Why the Bluecoats are overlooked at times

[hank13579]

So much misinformation. All the following information is available via the corps website and its Facebook page.

Keep in mind that on a national level the corps auditioned over 700 potential members in more locations than any other corps, California, Georgia, Texas, and Ohio and has members and alumni from all over the world. They also have a hugely successful clinic that they run in June called the Blue Way Camp that was more successful than BD's MN System Blue Clinic!! That's just a small part if their national outreach.

[BRASSO]

I don't think it's that they're underrated, I just think there are other storylines people follow more. BD/Crown/Cadets battle, "bubble" corps like Troopers, Crossmen, Academy, Madison's great anniversary show, etc. Just my opinion though

I think thats about right.

The drama is at the very top, ie.. who wins, and the battle for who gets in ( top 12). And of course Madison's Anniversary year ( congrats to them, by the way ).

BK, Boston, Bluecoats, SCV are perennial very good Corps that can be counted on just about every year now to be of hign caliber and solid and good enough to make Finals, TOP 12 Status. These Corps are usually a lock for Finals, so naturally the buzz goes to where the most drama appears to be. Phantom used to get a LOT of ink on here not that long ago... Cavaliers too. But as they both settle in a bit outside the TOP 3, that buzz on them subsides a tiny bit as well. The buzz on here in 2008 for Phantom was off the charts. Same with the Cavs in 2006. It was off the charts for them that year too. They were both in a title hunt these years. I think thats mostly what explains a Corps buzz and ink.

Edited July 17, 2013 by BRASSO

[The Other Mike]

Once upon a time I LOVED them. The Jazz era of BC was what drum corps was ( in my mind ) what entertainment should be. Way back in the time machine I dreamed about BC because of Autumn Leaves and such but now it's like a thought of an old girlfriend that didn't work out. She changed her look, cut her hair and became like everyone else personaility wise and I no longer am enchanted by her smile.

Looks count in the beginning but it's personality that will keep me interested and I just can't figure out BC's personality anymore. I'd rather BC of the mid-late 70's over what I see today. But I'm old fashioned that way.

[tigerwoods_2001]

For me (speaking for the last few years) it's show design. Their shows remind me of the old Wendy's commercials "Where's the beef?". Good beginning, good end, don't really remember much in the middle.

[geluf]

I love Bluecoats (they were completely hosed in 2007. That was not a 7th place show that year.), but I think part of the problem is that, lately, there's little to no movement for them. They seem to settle right around 6th place the vast majority of the time.

Now, don't get me wrong, 6th place is nothing to sneeze at in this activity, and for them to place in that area as consistently as they do is a testament to how well the corps is run. But in terms of excitement, it doesn't do much for people. Crown snatched the "up and comer" title away from them around the beginning of the 2010s and haven't looked back. The Bluecoats are basically the Ol' Reliable of drum corps right now. You can depend on them to place from 5-7 almost every single year.

[g00fyg00ber]

For me (speaking for the last few years) it's show design. Their shows remind me of the old Wendy's commercials "Where's the beef?". Good beginning, good end, don't really remember much in the middle.

I can see that in a couple shows, like Criminal or Knockout. I remember the silent drill in Criminal, and the tag ending, or I remember The Boxer from Knockout, but not much else.

But I think they've been getting better. I don't see a true weak spot from them in 2010, and their show this year is very good all-around, just needs some cleaning.

Great Wendy's reference.

[Man Of La Mancha]

Feel free to dismiss this as just my opinion, but I've been in the activity for a little while now and was just curious of something that I've noticed. While browsing this forum, it seems as though much of what the Bluecoats do goes almost unnoticed, if that is the appropriate word to use for it. Just going through a show thread and seeing the discussion of each corps and their show, especially in the top 8 or so, there seems to always be much less discussion when the Bluecoats go on. I don't know if it is something they do that people just don't seem to care for, or if their fan base isn't as well-represented on here, but it is something I've seen. On a similar topic, when it comes to scoring, the Bluecoats have topped Phantom at two shows this year, yet very few, if any, seem to talk about them being able to rise up to that again, and even more I see actually predict Bluecoats falling in the rankings to Madison, a corps that Bluecoats have not lost to head-to-head since 2005. Just my two cents.

I didn't read all the replies, but I think the Bluecoats don't get talked about because there haven't been many years that they were in the running to win, or in the running JUST to make finals. I think they might have the record for coming in 6th or 7th place back when Star was still around. They are the corps that is always just there, from a competitive point of view(not meant as an insult).

[N.E. Brigand]

So much misinformation. All the following information is available via the corps website and its Facebook page.

Keep in mind that on a national level the corps auditioned over 700 potential members in more locations than any other corps, California, Georgia, Texas, and Ohio and has members and alumni from all over the world. They also have a hugely successful clinic that they run in June called the Blue Way Camp that was more successful than BD's MN System Blue Clinic!! That's just a small part if their national outreach.

So your answer to the OP's question, which asked why the Bluecoats are the subject of less DCP discussion than some other corps, is that it's due to Bloo turning down more than 500 auditionees and to their running a superb and very popular clinic?

[charlie1223]

Coats for a long time were/are known as the 6th place corps. It's hard to shake off when they usually do come in around 6th place...So people may appear to be underestimating them.

But coats are strange because I do "feel" they should be higher but for some reason haven't gotten back in that 2010 groove.

Edited July 18, 2013 by charlie1223

[Elmo Blatch]

20 years ago, folks said Bluecoats were the guardian to being in the top 7. Since Bluecoats were consistently 11th-8th position, you had to get past that guardian to get higher.

Seems now that to crack the top 5, you have to get past Bluecoats. That's not a bad thing, its just how it works out.

The quality of musicianship is certainly there. There have been a couple times in the past several years where the drumline has nearly won the Sanford and once the hornline nearly won the Ott (that corps should have been higher that year).

Also, I agree with most of what everyone said. Ultimately, I don't think the corps markets itself as fully as it could. As a result, folks (even alums) can't get excited about the production cause they don't know what they are going to get before buying tickets to see a show. This year, most folks didn't know the the source music for the show until the first show, even then, it was because someone took a photo of it from a contest program and posted it in DCP. Unless I am reading it incorrectly, this year's corps program information isn't even on the corps website, aside from a poster with "...to look for America" on it. No other such information about the show exists. I've looked on the corps website and their Facebook page. No information about the music, the concepts, or the idea behind the production is on the corps website.

Again, I am not knocking the leadership, design, or instructional staff of the corps. There are some tremendously talented and bright people in the organization. I just think a bit more marketing would help sell the concept. It seems to work for everyone else.

Edited July 19, 2013 by Elmo Blatch