gumby5647 Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 I heard that this one was HUGE back in the 80's. Anybody up for a trip down memory lane for us 20 something "kids"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMichael1230 Posted November 3, 2003 Share Posted November 3, 2003 I can recall two outstanding southern corps always mirroring each other for ranking and succes.......The first "taste" came in 1982 as Suncoast came out of nowhere after the 81' season and batlled Spirit of Atlanta and SkyRyders for the DCS crown. I cant recall off the top of my head if Suncoast ever actually beat Spirit in 82, although SPirit was 12th in finals, a less than stellar Cavaliers prelim performane placed them 11th while Suncoast Sound roared into 13th. It was a down year for Spirit and Suncoast was on the rise. Remarkably, Spirit turned things around in 1983 and all during first tour, beat everyone they saw, except Garfield....even besting the Madison Scouts early and making a statement at the DCI Eastern Regional in July. It was SUncoast who had the last word come Miami, vaulting into fifth place in prelims, winding up in 6th as Spirit of Atlanta finished seventh. Both corps again presented outstanding programs in 1984 and battled each other al season, winding up 6th and 7th ......they would remain close to each other in 85, 86, 87, 88, and 89...the 89 season was a slow one for Suncoast, fininshing way behind other eastern challengers, but the show wouldn't die and they passed all thier rivals to finish ahead of everyone in the East except Cadets. ~G~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted November 5, 2003 Share Posted November 5, 2003 The rivalry between Spirit and Suncoast was always intense, but it evolved over the years. I can only speak directly about the years I marched (85-88 with Suncoast), but from what i'm told of life before then... ...prior to 1985 the rivalry was intense and not friendly, bordering on ugly at times. I'm not talking about fights or anything, but the two corps simply did not like each other. I suppose that it came from the fact that the two corps were so similar, both in philosohy and show style, not to mention finals placement. The geographic proximity didn't help either, as both corps recruited in a lot of the same areas. By 1985, both corps had developed a healthy respect for each other, and it culminated in the two corps sharing housing at a couple of sights during the first tour. A lot of the members of both corps got to know each other beyond the old "post-show" parking lot thing. One really cool thing that helped was the fact that Suncoast, Spirit, and Florida Wave all learned "You'll never Walk Alone" for mass-performance at retreats. We only did it a couple of times, but it was *very* cool. Somewhere there is an incredible pic of Suncoast and Spirit, with intermingled hornlines, playing YNWA. I'd give just about anything for a copy of it (there's a recording too...). As the years when by, the corps became even friendlier, while still trying to beat the pants off each other (though at Suncoast it was not talked about openly...we had to maintain that clean-cut image). When one fo the corps hit financial trouble, the other was always there to help in one way or another. I remember a great story from 1989 (I was marching with the Blue Devils, but maintained firendships with my old Suncoast comrades). Neither corps was very strong that year, and Spirit didn't make finals. As a tribute, Suncoast made a giant delta symbol on the field in their retreat block, and Spirit's members sat right behind them in the back stands. Very classy. There's a pic of that floating around somewhere too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrlandoContraAlum Posted November 5, 2003 Share Posted November 5, 2003 The two corps were closer that "near each other". From 1982 to 1988, they were right next to each other: 82 - Spirit 12, Suncoast 13 83 - Suncoast 6, Spirit 7 84 - Spirit 6, Suncoast 7 85 - Suncoast 6, Spirit 7 86 - Suncoast 5, Spirit 6 87 - Suncoast 9, Spirit 10 88 - Spirit 9, Suncoast 10 The three years I marched it was a fun rivalry. And yes, we made a large delta on the field at finals with horns and drumsticks. Photos are here (this links to another thread on this site). We also left our age-out socks under the horns, so when we left the field, the delta stayed. It was pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russellrks Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 (edited) I probably had something to do with the genesis of this rivalry. O.K., I had everything to do with it. I taught Spirit in 78-79 and because of a very strained relationship with a particular member of upper management, I felt compelled to walk away from a corps that I loved and had poured my heart and soul into. Two years later the opportunity came for me to teach Suncoast and I jumped at it. Not only was this an opportunity for me to write my first drill and run the marching caption, it was also a chance to get a little revenge so to speak from my previous employer. Anyway, I knew upon my arrival in sunny Florida that it would not only be possible to make finals that very next summer, I also knew that Spirit was vulnerable. I felt that drums was the only caption that Spirit would have a clear edge on us. I told the rest of the staff how I felt about what we could achieve but I don't think they ever believed we could jump that far that fast. We paid a lot of dues that summer, losing to Spirit by some incredibly large margins but slowly but surely we started creeping up on them until finally at DCI Midwest we not only beat them, we knocked them out of finals. We fell short of my ultimate goal at Nats, but that in a nutshell, is how the rivalry began. Truth be told, I think the rilvalry was inevitable anyway just because of geographics and because you always set your sites on who is right ahead of you. Well, they were a little bit more than right ahead of us but revenge tends to cloud one's vision. P.S. I must point out that my feelings about Spirit should never be construed as being negative in any way toward the members at that time. Those young men and women were the best and I will always treasure the memories I have of those times. Edited November 27, 2003 by Russellrks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideways Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 (edited) And now Magic and Spirit have placed back to back to each at finals the past two summers. Is it irony, destiny, or a sign of better things to come? Edited November 6, 2003 by MagicAlto99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skajerk Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 Ahhhh... the Suncoast/Spirit rivalries. What great years to be a fan and just watch the shows. Especialy '85! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrlandoContraAlum Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Heh, so SkaJerk, how do you really feel about Suncoast 85? (j/k) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LancerFi Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 When did Suncoast come into existence? I don't remember them from the years I marched....I know, I'm old, really, really, old....and there were many, many corps from 70-80, so excuse me on this question please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamarag Posted November 8, 2003 Share Posted November 8, 2003 Suncoast formed in the spring of 1979 for the express purpose of representing the St. Petersburg/Clearwater/Largo area of Florida at the Queen's Royal Festival in July of 1979 (it was sprung for from the members of the Largo High School Band of Gold...the 1978 World Marching Band Champions). Sicne the instrumentation was drum corps, Suncoast attended exactly ONE show before DCI Nationals in Birmingham, AL. At DCI the corps placed 40th. Suncoast toured for the first time in 1980, eventually placing 30th. In 1981 the corps moved up to 21st, and that's when things started to really take off. 1982: 13th (with many folks thinking they were better than the 11th and 12th place corps, Spirit and Cavaliers). 1983: 6th (after 5th in semis). Highest ever placement for a corps in thier first year in Top 12 (record still holds). 1984: 7th 1985: 6th (my first year...yea!) 1986: 5th (might have had 3rd if not for a complete disaster of a show in semis) 1987: 9th 1988: 10th 1989: 9th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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