2017 Boston Crusaders

[LabMaster]

22 hours ago, mingusmonk said:

Maybe the huge increase in post count comes from the BAC Thread stalwarts' apparent need to approach every single "outsider" post with a chip on their shoulder.  Dissecting them to be seen as negative or unfairly judgmental. Constantly perpetuating some kind of Us vs Them scenario. (Cue 6 stock replies refuting this post. :D )

 

It probably is a little strange with everyone coming to play in your sandbox all of a sudden. This type attention is a bit of new thing. 

Hi M,  There's no doubt there has been an increase in the posting for BAC this season.  I think most of it though came early in the offseason when the staff changes were the "trending now" "breaking news' type of page growth.  I sense there has been a slowdown as I see the BAC page drift back into the depths of DCP but bubble up every couple or few weeks or so.  They certainly can't keep pace with the cadets thread...no corps can  LOL.  That is a prolific group of posters.  IMO there has been a great deal of outsider  (as you put it) commentary that certainly raised the defenses of the corps.  However these defenses that are exhibited, are what has kept this corps going year after year where others have folded.  Through the years there have been a number of instances and attempts to make this corps go away.  Many folks not fully aware of the history of the corps may not understand why long standing fans alums get so intensely defensive about how they are viewed or what they say and do.  But there is a long history there of adversity and that will create a protective "chipiness' should anything be thought to be impuning this organization of very passionate followers.

[Ghost]

1 hour ago, LabMaster said:

  But there is a long history there of adversity and that will create a protective "chipiness' should anything be thought to be impuning this organization of very passionate followers.

And prevent the corps from being at the "final table" (for you poker players).

[LabMaster]

1 hour ago, Ghost said:

And prevent the corps from being at the "final table" (for you poker players).

Can you clarify?  Not fully getting the reference.  I get final table but no how this applies to the comments you referred to.

[BRASSO]

On 4/11/2017 at 2:29 PM, mingusmonk said:

 

It probably is a little strange with everyone coming to play in your sandbox all of a sudden.  

   95% of the visitors arn't trolling when they visit this thread too, 'seem like good people, so its basically pretty cool to have their new found interest in the Boston Crusaders !

Edited April 12, 2017 by BRASSO

[onceuponatime]

A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON A GREAT CORPS
The Cadets have endured a lot of crisis during their 83 year history, but we were not alone in that respect. The Boston Crusaders for most of their history endured one catastrophe after another; and each one set them back in their goals due to lack of finances. Still, through each one they closed ranks and continued on.

Now, suddenly they find themselves being criticized because for probably the first time in the life of their corps finances are no longer a problem for them. I have no idea how this good fortune materialized, nor is it any of my business. With this new-found financial freedom they have become very aggressive in attracting additional instructors and support staff, and in attracting members from other corps. Good for them! This reminds me very much of the early years of Star of Indiana, except Star began with good fortune and strong leadership, and never had to endure the kind of things that my corps, The Cadets, and our respected friends and competitors over the pre-DCI years,The Boston Crusaders, had to overcome. At the time Star was heavily criticized for, as their critics perceived it, having "the best corps that money could buy." They too aggressively recruited staff away from other corps, and attracted members from those same corps with "stars" in their eyes.

Now The Cadets and Carolina Crown find themselves the unintentional "victims" of Boston's good fortune. I believe their reactions to the staff/member enticements Boston now finds itself in a position to offer are understandable. Perhaps Boston has been too aggressive. I don't know. What I do know is that The Cadets, and Carolina Crown, and now Boston will overcome any resulting difficulties. 

I have to admit though that I find it very difficult to be critical of Boston. Over the years I have watched them struggle, rise and fall competitively, and be viewed by many comparatively new to the activity, as "also rans." Nothing could be further from the truth.

