Jeff Ream Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 (edited) I love the title of this post, the most genius and funny thing I have ever seen in rebuttal to a blog post, in the history of Drum Corps Planet. Bravo. Clap clap clap. However, to disagree with an objective assessment of the state of DCA based on the historical records is misguided. It's like the people who insist the Earth is flat. You are potentially dooming all-age drum corps through intentional ignorance of the facts and inaction. And for the record -- the solution for DCA is not to make the Reading Buccaneers lose. That would fail in misery. The solution for DCA is to give every other corps else an equal chance to win. And if the Buccaneers still win then - genius, they are better competitors. But right now, DCA is not competitive at all. Not because I said so, because the historical record says so. Once a year, everyone gets together and gives the Buccaneers big shiny trophies, tells them how great they are. And less people show up to watch it. Where is the competition? There is none. Why should anybody who loves to compete march in the Cabs, Renegades, Bushwackers, or any other corps who does not fit that model of success? Don't bother, if you ever want to win DCA - forget it. That goal is laughable, in fact, based on the last decade of your life. Form a soccer or softball team instead if you want to compete. You will not find it in DCA. Like I said, it's funny. But sad, at the same time. Like a mime. The chance for every other corps starts anew the day after finals. Some may even start planning before finals. This isn't Gil on Mt Sahlen telling DCA admin and the judging community what to do. This is the result of a team of people who have the same core mostly intact since 2002. If changes are made, the new faces need to be up to speed from day 1. They rehearse smart all winter and spring and come out ready in June. They aren't advertising for bodies beyond January much if ever. Have I loved every show? No. Liked yes but not loved. But I get why they win. The issues with DCA have little to do with what happens on the field. It's what isn't happening away from the fork, circuit wise and corps wise that needs to be addressed Edited September 11, 2015 by Jeff Ream 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleBknown Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 I love the title of this post, the most genius and funny thing I have ever seen in rebuttal to a blog post, in the history of Drum Corps Planet. Bravo. Clap clap clap. However, to disagree with an objective assessment of the state of DCA based on the historical records is misguided. It's like the people who insist the Earth is flat. You are potentially dooming all-age drum corps through intentional ignorance of the facts and inaction. And for the record -- the solution for DCA is not to make the Reading Buccaneers lose. That would fail in misery. The solution for DCA is to give every other corps else an equal chance to win. And if the Buccaneers still win then - genius, they are better competitors. But right now, DCA is not competitive at all. Not because I said so, because the historical record says so. Once a year, everyone gets together and gives the Buccaneers big shiny trophies, tells them how great they are. And less people show up to watch it. Where is the competition? There is none. Why should anybody who loves to compete march in the Cabs, Renegades, Bushwackers, or any other corps who does not fit that model of success? Don't bother, if you ever want to win DCA - forget it. That goal is laughable, in fact, based on the last decade of your life. Form a soccer or softball team instead if you want to compete. You will not find it in DCA. Like I said, it's funny. But sad, at the same time. Like a mime. What's sad are the people who sit behind a computer and tell everybody what should/needs to be done, but then does nothing about it and think they have the right to complain. You want competition, go out and tech somewhere and beat the Buccaneers. Simple as that. If you still don't like it, go start your own circuit where everybody gets a first place trophy before any group repeats and have tons of fans fill a huge stadium. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErieSopMike Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I commented on the other thread about this with a couple ideas of my own. To add to this thread, I'll say that.. is it part of any corps mission statement that they are out to beat the Reading Buccaneers? Is there a part to that same statement that says you're out to get that first place medal? Most mission statements are aimed at the educational value of the activity and being involved within the community. Does everyone who steps onto that field want to win? You betcha. In the end, however, it's about going out and leaving everything you had out there on the field and knowing you couldn't have done any better. What happens beyond what you do individually and as a corps is out of your hands. The judges are going to do what they want and no one controls that but them. So some of the bigger questions, IMO, are.. how can we bring back the competition? How do we get the fans back in the seats? I&E's had a wide variety of representation of corps past and present. Those groups are still out there, in whatever capacity, but they're there. I'm one for going the extra mile to help this great activity. There are many friendships I have made and I have become a better person because of them, thanks to DCA. There's more to our activity than the big shiny trophy that gets handed out at Finals. To see high schoolers march with members that have been around for 40-50+ years, and see the interaction, the learning (on both sides), that's part of what this is about. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 his is the result of a team of people who have the same core mostly intact since 2092. And, looking back at this planet called Earth, that is a very, very long time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I'm so down with the M.O. here in this case -Oracular pronouncements that no one else can grasp or get their arms around -Trying to gin up internet outrage to support said oracular pronouncements -Continue to say no one gets the profoundness of said oracular pronouncements when rejected by those who don't like that flavor of Kool-Aid. Been done before here, more of the same. There is a real difference between being provocative to create real discussion and just to gin up provocation and internet outrage. Back to work. Will get back to what was truly well stated and good on this thread later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Ellis Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 (edited) The Brigs won four titles in a row and DCA has remained competitive. The Sunrisers had three two-peats and DCA has remained competitive. The Bushwackers won six times in an eight year stretch and DCA has remained competitive. The Caballeros finished in the top three positions 34 times in 50 finals appearances, and won nine titles, and DCA has remained competitive. The Skyliners put together a 31-year run never finishing lower than seventh and DCA has remained competitive. Somehow I think that DCA will survive the current streak that the Bucs are on and will remain competitive. Edited September 11, 2015 by Roger Ellis 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 And, looking back at this planet called Earth, that is a very, very long time. well their championship plaque said 2105 LOL 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleBknown Posted September 11, 2015 Author Share Posted September 11, 2015 Recently, there have been a few blog posts traveling the web suggesting that the Reading Buccaneers are killing DCA. If you read a little further into the posts, you will find that the author has some radical ideas to help fix DCA. Some of the ideas include having a championship corps not compete the following season in an effort to allow another corps a chance to win. To me, it sounds like this blog poster is looking to have a corps fold because they win too much. Essentially, this is what could happen if a corps was forced to sit out of championships for a year. HOW IS THIS GOOD FOR THE CIRCUIT??? This is the exact same "Soccer Mom, everybody wins" mentallity that drives the public crazy!!! What I do know is this.The Reading Buccaneers have driven DCA to a place many thought it would have never gotten to. They have risen the performance bar and A LOT of corps are rising to the challenge. There will come a day when the Reading Buccaneers are no longer champions, and DCA will be better because of the hard work, sweat, and dedication given from the members and staff of the Buccaneers. You may not be a fan and you may not be a proud alumni any longer, but don't attack one group for something out of their control. You end your post with "I would end this note by warning everyone if you dont do something, people could lose interest in the competitive aspects of DCA". If you want it to change, come out from behind your keyboard and make it happen. Maybe this would have been more appropriately titled "How a certain blogger killed the Renegades" ??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeN Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 I'm only tangentally a fan of DCA, and that's really only because of working for DCP for a while, but I *really* miss the Renegades. Mike 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovindrumcorps Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 (edited) If Reading is the best corps on the field then so be it. However, The passed few years I'm not seeing this. Yet they are being used as the yardstick. While I was not at finals and watch the live feed from the comfort of my living room on Big Screen and Surround sound..which by the way was pretty impressive, and maybe this is good for the corps and maybe its not. But lets be realistic here. Based on what fans are seeing they were not the most stellar corps on the field. From what I saw on the thread others have said the same who were there. So I feel that what Lee is saying has merit. Maybe HIS suggestions in most cases are completely unrealistic, but the reason for them are not. Champions are out there. They just aren't in first place. It's a sad state of affairs and is making it less desirable to go to shows or even pay the nominal fee for live feed when you have to remove yourself from the competition aspect of the activity. I watch some really great shows but know that results will never parallel the performances. I feel horrible for the members who go out there every weekend and show clear improvement and because of some bureaucratic hypocrisy not get rewarded for it. Edited September 11, 2015 by lovindrumcorps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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