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Hey battery folk, all those hours you spend every week working details, so that you're not just clean from the stands, but clean under a microscope? Forget it, no one will be there to reward that level of detail. Now get back to working on your pliés!

some paint and elbow grease really ramp up the appearance of the YEA! lobby - wow!

Probably Crown. They always seem to be ahead of the curve on trends that I absolutely hate. 😑

To think, I was hoping that the days following the DCI OMG Summit on Participant Safety Pretending Nothing Else Matters would finally see DCI take a stand, and announce a zero tolerance policy for failed background checks. Instead, they now have zero tolerance for public criticism. Case in point - Arsenal, not even a full-fledged "corps" yet, but a SoundSport group applying for DCI open-class status for 2019, just had their application suspended. Apparently, the entire corps is being punished because their director made a social media post critical of corps who failed to keep participants safe. (If you think the irony cannot get any thicker, better keep reading.) The apparent offending portion of the post: No names or specifics were given, just the context of identifying two corps - one of which just had their membership revoked by DCI for precisely what he alludes to, and the other having just cancelled 2019 because of insufficient recruitment due to precisely what he alludes to. But while Pioneer may be fair game, Oregon Crusaders are (hold your nose) still a member in good standing as far as DCI is concerned. Therefore, the post crosses a line, and is fully deserving of action from DCI. Like, for example, a warning that speaking ill of other corps (even if true) is unprofessional, or suggesting he apologize for forgetting the word "allegedly". ... or suspending the entire corps, pending removal of the director. Whichever. Okay, if that is the new DCI standard: Anyone think the Oregon Crusaders were "respectful, professional and courteous" when they thanked Mike Stevens for all he did while there? I guess the person who wrote that is gone, because the corps has not been suspended. Genesis should be suspended pending removal of Chris Magonigal. His crime was speaking out concerning Crossmen hiring Joel Moody. In this case, it was not a direct social media post, but speaking to a reporter for a major newspaper. Nevertheless, the DCI ethics guidelines have a similar provision for this - "it is DCI's expectation that all participating organizations, their staff, staff volunteers and participants will conduct themselves in a professional and ethical manner in any interactions with all members of the DCI community and the public". And participants? Well, then we have more corps to add to the suspension list. Music City had a member use their I&E performance time to recite from court documents regarding the George Hopkins case. And Oregon Crusaders, for all the postings on Facebook, Reddit, etc., should probably be suspended for 154 seasons. One last example. If someone with legitimate access to DCI.org posted there, characterizing the DCI Board of Directors as "mired in egoism and self-righteousness", should they lose their job? Judge for yourself: https://www.dci.org/news/from-the-desk-of-the-dci-executive-director

That is odd. Leafing through the DCI ethics guidelines, I do not see anything about suspending a whole corps over a social media post. What I do see is this: "DCI community members may be disciplined for personal use of social media when usage is in violation of other DCI policies." Also: "DCI community members should be respectful, professional and courteous in posting and communicating." I will save my thoughts on the social media post for later. Right or wrong, clearly only one person should be disciplined, not an entire corps. If DCI has a problem with the social media post that can only be solved by removal of that director... well, he resigned yesterday. Problem solved. Any questions about who replaces him, are they still on track, etc., can be addressed in the evaluation process - as they would have been anyway. Therefore, Arsenal should have their application process un-suspended before anyone gets their morning coffee today. Anything short of that is a colossal failure of public relations, basic judgment and fairness, which I see as just as severe a violation of DCI ethics guidelines as the one they appear to be reacting to in the first place.

If DCI's social media policy forbids the condemnation of individuals who put kids at risk, then that social media policy is garbage and whoever is responsible for it needs to be fired.

This young man is exactly the kind of person to lead the way. His awareness is probably much keener than the old boys club that just put his corps on ice.

And potentially killed off a promising young corps. And discouraged anyone from trying to join Marching’s Major League. And that first paragraph? I would say it was spot on. And Fred Morrison? He is still executive director of Crossmen!!!!

so you're anti-trampoline? But look how much fun!

