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My way too early predictions. 1. The Cadets - Say what you will about last year or what happened at Finals or what not . . . a pi$$ed off George Hopkins can do some pretty terrifying things. And by terrifying, I mean awesome. This is a corps that is hungry and has the talent and staff to pull off a championship calibre show. Combine that with a returning class that has a chip on their collective shoulders, and I think you have a VERY dangerous corps. 2. Blue Devils - Nine years out of ten, I give the Blue Devils the nod to win the championship. They have a ridiculous amount of talent, combined with a design staff that consistently knows how to best feature that talent and put out some truly mind-blowing shows. That said, how do you follow an undefeated, championship year where you just received the highest score in DCI history? The fact that I have to justify putting BD in second - and not in first - is a testament to how incredible their last few years have been. That said, I think after a year like this one there has to be something of a let down. Because what more do they have to prove? This is the best corps in DCI right now. Period. And everyone knows it. I don't think BD will ever become complacent; but I also don't see them having the same fire in the belly that they had after the 2013 season. They don't have anything more to prove to anyone. 3. Santa Clara Vanguard - After a few years of very consistent placement and show design, I'm hoping SCV comes out with something a little more ballsy and dramatic this time around. Between the killer battery and front ensemble, and a steadily improving visual program, I think they nab the bronze medal after a lot of back-and-forth with the Bluecoats. 4. Bluecoats - What more can be said after their 2014 season? This past summer was a lightning-in-a-bottle type season for the Bluecoats, which would probably have won in any year without an angry BD, but which will be almost impossible to repeat. They'll still be fan favorites and I think they'll go back and forth with SCV, but I think they lose the percussion score by just enough to drop to fourth place. 5. The Cavaliers - They're ready to break into the true upper echelon, but who do you knock out? The talent in the upper level groups is just too high right now for the men in green to make a move. But I think they continue their forward momentum and build on another great program, maybe setting up a medal contender for 2016? 6. Carolina Crown - Incredible brass, but lackluster percussion and a repetitive visual program isn't enough to keep up with the big boys anymore. The Blue Devils showed this summer that Crown's brass isn't invincible, and unless Crown comes out with something truly unique, I don't see their design being able to overtake any of the above corps. I want to be wrong with this prediction more than any other - but I don't see Crown deviating too far from the formula they've been using since 2012, and I think it will cost them. 7. Blue Stars - This corps has all the right pieces in place to make a move to the next level. They have the design staff and they have the talent, the only question is whether the design staff lets the talent shine by writing a show that truly challenges the corps to reach its fullest potential. Between a killer guard (remember - 4th at finals despite going on 9th to last!), one of the best front ensembles in DCI, and the musical writing of Saucedo/Mapes/Grom, I think this corps is poised to make a leap into the next "tier." The only thing that might hold them back is their brass, which hopefully they'll address with a new caption head. 8. Blue Knights - Like the Bluecoats, I thought this year was a phenomenal, lightning-in-a-bottle type year for the corps, which I think will be tough to repeat. I don't see Blue Knights dropping much at all, and I think they'll be right in the fight for Top 7 with Blue Stars, but I don't see another magical, emotional power-house like they produced this year. They certainly have the talent to push even higher, though, so I hope that I'm mistaken. 9. Phantom Regiment - Phantom just seems like a corps stuck in a rut right now. Absurdly high levels of talent, but without any real vision in the design department to let that talent shine through. There's a reason that everyone says their shows have been the same since 2011; it has felt like a copy-and-paste show for the last few years from them, and without something to shake up the formula I don't think Phantom sees any significant reward from the judges. 10. Madison Scouts - Major staff overhauls have set them up well to move back into the Top 8-ish range. But that many new staff will take some time to mesh and find their rhythm. I think Madison avoids what has been their tendency of the last few years to start strong and fade in late July; but I don't think they knock off Phantom or Blue Knights. This year is largely about reversing downward momentum for Madison, and I think they accomplish that goal admirably, setting themselves up well for a stronger 2016. 11. Boston Crusaders - Angering the powers-that-be and then losing some crucial staff is a really great way to risk falling out of Finals. Boston has too much talent and pride to let that happen in its 75th anniversary season, but I think it will be a harder test than they realize. 12. Crossmen - Another dogfight year for the 12-14 corps. Troopers and Colts both have the talent to take this spot away from the Crossmen, but right now it belongs to them and someone is going to have to take it from them. The battle for the last Finals spot is my favorite competitive action every season. The quality of shows from this range of placements is incredible, and I sincerely hope for a three-way tie for 12th place on Friday night.

