Can I read this article without my head exploding?

[oldschooldbc]

I finished reading the now-infamous leaked slidedeck, for the first time. It may be the most important leaked document since the Pentagon Papers. For those of you who have not read it, here it is:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/975367/Do%20Not%20...G7%20Report.pdf

I freely admit, that I almost didn't make it through. I thought my eyes were going to bug out of my head, and my cabeza was about to explode, because of the anger and vitriol that I was experiencing. Why?

Here are some of the obvious lies, distortions, fabrications, and infuriating statements that I saw.

Slide 6 - "Corps are not the same." Explain that to the guy marching contrabase for Spirit of Newark of Les Stentors. Explain that his efforts are any less than that of a MM from a G7 corps - and for that, his corps needs to go extinct.

Slide 7 - "The premeir corps are critical to the organization's success." Really? You don't really think that drum corps can survive without you? Are you really that conceited and arrogant?

Also on Slide 7: "Governance needs to be weighted to allow those who drive success to affect decisions." Really? Truly? Does the kid who earns an A on the last final get to decide the questions for for the next final? Again, what this screams of is meritocracy. That is what G7 is trying to establish pure and simple.

Slide 12: "They can add into a show and they can attend the champs but there is no real service offered. This is a change –a clear change and a clear decision to confine our efforts to a specific group of organizations." No, that's not what you are proposing. You want them to go away, so you can take what little revenue they generate.

Slide 16: "DCI is in business to return cash to the corps at the highest of possible rates." Oh really? Are you a for-profit or non-profit entity? Does the IRS know of your new attitude? Is it really all about the money? If so, please don't hold yourself our as non-profit entities, organized for the public good. So much for that whole "Youth musical education" thing.....

Slide 23: "WE CANNOT BE ISOLATED. WE NEED TO BE LIKE OUR PEERS AND STOP INSISTING WE ARE DIFFERENT AND BETTER." I find this to be tragically hilarious. You are attempting to create a flat-out meritocracy, in the grain of the old Standard Oil Corporation, before the trusts were busted up. But at the same time, you clain you are not "different and better?" Your actions and proposals simply undermine these statements.

Slide 34: There's only 3 words that adequately describe the entire content of this slide - BLATANT POWER GRAB. They want to create a permanent ruling class in the BOD, with no chance of say by directors from outside the G7. There will be 3 outside directors, who will likely rubber-stamp whatever the G7 decide.

Slide 37: "Class A corps WOULD NOT be able to participate in any share or fund distribution." Not a cent? Not one dime? Even if you go to a show in that corps home town, and half the people in attendance are fans of that corps? So if we are single A, we get no fund distribution, not vote, nothing? Why on earth would a corps stay in any such organization? (Or is your goal to run these corps out of the organization for good, George? Maybe that's your real plan.)

Slide 40 - "Winds –20". OK, so we are now officially implementing woodwind instruments in G7. Hopkins has been pushing for this for years. Now he finally has the opportunity for it to come true. What else does Hopkins want in his Bizarro universe?

Slide 47 - "If not approved –G7 to decide next steps." There's only 2 words to describe this - VEILED THREAT. Will the G7 bolt from DCI, if they do not get their way? They really just out to come out and say it. Then this is no longer a proposal - it is an ultimatum. It effectively becomes "Take it or leave it" - or more appropriately, Take it or we are leaving.

And finally:

Slide 66: "This is NOT For distribution. This is a working document". I have to ask this question point blank, to Gibbs and Hopkins: Did you really think this was not going to be made public, before it was implemented? Considering how many people will lose as a result of this, did you seriously not believe this was going to be leaked? If so, then you truly are BLINDED BY GREED.

[garfield]

I have but two things to say, oldschoolbc:

1. It's Dave, not George who is the real threat, IMO, and

2. Welcome to the Collective.

Very well transcribed. Every issue you nailed was exactly correct.

Now go read the DCI 5-year plan. I promise your eyes won't bug out...

Then the Vaticinate "Project Persona". It's data. Meaty.

[Lance]

It's not a power grab at all, and it's more about survival for the corps thinking about doing it than greed.

On with the hysterics, though.

[Liahona]

It's not a power grab at all, and it's more about survival for the corps thinking about doing it than greed.

On with the hysterics, though.

Survival for the corps? Please explain how you come to that conclusion.

[BOBSMYTH]

It's not a power grab at all, and it's more about survival for the corps thinking about doing it than greed.

On with the hysterics, though.

You're right - it not just a power grab. It's also a money grab.

[garfield]

It's not a power grab at all, and it's more about survival for the corps thinking about doing it than greed.

On with the hysterics, though.

Umm...these corps' version of survival for their corps IS a power grab of the DCI structure.

Do you mean to suggest that they didn't consider the ramifications on the rest of the activity?

C'mon. They believe the best answer for them is to, literally, take control of the train and throw all the other coal-shovelers overboard. And then Zag.

Don't confuse Star's tactics for survival with what the G6 are attempting. It insults Star.

[Liahona]

Slide 47 - "If not approved –G7 to decide next steps." There's only 2 words to describe this - VEILED THREAT. Will the G7 bolt from DCI, if they do not get their way? They really just out to come out and say it. Then this is no longer a proposal - it is an ultimatum. It effectively becomes "Take it or leave it" - or more appropriately, Take it or we are leaving.

This is nothing more than POOR TASTE. Period.

[Liahona]

Umm...these corps' version of survival for their corps IS a power grab of the DCI structure.

Do you mean to suggest that they didn't consider the ramifications on the rest of the activity?

C'mon. They believe the best answer for them is to, literally, take control of the train and throw all the other coal-shovelers overboard. And then Zag.

Don't confuse Star's tactics for survival with what the G6 are attempting. It insults Star.

I agree with this...

[Lance]

I mean to suggest that it's not about power, it's about survival for the corps doing this.

The member corps choose what goes in DCI, and they're all very big boys and girls who should be able to take care of themselves and their corps; it's insulting to make them sound so feeble.

[oldschooldbc]

Now go read the DCI 5-year plan. I promise your eyes won't bug out...

Then the Vaticinate "Project Persona". It's data. Meaty.

I've read the Project Persona materials as well. What is shocking about the document is how dependent the G7 corsp are upon the OC and lower-WC talent. Effectively, the lower-ranked corps function as training grounds for the G7. (Yes, an even higher percentage of members have background in HS marching band - and this makes sense. The progression is marching band, to lower ranked corps, to higher ranked corps.)

What Gibbs and Hopkins fail to realize is how much of this talent pool will dry up, if they implement their own league. These AA or AAA corps could become extinct, and then where will Gibbs and Hopkins recruit talent from?

Do they really expect someone to come out of HS marching band, at age 15, and march a G7 show? Seriously? Is that their business and recruitment model for the future?

Isn't this the big hole in their entire scheme? Have Gibbs and Hopkins really thought this out?

(And by the way, I don't care who is more responsible for this attrocity. I don't care at all. At the end of this, both of them can act like school boys, point at each other, and say "Teacher, he made me do it!")