I can appreciate those fans that still want their judges to be as close to the MM's they are judging as possible, especially in the execution oriented captions. That said, if we watch ( for example) the on field Percussion judges, most of the time, they are seen running, weaving,. dodging, with them looking left, right, behind, to make sure they are not about to be run over by MM's in visual moves all around them. How much REAL concentrated observance of the percussion playing is really be taking place, when that judge's concentration levels to that is certainly being heavily distracted ? Just for the heck of it, watch ( for example ) Jeff Prosperie judging Percussion of any Corps on Youtube. Holy Mackeral. He's seen most of the time, running, weaving, dodging, full speed like a maniac out there. Is he going to be compromised in his observance skills of the Percussion sections if he's put on the sidelines where he can better concentrate on the task he has been assigned ? I don't think so. His observation abilities might actually be better enhanced if anything, imo..

Maybe those instructors should consider that there are waaaaaaaaaaay more corps members who are injured because of excessively intense rehearsals, and being expected to tough it out when there is an abnormal pain that needs to be addressed, than there are because of unaware field judges.

In other news, Cadets' January camp begins in a few hours. That is all.

The director resigned. Why deny the entire corps? There’s is something fishy in Denmark.

For DCI HQ not to have an official statement out by now, explaining their apparent rumored withdrawal of Arsenal's Open Class Application, and their reasons for it, can only be construed as DCI HQ incompetency, imo. They should have taken this action and told this former Corps Director their action simultaneous with a Press Release statement on their DCI Website. Instead, they let the narrative formulate all through the social media, and without their Official Statement out there explaining their action.Whether their action was appropriate or not is certainly open to legitimate discussion. But to not have an official statement out by on this major DCI news story to announce the action and the reason behind it is simply inexcusable and once again demonstrates shoddy and incompetent leadership still present at the DCI HQ level, imo.

Sad to lose a Corps. The Oregon Cru once had so much promise too. But they let it all slip away by mistreating MM's and junior staffers, and it ultimately became their undoing. ' Lesson here for other Corps, imo.

George Hopkins is not on trial for being a meany poo-poo face at YEA. He is on trial for SEXUAL ASSAULT. “Words” aren’t going to help his victims. Nine women came forward. Nine. They came forward knowing that their lives would likely suffer because of it. There’s nothing positive in it for them. You keep taking about things that don’t matter. How you feel about George’s character doesn’t matter. How you feel about “healing” and “forgiveness” doesn’t matter. All that matters is that nine women came forward and accused George Hopkins of sexual misconduct.

I just had an hour conversation with Lancer79 on the phone. Unless I was completely bullshi''ed, Which in my job I can tell in a second. I assure you she is not GH. She is passionate in her belief and honest with what she has stated in her conversations with GH. I would ask that people do not get nasty with her. She has a right to say what she feels.

Better Call Saul!

Couldn't of said it better, as a relatively younger member this is highly concerning. I age-out 2023 and I am already planning my coming summer with my corps but at this point, with the way DCI has been handling transparency I'm highly considering marching past 2019. Honestly I find this very disappointing on DCI's behalf, the original Reddit post may have called out staff members who put their students at risk but I did not find it to be a rude or condescending tone. This corps had a very promising future that DCI is ruining at this point.

There has got to be more to this story as to WHY DCI has revoked Arsenal's application. I've read the director's reddit post. That thing is tame af. Where did he go wrong? DCI...LATELY...you've turned into an organization that I really can't get behind and I really don't like feeling that way about drum corps either...

Everybody watch out! Or you may get run over by the DCI clown car!

I should probably mind my own business and I’m sure someone will tell me to do just that. But it’s seems to me that now is the time for contrition and remorse. Perhaps reaching out to the survivors and offering support. Let the healing begin. Finger pointing isn’t going to solve anything.

Well maybe now the kids and former staffs concerns will be addressed. It was well known right after finals the staff was gone and kids weren’t returning.

If you believe GH, then you must believe the women are lying. If you believe the women, then you must believe GH is lying. If you don’t know which you believe...then how do you defend one over the other? You can’t have it both ways.

I can't celebrate the demise of a corps... it's a sad day, in terms of the activity losing a corps, even though I agree with the DCI decision. But until one family is completely out of the picture at Pioneer... 100 percent, no "shadow administration" or anything... that corps has a rough road ahead. If they have any road at all.