Fans get to vote with their checkbooks. That's the voting that counts, much more than scores. If you don't like BD's shows, don't buy things from them. If you love the Troopers, give them $500 a year so they can keep doing what they're doing. Fan Voting Done Right.

Or, people at the shows could express their appreciation by bringing the palms of their hands together so as to emit noise upon compression in a rapidly repetitious fashion, with greater appreciation being indicated by greater velocity and resulting in an increased volume being emitted, which might then be detected and comprehended by the performing members as representative of the existence and indeed the extent of appreciation. I know it is a little out there, but it just might work.

One year, a corps had one person in the color guard. One. How cool would that be, to be that one person ? You could make up a different guard routine every time out!!!

Oh, I don't know. We had 29 people in our basement to watch finals, and everyone in the room knew what was coming, since most of them had been at the theater just two days earlier. As the moment came closer, some people shusshed the room, and everyone leaned in with anticipation. And when the soloist hit the final note, everyone fell over with a big cheer and applause, and more than a little respect for the soloist for bravery. Would they have loved a steamroller ending? Most likely. But they sure seemed to like this ending just fine.

Open Class: 1) First-place corps 2-14) The other corps Class A: 1) First-place corps 2-5) The other corps :laughing:

I just hope Sunrisers make it to the night show...all indications are that they will.

Yes. One cannot overstate how important and influential Bill's contributions and advice was to the way corps are run. No more broken down buses being push started. No more kids being fed with a couple of burners and a freezer out of a Ryder truck. We may have lost more then a few corps along the way due to not being able to keep up or adapt to such standards. But the corps experience of 2014 is a bit safer and more comfortable. And that allows the kids to concentrate on learning, performing, and having fun. Where Star really exists is on the staffs and admins of today's corps. As I look through the DCI yearbook I can point to at least one Star Alum teaching or involved in most of the corps north of 15th place. Some top groups contain nearly a dozen former members and/or instructors from SOI. Two new Open class units came on the field this year under the directorship of Star Alums. And a few of us old farts are still on the field and stage at DCA. I like to think of it as the big tree may have passed away, but in it's former shadow a hundred new ones now grow. It's an amazing legacy given the relative number of folks involved in the 9 drum corps years. A tribute to the teachers and direction we received from folks such as George Zingali, Donnie Van Doren, Jim Mason, and dozens more. And of course Bill Cook, who deeply inspired and influenced us all. Drum Corps needs another Star-like entity. A well funded, extrememly well run corps that is more of less a clean sheet of paper. Unrestrained by history or tradition. But it doesn't need the Star of Indiana. It is best left in it's mythical 'what if' status.

I know I'm going to take a ration of crap for this but here goes: I love it how most of you want Madison to relive the past and do the same recycled stuff. Example: "DO A SWEET ### LATIN SHOW." Or "PLAY MALAGAUENA/STRAWBERRY SOUP/MALAGA/LEMON SQUEEZE AND MELT FACES OFF!" At the same time, you wonder why they finish in 10th place. Why can't we just appreciate the past for what it was? Those Madison shows were incredible. 95, 96, 88. All of them amazing. But thats just the point. It's not the late-80s or early-90s anymore. Scott Boerma hasn't written for the corps in the better part of a decade. If you want the Madison Scouts to be successful and keep advancing and challenge for championships, they can't keep living in the past. Sorry if this is hard to hear. It's just my two cents. I couldn't care less if you disagree. I would like to see the Madison Scouts competitively relevant again. I know, deep down, most of you would, too.

A Mnozil Brass show.