I am incorporating a reference to Boston's earlier years, taken from the book "DCI - The First Decade," written by Nick Waerzeggers, layout by Steve Vickers. This book was commissioned by DCI; however it never received wide promotion or circulation for reasons not relative to what I am writing here. This information on Boston appears on page 36 of the book. It is an excerpt from an interview with Jim Centorino, Boston's horn instructor recounts their condition in 1971:
"Located on the southwest shore of the Charles River, the Magazine Beach Boat House was the only facility the corps could get for free. A miniscule building the size of a two-car garage that was vacant during the cold winter months was "was perfect for the corps." The building had no heat and the bare cement floor absorbed all your warmth through the soles of your feet. Bugle valves seized, lips froze to mouthpieces, drummers' knuckles looked like gray ring pops. Clouds of exhaled breath hovered everywhere. The honor of managing the miniscule mob fell into the hands of George Bevilacqua and Dan Rinaldi (the third and fourth directors in two seasons.) Theirs was the task of trying to rebuild a "Giant." Since they had no corporate sponsorship and no financial infrastructure , the corps ran on fumes. Once while collecting dues I thought of taking $10 for horn instructor pay, but forgot the whole thing when it was announced that the corps' truck was out of gas. None of us would be paid financially."

None of this was known, nor cared about, by most of the drum corps leaders of the era. They all had problems of their own, and no time or resources to help out a desperately poor corps like The Crusaders. Well, their kids and their adult leadership persevered, and I believe though I have nothing to base it on, that it was during these years of deprivation, they began to take pride in their status, and they began to think of themselves not as hard-time strugglers, but rather as "Giants." You know something...that was exactly what they were.

This was just one of many challenges they faced and overcame over the years. They are a very old legacy corps (if I'm not wrong, the second oldest continually competing corps in the country.) I have a difficult time after so many years of remembering what seemed like a never-ending series of catastrophes which they met as they always did...as "Giants." I seem to remember a fire that destroyed everything they had, and a truck break-in where they lost all their equipment, and so many others it would seem like I was exaggerating to the point of being ridiculous if I could remember enough to recite them all, or even to be completely accurate in the ones I mention here.

Cadet Alumni are probably most sympathetic to what Boston has endured, because our corps has a similar history of overcoming our own series of internal and external catastrophes. We too were often hovering on the edge of survival too many times to recall. Now Boston suddenly finds themselves financially stable with an all-alumni (I think) Board of Directors running the corps as a business rather than as a day-to-day, hour by hour, minute by minute group of penniless "Giants."

There is one other thing that most of the current members of Boston and The Cadets are unaware of, because it happened so very long ago. Boston Crusaders evolved from The Most Precious Blood Crusaders, and The Holy Name Cadets and Most Precious Blood were bonded by personal and corps friendships. We stayed in each other's homes, we cheered for each other at contests, we not only respected and admired each other, but in a way, we were two corps in love with each other. Strange to put it down on paper in that way, but that was the way it was.

So, if Boston is now, perhaps, overusing the financial windfall they currently enjoy, try to be a little patient and remember all they have gone through to reach this point. I guarantee that the waters of the storm now building will soon become more gentle; and all three of these great corps will emerge better for their current experience.

[BRASSO]

 Onceuponatime....wow... good post, Man.

 To add a bit more detail to the BAC Corps in 1971 that had their 17-20 brass line hoveling together and practicing in below freezing temps, with no heat, in essentially a tiny,  maintenance facility dilapidated " boat shack "" alongside the Charles River in Boston, they all developed an unbreakable bond with one another. Years later, in 1990, one of the brass line former marchers from those Charles River days was diagnosed with terminal cancer, His brother ( also a former BAC alum ) decided to make his brothers remaining time on earth as memorable and as fun as could be. So he got together with his sick brothers former Brass Instructor, and put out a call to former marchers, and drummers, and a few Color Guard to ask a few of them would they agree to get together again and learn the old tunes from when his sick brother marched and play the old tunes again with him and his brother until God called him home. Well, of course, the call was heeded, and in 1990, the Boston Crusaders Sr.  Corps met and practiced for the 1st time  in Waltham Ma. ( near Boston ) .The Sr. Corps , with its 2 two brothers marching together again, played the old songs, and had a great time at practice, get togethers, socials, & marching and performing in exhibitiions with the Corps. The sick brother has since passed on, but he lives on as a Giant. Like Giants before him... and Giants to follow. The Boston Crusaders have National Championship winning seasons in their resume ( 60's), as well as years when a Massachusetts Bankruptcy judge took their very name away due to their bad credit and finances (80's). ( came back 2 years later.. went to the judge.. and the judge ruled they could go back out again with their name)  But thru it all... they competed. They never took a year off, nor complained about their plight to anyone. They just kept on, keeping on. So if their perserverance to survive and learning to " fight enough day " is not the stuff of " Giants ", then I don't know what the term " perserverance " means anymore. Finally, when the unknowing ask if BAC alums might turn on the Corps if ( for example ) the Corps might go out with unis that are not " traditional " probably are well meaning, but they have no idea of what level of support most BAC alums are prepared to provide to their former Corps.. as the fabric of a Corps is not what one wears as the " fabric ". The " fabric " of a marcher and of a Corps runs much deeper than the outer garments worn..

