Bob Brady

Gee.....I don't have the slightest idea what you guys are talking about (s'cuz me....cough, cough)Do you mean Canada would arrest you for messy busses? :P

aawwwwww shucks. thanks Lancerfi! You're still pretty hot yourself.Aren't we gettin' all mushy here? :P Hey....are you going to make it out to the "Left Coast" with the rest of us? It's shaping up to be quite a ride!!

Ahhhhh............................BOOTS!!!! I'm getting all tingly all over!...................................

I wanna see photos when the fight breaks out!!

Don't forget from the Midwest- The Vacationland Sweethearts (Port Clinton OH.) and Praesidium (Riverview Mich......All the G.L.D.C.A. corps guys had at least ONE girlfriend in this corps!)

OK....I'll play! Bottom right corner, kneeling...snot nosed 11 year old little punk cymbal player in 1971: Snot nosed, follicly challenged 45 yr. old adult computer geek punk trying unsuccessfully to focus new webcam, 2005:

The major curcuits in the areas you mention were the Great Lakes Drum Corps Assoc(The Gmen's home curciut.....Champs 72-75) The Ohio-Penn Curcuit. and the fore-runner of DCM, The Illinios Drum Corps Curcuit (I THINK that was the name, we didn't compete there much) So many corps back then........At one time, just the G.L.D.C.A. had over 50 member corps!

I'm a Browns fan (yeah I know.........somebody has to be) but at least we can look North for "What Not To Do"I agree!!!!!

1980.........Orgasmic. Those who were there know.

Kinda makes you want to take a 3hr shower doesn't it? :P <packing up old vintage corps attire>

I'm with you Mr. B !!

It NEVER rained on the U.S. Open!! LOL!!!Epworth United Methodist Church(our home in Marion for years) and the ladies of the church cooking us (very, very appreciated) great home cooked meals. The woods behind the stadium at Harding High(a story I won't go into) All the corps hanging out together in the street outside the stadium The LONGEST parade I've ever marched (too many times!!) Anaheim overcoming a 13 point penalty in prelims(for being a day late) to come back and win in 73 The annual August monsoons actually became something of a tradition at Marion. 73 was the worst, with Open Class finals being postponed midway until the next day, Sunday. They started selling T-shirts with the Eagle logo, but it was holding an umbrella in its beak. Marion was always the high point of the season in my early marching years. I've never been to another show where the entire town was so involved with a drum corps show. Every Church, school, business etc...opened thier doors to the corps and welcomed them with open arms. In it's heyday, the U.S. Open was one of the biggest, and most important competitions in the country....everybody was there! Alot of my best and fondest memories from my marching days involve Marion OH. and the U.S. Open. I made friendships with people from other corps that I first met in Marion that still last today.

Great list, but ummm.....unless I misunderstand you, I feel I should point out that it was the 72 Anaheim Kingsmen who won the first DCI Championship. In 73, they finished 6th.(one of my all-time favorite shows. "El Cid", and the horns to buckle "clink" at the end rock!!)

Cool! Garfield(sorry, they will always be "Garfield" to me!) Bringing back "White Rabbit" from back in my day! Can the infamous Peace Sign be far behind?! Hey Mike D......Waddya Think?! (You marched that show, didn't you? :) )

You beat me to it John!Yeah, those 23 horns sounded like 60.........One of my all-time favorite corps!

I would of course love to see all the previously mentioned corps again, but there were two corps who in the late 70s/early 80s were a couple of the most entertaining corps around: Sky Ryders, and please let me see North Stars and the "Chrome Wall" again!

Not to change the subject, or sound like an ***hole<insert snide remark here> but do some of these youngsters realize that Drum Corps existed long before 1972 and the creation of DCI??

I'm not so sure that it's a matter of perspective, but more the way corps was "back in the day"(This is simply an observation....not a "It Was Better Then" post!!!) Back when us "Older Guys" marched, corps were much more localized, with many members coming from the same nieghborhood, churches, schools etc.... It's been said elswhere that the old corps could be compared to gangs, and although that is quite a stretch, there probably is some truth to that statement. In some of the larger cities that supported several, if not many corps, the competition was almost a form of "Turf Warfare" You could find corps that just plain didn't like each other. Remember, this is when corps were a year round activity with most members hanging out together, going to school together and performing all year, so hard feelings could develop quite easily. I think with the way that members come from a much larger area now, that "gang mentality" has disappeared for the most part. That I feel, is a good thing!!

Late 70s, early 80s things were rather "intense" between the two. Bluecoats had never beaten the Glassmen up to that time, and with the Gmen just coming back to competition after 3 years away, with a much smaller and inexperienced corps than in the past, the competition was pretty heated, although by 81 Bluecoats were much farther along, and definately held the edge for the bragging rights in Ohio!

Touche'! I salute you Sir!!

I've been scrounging around the local junkyards trying to get ready myself!!I find that Buick hubcaps are the best......slightly tart, yet with just a hint of fruitiness!! :P

You're here too, are you not?! :P

D###-it!!! I had to work late tonight and I missed all the fun again!! ^0^ :P

After the penalty, they were in 9th place with a score of 70.00, so they still made finals.(If you are going by the earlier post, it only lists the top 12 prelim scores....the number of corps in finals. there were probably something like 40 corps in prelims) They came back to win with a score of 80.30And yes, they were also the defending champions, so regardless of prelim placement, they appeared last at finals. Keep in mind also that it took two days to get finals in at the 73 U.S. Open....prelims were on Friday and Saturday with finals on Saturday night, but due to the torrential rain and thunderstorms, finals was called off after several corps, and completed on Sunday. One of the wildest years ever in Marion!!

I seem to recall a few judges with a glazed over, dazed and confused look in 83 also!One of my favorite all-time shows!