TomPeashey Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 memories... ??? I have hours I could tell from the "other" side... but some things are better left unsaid... it was definitely a battle of brothers and fortunately we all got over it... and remember... don't EVER try and break up or stand between two brothers fighting... they will both turn on you... kick the crap out of you and then go have a beer... forgetting what the original fight was about... They all know that I believe their prelim performance in 1975 was one of the most exciting and thrilling memories in the history of drum corps... I was fortunate to have been able to watch it... Had I not seen it myself... I NEVER would have believed it and probably just "blamed politics"... it was NO POLITICS... if anything, the judges held back... (mostly out of disbelief... asking themselves "could they really have been that good?") When I arrived at Cru rehearsal after prelims with the scores, and you can ask many who were there, I told them all... "get over it now because they were REALLY that good... another week and they could have won!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Scott Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 There is only one word that describes the cause of death of Phoenix and that would be ARROGANCE. Having competed against the Corps several times time in 1975, this is my take. At several of the pre-contest meetings they would stroll in and lay out their music book in front of the judges and dare them to find another corps with as much “content analysis”, they tended to ridicule other RCA corps and this “lesser” association, in addition they were the only RCA corps that I came across that would look for fights at the post contest parties. When they didn’t live up to their own expectations they imploded IMHO...but they were good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Drum Corps Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 (edited) thanks for your input... It must have been tough when they couldn't even announce the scores on retreats because of the distance was so much between Phoenix and the other corps in RCA. While it may be true that the guys that were in Phoenix were used to competing against DCA competition, we were really gearing to get as good as we could get for the DCA championships on Labor Day weekend. I will apologize now for beating the crap out of the RCA corps on a weekly basis. We didnt mean to do it. We probably didnt belong there to begin with, but it was the only place we could get shows then. The corps imploded when the management couldn't handle it anymore. The Indians watched in dismay as the chiefs bickered. I dont want to get Beecher going again, but when Corky quit in the middle of the season in 1976...it caused a downward spiral. Did he have reason to quit...??? Very possible, but the students then became the staff. That is really what happened. Different people in the administration thought they had the answer. It was just too good too soon. Many of us became frustrated, and it died as quick as it came to life. Very sad... Donny Edited December 7, 2007 by donnymusic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zarblap Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 (edited) thanks for your input... It must have been tough when they couldn't even announce the scores on retreats because of the distance was so much between Phoenix and the other corps in RCA. While it may be true that the guys that were in Phoenix were used to competing against DCA competition, we were really gearing to get as good as we could get for the DCA championships on Labor Day weekend. I will apologize now for beating the crap out of the RCA corps on a weekly basis. We didnt mean to do it. We probably didnt belong there to begin with, but it was the only place we could get shows then.The corps imploded when the management couldn't handle it anymore. The Indians watched in dismay as the chiefs bickered. I dont want to get Beecher going again, but when Corky quit in the middle of the season in 1976...it caused a downward spiral. Did he have reason to quit...??? Very possible, but the students then became the staff. That is really what happened. Different people in the administration thought they had the answer. It was just too good too soon. Many of us became frustrated, and it died as quick as it came to life. Very sad... Donny don't worry I'm staying calm...1975 was by far one of the most enjoyable years of my life ..Phoenix,the best time I ever had in drum corps..64' Grand Prix....Kathy...and those RCA groupies,love those PA. girls and a kick ### drumline Edited December 8, 2007 by zarblap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukecornwell Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 thanks for your input... It must have been tough when they couldn't even announce the scores on retreats because of the distance was so much between Phoenix and the other corps in RCA. While it may be true that the guys that were in Phoenix were used to competing against DCA competition, we were really gearing to get as good as we could get for the DCA championships on Labor Day weekend. I will apologize now for beating the crap out of the RCA corps on a weekly basis. We didnt mean to do it. We probably didnt belong there