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Sure, what's making finals anymore?

We are proud to share that Pacific Crest’s own Stuart Pompel has been awarded DCI’s Director of the Year award for the 2020 season! Each year, one corps director from each of the World and Open Class levels is recognized for their “exceptional leadership qualities presented throughout the season,” according to DCI.org. The recipient of […] View the full article

Agree that it is one thing to think of fatality rates in the abstract, another thing when it involves someone close to you.

The tick era had interesting outcomes at times.

The numbers are always going to go up. If there are 100 people dead today it will not go down to 50 dead tomorrow. Also, keep in mind that every pandemic in human history has ended - even the really scary ones like Plague. Yes, there are still cases, but it is not at pandemic levels. Not anything close. & I’ll take Covid any day over Plague.

More Cascades love.

If that is the comparison we are going to make, then to put it in perspective, Cadets had an entire BOD "defending" the "inappropriate behavior" of Hopkins. I would say that what Cadets had was a George Hopkins issue, combined with about nine Fred Morrison issues.

2 issues know of - 1 - Hiring a known (convicted) sex offender 1a - Hiring someone to remove the sex offender's sex offense info from the web 2 - Inappropriate comments concerning BLM Someone feel free to roll in here if I got something wrong

It seems there's no thread safe. Kudos to the 2002 Crossmen.

Yeeeeeees!

This was a great thread. Thanks for sharing.

This is reasonable. That said, there's been an AWFUL lot of time spent in these forums discussing the depth to which orgs <should> go (in the opinion of the poster) to root out the filth, grunge, and grime that has festered in the activity for decades (exaggeration for effect and sarcasm because, well...). I would sure hate to think that a 'reasonable' conclusion would lead to missing a bigger, potentially more nefarious set of facts. And I know you do, too. Despite my, hopefully obvious, sarcasm, I do seem to recall that the announcement was cloaked in mystery about the "why" so many would depart at the same time. And it also is reasonable to suspect that the BoD placed them under restrictions upon leaving that will assure we don't know the 'why' for a long time.

but Michigan football insults left! Thank you!!!

well his money brought them to texas

8 contras!!! Huge line for back then 😉 Also love in the older videos how you can hear the "thwack thwack" from the rifle slings... 🙂

Not sure if Fran posts here anymore. His early experience was NJ Jr corps 71-76 and Sunrisers Sr corps 77-82 (if I remember what I just read on his account). After that many years of announcing for DCA shows. Don’t think he ever attended DCI Finals, at least never saw him mention it. So I’d guess he never saw these shows...

Forgive my ignorance but what is the "Fred Morrison issue"?

Rifles from that era had forearm muscles like Popeye

Youse guyz gonna make me want to watch 1975 DCI Legacy Collection dvd (only Legacy set I have)

I wouldn't want this thread to end without paying tribute to 2002 drum major Joseph Kempf. I did not have the pleasure to meet or know him, but he graduated from my high school and thus his marching career began in the same HS marching band in which I was formed. He was a drum major for the Reading Buccaneers in 1999-2000, marched Crossmen in 2001-02 (and as previously mentioned, served as 2002 drum major) and was visual staff for Reading in 2003 and Crossmen in 2004. He was killed December 19, 2004 when a car hit him as he was assisting victims of a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 80 in Pennsylvania. He is a posthumous member of the Crossmen Hall of Fame, and April 29, 2007 was declared Joseph Kempf Day in Pennsylvania. Had he lived, he would have influenced many more lives as a teacher, first responder, and as a staff member in drum corps. His death was tragic and needless, but it seems he made a difference in the 24 years he was given. Requiescat in pace.

You got to tour with them? Was it for the entire tour or a couple of shows? Your welcome.

i didn't march it. i said i saw the show develop all summer. thanks for reading

Amen brother!

Yep take it day by day and we each try to do the best we can not to add to the numbers. But hard to go back to normal (as much as possible) when people refuse to wear masks correctly (local store) or even wear one at all (cashier at local restaurant I will not be seeing again). Just saw great line for the times in Marvel movie “Dr Strange”. Gist is the most simple and basic truth in the universe is “It’s not about you”.

Thank you @DrumCorpsRadio for sharing this with us! It has been a great read!

Well, Rutgers season record just improved. Undefeated in 2020!

and thank you for sharing this journal....so much great stuff!

Thank you for allowing us to follow your journey. Well done.

Muchachos would have been top 4

i know what the scores say. i was there, i saw the show develop all summer. it was better than 9th.

