HockeyDad

A couple more points. Duh

Anti-GH does not equal Anti-Cadets, unless you believe GH IS the Cadets. Do you hold that opinion? Is it possible people are tired of the "it's all about me" vibe we get from GH? Example - bowing to the crowd? One poster said he can't even see the Cadets anymore - all he can think of is GH. I have loved the Cadets. I saw them in the "AMEN" shows in the late '70's that didn't make Finals. People buzzed about how they're the hardest working corps in dci - even when not making Finals. So don't label every poster who has a negative opinion about narration as a Cadet hater. It's just not true. It may be what you need to fit your mental model (negative post = Cadet hater, therefore comments can be dismissed), but it's not true. Don't give me the "what about the other corps that use narration" stuff. Everyone knows that the catalyst for this rule change was GH. So that's why the anti-narration (not anti-Cadets) comments are overwhelmingly directed at GH. It's not any big conspiracy or mystery. Count me in the group of Cadet lovers who are tired of the GH agenda.

Public school?

Well, actually........isn't it the other way around? I don't think Ulysses S. Grant was cruisin through the countryside with a marching band accompaniment, baton twirlers and pom poms. I think the armies used the original old school G bugles, no?

What I want from the Cadets: More of the same, but with a lot less verbosity.

I thought it was "as pure as the driven snow."

Thanks for not going after me on that one. I wasn't trying to evoke an attack, but this is quite a touchy subject. And you and I probably don't agree very often. But I bet we agree on the most important thing - we both love drum corps. Have a nice week!

Is speaking into a microphone "performing"? I guess I never thought about that. Playing a horn, drum, or doing auxiliary equipment, skills that all take years of practice to develop, yes. I guess I never thought of speaking as performing, at least not in the context of a drum corps show. I'm not talking about the theater.. And, yup, it's my opinion only.

It's the cafeteria plan. Keep the traditions that convenience you and your agenda, otherwise, dump them.

Nope. Not at all. Different does not necessarily equal better, or progress, or avant garde. Sometimes, different turns out to be a bad idea. I believe that's what the "nay sayers" are saying. And I think you know that.

1. Yes, Mr. D is probably the biggest apologist for dci on this forum. 2. Yes, Mr. D is also correct that - it's all about the $$$$$. We can debate the numbers of people - significant numbers, a few thousand, a tiny fraction, etc. etc. etc. But that doesn't matter to dci, as it doesn't matter to you if you own a business. What matters is the bottom line on the balance sheet. So if, at the end of the season, dci has more $$$, whatever they're doing will be considered a success. How many people are or are not attending shows is somewhat secondary to the goal of remaining solvent. So, let it be said that on 8/30/07, I agreed with Mike D.

You can't. We are all a product of our own personal biases. You cannot speak outside who you are. Therefore, you call it like you see it, with your own personal bias.

It would have been my 4th pick, but I could only pick three, according to the rules. The whole Finals in '88, where the semi-finals results had not been released, caused an excitement in the crowd you don't see very often. I thought it was great and wish they would do that again. I suppose the corps who came in 2nd and 3rd probably reacted to the experience differently, and that might explain why it was never done again. But, yes, not only for Madison, but also for BD (truly great show), SCV (thought Phantom of the Opera '88 was better than '89), Garfield (Les Mis), Phantom, Star (Porgy and Bess), Bluecoats (Autumn Leaves) - wow, the whole top 12, top to bottom, was great that year.

1975 prelims so I could see Muchachos 1979 prelims - I was there, the crowd reaction for Troopers was amazing. I know if you were in Crossmen you'd have a different opinion (13th) and you may in fact be justified. But, the energy and excitement of the moment was something I never experienced again.......until 1995 Madison. Troopers Finals performance was actually a letdown. Their prelims performance was something special. 2002 (3?) prelims - Oh to see that Royal Airs show one more time There's more but the OP did say "three shows" and I will follow the rules (unlike some of you who just can't stop yourselves........)

Score more points

YOWZA !!

Wow. that's really hanging it out there with a bold prediction. Don't forget, every third year or so something really radical happens and Phantom or SCV breaks into the top three. Almost too exciting to stand. Who's really gonna win next year? Every kid who goes out there, works his/her butt off all winter, spring, and summer, and plays a show with all his/her heart, pays to do it vs. getting paid, and does it for the love of the activity. Placements are just for those who seem to need them.

Nice use of bold font to get your point across. Sorry, take your crusade somewhere else. Now you are calling the Madison Scouts and Cavaliers organizations misogonist?? Please, take your energy to Augusta golf club and protest the Master's not allowing women members. Have the Bandettes allowed males? Should they have to? NO.

Please. OK, while we're at it, let's force Smith College to admit men. OK by you?? This equal pay think has been pretty much debunked. I'm guessing you are in the "big corporations are evil" camp too? Just guessing. While, if the pay inequality were real, why are there any men employed at any big corporation? Since they're all about making money, why hire the expensive men, when you can hire the cheap women? Sorry, I'm not buying it.

Part of me thinks you're doing this tongue-in-cheek. You couldn't really be serious with the hate you're spewing about a large number of people now supporting drum corps, both the segment you see in the stands, and the ones you don't see(doing the vast majority of the grunt work) behind the scenes volunteering their time as cooks, drivers, etc. So I won't even go into a response to that - clearly you are nuts if you think that putting the adults onto ice floes and pushing them out into the Arctic to meet their destiny is what is good for the future of drum corps. Lord of the Flies, anyone? So here's my question: capturing a larger segment of youth market; creating inititiatives - is that what narration, amps, and electronics is doing? Please can you show me some stats on that???????

Apples and oranges, my friend. Kids might spend more money on "non-essential purchases" but that does NOT mean that kids have more money to spend on non-essential purchases. And, what non-essential purchases are kids spending their money on? We're talking about money spent on the drum corps activity, not on IPods or roller blades or other electronic gadgets. I have no doubt kids spend more money on that stuff. But when I go to Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals, and look around me, I see alot more people like me (and their children!) than "kids." So, I don't think the marketing studies you're thinking about traslate to this.

OK. I understand your point. I think you are wrong though. No way do kids have larger discretionary income than most adults over 35. I contribute to individual corps financially now that there's no way I could as a kid. No way. Anyway, I'd rather dci figure out the formula that retains all fans of all ages without alienating any large segments. That would be the best thing for the activity. I'm sure someone will retort that dci doesn't alienate fans, fans alienate themselves. OK, whatever.

WHOA. You make another interesting point. Not sure what you consider a "legacy fan." Someone over the age of 21? Someone who doesn't like the rule changes of recent years? Anyway, could dci survive if the only people attending dci events were parents of marching members, and maybe a couple thousand recent age outs? I'm going with your statement and trying to think it through to a logical conclusion. I think it would become a financial problem for dci. So, instead, I think what we have is a somewhat uncomfortable symbiotic relationship here between the fans who can afford to shell out the major coin (I would say these are, for the most part, the legacy fans you talk about), and the ones with the here, now, moving forward, let's change, thinking?? How do you resolve that?

Interesting thought. Do you think dci's move to allow narration was in response to what youth 21 and under wanted? I don't. I think it was driven by a middle aged man and what he wanted. (note that I said "I think" which means it's my opinion only)

Olympic Stadium in Montreal was similar. Do you remember the poor sound quality there? I hope it's better in Indy - PLEASE be better in Indy.