euponitone Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Well...this seems pretty well under control Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 The Cadets were always Hoppy's "baby". Did he do some good things for the Crossmen? Yes. But just because someone qualifies on the rifle range doesn't mean that they deserve the Congressional Medal of Honor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatsNotMyName Posted July 24, 2009 Author Share Posted July 24, 2009 As "the other guy" being inducted into the HOF this year, all I can say is that what has me flabbergasted and speechless the most is how George wasn't inducted into the Crossmen Hall of Fame years ago. And hey, I understand that the relationship between the Crossmen and YEA was not perfect. I don't think many will dispute that. There were many ups and many downs for sure. But the undeniable fact remains that without George and YEA getting involved, the Crossmen would have folded in the autumn of 1995. It is also undeniable that YEA spent well over a million dollars over the years helping to keep the Crossmen alive, when they certainly could have just done nothing and rid themselves of another east coast competitor once and for all. If the author wants to stop supporting the corps because of this, that is his or her right. All I can ask is this...how grateful are you that the Crossmen are still on this earth, giving so many young people the chance to be a part of such a rich and proud legacy spanning over three decades? Truly, how grateful are you that the drum corps universe still counts the Crossmen as one its active participants when so many other great corps have faded away forever? There are certainly many many people to thank for the fact that the Crossmen are still here for us to discuss all these years later. George is most definitely one of those people, and as such, I'd like to think that EVERY Crossmen, no matter what they might think of the man (whom most have probably never even met), could find the strength within themselves to say THANK YOU for his very significant contributions to the efforts of keeping the Crossmen in existence. I'm honored to be inducted into the Crossmen Hall of Fame alongside George Hopkins. Gary, your opinion matters so much to me. I truly think you are one of the greatest men I've ever known. You have to understand this though, the summer I marched Crossmen was THE GREATEST summer of my life, however Hopkins left a very sour experience for some, including myself. I just feel that he really hurt us as members that year. And to see what followed was nothing short of disaster. That being said...I DO respect all that YEA and GH did for the Crossmen. Don't get me wrong, they truly bailed them out. If it wasn't for YEA's "stimulus package", the XMEN would have been bone dust for sure. I am truly grateful for that! If that is the reason for the induction, I support it 100%. Can't a guy be have a double standard every once in a while ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newseditor44 Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 This thread is nothing but flame bait. The OP only has 38 posts... something stinks about this one. The hate Hop sentiment around here is getting really old and tired. It is so 2004. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifer Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 This thread is nothing but flame bait. The OP only has 38 posts... something stinks about this one. The hate Hop sentiment around here is getting really old and tired. It is so 2004. That sounds like the perfect quote to start throwing at threads like this ... "That's so 2004, dude!!!"" LOL!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euponitone Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Gary, your opinion matters so much to me. I truly think you are one of the greatest men I've ever known. You have to understand this though, the summer I marched Crossmen was THE GREATEST summer of my life, however Hopkins left a very sour experience for some, including myself. I just feel that he really hurt us as members that year. And to see what followed was nothing short of disaster.That being said...I DO respect all that YEA and GH did for the Crossmen. Don't get me wrong, they truly bailed them out. If it wasn't for YEA's "stimulus package", the XMEN would have been bone dust for sure. I am truly grateful for that! If that is the reason for the induction, I support it 100%. Can't a guy be have a double standard every once in a while ;) Im not sure when you marched, but when I tried out (2002), crossmen were still a part of YEA. When I went to tryouts, I actually thought about marching crossmen, and noone really forced me or pressured me into anything. I wound up going with cadets anyway, but I never saw any of the bad treatment that so many people talk about. George was the director of the cadets, and as such, we were his primary responsibility, but I seriously doubt he wanted anything but the best for the corps he marched for a decade in. From what I understand, when he tried to micromanage xmen, people told him to back off, and when he tried to step away, he got flack for not helping enough. I dont really know any more details then that, and I dont really want to, but it seems pretty simple to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Didn't George play snare in the Crossmen? He did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 The Cadets were always Hoppy's "baby". Did he do some good things for the Crossmen? Yes. But just because someone qualifies on the rifle range doesn't mean that they deserve the Congressional Medal of Honor. what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hammer Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 As a Crossmen fan since the 1970s, I think Gary's comments speak volumes. Whether I agree with all of Hop's views or not, I have great respect for his commitment and excellence and truly appreciate all he has done for the corps, the Cadets, and Drum Corps. Congratulations to George and Gary on this honor! GO BONES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbc33 Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Thanks, Hop, for all you've done to keep our drum corps alive. and Gary, thanks again for always having the right words to put this into perspective. You are truly deserving of this prestigious honor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts