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Wow, actively cheering for a corps to fail. By default you’re also cheering for the members to fail. Classy.

The Hopkins revelations come to mind for me. That stained the entire activity.

Attention Los Negativos (if the zapata fits...): We've had drum corps participants for many years from Europe, Asia and even Africa. Central America is no stretch. It's what puts the "International" in DCI. That said, I hereby volunteer for the Troopers Traveling Staff. At this time of year, who couldn't use a week's visit to a country that includes both beaches and cloud forest? I'm imagining mellophones and mojitos. What's not to like?

I really don’t think anyone wants the Madison Scouts to actually fail. I think the frustration with the inept executive leadership plus the board of directors failure to do anything about it is the source of frustration. If the Scouts fail, That will be the reason. Not because they went coed.

Cadets camp this weekend!

ANY drum corps folding at this point would be devastating. The Scouts are no more or less special in that regard than, say for example, if the Phantom Regiment folded. Or the Cadets.

Six posts previous... Mike

so a serious question: what if....gasp....they score and place better?

Because treating people equally is a threat... cute.

adding to audition nerves for callbacks, it'll be Friday the 13th! Cadets: Character always, even when stressed.

Yeah ta hell with any future members.. I want it all my way ... me... me..... me....

They DID blow down the stands in 2019. It seems that design isn't current with the score sheet. If adding female members makes those current MMs and staff members more enthusiastic about the organization then they will do better. Besides...please...Madison and the Cavaliers aren't the only loud corps on the field from 1971-2019. (Not directed at you but some other comments on here).

I get many people are upset about the decision. IMO if the corps was doing well, it wouldn't have happened, and the veiled shots they took at Cavies in their PR release didn't sit well. I hope it works out for them, and yes they can never go back. Yes management seems to be clueless on many levels. But if it doesn't work, whats the end result? Not good. and they were already approaching not good before they made the decision

We are about 1 Month away from a post like this..."Just left Scouts camp and WOW!!!...do they look and sound great! All sections are improved and the music is very Madison like. Madison is in fine shape heading into the 2020 season. Expect a jump on placement". Same old same old for 10 years under this garbage leadership.

and it's a move that's both smart....and divisive. But they do have a bunch of females auditioning

How can I be right when I never made a claim? Lol Your attempt at sarcasm comes off more like histrionics.

I’m curious, what’s the other side of the story?

Haha. The entirety of the drum corps activity is not a good return on investment for anybody involved. But that’s not the point. This is where the concept of Ars Gratia Artis comes from! This is why artists have wealthy benefactors. Even Mozart had one. And this is what drum corps need. The only one I can think of was Bill Cook.

yes. An article in a major newspaper that gets picked up by the national news that shows how #### poor drum corps was at dealing with predators in the activity

with fans like you, who needs haters?

You know where we stay but I can’t say because Jim will kill me. 😂

You put the mojitos in the mellos and you shake it all up...

No I didn’t see that but that’s not surprising. I understand traditions but even the Boy Scouts are open to both.

Did you see the “what next, animals?” post? Then they have the nerve to feel they aren’t being taken seriously and everyone else is a snowflake.

For some on here allowing females in the Scouts is like allowing criminals. That's what it sounds like.

You’re dealing in hypotheticals but the untimely deaths of Jim Ott and George Zingali come to mind.

This is a much better metric for success.

I'd be interested to compare average ages of each section compared to recent years.

Recommend AirBNB, i've been doing that the last 5 years and its totally worth it. LOve having a kitchen i can cook in for breakfast and very late dinner after the show.

And, in addition, there is a very active competitive band and drum corps activity in South America, at least. I'm FB friends with a few participants there. I can't vouch for Central America, though.

In a word, FOLD. Best thing ever.

I am sad to see them go coed simply for the loss of the brotherhood and their all-male identity was unique and cool. That said, we all know males and females can both be equally great at drum corps. I predict they will likely improve over last year. I would imagine there are some very talented females who would like to be trailblazers in the first truly coed Scouts. It'd be interesting to see a breakdown of auditions in terms of how many girls attended. I'll forever miss the Mighty Men but would rather cheer on a coed Scouts than none at all. Hope it works out for them.

CDs are here! https://imgur.com/NeQRsHq

Here’s an idea. Why don’t you just call them dead already, say a little prayer and move on. Unless of course you enjoy being DCP’s biggest drama queen.

If the scouts fail and go down, that will be the single most devastating day in the history of this activity.

That old one. Yeah, everyone is cheering for the members to fail. You couldn’t be more wrong. But continue with the - “you’re hurting the kids” line.

Well if they get members from down south then they are in a place “where they can actually recruit members”.

Hope to hear some great things come outta there.

Darn, I was going for BOTH histrionic AND sarcastic! At least give me credit at attempting both! ...Okay now maybe that was a little overly sarcastic... As long as Scouts go back to blowing down the stands then I'm sound as a pound. I truly hope it is all super awesome as DCI is reporting. Seems a little simplistic to me given the huge controversial changes but I truly hope the best for them.

On second thought, you're right. The DCI reports do state that everyone just absolutely loves the new improved Scouts. All couldn't be more hunky dory apparently. The Scouts are 100% better off thanks to these awesome changes and there is no alternate point of view to these giant changes.

Treating each other respectfully is something that will obviously be faked for the sake of news articles, got it. 😎

Here is a take on Madison's audition process so far from DCI.org. https://www.dci.org/news/new-look-madison-scouts-off-to-strong-start-with-2020-auditions?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&fbclid=IwAR30GumeC-ZBr-rZuiXqaw1xlkji8ry_-j_-dAASy_QttCSgg1BVTMdJPm8

i believe Bluecoats will have a corps there that year

ok cool, didn't come across that way. great digging!

Excellent sleuthing, BTW

By the wording, only the corps knew of any such "compromise". It was their presumption that the "compromise" would be accepted.

Hey, you didn't even mention the other ball in the air in the juggling which is mentoring those student teachers who live with Matt and his family while they all teach at Avon High. Can you even imagine what the energy must have been when Kevin LeBoeuf lived there?!?!?!?

IDK timing but could some of this be due to at one point Crown & Boston (albeit briefly) being part of YEA?

So GH triggered an evaluation of the Boston Crusaders in 2016, yet it took loss of director and BOD before DCI ever looked behind the YEA! curtain? All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.

Just found this thread, and found some irony regarding GH and the YEA financial debacle. When GH pushed the G7 foolishness, he tried to promote 7 Elite corps (two of which now find themselves in the bottom half of the top 12 btw) with double pay, double votes, etc. Even when G7 morphed into Tour of Champions afterward, when Boston finished 8th it is still denied access to said elite group. Despite Boston's "non-elite" status however, , GH repeatedly askes BAC/Inspire for money to pay down debt. Boston declines. In 2016 when the post season staff emigration happens, GH contacts DCI now claiming Boston has no money and it is all a ruse. Dan A flies to Boston, examines the books, and finds that BAC/Inspire does in fact have the financial resources it is rumored to have. Then the #METOO movement happens and everything blows up. While I do not hold Cadets members or staff responsible for any of this, it is revisionist history to suggest that all was well in that organization prior to those accusations. One other thing...does anybody else here remember when GH blogged about high diesel prices and having so little money that the Cadets would no longer serve milk to the members on tour? I do. That organization has been a financial wreck for years. I wish the very best to the new leadership to right the ship. The kids deserve better.