HockeyDad

All of a sudden everyone is talking in parables and anecdotes. I love it! I’m inspired to say that folks giving their good money to bad stewards is like … casting pearls before swine.

I guess we’re not going to move off of this point. That they aren’t financially capable of fielding a corps in 2024 is a fact. It is not conjecture. I would love to donate to help. First I want to know why this happened. Is it because they need to use their available funds to pay legal fees related to the lawsuit? I would like the truth. “Oh gee a couple unexpected bills caught us by surprise” is not the truth. And I would like to know what they are doing or plan to do to ensure this financial disaster doesn’t happen again. Until then I’m giving elsewhere. So, do as you wish. Have attitude. Launch counter accusations (you know, such as, we want Cadets to fail). Ok. Whatever. See how that works for ya.

Well then let’s just assume you’re talking about me. Conflating wanting real answers with rooting for the corps to fail is crap. I asked short, concise clear questions and I got defensiveness and attacks in reply. Let’s refresh. I asked two simple questions. What is the cause of not being able to field a corps in 2024, and what actions have you taken or are you planning to take to prevent reoccurrence. Maybe someday someone will want to actually engage in discussing this. Maybe not. This was all before the lawsuit blew out into the open and cast this on a different light. You call that rooting for Cadets to fail? I call it wanting Cadets BOD it internalize that they failed. Yes. They failed. And then, fix it. Attitude and acting like a pouty child from the BOD (notice I said BOD, not you) addresses nothing.

Thank you for that, Jeff.

The arms race continues. Can’t cut costs. Must raise the revenue.

Maybe they should stop releasing statements. At this point they are just cringeworthy.

That does tend to be the nature of things unfortunately.

Careful everyone, lest we all be accused of “cheering for the demise of the activity.” I know none of you is doing that. But I have a hunch it’s coming. It’s pretty much the only arrow remaining in the quiver at this point.

Yeah. She probably was.

Be careful. For weeks I’ve been saying there’s more to this story and getting attacked for it. Now we find out … there was more to the story. Just irritating on so many levels. Not the least of which the veil being dropped on this activity I participated in and loved since I was a teenager. I feel betrayed in some way. Is that a valid feeling?

I will defer to Scheherazade on this and only say, I hope that this lawsuit helps the person with the healing process. Shame on these corps and DCI for inadequate oversight.

(Reads new Cadets are being sued thread) Well, now I have my answer.

Interesting statement isn’t it? Expenses were managed within expectations…. Fell short of fundraising goals. Well. Ok. I thought I would spend 10 dollars. And I did spend 10 dollars!! But I didn’t expect to only bring in 5 dollars. Sure, they managed their “expenses expectations.” They failed to manage their income expectations. So they failed in their budgeting. And that is what matters. But the words are fancy. I fear smoke is being blown at us. I hope for their success but the double speak and aggressive defensiveness makes me fear otherwise. I have seen this movie before.

That’s not what was stated.

Well, if I take the statement made by the BOD member at face value (reason for no 2024 tour is unexpected expenses, paraphrasing here), then no, why would that have anything to do with legal counsel? So it didn’t and doesn’t dawn on me. Now, if there is more to the story that involves the need to lawyer up, then it becomes a very different picture to me. Maybe time will tell. Maybe it won’t.

Ok well I tried. In the most respectful and neutral way I could. Thanks for the attitude. Your words sunk in, believe me. What’s disappointing is that you can’t tour in 2024. Failures occurred. That’s not an accusation. And you don’t seem willing or able to describe what you are doing to ensure it doesn’t happen again. I wish you well.

Can you explain what you good folks on the BOD did wrong such that you can’t tour in 2024, and what corrective actions you are taking to prevent reoccurrence of this? Thank you.

Yeah. That’s a controversial word. Let me try a reply that doesn’t use that word. My problem here (MY problem, others are entitled to their opinions and I respect that), I think, is that I’m just not buying the explanation provided by the BOD member. Paraphrasing (in other words, how my brain interpreted it) - some bills came in late that we weren’t expecting, and busses were an issue and we won’t skimp on that kind of stuff. And that’s why they can’t tour in 2024. I’m not buying it. There is more to the story here. That’s where I am with this.

Ahh. You speak wisdom. At the same time you have spoken one answer to the question - why aren’t people donating more? No transparency = no more money. I suspect this is how some people feel.

Gotta disagree with you on this. I don’t know if I can speak for “we” but what “I” want is for the activity to survive. And I claim cutting costs is a key component of that, and necessary for survival. Ideas of limiting spring training and touring locally both arise from that. I do not care if the “quality suffers”. That’s always been a subjective argument anyway. And I never said anything about where they can draw their members from. Actually I did - I said I don’t care if they get them from the moon. Just let it be known the touring will be local until Finals week. For all the corps in DCI. And I don’t buy the argument that the experience will suffer so kids won’t do it.

Bravo on the “yikes”. Yes my post makes no sense. But bear with me: Maybe the attitude of “DCI doesn’t have the authority to (…fill in the blank)” will change after conclusion of the SOA lawsuit to the point where DCI becomes much more intrusive. Dare I say, to the point where they actually exert leadership authority on issues such as member safety. That was my point. Yes, I covered two things in one post. Sorry.

<clutching pearls> Oh No!! You’re going to make Rules?!? You’re going to RESTRICT how long they can practice? You’re going to stymie their creativity and prevent them from EVOLVING? How can you DO that?? Actually it’s a great idea. (But how could they ENFORCE that? Are they going to send spies?). Next they can work on member safety since apparently every corps has high school kids in it. Nah, DCI doesn’t have the AUTHORITY. DCI is the corps. Maybe after the SOA lawsuit concludes attitudes will change a bit.

I have quit jobs several times in my life. You don’t see that plastered all over DCP.

Can you name the person you are referring to…and why this matters?

Y’all took the bait from Phantom56. Heh.