Edited April 12, 2017 by BRASSO

[Tobias]

31 minutes ago, onceuponatime said:

A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON A GREAT CORPS
The Cadets have endured a lot of crisis during their 83 year history, but we were not alone in that respect. The Boston Crusaders for most of their history endured one catastrophe after another; and each one set them back in their goals due to lack of finances. Still, through each one they closed ranks and continued on.

Now, suddenly they find themselves being criticized because for probably the first time in the life of their corps finances are no longer a problem for them. I have no idea how this good fortune materialized, nor is it any of my business. With this new-found financial freedom they have become very aggressive in attracting additional instructors and support staff, and in attracting members from other corps. Good for them! This reminds me very much of the early years of Star of Indiana, except Star began with good fortune and strong leadership, and never had to endure the kind of things that my corps, The Cadets, and our respected friends and competitors over the pre-DCI years,The Boston Crusaders, had to overcome. At the time Star was heavily criticized for, as their critics perceived it, having "the best corps that money could buy." They too aggressively recruited staff away from other corps, and attracted members from those same corps with "stars" in their eyes.

Now The Cadets and Carolina Crown find themselves the unintentional "victims" of Boston's good fortune. I believe their reactions to the staff/member enticements Boston now finds itself in a position to offer are understandable. Perhaps Boston has been too aggressive. I don't know. What I do know is that The Cadets, and Carolina Crown, and now Boston will overcome any resulting difficulties. 

I have to admit though that I find it very difficult to be critical of Boston. Over the years I have watched them struggle, rise and fall competitively, and be viewed by many comparatively new to the activity, as "also rans." Nothing could be further from the truth.

I am incorporating a reference to Boston's earlier years, taken from the book "DCI - The First Decade," written by Nick Waerzeggers, layout by Steve Vickers. This book was commissioned by DCI; however it never received wide promotion or circulation for reasons not relative to what I am writing here. This information on Boston appears on page 36 of the book. It is an excerpt from an interview with Jim Centorino, Boston's horn instructor recounts their condition in 1971:
"Located on the southwest shore of the Charles River, the Magazine Beach Boat House was the only facility the corps could get for free. A miniscule building the size of a two-car garage that was vacant during the cold winter months was "was perfect for the corps." The building had no heat and the bare cement floor absorbed all your warmth through the soles of your feet. Bugle valves seized, lips froze to mouthpieces, drummers' knuckles looked like gray ring pops. Clouds of exhaled breath hovered everywhere. The honor of managing the miniscule mob fell into the hands of George Bevilacqua and Dan Rinaldi (the third and fourth directors in two seasons.) Theirs was the task of trying to rebuild a "Giant." Since they had no corporate sponsorship and no financial infrastructure , the corps ran on fumes. Once while collecting dues I thought of taking $10 for horn instructor pay, but forgot the whole thing when it was announced that the corps' truck was out of gas. None of us would be paid financially."

None of this was known, nor cared about, by most of the drum corps leaders of the era. They all had problems of their own, and no time or resources to help out a desperately poor corps like The Crusaders. Well, their kids and their adult leadership persevered, and I believe though I have nothing to base it on, that it was during these years of deprivation, they began to take pride in their status, and they began to think of themselves not as hard-time strugglers, but rather as "Giants." You know something...that was exactly what they were.

This was just one of many challenges they faced and overcame over the years. They are a very old legacy corps (if I'm not wrong, the second oldest continually competing corps in the country.) I have a difficult time after so many years of remembering what seemed like a never-ending series of catastrophes which they met as they always did...as "Giants." I seem to remember a fire that destroyed everything they had, and a truck break-in where they lost all their equipment, and so many others it would seem like I was exaggerating to the point of being ridiculous if I could remember enough to recite them all, or even to be completely accurate in the ones I mention here.

