dcialumni1989

Wow. Ok. If they are reading DCP and putting stock into what is said on here than there are much larger issues than the push for 12th. We are talking about kids needing extrinsic motivation here to succeed. Your post would suggest that what drives these kids are things that are largely out of their control like fan support, DCP reviews and predictions, and scores. If they are relying on these then they are not self motivated and that us a huge problem. I don't know about you, but when I marched I didn't try to have a great show for the fans, I did it for me. This is not a Bon Jovi concert for crying out loud, it's marching band. So, to all of the members out there reading DCP, please STOP! Go study your dot books, look at your music, get some rest, or better yet - talk to the person sitting on the bus next to you.

That would be nice!

Well, it has to level off sometime... It does stop at 100 and all...

Yup. Food, shelter, rest, and a feeling of being cared for..... Sounds like my ed- psych classes all over again.

Without a doubt. BTW - the sleep thing is important not just for the kids, but the staff and designers too....

Of course all of those things matter. I am just saying that being rested does factor into how much info you can retain and how well you perform.

No data. It is just generally known around the activity that BD and Cavaliers tend to sleep more.

Worked is the key term. The days of beating the members to death to win are gone, because it rarely works anymore. With that geeing said, the cadets can continue to do that if they so desire... It just means more titles for everyone else.

Not all of us were no, but this is also a bit different. The cavaliers haven't had a show in a few days. If the did today, my guess is it would be higher than it was a few days ago since they are rehearsing and all. Regardless, i doubt cavaliers will come close to breaking 94 tomorrow in Gadsen... Even with their new ending (which I hear is awesome, but also very very difficult).

Yes, but not as well as it used to. The two corps that typically sleep the most in the activity are the blue devils and the cavaliers and they have won the following years in the last 20: 92 94 95 96 (tie with PR) 97 99 (tie with SCV) 2000 (tie with cadets) 01 O2 03 04 06 07 09 Notice the dominance the last decade especially. The shows now are so hard, that the students need the rest IMO to be able to consistently perform and improve on a daily basis.

Agreed. Tip your hat to an excellent organization and a great corps. However, that lead doesn't mean much unless it is at the same show. While BD is having a show today, The Cavaliers are rehearsing and putting in the new ending to their show. So, it is hard to say what that lead is right now... even though I am sure that BD will still be ahead of the pack come saturday night.

First off, if you think my support on here means anything to the kids in any corps, you are clearly misguided. I imagine that The Colts could care less what I have to say, and if they did, that would mean that they are watching and reading DCP instead of studying their music, their dot books, getting rest, and enjoying their summer. If that is the case then they have much bigger issues than trying to make top 12 IMO. Second, I am not saying that a corps can't turn it on the last few weeks and make something magical happen in the end. I too have worked in and around the activity for quite some time with corps in the top 12, out of the top 12, competing to be in the top 12, and competing for championships. I know what it is like to teach non-top 12 corps and be pushing to make finals. I have made it in before and I have fallen short before and all I am saying is that for a corps to have that magical run the last few weeks they have to have the vehicle to do so. I don't believe that they )the colts) have it. Phantom made changes to their show that jumped them up at the last second in 2008. No doubt without those changes, they would have been much lower. HOWEVER, even before the changes, they had the shell of a show that ALLOWED them to make the changes to be able to make that kind of jump. I am sorry to say, the colts do not have that shell to make some changes to the program that launch them above Glassmen or Madison IMO. To me, those corps have a better shell of a program (which they will be making changes to as well I assure you), and they have much better talent and a more experienced instructional staff (that trains and motivates the kids). So, that is why I made the prediction that I made. BTW - I have said the same thing about some of the corps in the top 5 (namely the cadets) since the beginning of the season. The shell I am speaking of is the same reason I have said from the start of the season the Cadets will not be able to make a run at the title, because the shell of their show does not allow them to add layers to the program. It is a great show, but it doesn't have the legs to carry them to the top. So, my comments are not limited to the sub-12 as you put it. If I am wrong come finals and colts make it in or the cadets win I will be the first to admit I was wrong, but the colts will be 15th (13th at the highest, 16th at the lowest) and the Cadets will be 5th (4th at the highest, 6th at the lowest).

That is one of the rewards for placing higher.... If DCI only has room for 12 corps at retreat, then work hard enough to be one of the 12. Sounds fair to me.

To be fair, it does have some impact on scoring... But it is not the end all be all. It really effects the corps that go on REAAALLLLLY early at big shows because judges have to save room, but it does a lot less to the big boys like BD, cavaliers, SCV, etc... Those groups are not really hurt too much by it.

Plenty of medical and educational research would suggest that would be a real big part of the solution.

Yeah a couple of times that I can recall. 2004 was not as good as 2004 - lots of great great corps and shows in 2004... Not so much in 2005 2002 was not as good as 2001 either - only one memorable show that year to me. Everything else was quite forgettable IMO.

Agreed on all accounts

Yeah I guess you are right. Still think people are entitled to think and feel what they want about anyone's show though.

A guy voices his opinion in the nicest way possible that he does not like BD's show and he gets chastised. I guess people shouldn't have opinions on here unless they love everybody.

Agreed. My favorite too. Best corps for them was probably 2005, but my favorite show of theirs was 98. I think my most memorable performance was them in Denver in 2007 though. They absolutely tore it up that night.

98 is one of my all time favorite shows. They definitely deserved to win that year. Visually they were unreal and GE was through the roof. Great show from them.

I figured someone would bring up 2008 regiment. The difference in this scenario is that 08 regiment had a fantastic drum line and a show that oozed general effect and that pushed them past the competition the last night despite their performance weaknesses. Colts do not have a show with tons of GE that will do that for them, PLUS they are currently about 3-4 points behind 12th... That is way too much to overcome. They will be fortunate to be 13th or 14th. I have no allegiance to any of the corps agead of them. Just stating my opinions based on facts. If anything I am the one giving unbiased logic here.

Cadets in 97? You're joking right? I was there that year and BD was clearly the champion. They won brass. They won drums. They won guard. They won marching and I think the won both ensemble captions too.

They don't mic all of their soloist. They mic the 3 screamers at the end of their third production because the ENTIRE DRUM CORPS is standing directly behind them blowing their faces off. The rest of the soloist are un-mic'd. The screamers they have are plenty loud. I heard them up close a few times in rehearsal before they decided to mic them and those guys can blow, but you put 80 horns and a full drum line right behind them and thell them to play full out then you are going to have trouble hearing anyone who isn't mic'd. Most times you see screamers up there doing their thing they are not trying to compete with an entire drum corps playing full out... Especially not when the are 4 seeps behind them doing so.

Didnt Madison have one? Also, I thought Cadets were undefeated un 2000 and not the Cavaliers.... Can't remember now