(sometimes, I kill me)

Yeah, I see what you are seeing, but if you click under schedule at the lower left... This screen comes up. Live Webcast Date Event PPV Price 08/31/2014 DCA Championship Finals (Non-Subscribers) - Rochester, NY $50.00 08/31/2014 DCA Championship Finals (Subscribers) - Rochester, NY $35.00 Video On Demand Date Location 07/12/2014 Drum Corps Grand Prix - Wayne, NJ 08/02/2014 Killtie Klassic Invitational - Racine, WI 08/16/2014 Scranton Parade of Champions - Scranton, PA 08/30/2014 DCA Prelims - Rochester, NY 08/31/2014 Alumni Spectacular - Rochester, NY 08/31/2014 DCA Championship Finals - Rochester, NY Audio Performance Downloads Date Location 08/30/2014 DCA Prelims - Rochester, NY 08/31/2014 Alumni Spectacular - Rochester, NY 08/31/2014 DCA Championship Finals - Rochester, NY

Diceman Radio!

Class A has been good for DCA period. Without it, DCA would be in a 1993 situation...13 or so corps. It's not easy to run a corps these days, and of course for those from outside of the NE area, it's not cheap. I know people will complain about the 35 member rule ( cue the Samba), but if you can't get 35 people to commit to your corps, you have issues, and it's not the rulebooks fault. before that rule came into place, honestly, there was some god awful #### on the field at prelims and local shows. it turned people off

They do some movement, but they're patterned after early 80's stuff, so it's not todays drills. I don't mind standstills, in fact played in one from 2002 until this past April. Honestly, with some alumni corps, they move and shouldn't. With Bayonne, musically it's not bad. the comedy's bad. Do the Schtick that made you famous, and if you do, don't fight the Civil war giggling through it on the field

Oh well, Boston took a shot at "different" and got that out of their system. Lentz can go back to the safety of the WGI world. Onward and upward, and hopefully everyone learned something.

Idk. I share your sentiment but I would like PR to take a new direction with brass arranging. The brass staff is general, however, is doing incredible. I keep listening to their finals performance and getting blown away by that huge dark sound.

They already allow the fans to vote...it's called the market place. Did you see the line for Bluecoats souvies this year :-)

Yep...defensive.

I predict I'll forget something to pack in my haste. And I'll get lost trying to find a local microbrewery and a diner to get a "garbage plate", whatever the hell that is that I was told to order in Roachister. I also predict someone will be crowned champ, that many of you readers out there will not agree with. And everyone will still have sloppy feet. I also predict many monday morning hangover's and walks of shame due to said championship. giggity.

I suppose I'm merely more skeptical than you are about the new bunch. A championship 25-ish years ago is nice, obviously, but I don't see who they can knock out of the Top 8, let alone the Top 6. The Scouts don't have the talent to compete with someone like Crown or Cavaliers, let alone the questions about whether the design staff will mesh. Every off-season, when the Scouts make a major move or announcement, some fans get incredibly excited about their prospects; and, at least for the last few years, it always seems to end in disappointment. I look back to this year as a perfect example. Don't get me wrong, I love the Scouts, and it's good for the activity when they are placing well. I'm certainly hoping they do well, but I'm not holding my breath.

I think all would agree, especially Don, that the lady has a certain regal air about her.

Sorry for being so late in responding to this initial point. It has not been because of laxity or procrastination, but rather a matter of weighing my thoughts. When I pay my money for a drum and bugle corps show, I pay it in anticipation of observing several distinct corps, each with their own styles and idiosyncrasies, yet each with their own message of which they are trying to convey. The messages, methods, and degree of success varies -- sometimes mildly -- and in other cases, wildly. I have my favorites...let us call them "sentimental" favorites. Those who, over time, have captured my fancy either through: how often I've seen them; the style of music which they have programmed over the years; or the particular style or "bearing" which they, as a corps, have chosen to employ. That does not mean, however, that I am not open to those corps who don't habitate my "sentimental" list. Instead, there have been units which, over the years, have made me sit up and admit "I've been a total moron for not recognizing this group over the years." Now, with all that being said...it has never occurred to me -- even once -- that I received less than my ".02" worth in exchange for the amount which I initially shelled out for the ticket. Maybe I'm fortunate...maybe I'm a rare bird...but in every case that I can possibly think of, I have received many-times-ten-fold the amount of entertainment, enlightenment, and inspiration from whatever dollars I expended for the experience. I don't need to "have a voice" in who my particular favorite corps, brass line, percussion line, color guard, or design team is in order to render it a positive experience. And to do so, quite frankly, would be offensive to my nature. ALL the units at that show played a part in my experience. To name one particular group ahead of all the rest (even those on my aforementioned "sentimental favorite listing") would be to denigrate the efforts and contributions of the other groups. And for what? Just so that I, ONE mere member of a much larger audience, can feel that having such an opportunity would render my experience as being a "positive" one? No thank you. With all respect and regard...no thank you. If others feel the need to do this in order to make their experience "complete," then go ahead. I, however, will not be of that number.