to begin with, but it was the only place we could get shows then.The corps imploded when the management couldn't handle it anymore. The Indians watched in dismay as the chiefs bickered. I dont want to get Beecher going again, but when Corky quit in the middle of the season in 1976...it caused a downward spiral. Did he have reason to quit...??? Very possible, but the students then became the staff. That is really what happened. Different people in the administration thought they had the answer. It was just too good too soon. Many of us became frustrated, and it died as quick as it came to life. Very sad... Donny Has any other corps made such a impact in such a short time? I'll bet there aren't any. If there was, please tell me. IMHO they were way ahead of their time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Drum Corps Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I know that the corps members from RCA that are on the recording booing as loud as they could must have been really mad. Donny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 I know that the corps members from RCA that are on the recording booing as loud as they could must have been really mad.Donny well that's to bad for them. phoenix had unbeleivable talent. who's fault is it that they were that good? i may have been with cru but i loved those guy's. and yes they were and still are my brothers. the ONLY reason i didn't stay with them was because of colin campbell. i knew that they would excell fast. don't forget they were the core nucleus of the 1972 national champion crusaders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donny Drum Corps Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 yes it may have started that way...the 1972 Cru crew that was banished by Vince. So it may have started as a revenge... but it really wasnt that way when the summer hit. The Auburn Purple Lancers had just made DCI finals the year before and folded during the winter. The Brigs wonder corps of 6 weeks in 1973 didnt pan out. St. Joes was no more, Geneva Appleknockers, Utica Yankees and so on also had recently met their demise as well. So here was all this talent waiting and looking for something to do. Lets face it, the (party) aspect of DCA and particularly Phoenix may have intrigued some of us younger members...but we came ready to work as hard as we were in juniors, so getting better as fast as we did was not a mystery, we expected and demanded it. We didnt go looking for fights I dont believe. We were more like rock starts...LOL. Guys from other corps got mad because the women wanted to hang with us. That may started a fight or two. LOL. Donny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 yes it may have started that way...the 1972 Cru crew that was banished by Vince. So it may have started as a revenge... but it really wasnt that way when the summer hit. The Auburn Purple Lancers had just made DCI finals the year before and folded during the winter. The Brigs wonder corps of 6 weeks in 1973 didnt pan out. St. Joes was no more, Geneva Appleknockers, Utica Yankees and so on also had recently met their demise as well. So here was all this talent waiting and looking for something to do.Lets face it, the (party) aspect of DCA and particularly Phoenix may have intrigued some of us younger members...but we came ready to work as hard as we were in juniors, so getting better as fast as we did was not a mystery, we expected and demanded it. We didnt go looking for fights I dont believe. We were more like rock starts...LOL. Guys from other corps got mad because the women wanted to hang with us. That may started a fight or two. LOL. Donny i agree with you all the way donny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OperationTaps Posted December 7, 2007 Share Posted December 7, 2007 yes it may have started that way...the 1972 Cru crew that was banished by Vince. So it may have started as a revenge... but it really wasnt that way when the summer hit. The Auburn Purple Lancers had just made DCI finals the year before and folded during the winter. The Brigs wonder corps of 6 weeks in 1973 didnt pan out. St. Joes was no more, Geneva Appleknockers, Utica Yankees and so on also had recently met their demise as well. So here was all this talent waiting and looking for something to do.Lets face it, the (party) aspect of DCA and particularly Phoenix may have intrigued some of us younger members...but we came ready to work as hard as we were in juniors, so getting better as fast as we did was not a mystery, we expected and demanded it. We didnt go looking for fights I dont believe. We were more like rock starts...LOL. Guys from other corps got mad because the women wanted to hang with us. That may started a fight or two. LOL. Donny I just hope people realize that the intense rivalry between Cru and Phoenix was an inspiration to the next generation of Rochester drum corps talent. Those feuding "Last Names" of that era came together and set the foundation for the DCA Corps of the 90's, the Empire Statesmen. I wish every drum corps person in the country could see Wally Filkins' movie "Impossible Dream." It chronicles Phoenix from May '75 to DCA '75 in documentary format on Super 8 film. Wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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