X DM

No. It's a give and take with MOST on here. You can say you don't like a Corps show.. That should be cool. If people say they think your opinion on the show is for the birds. That should be cool with you too. As long as people don't attack a person personally for their opinion, nobody should get upset with somebody just expressing their opinion.

Good point.

Corps moved up, down, and sideways this year ( 2007 ) over last year ( 2006 ) Corps who moved up ( and number of placements over last year ) : Blue Devils.. ( up 2 spots ) Cadets..........(up 3 spots ) SCV............ (up 1 spot ) Crown........... ( up 2 spots ) Boston........... ( up 1 spot) Colts ............ ( up 3 spots ) Pacific Crest..... (up 4 spots ) Cascades.........( up 1 spot ) Pacific Crest.....( up 4 spots ) Corps who moved down ( and number of placements over last year ) : Cavaliers...........(down 2 spots ) Phantom..........( down 2 spots ) Bluecoats.........(down 3 spots) Blueknights.......(down 1 spot ) Madison Scouts..( down 6 spots) Crossmen.........( down 1 spot ) Mandarins.........( down 4 spots ) Southwind.........( down 1 spot ) Went sideways...... ( same placement as last year ): Glassmen Spirit Blue Stars New to Div. 1 The Academy, and The Troopers ( for 2007 )

The " fat lady " sang loud and clear for all who listened in the Semi's..... she sang an encore in the Finals tonight for those who might have missed it. There was never any doubt, and as predicted above the Blue Devils increased their margin of victory from the Semi's....... Again, Congrats to the Blue Devils. They won all the Regionals, and won all 3 shows at Championships, and won going away on Finals Night..... as predicted .

Yup. I offered my congratulations this morning on another thread I started, LancerLady...... also predicted that they would increase their spread from the Semi's and win convincingly...... and it was a pretty convincing margin win by Blue Devils tonight. Also congrats to BD website that gave a running commentary on each corps and were very complimentary on all the Corps performances

Respectfully disagree. The Blue Devils 2007 show is terrific. When one listens to it on audio the blend of brass and percussion is sheer power, and it blends better than any other corps in my opinion. If people think their charts are not demanding..... well..... I just got to disagree with that too. BD does a lot of subtle and difficult visual moves that may not be fully appreciated by some . The cross cadence (with different step tempos) in the mid stanza between the brass, guard, and percussion is innovative, demanding, and executed brilliantly. No Corps this year marches so fundamentally sound as the 2007 DCI Champion. Spacing, coverage, files, distance, visual pattern execution, equipment position uniformity, feet,, etc is precisely executed. Their guard is outstanding. They had the complete package this year, and won all the major shows. There is nothing unsatisfactory to their Championship at all in my viiew. Nobody executed their interesting show better than the 2007 BD. They will be worthy champions in my opinion.

maybe it's just me, but I see Boston possibly moving up and beating BK tonite .They'll cut the point spread to under a point anyway. Then again, BK does have a rather comfortable lead over Boston right now in that 8th spot........expect Spirit's score to drop tonite in 12th despite the fact they may do a better performance than in the Semi's....... BD is a lock for the title in my opinion and look for them to increase their margin from the Semi's......expect the post show " buzz " to be the Anaheim Kingsmen Reunion Corps performance...... and placement prediction threads to start for 2008 on DCP within 48 hours if not sooner...... that's my quick take on what we'll see in the next day or two.

That year certainly makes BD's chances less than 100% if we look back 20-25 years.. We can factor that year into the equation too. BD does not have a 100% certainty of winning tonite. But If Vegas took the odds, I 'd place some SERIOUS money on their chances.

I get your point. However, the regular season MLB baseball team that won the most games in the 162 regular game season wins the World Series playoffs Title MUCH LESS than the number of times the Semi's winner in DCI is crowned Champion the following night. Go back and look at the MLB teams that won the most games in the regular season and they are not a lock at all to win it all in the playoffs. Statistically, with so many teams in baseball and with the regular season winner winning less than 70% of their games ( about 90-97 games ), there is more oftentimes a change from the regular season pennant winners not winning it all. Additionally,when one factors in the variables in the various divisions ( American, National ) where the competition level in the regular season was not uniform between each of the divisions ( East, West) in both leagues ,we can expect more shift betweeen regular season team with the most wins and the ultimate champion. And in MLB, we in fact see just that. There is no 97% chance of the MLB team that wins the most games in the 162 game regular season winning the World Series Title. That we can agree on for sure.

Yes, it's a good exercise for mathamaticians or those so inclined. Go back to DCI the last 20 years ( when new judging systems were put in place in a build up system replacing the tick system). What we find is that the Corps that wins the Semi's wins the Finals in what is called a mathamatical anamoly.... meaning a very rare statistical occurance. Simply put when there are 12 disparate Corps competing on 2 separate nights with a set of more than 6 different judges, statistically, there should be more movement from 1st to 2nd place in a 20-25 year span. The norm would be approx 44% of the time, there should be a shift in placement in that scenario in a 20-25 year span. When there is not, it means other variables were entered into the equation that skews those statistics...... th fact that the semi winner wins the finals in almost a 97% rate in that time frame is mathamatically unexplainable. anyway, this is getting a little convoluted...... So I 'll end it on that note that tonite should still be interesting. And BD do not have a 100% certainty of winning tonite. Just that everything seems on their side for this, even though mathamatically it should not be so cut and dried as it is.

