BigW

Oh, I feel the love. Thanks, Tom. Does your security let people throw stuff at you and shove you around and cut in front of you?

After 4 years of repeated incidents where our unit was harassed... we'd had enough in our Senior class.. Period. A lot of it stopped after that clown got bounced through the parade block. Wonder why?

Funny, hmm? Yeah, let me throw coins at you and you can laugh all you want, clown. Hee hee hahhah. Or are you one of those clowns that chuck the stuff, cut through lines, and generally bully people? it would make sense.

Obnoxious. Idiotic. Rude. And you expect me to show you respect in return. Spazz for certain. Rank breaking is in essence the same thing as any of these issues. Any of them. Period. Okay? Bust through a line, throw the egg, chuck keys down a tuba bell, it's the same. Period. Get it, or are you that much of a spazz?

You're not the only one that had to deal with the eggs. It got to the point we had to ring the band with 8 band parents. That and to stop the coins chucked at us... and the previously mentioned cigarette butts pressed on necks... Some folks don't realize what kind of crap goes on and don't get it.

I'm guessing your name is a description of your dysfuctional brain waves as well. And no it's not. Let me type slowly and in bold face. Ever. See. A Westshoremen. Logo.? You. obviously. can. spell. Take. a. look. at. it. Ever. see. the. Movie. "It's. A. Mad. Mad.Mad. Mad. World.? You. might. get. the. reference. if. you. did. I'll reiterate something I told someone else. Our band was harassed repeatedly. Cigarette butts in member's necks. Coins and eggs thrown at us at parades. Certain football games, uniformed security had to be brought in to stop physical threats made against us. Tell you what. We gave back what we took when we got our chances. If you think that's bad, have someone put the hot end of a ciggy butt on your neck and stand there at attention for 30 seconds. Maybe it might change your perspective. If the neurons in your brain fire fast enough to realize wha'ts happening.

Okay, clown. He stood there deliberately not moving for over 30 seconds as we approached. he could have moved.. He wanted us to move around him. He kept standing in front of the block as it approached. He had it coming. Yeah, our whole band was pretty amused at dealing with it. You wanted the band parents to goon the kid instead? That's what also would have happened. We had people stick cigarette butts on member's necks during this period. We had taunts and outright threats to members at games. We had people throwing coins and eggs at us in parades. Okies? We didn't take kindly to it, and we got back at these clowns when we could. You a U-Miami fan too? Or did you live in a sheltered bubble all of your life where people didn't act like grade A jerks to you? Hmmm? There comes a time when one takes only so much, and obviously you've never been there.

Your response is Dumber. Really, cut though a line? Do you shove and cut through people all the time and expect everyone to respect your manners? Obviously, you're a pretty callous, mannerless, and utterly disrespectful individual by nature. Good luck when someone shoves you back when you shove your way past someone in the Wal-Mart. Are you the guy who shoved the director or just a U-Miami fan? That might explain it too.

It's a safety and respect issue. I read the article and am glad someone brought it up. Might be that U Florida needs uniformed security around the band as it moves to make a point. A strong one. Kid from rival HS stood in front of our post performance block and wouldn't move as we came off the field marching to the stands. he was in our way... more in my way, my bud Andy yells "HIT HIM!", he kept standing there are I reached him, I threw a hard left elbow knocking him into our block. Easy to do, we used a drag/suitcase carry off the field. He bounced like a Pachinko ball inside that parade block as everyone who could got a hard shot in. Dad and a couple of the Dads who normally kept things secure saw and ran over, and when they saw that kind barely able to stand and stagger away when he escaped... they felt they didn't need to have a talk with him. Respect the line, respect the block. Stay clear.

Last time I was big time affected by a DCA corps, it was the last 70 seconds of "Rhythmos". But I couldn't yell, I teared up.Big time. When Dan invited me to watch Ensemble at Ijamsville and I heard that in rehearsal, I know CV was playing for keeps. Dan's conducting that night... electric.

What about BR-549... or 867-5309?

Got mine ready.

Wow. I decided, like some other people (NOT Terri)... to take a look at the primary source. Who's in the DCI HoF primarily for their pre-DCI achievements or achievements outside of DCI involvement? I thought about Truman Crawford, but he was one of the top judges in DCI and DCA in the 70's.... James Costello, mainly DCA...Clarence Beebe, Len Piekarski, Uncertain on Barry Bell, Dick Brown, Don Porter, Emil Pavlik, and Sie Lurye. 129 total members, and I'm seeing 8-10 that were mainly inducted on the weight of their pre-1972 or outside of DCI achievements. Under 10 percent.

I thought about the Good Ole Boy aspect of it, and yep- there is that feel... the one thing it does do is have a pretty solid list of Pre DCI and DCA era individuals on board as well as more modern DCA people- to be honest, a lot of them are very deserving and would otherwise be flushed down the memory hole. It strikes me that in some DCI circles, anything before 1972 didn't happen. A lot like any HoF, folks will argue under the Sun who should and should not be in it.

As in Formula One, the corps would take the restricted money from one aspect of the operation and spend it elsewhere to keep their advantage.

The Mini Corps field is a good size. Free Players also appearing. Members of Free Players also performing in Guard, percussion and brass solo events.

I am. Need to get downstairs and put in some hard rehearsal time.

Well, the ending fit the theme and I felt the writing captured that well. Everything tied together in a rather chaotic yet logical way.

"Chaos Theory" was my favorite show from last year. Thought they were 2nd. I like Klarfeld's books. The only thing I had issues with was the final narrative. I really don't know if it was needed. Struck me as a bit of a chink in the armor.

Educated guess they're in the neighborhood at the top barring some disaster. Should be interesting.

You may not like what they say, but they will respond. Sneer all you want. At least do something instead of complaining to people who have no influence or power over their decision making.

One thing I learned fast from both of them 40 years ago. One might not like what they say, but they're very truthful.

To be blunt, while the Bucs will pack the stands at Big Sounds tonight, and while they do have a block of fans at Championship weekend, there are a lot of that crowd that don't go up for Championship weekend. 138 miles. And not a horrible drive, either.

Why not go to the primary source and ask the hard questions instead of yelling at the clouds because they're raining on you? I'm certain Rich and Larry would provide a well-worded and truthful response.

Much cheaper to bring judges down than to spend the travel money and travel up East two weekends in a row.