I think that is one of the bigger problems in competitive marching band today anyway. I was on staff with a few groups in Michigan's MCBA circuit. I went to finals this year for the first time in a long time. Most of the shows were ####-near unwatchable.

Call me a curmudgeon if you wish. Just my opinion.

Since you asked about placement, I would put them in about the 18-22 range.

Yeah, very good points. I appreciate you not sugar coating and giving honest feedback. Not that I want to see this be a "bash on Broken Arrow thread", but I really am curious to know what people think about BOA vs DCI comparisons. It's a subject that has been discussed for years and I thought maybe a "poll" would be an interesting way to compare, at least within the eyes of the fans.

[MotorCityMusician]

they would get disqualified for woodwinds.

[WPendergrass]

I have never worked or been affiliated with Broken Arrow. I have, however, been affiliated with other BOA Finalists.

In my experiences there is little or no comparison between Drum Corps units and Bands of America units.

The biggest problem with that statement is that I feel like it takes away from the wonderful things these groups are doing. It is under the umbrella of "marching arts" but is very different from DCI. Let's not forget, before we speak too much, that these are High School groups and High School kids. These kids are involved in numerous other activities, are going to school, are pubescent, and are going home every night living the family/friends dynamic.

Marching Band is a big part of their life, but marching band is not necessarily their entire life. When we sit on a drum corps bus all summer and spend almost all of our days focusing on drum corps, our lives become much more singular and that is present in the execution and content in drum corps shows.

This post has been edited by WPendergrass: 22 February 2012 - 06:01 PM

[bmjfelts1988]

MotorCityMusician, on 22 February 2012 - 06:00 PM, said:

they would get disqualified for woodwinds.

Yes, I know. Humor me anyway.

[bmjfelts1988]

WPendergrass, on 22 February 2012 - 06:00 PM, said:

I have never worked or been affiliated with Broken Arrow. I have, however, been affiliated with other BOA Finalists.

In my experiences there is little or no comparison between Drum Corps units and Bands of America units.

The biggest problem with that statement is that I feel like it takes away from the wonderful things these groups are doing. It is under the umbrella of "marching arts" but is very different from DCI. Let's not forget, before we speak too much, that these are High School groups and High School kids. These kids are involved in numerous other activities, are going to school, are pubescent, and are going home every night living the family/friends dynamic.

Yes, I know all that - which is why I said "humor me". I knew someone on here would say "you can't compare". I even stated that in my OP. Like I said, pretend and humor me. You can STILL compare "design, quality and execution". Some just may not want to. That's fine. Don't. But you don't need to tell me something I already know. I know how different the two activities are. This is purely meant as a hypothetical discussion.

Either make your comparisons for what it is or don't bother with this thread.

This post has been edited by bmjfelts1988: 22 February 2012 - 06:16 PM

[WPendergrass]

bmjfelts1988, on 22 February 2012 - 06:15 PM, said:

Yes, I know all that - which is why I said "humor me". I knew someone on here would say "you can't compare". I even stated that in my OP. Like I said, pretend and humor me. You can STILL compare "design, quality and execution". Some just may not want to. That's fine. Don't. But you don't need to tell me something I already know. I know how different the two activities are. This is purely meant as a hypothetical discussion.

Either make your comparisons or don't bother with this thread.

That was a tactful way of saying they would place last.

[Stu]

bmjfelts1988, on 22 February 2012 - 06:08 PM, said:

Yes, I know. Humor me anyway.

Here ya go!

[bmjfelts1988]

WPendergrass, on 22 February 2012 - 06:16 PM, said:

That was a tactful way of saying they would place last.

No, not at all. You misunderstood me then because I don't necessarily think they would be last. I voted 18th. Right around Teal Sound or BDB's level. Which if you think about it, puts them right in there with a corps that has a similar "life dynamic" as a top level BOA program (corps at that level only partial or half tours, have a home life, jobs, summer school).

Though, despite the fact that (as you accurately stated) they have a different "life dynamic" than that of drum corps, they accomplish in what little time they have just as much as some drum corps do. That's what makes it so grand and worth a comparison.

Do YOU think they would place last? Look at the body movement (kind of hard to see without a multi-cam video or a live view). I don't see that kind of clarity out of a 25th place corps. Not QUITE.

Though, even if they did place "last" (as in 25th), that's still impressive for a high school band. No way would I put them lower, either. Surely nobody here thinks Pioneer is better???

This post has been edited by bmjfelts1988: 22 February 2012 - 06:33 PM