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oldguard

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  1. Off the top of my head:

    7th Regiment ...

    Ah ... maybe ...

    Something else I found while perusing corps' websites:

    From http://www.7thregiment.org/

    Found under 7th Regiment's "faq's"

    "What key are your horns in?

    The audition camp will be held using Bb brass instruments (mellophones in F). Whether we march G or Bb for the summer has yet to be determined. "

    I'm looking forward to seeing 7th Regiment, too, next summer. In my opinion, they made a big step up into the competition in the east in Div III last year. I am hoping to see another big step this year for them in Open Class.

    But we digress ...

    Spartans held out for a while. 90% of the horns we had on the field were bought in 1999. The contras were in pretty bad shape. Of the original ten, five or six were playable. I enjoyed playing the bugles, I only played Bb's two of my seven years, and still enjoy a good line of bugles cranking to 11.

    Indeed, I do too.

    Sometimes, though, you just have to grow and change and move in accordance with the times or you find yourself in an empty place.

    I enjoy a good Bb hornline, too. :)

  2. I was cruising corps' websites for the news today and found the following at

    http://www.spartansdbc.org/

    "Bb Horns on their way! 11/4/2007

    New Equipment has been ordered – Complete new line of Brass Instruments has been ordered – we are awaiting their December arrival."

    As much as my old ears like to hear the sound of G bugles, I think this is a wise choice in the current competitive environment.

    I see they have also rescheduled their Open House to two dates: Sunday, December 9th & Sunday December 16th.

    Best wishes to everyone at my favorite Junior corps in NH and I look forward to seeing you on the field next summer.

  3. Actually, there seemed to be a decent balance of Surf and Spartans music, just no transition between the two...a pretty good representation of both.

    I'll take your word for it. I think I hear Surf only in the begining, but my memory can certainly be faulty. There is definately a place where they have a shot of Surf on the field and I hear the Spartan "magician" theme in the background.

    It's been too long since August. And way too long until next summer. Need those DVD's to arrive! :)

  4. And in addition, the points race is NOT intended to make significant changes. I can't emphasize that enough. It will make very minor changes, but should not affect much. The point is to make the regular season easier to follow than, say, the BCS.

    I just read through the whole thread again. Since this sums it up in your own words, I think I will pass and vote no.

    I can follow the current model just fine. I guess I am looking for something that might shake things up a bit and make things a little less predictable. Therefore, this isn't it.

    I do appreciate your many thought-provoking and creative ideas, though. Please keep them coming. :)

  5. My favorite line from the clip:

    "... can't explain what it means to be in drum corps ..." said the first of the two women interviewed who marched in the '70's ...

    " ... until you're in it ..." finished her friend ...

    that about sums it up. :)

    References to movies and college bands aside, I thought as a news piece that this was very well-done.

    And, yeah, nice to see the Div II corps featured. Sounded to me that the music was all Spartans, though they had some nice footage of Surf, too.

  6. Eliminating point spreads and making early season shows more important is a bad thing?

    I'm personally tired of seeing corps come out in June missing a closer or some part of the show incomplete. I know rewrites and drill changes happen constantly but it's getting a little ridiculous. I can remember a corps in recent memory that was without a closer for the first 1/3 of the season. How can that corps possibly earn as many points as a corps with everything on the field. It's just wierd because most corps are doing 3+ weeks of everydays now.

    I think this is a very valid point. As someone who saw a lot of corps in the early season and who later attended finals, I just have to agree.

    Interesting discussion going on here. I have not voted on this one yet because I'm still thinking. I do think I like the basic concept, but as others have said, it needs some fine tuning.

  7. As it is now November and the push is on to practice, polish audition pieces where needed, finalize the details that will get you to audition camp or open house, get yourselves mentally ready to show them all what you have to offer,

    I want to wish each and everyone of you the best of luck ...

    may you make your drum corps dreams come true ...

    ... and thank you for chosing to march.

    Hope to see all of you somewhere on the field next summer.

    May you and your corps have a great run!

    ... I am just a member of the old guard.

  8. No one changes places or classes. Say your top open corps gets 16th overall. OK, bonus for them. They haven't won anything yet, other than they see how they are on world sheets, and the top seed for Open on Friday. That corps on Thursday in World that came in 17th will get a bump the next night in World, up to 16th.

    No "world placements" are handed out to anyone in open. In other words, an open corps in this example will not make Semis because it isn't there on Friday when Semi spots are decided. They will know they may have been able to get there, but they are not eligible. In that case, both corps "win", since the top open corps knows where it stands, and the world corps doesn't miss out on its rightful semifinal spot.

    It is interesting to see how close the vote is on this idea.

    I'd like to see a few more people tell us how they feel about this concept.

    :)

  9. As it is now November and the push is on to practice and polish those audition pieces, finalize the details that will get you to audition camp, get yourselves mentally ready to show them all what you have to offer,

    I want to wish each and everyone of you the best of luck ...

    may you make your drum corps dreams come true ...

    ... and thank you for chosing to march.

    Hope to see all of you somewhere on the field next summer.

    May you and your corps have a great run!

    ... I am just a member of the old guard.

  10. A corps that is struggling would actually *not* benefit from going down to Open. That's the reason that we don't have a soccer-style relegation system. World corps are paid more for their show appearances, and have more road to travel. Moving down isn't really a benefit. ...

