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Rusty

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  • Your Drum Corps Experience
    Sky Ryders '92-'93
  • Your Favorite Corps
    Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Blue Devils
  • Your Favorite All Time Corps Performance (Any)
    SCV 1991, Phantom 1993, Star 1993
  • Your Favorite Drum Corps Season
    1995

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  1. I've sent two separate emails to see about doing an ad buy on the site, and nobody has responded. Can somebody please PM me? (Sorry if this isn't the place for this sort of message, but I would really like to run a campaign on the network of sites, and I haven't been able to get anybody to reply, so...)
  2. Wow. The show really did undergo a lot of changes during the season - way more than just reducing the guard down to a single flag. And it was really clean drill for early season.
  3. They've been used by several corps for a few years now. Thoughts? I'm a brass guy who admittedly doesn't have much of an ear for clean vs. dirty percussion, but honestly, I really like Mapex. Seems like an affordable alternative to the likes of Yamaha.
  4. Adjusting the interior temperature of an NFL stadium to desirable levels is exceptionally challenging. I read someplace that the Houston Texans worked with a meteorologist to devise rules for if and when to open the roof on NRG Stadium. In Indy, LOS's managers would have had to contend with the following: The August heat Constant entrances and exits, likely many more than are encountered during a football game Constantly fluctuating spectator numbers that never hit more than 50% of the stadium's capacity (translation: fewer warm bodies to heat up the interior ambient temperature). I suppose it's possible that DCI and LOS colluded to gin up souvie sales by cranking the A/C to subarctic levels, but I suspect that there's a much simpler and less sinister reason: trying to get the interior temperature to a desirable level inside one of those caverns is a lot harder than setting the thermostat to 78°.
  5. The organization, once it folds, is no more. It ceases to be. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. It has kicked the bucket, hopped the twig, bit the dust, snuffed it, breathed its last, and gone to meet the Great DCI Judges' Panel in the sky. I guess that we’re all thinking how sad it is that a corps of such talent, such capability and kindness, of such intelligence should now be so suddenly spirited away, before it had achieved many of the things of which it was capable, and before it had made the Top 12. Well, I feel that I should say, “Nonsense. Good riddance to it! I hope it fries." (As attributed to Oscar Wilde, "Talent borrows, genius steals" - in this case, from here.)
  6. I read someplace that he had quietly stepped down from Devs.
  7. I love '99 on many levels, and it was without question SCV's best show of that decade, but to me, nothing from any corps will top '89.
  8. I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of days. The activity that I have loved for close to three decades is in peril by people who are either incapable of righting the ship or complicit in running it aground. Things cannot go on like this. The simple answer is, of course, a boycott. The problem with this is twofold: Broadly speaking, boycotts generally don’t work. Sorry, but that’s just how it is. Until or unless a critical mass of people withhold their money – which almost never happens – a boycott is mostly smoke with little to no fire. More importantly, unlike a boycott in a more mainstream or traditional industry, the very entities and individuals that one is trying to help – youth and the small nonprofits with which they participate – are arguably further harmed. These organizations need money, and the kids need people in the stands cheering them on. So after some thought, here’s what I’d like to see happen. Those of us who are outraged and fed up – and that number is growing, based on what I’m seeing on social media – should absolutely not stay home this summer. Let’s attend as many shows as we can, with the intent to make some noise while we’re at it. We should wear T-shirts bashing the current DCI leadership (especially Acheson) for failing to clean house. Let’s attend shows, prepared to spend money – on the organizations that have actually, you know, displayed some responsibility in protecting their kids. Attending a show where Acheson will be present? The second he steps onto the field, boo him. Loudly. He richly deserves it. And while we’re at it, let’s lean on DCI’s corporate sponsors to start rethinking their support of the organization. A bunch of disgruntled fans staying home is one thing; losing high-profile sponsors is another matter entirely. In short, attend events, support the corps, enjoy the shows – but demand change. Spread awareness. Make 'em squirm. I freely admit that this sort of behavior could get me kicked out of a show. In the event this happens, my next phone call will be to the local TV stations. I’ll make sure I have their assignment desks on speed dial. Give DCI the bad press they have earned. So: no, I’m not staying home this summer. None of us should. But if done properly, Dan Acheson will wish we had. Who’s with me?