Cadet Alumni are probably most sympathetic to what Boston has endured, because our corps has a similar history of overcoming our own series of internal and external catastrophes. We too were often hovering on the edge of survival too many times to recall. Now Boston suddenly finds themselves financially stable with an all-alumni (I think) Board of Directors running the corps as a business rather than as a day-to-day, hour by hour, minute by minute group of penniless "Giants."

There is one other thing that most of the current members of Boston and The Cadets are unaware of, because it happened so very long ago. Boston Crusaders evolved from The Most Precious Blood Crusaders, and The Holy Name Cadets and Most Precious Blood were bonded by personal and corps friendships. We stayed in each other's homes, we cheered for each other at contests, we not only respected and admired each other, but in a way, we were two corps in love with each other. Strange to put it down on paper in that way, but that was the way it was.

So, if Boston is now, perhaps, overusing the financial windfall they currently enjoy, try to be a little patient and remember all they have gone through to reach this point. I guarantee that the waters of the storm now building will soon become more gentle; and all three of these great corps will emerge better for their current experience.

Deep down everyone wants Boston to succeed. They've been around for a long time. The activity was hemorrhaging corps for a while. It's nice to see an old corps ready to leap   into perhaps their best years yet... 

[craiga]

When the corps had the fire in 1973, they still went out and took the field that season.  I wasn't around them in those days, but I was 10 years later when BAC was effectively shut down by court order and the IRS.  Early in 1983, under new direction, they again rose from the ashes as the "Boston Drum & Bugle Corps".  All the chatter in Drum Corps News and Drum Corps World at the time had the corps folding that winter.  The corps showed up at Allentown (an early July show that year) with a 51 member "World" class corps, travelling over night from Beantown on one bus, sleeping on the grass across the street, and performed to multiple standing ovations, (including when they simply took the field).

Just one of the many trials Boston endured over the years, and yeah, corps like Cadets know this.  (Like the year that many members of BD's drum line wore Boston shirts at one show under their uniforms....that might have been in 1979 when Boston had 25 horns...or maybe it was in 83 when BAC had 19 horns and was attacked by a street gang in Miami during finals week.) 

For those of us who have been around the corps a long time, these memories don't fade.

As for some folks talking about hype or not hype...it is becoming clear that we can't win in this regard.  If someone writes something supportive and optimistic about BAC 2017, that is labelled hype.  If someone is deliberately cautious-as I have tried to be-we are accused of "running away from hype".

At the end of the day, the hype discussion is at best disingenuous.  In a little of two months, we will have our answers.

 

 

 

[BRASSO]

1 hour ago, craiga said:

 

 83 when BAC had 19 horns and was attacked by a street gang in Miami during finals week.

.

 

 

 

 Boston actually came to the aid of a Corps that was being harrassed by the street gang of Miami in '83, and took care of that street gang.. lol! .. Its not just a figurative phrase to say that the Boston Crusaders had to " fight their way " thru some years and some difficullties in order to stand their ground, survive. Fortunately, those " fighting years " that Boston was known for..( thus the original meaning of BAC) are behind them now. But no apologies are neccessary for those hard scrabble, gritty years, where kids came off the streets, learned to put their energies into productive endeavors, and developed into good citizens, when it would have been so much easier to have been lost to those mean streets. The Boston Crusaders are a classy organization from top to bottom now, imo. Those who came before are part of this rebirth, and renasaisance, and they share in it, imo.... ( I know you know all this too, Craiga.. my comments are mostly meant for readers here on this thread as some background filler to whats already been correctly and asutely mentioned by you and others. )

Edited April 12, 2017 by BRASSO

[Ghost]

8 hours ago, LabMaster said:

Can you clarify?  Not fully getting the reference.  I get final table but no how this applies to the comments you referred to.

I may have read too much into your post and the use of "impuning"  through me off.  I made my reply before learning that there is no word impuning, at least from my search.  I may also have a false sense that some none supporters of the corps might not want them to succeed and earn a place at the table which for me and many alumni is top six.