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ah well... everyone gets bored with the same thing for so long... soon will have to have a new shot taken of the skinny me... working hard on the diet... down 38 pounds since DCA and 50 since my heart issues last year. Everybody buy a book so I can afford to buy new clothes...

Just saw this on Facebook...DCP member Jon Waggoner (jwscv87) passed away today...looks like a heart attack. 45 years old...far FAR too young. Jon was an alum of the Black Watch (81-82), Longview Mauraders (83-84), and the Santa Clara Vanguard (85-87, 04 TOR parade) Jon and I had some fun discussions over the years about who lost DCI by a closer margin to Garfield. We never COULD come to an agreement on who's caption breakdowns were closer...and it was rendered moot in 08. He was intelligent, respectful, easy to communicate with, and I am glad to have called him an on-line friend for these years. He leaves behind a wife and 2 children. My condolences go out to his family and fellow alums. RIP, Jon. Say hello to Gail for us.

"Welcome Back": THE "Fresno Ferns"!!!!!!!!!!!! Elphaba WWW

Sounds vaguely like BD 2011.

Sounds like a partial baseball score.

The actual quote goes like this: “If a basketball team trained as hard as these kids do,” says Knight, “it would be unbelievable. I like to take my players [to watch drum corps] to show them what they can accomplish with hard work and teamwork. Besides, once they see them practice 12 hours a day, my players think I’m a helluva lot easier.” It comes from the August 10, 1987 issue of Sports Illustrated. My Dad saved that one (among many others) and I now have it, and have it framed on that article.

There is a Vegas show by Cirque du Soliel called "KA." Cavaliers borrowed a few of their stilt tricks this year. In that show the center piece is a stage that uses hydraulics to rotate the stage from flat, to vertical, then the performers climb to the top, have chases, from bottom to top. Huge lights alter the looks of the stage. The large moving stage is "out there" and truly the star of the show, but of course it costs millions of dollars. Unless you've seen KA live, there is really no way to describe it. It is incredible, and blows away anything you've ever seen or heard on Broadway. I can see an adaptation of that on the drum corps field. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvDW4DRj7gc

Jeff Sacktigs 2011 Cadets is one of the finest I have ever seen. Perfect integration of theme, music, and the Cadets style.

Something like this? http://youtu.be/L75uv0HSHYk?hd=1

It’s not that far off. The outrage. The indignation. The righteous dismay. Soon corps will begin revealing their 2012 programs to be followed inevitably by the usual second-guessing and sniping along with some legitimate criticism on DCP. The judges will have their view. So will the DCP grand jury. What will we despise? What will set our blood to boil? What will inspire us to forecast the demise of drum corps? Check the list. Cast your ballot for the one issue that you think will raise the most bile on DCP in 2012. Get it right. If not, we might all have to agree to agree in 2013! HH

Give Academy 1 point for "Best Pun in Title" caption.

The Academy: "Left of Spring - Stravinsky revisited"

Call me in the minority if you want but even though their drill is not the same as 2004 or even 2005, difficulty is still there. Some stuff in BD 2011 looks painful to rep over and over again. So I don't doubt BD has some tough visual resposibilities but they make it look easy (which I am sure it's not). Just my opinion, that's all.

Personally, I'd like the Blue Knights to keep playing what they've been playing the last couple of years, and I'd like them to put those crazy visuals back into their shows.

Well, as INT's PR person, I'm proud to announce our theme for 2012. Well, not exactly announce the theme, but hint at it. We've wanted to do something no else else is doing, so just last night, we came up with the tag line, "What is like ice, yet burns like fire?" Since it's beyond not being even remotely likely some other corps will have the same theme, we're confident in going ahead and knowing we'll have it all to ourselves, hopefully not repeating last year's debacle when we settled on our Juliet theme just minutes after Phantom Regiment did the same. (I promised after that I would first talk to PR's INT person, but I forgot to do so this year.) And don't get me started about how we then decided to do the music of Burt Bacharach because no one had ever done that before. That was even worse than when we found out we had to change the title of our 2009 show about mathematics from "The Great Divide" and altered the concept slightly so we could name it "The Journey of ONE." Yeah, that really worked well for us...for about six hours. People say INT is behind the times, but I like to think we're solidly even with it, but always looking at it from around the corner.

....and the REAL blockbuster topic is one that wasn't even listed! What will be the INT look, feel and sound for 2012? THAT will be the BIGGEST BUZZ on DCP in 2012!!!

Nice topic. No consensus whatsoever, and every opinion has a legitimate argument, nicely made by their fans. You almost have to pick a year rather than a perennial favorite. In general I've loved Crown's front ensemble the last several years, as they've really made the most of the appropriate non-traditional sound generated by the synth, guitar sounds, etc. Very close to that I'd pick Blue Devils. Top talent combined on marimbas and vibes, also with the tasty use of the synth.

I don't think it's about winning. But I think at this stage/level in the game it's about not sucking. Can we call that a fair, albeit harsh assessment?

CAME VERY CLOSE A FEW TIMES. ALSO HAD SOME VERY LEAN YEARS . ALL DCI corps have a huge fan base. Scouts are not any different.

At least BK doesn't get last place every year. Also, if you're going to dis on how entertaining a corps is, don't make the corps you march obvious, and if you're going to make it obvious, make sure the shows you march are actually entertaining and has "WOOOOO" moments itself.

I don't understand the reasoning behind this. The man had some success with the Vanguard, but he can't singlehandedly propel a corps into finals. What about the kids that stay loyal to the departed brass staff? I'm not saying that Feagin won't be an asset to the corps, but he'll definitely have a little bit of building to do in order to establish his own brass technique book.

Crossmen Productions are in the top. I'm voting for them. It's their turn to win this thing.

Great line-up as usual, but adding Steve Rinda is a really nice move. Great guy, excellent instructor.

<humor tag: Because we need to use them on DCP> I, DCIHasBeen, have peered into my crystal ball (while drinking a bottle of Cristal or something), and have seen the future. In the year 2012: 1) A corps will make a uniform change that will delight/inspire some, while evoking rage and anger from others. 2) A perennial favorite will make a bid for the DCI World Championship title and loose, evoking rage and anger from some, while others will be delighted and overjoyed with the outcome. 3) A perennial favorite will make a bid for the DCI World Championship title and win, evoking rage and anger from some, while others will be delighted and overjoyed with the outcome. 4) A corps will make a movement up or down in placement that will delight/inspire some, while evoking rage and anger from others. 5) The Blue Knights will continue to do that strange salute with the tip-toe-thingy that delight/inspire some, while leaving others completely perplexed. 6) The Blue Devils will be accused of something or other, by someone or other, and there will be much discussion on DCP that will, in the end, mean nothing. 7) In the end, it will all be George Hopkins' fault, because it is always George Hopkins' fault, and it will always be George Hopkins' fault, as long as there is a Hopkins to find fault with. 8) Dennis DeLucia will continue to look 50 years younger than his actual age, and cause continued conjecture about there being a portrait in his attic that looks very, very, old. 9) Michael Cesario will continue to make "Wonderful" a seven syllable word, and this, after all, is as it should be. 10) Rondo will not only continue to be reliable, but he will also continue to have great hair. This is also as it should be. Thus has it ever been, thus shall it ever be... </humor>

No... I meant awful... I would justify it, but I would rather not start and BD flame war...

Plan 9 - Defender of all things Blue Devil! The new GMichael!

Academy- top 12.