i dont mind the 80s drill. i guess my issue is from when i marched. it just got old seeing yeat another exhibition stand there in an arc. heck. some of them needed a dress center command to judge a two step interval. ( you have one job!!!) so maybe its just me. i just had an idea of a throwback to keep where we came from alive. And I concur, if you're going to relive it, then do it right or not at all.

She most likely wasn't born yet. He shoots, he scores!

For fun, here's a video of an MBI standstill run-through from the perspective of the snare line. It's from July 23rd. Horns are facing away from the camera (so there is a lot of distortion) but you can still hear much of the music just to get an idea of the show pacing. Aggressive velocity. At the 7:45 mark there are some nice runs in the hornline.

This may be the most fun review I have ever read. Thank you!

did you just state that the quality isn't up to par? did they do a standstill or actually move around? i think that's my issue with many of the exhibition groups. standstills just dont entice me to watch.

I think 1996, when Westshoremen edged out Caballeros by 0.1, after being behind them by 0.9 in Prelims.

A brand new staff doesn't just pull a Top 6 show out of their back pocket after a single year. I see Madison moving up, but five spots? I think they'll be glad to break Top 8. Getting back to sitting at a comfortable 8th or 9th would be a pretty significant accomplishment this year for them, given the movement of the last few years. After the staff has had a chance to work together for a summer or two, then Madison can talk about breaking into the upper echelon. I just don't see them anywhere close to there yet.

i would normally stay to watch Bayonne, but I had to leave right after Cadets. But more and more every year the crowd leaving grows as Bayonne comes on. I'm sure I'll get some hate mail for saying this, but they haven't been the last few years what they were when they came back out either.

" Waffles " was introduced 2 years ago into DCP as a means to change the conversation in a thread when the conversation was not going in a manner that the DCP'er for one reason or another was not happy with. You get no demerits or lashings for not knowing the history of the inclusion of " waffles " into a thread. However, if you bring me into a thread ever again on a discussion or question on Waffles, I will melt your butter.

What does one call a bunch of Minnesota folks dressed in purple watching the Super Bowl................. ..................the Vikings

Every day I come to this thread hoping I don't see anything about PR. So far, so good.

Don't know if you have noticed or not, but Madison has made major design changes recently for the better. People are coming back from other coots that were there when they were winning.

Because I want Jamey to remain at Phantom.

Sounds like an average Election Day.

I think it would be fun if the Madison Scouts did the King's Singers "Beatles Collection" as the show. Some great arrangements on that album of classic Beatles songs, and before Magic took 2000 off, they had contacted Scott Boerma to write a show using that. I think it would be a lot of fun with the staff they're assembling.

Awww shucks. Thanks man. I just call it as I see it. I hope I don't offend anyone with this stuff. I like reading the other guys reviews. It's like the old days of getting a drum corps world from the souvie stand to read on the busses that night.

Cadets

Not a PR show, but I think both of us wanna see someone do "In a Metal Mood." 'Coats, maybe?

Danielle, thank you for the explanation. This makes sense. I went back to another forum on which I've recently posted and now understand how this works.

I bet the ol' Velvet Knights could pull off a 'Legally Blonde' show...

Just pick a uniform & stick with it.

Music by Tangerine Dream. Music by Yes ...and Sting

Bluecoats will be back at 5th or 6th separated from the pack above them as they usually are. In the past 10 years, their shows score around a 92-94. They had a great show in '10 with Metropolis and a great one this year too but otherwise, the design team have came up just a bit short. Once they put together a string of shows, I'll give them more respect but for now I'm going with history and bumping them back down.

They would win the first lunar corps championship!