    Actually, you are right in this respect.

    I've always been intrigued with the idea of a relegation, but it's clearly not a good idea to place the level of the organization based upon the way they run their business. That's why there is no more corollary between performance and class; they aren't related in any meaningful way. Kids on the field can achieve, or not, and it has very little to do with how well the org is run or funds are raised.

    If they were for-profit groups, I'd be *all over* it. But since they're non-profits, it's important to run it as such.

    Were performance fees more equally distributed to all corps ... which is how I personally think it should be ... this would not be the case.

    It's not a popular answer, but it seems to be the right one right now. :)

    Under the present structure. However, it highlights the need for change.

  11. No one changes places or classes. Say your top open corps gets 16th overall. OK, bonus for them. They haven't won anything yet, other than they see how they are on world sheets, and the top seed for Open on Friday. That corps on Thursday in World that came in 17th will get a bump the next night in World, up to 16th.

    No "world placements" are handed out to anyone in open. In other words, an open corps in this example will not make Semis because it isn't there on Friday when Semi spots are decided. They will know they may have been able to get there, but they are not eligible. In that case, both corps "win", since the top open corps knows where it stands, and the world corps doesn't miss out on its rightful semifinal spot.

    Again, thanks for the clarification. :)

  12. Let me be a bit more specific. Thursday would be every open corps, then every world corps, in prior seeded order. The show would be an exhibition of sorts; all it would decide is Friday seeding for each class. No one falls in or out of class.

    The 17 on the cinecast are the same, and there is no change to order because the open corps are there. They just go on before, on world sheets. The interesting part is that this would also seed Friday's Open show, based on world sheets.

    Thanks for the clarification and sorry if my questions muddied the waters.

    (Just my thoughts on some of this:

    I still think I like the idea of the open Thursday format, although personally, I would be in favor of allowing corps who have proven themselves on Thursday to compete on Friday in World Class. I do not, personally, believe that a corps who might move from "world" to "open" semi-finals would be "falling." I just think they are being given the opportunity to compete with other corps performing at a similar level for an annual award. I am really have not decided how I feel about changing classes under such a system for the following year. I am inclined to think maybe it would be best. It starts a corps off in the spring at the level they are currently achieving and under such a format they would be free to move back at the end of the year. A corps that is struggling financially might actually benefit from this for a year. Also, it recognizes and increases the opportunities for those corps who are achieving and may be ready for the next challenge. )

    Thanks for a poll with such a interesting concept.

    Carry on.

  13. I am wondering how the "class" designations might be affected by a format such as this, for both semi-finals and finals and for the next year.

    How many corps are you having compete in semi-finals?

    If you had an "Open" class corps who came in 16th or 17th in the open Thursday pre-lims, that corps should then perfom in the "World" semifinals?

    Should such corps be then classified with "World" corps for the following year?

    And what happens with "Open" class semi-finals? You would have "World" corps competing for the "Open" Class title?

    Then would such corps would be classed "Open" for the following year?

    Or do you mean when you say "all" that after prelims everyone goes back to their original class for semi-finals and finals?

    Thoughts on this?

  14. I think I like it.

    To make it work, some adjustments with the time might be necessary. For example, Open Finals might have to start earlier on Saturday, maybe 10:30 or 11 am to clear the stadium in time for World Finals. Maybe Fantastic 5 ticket holders should be given the option to stay. Maybe sell an "all-day Saturday ticket" for both and not make these folks leave either.

    Maybe offer all-day tickets for the other days, too. Would have to sell individual tickets for all events to keep it affordable and meet the needs for everyone, though

    On the plus side, all corps are given the opportunity to see how they stack up on Thursday Prelims.

    On the down side, that makes for a very long day.

    Since I love drum corps, I would not mind it, although the old bones do not like sitting too long these days. Give me a few minutes break here and there throughout the day and I would be there for every corps.

    I would really like to read some pros and cons on this idea.

  15. Retreat (for a dinosaur like me) was about respect.

    Respect for your audience - in essence a "thank you" to them for their participation in the event by giving them one more look at all the competing corps;

    Respect for your fellow competitors - you just spent 3 hours trying to beat them, now stand with them and let the chips fall where they may;

    and Respect for the part of this activity that is bigger than any individual, your corps.

    As I am, also, a dinosaur ... sometimes I feel like I am already a fossil ...

    I stand with you. Still.

    I can close my eyes and remember the feeling that came with standing in those retreats.

    Thank you..

  16. This is great news!

    I looked at the Catskill Community Center website:

    http://www.catskillcommunitycenter.org/CCCPrograms.asp

    for more information and found the following under "programs":

    "Drum and Drill Corp.

    Days and Time to be announced

    Open to all children ages nine (9) through twenty-one (21)

    More information to come. If you have any questions or would like to help in organzing this Corp please contact Kellie Darling, Program Director at www.Director@Catskillcommunitycenter.org or by phone (518) 719-8244.

    There will be an Open House, Friday, November 9,2007 from 6-9 for all interested children and potential volunteers."

    This reads like the kind of start-up corps I remember well. Community based after school and weekend youth program teaches kids to march and continues the long drum corps line.

    This really makes my day. :)

    Looks like a good opportunity for recent age-outs to volunteer and help get a new corps up and marching.

    Best wishes to everyone and I hope to see you all in uniform soon!

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