Wow.... 2020 may have been awful, but I am thankful that you decided to post this.

August 11, 2002, 2:25pm ET Newark, NJ I have a few minutes here in Newark Airport so I thought I’d write a little about finals day/night. We woke up for stretch like usual and then had breakfast, which was open to family, friends, and fans of the corps. Speeches were given by various staff members throughout the day so it was an emotional rollercoaster as I expected. We did a full 5 hours of rehearsal, but focus was scattered early on. We got things together to have a strong full ensemble. After we finished our last rehearsal I packed everything I had left because I was leaving straight from finals. We had a really strong preshow warmup in the horn arc and there was an electricity throughout the hornline. While I would have liked it to have been a bit darker, performing in DCI Finals was great! The crowd really got into our show and we had another emotionally charged performance. I have some mixed feelings about whether it topped semifinals or not, but it was a performance to remember either way. The meeting outside the gate following the show was emotional. We all began to hug each other and cry tears of happiness, sadness, and relief. I’m sure everyone felt differently about the season coming to a close, but we all realized that this group of people would never perform together again.It was time to say goodbye, forever in many cases I suspect. Thinking about all that Crossmen went through in 2002, the evolution of the corps, the highs and the lows...it’s just something that can’t be put into words. Everyone who has done this crazy thing we call drum corps knows the mixed feelings of such a bittersweet ending. Retreat was fun (how can a tie not be fun?) and we spent some time on the field taking pictures and saying some more good-byes. Things moved quickly after we exited Camp Randall Stadium and before I knew it, I was in a hotel room, my DCI experience but a memory. I only had the opportunity to march 1 DCI season, but I am so grateful that I did it. It was an amazing experience that I will treasure for a long time. I met some great people who I hope to keep in touch with because you never know how paths may cross again in the future. It is time for me to move forward and close this chapter in my life that so fittingly began in this very airport almost 9 months ago. (The End.)

Regarding Sun Coast Sound 1988, saw them once at Manning Bowl, in Lynn, MA. It was late and very dark when they went on, and it was astounding. Color Guard was amazing, and I was blown away by how daring the show was. The evocation of the Vietnam Nam war was so transparent. I've seen most of the shows mentioned above live, and none have impacted me like this one. Unfortunately, they went on early at the DCI Finals, and, for me, the show lost effect. It appears to me to be a fever dream that needs the darkness to be complete.

I feel so blessed to have seen so many of these shows that people have called out! I haven't missed Finals since 2006, and saw many shows from 1988-1992, but there is a major gap for me, from 1993-2005 if not seeing any shows live (was finishing college and starting a family). but for me, the show that I wished I would have seen live was either 1996 Phantom Regiment to see them win their first title, and hear the power, or 2003 Phantom Regiment, which is my favorite show musically I've ever heard!

No surprises here but: Star of Indiana 1993 Suncoast Sound 1988

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon tour in 1973. Oh - Drum Corps show - BD 1976

Though I saw Boston Crusaders live in 1999, I wish I had been at Camp Randall Stadium when it was certain that Boston Crusaders made finals for the first time. Another show was 27th Lancers when they won DCI East in 1980. Many say it was the greatest performance of their history.

2008 Phantom Regiment (Spartacus). This is particularly vexing to me, as I ordered finals week tickets on the first day they were available, and had excellent seats. This was the first year for Indy, and there was a ton of hype from DCI. Unfortunately (or maybe FORTUNATELY?) everyone was informed later that Lucas Oil Stadium wasn't going to be ready in time, and the finals were moved to Bloomington. No partial refund. Nothing. Very poor public relations by DCI. I saw it as a total "bait and switch" scenario. I was furious. I thought about it for a while, but I stayed mad. I was so mad, I sold my tickets on eBay. Someone else saw finals from MY seats. I will always regret my decision, until the day I die. I did see all the shows live that year on numerous occasions. But not during finals week. There is a lesson to be learned from this. Be careful when making decisions based on emotion!!!

1979 Troopers at Birmingham prelims. Dave Richards judge's tape says it all. Honorable mention - 1988 and 1995 Scouts at Finals just for sheer excitement.

87 Vanguard...Enough Said!!

Gar, are you sure it was the 68 show? I thought it was the 65 show GR liked best.

Gail Royer always said his favorite show was the 1968 Chicago Royalaires. I could never find either audio or video of that show. I'd like to see live any show that impressed that arranging wizard from SCV.

and Michigan didn't win a game!