  9. Just caught the scores from Atlanta. Whoa. Can't remember the last time I saw that much of a shake-up in placements. EDIT: Never mind...looking at the wrong page...
  10. I'm probably going to be flamed like crazy for this, but here goes... They should roll out West Side Story. Seriously. They last did it in '09. They still have the drill and the music from that year on hand; let 'em dust off that version and put it back on the field. They still have their classic unis somewhere in storage. They have a Tresona executive on their new BOD, who can surely work something out w/r/t royalties. Properly executed, the show would make finals. It wouldn't be top six, but as Jeff points out, placement is irrelevant at the moment. Right now they desperately need a hug from the fans. The fans very badly want to be able to respond in kind. Bringing back a classic would make that a whole lot easier.
  11. The BOD knew about this at least since January and refused the victims' request for Hopkins to be suspended (not fired) and for an independent investigation to take place. This is all a matter of record at this point. In short, a big part of the reason things got to this point is because the BOD refused to act. So I ask, out of genuine curiosity: What part of my rhetoric was inflammatory? I'm simply pointing out what has already happened and what is likely to transpire as a result. Some of which, btw, is already taking place, such as pressure on corporate sponsors to reevaluate their relationship with the Cadets. Believe it or not, I truly have no desire to see the Cadets destroyed. For me, this is about saving the organization.
  12. YEA's BOD needs to face the brutal reality of the situation in which they have placed their organization. Their own statement: - confirms that they knew of these allegations at least since January; - confirms that they refused the victims' requirement to suspend Hopkins and have an independent firm conduct an investigation; - offers no apology to any of the victims; - and gives no indication, beyond a mealy-mouthed "we'll make this a safe environment for all" passage, of any intent to implement changes to prevent this in the future. Here's what happens next. Parents of current marching members will take one look at this statement and yank their kids from the organization, contracts be ######. Corporate sponsorships will vanish. That sweetheart deal you have with Yamaha? Kiss it goodbye. And what alumnus with a pulse is going to donate a penny to support an organization that runs itself in such a fashion? In spectacularly short order, the corps may not have the numbers, much less the finances, to field a show in June. BOD, you have a choice. Step down for the good of the organization, or go down with the ship that you so cavalierly steered into the iceberg.
  13. Top 5: 2008: The hornline. The battery. The random, indiscriminate killing. Phantom's first stand-alone title. Enough said. 1996: That power chord at the end of the second movement seals the deal. Musically, this was hands down the best show of the year. 2010: Paul Rennick's swan song doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves. That's one of the best openers that Phantom has ever put on the field. Unquestionably, "Into the Light" was the most beautiful thing on the field in 2010. 1993: An innovative show in a year that is known for innovative shows. I keep waiting for somebody to put the pit back on the field. And this was the year that Phantom figured out how to have its sopranos wail, but with grace. 2006: One can only wonder what might have been had Cavies' Machine not been standing in their way. With the corps winning their first-even percussion title in '06, this was the year that everything really start to jell for Phantom ahead of 2008. HM: 2003: After so many years in the wilderness after their first-place tie in '96, this was the year Phantom rediscovered their mojo. And this was the show that made me a believer in B-flat in DCI. 1989: The only reason that this didn't land in my top 5 was the ballad. When will Phantom learn that Phantom doesn't do jazz? (And don't bring up '91 or '09 - I didn't think it worked then, either.) Least favorite: -'09 - Like I said, Phantom doesn't do jazz. -'17 - If I heard "Phantasm!" out of the pit one more time, I thought I was going to lose my mind. '95 - An off year for the organization, particularly the horn line.
  14. The U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps performed tonight at a Houston-area high school. I couldn't attend due to a prior commitment, but my wife was kind enough to cue up a video on the school district's website at http://www.ccisd.net/. (I'd link directly to the vid, but I can't find it - right now it appears to be on the front page of the site. Skip to the -46:00 mark to see them feeding onto the field.) Not sure what the rep is for the show, but it looks decent and sounds great. At one point, I realized just how wonderful it was to hear a good horn line really cranking on G bugles. And then I noticed some weird sound effects. Then strings. Yep: they have a synth in the pit, with amps at the 35 on side one and the 40 on side two. Basically, it's Hop's world. We just live in it.
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