Good point. I would not rule out that scenario. I doubt it though. Either way, BD will be Champion or at worst Co- Champion. I just don't see any other possibility that involves BD not being crowned champion tonight. I really don't. I think BD's win margin will be between 3-7 tenths. But we'll see.

I do think we'll see movement somewhere from 2nd to 12th tonite which will make things interesting. We do see movement each year in those positions, and we can expect a surprise or two tonite there in my opinion. So it still will make for an interesting night in my view. For Corps 2nd-12th, most people will not remember where they finished in the Quarters and Semi's years from now, so for these Corps tonight it is my no means a " go thru the motions " night. ( nor I might add for BD. BD just needs not to do a thoroughly bad performance tonite, and it's theirs )

But see, that's where I WOULD bet my money on this. But people can wait too. No big deal.

I hear you. Statistically, mathamaticians will tell you that the trend should have ended long ago too. That's why we can be ok with this in my view.

People can wait until later tonite or tomorrow to offer their congrats to the Blue Devils. I understand wanting to want for the right protocal and all. I also understand a little bit about how DCI works, so I'm ok with things here too. They really did perform like Champions this year too. It's all about the demand, the fundamentals, execution, a dash of innovation, and being solid across the board, and as an added benefit, their show was pure traditional Drum Corps too which was also kind of cool in my view as well.

Let me be the first to congratulate the Blue Devils as the DCI Champions for 2007, and it's well deserved ! ( you will increase the spread toniite. I have little doubt on that ). BD won ALL the major head to head regional championships, including the ALL IMPORTANT semi's last night. Long time followers of DCI know that when you win the Semi's is pretty much a lock to win the Finals. More importantly, BD won not only the Quarterfinals as well, but all the Regional Championships : 2007 Eastern Championship ( Allentown, Pa., July8th).................Champion: Blue Devils 2007 Southeastern Championship (Atlanta, Ga. July14th)..............Champion: Blue Devils 2007 Southwestern Championship (San Antonio, Tx. July21)..........Champion : Blue Devils 2007 Midwestern Championship ( Indianapolis, Ind. July28th).........Champion: Blue Devils 2007 DCI Quarterfinals ( Pasadena, Calif. August 9th )....................1st place: Blue Devils 2007 DCI Semifinals ( Pasadena, Calif. August 10th)........................1st place: Blue Devils 2007 DCI Finals ( Pasadena, Calif. August 11th ).............................Champion: Blue Devils As mentioned, you'll increase the lead tonite, and you're the 2007 Champion. You won all the major shows. Congratulations !!

I absolutely need to see this performance on that thingee that YOU put in the water that looks like an inner TUBE ( if you get my drift.....haha)

any brain cells left ?....... ( sorry Tank, couldn't resist.... haha!)

No. stef.... the ticket seller does not have " the right to refuse service to anyone for ANY reason ". There are all manner of anti discrimination statutes, both local, state and federal that will protect an individual's right not to be denied service after entering a stadium. Just because you THINK it is so stef, does not mean that it is so. The Constitution was developed to separate powers among the 3 branches of government, the States, and the Bill of Rights Amendments were included as the rights that were to be retained by the people. The Constitution was not constructed to " guide government ". It is essentially the Law of the Land. It pertains to both public and private settings. If I buy a ticket to your Drum Corps show and you refuse me service based upon the color of my skin, my gender, my sexual orientation, my religious beliefs, etc, then you have broken the laws protecting the individual in The Constitution. If someone is"disruptng an event" that solitary individual or few individuals can be removed. No fan or fans can be removed from a Drum Corps Competition for simply booing a performance however. Even in a so called privately financed show. But heckling or the use of profanities can certainly constitute proper eviction by a show sponsor. But the notion that a person gives up his or her basic Constitutuiuonal rights upon entering a stadium to watch a drum Corps show is simply not accurate, Stef. The Bridgemen were essentially evicted from a show by DCI sponsors. DCI refused to allow them to compete and ordered them out of the show. The Bridgemen went to court and got a judge to issue an injunction on DCI that demanded as a Court order to cease and desist their eviction notice and ordered DCI that the Bridgemen be permitted back into the stadium and back into competition. The court wanted time to have DCI justify before the Court if their actions for removal was Constitutional or not. During this time period, DCI decided not to challenge the Court order, and the Bridgemen went back to the stadium and they performed in competition. So as you can see, no " private sponsor "of a show has such wide lattitude as you believe to evict someone nor even a Corps, under The Constitution. One does not give up their fundamental and Constitutionally protected rights with the purchase of a drum corps ticket and the entrance into a stadium. These rights were already " paid for " ...thru blood. And the best thing about these Rights is that it protects unpoular beliefs and unpopular opinions and yes...... even rude behavior within reason.

Interesting thing about the wonderful Award winning production" Blast " was that it became a world wide theatre success when Star of Indiana essentially abandoned their more esoteric musical offerings they played in their final days of DCI Competition and utilized all the great fan friendly music of drum corps classics over the years..... ie. " Officer Krupke",...... " Melaquena "... " Bolero"..." Land of Make Believe ",... Medea ",.... Simple Gifts "..... the Bridgemen drum line blindfold skit, the Phantom leg lift maneuver , etc and so forth Star did follow the " Blast " production with an attempt at a more esoteric type show, called " Future Shock " or some such. However, it suffered a worse fate than booing at the initial performances. They encounterd silence. And later empty seats in theatres. Quickly, the Bankers read the reviews, and pulled the plug on that more esoteric production in pretty rapid time. The production " Blast " is still in operation after many years of success or it was in touring operation until fairly recently.

You and I may not like booing that is audible to the marching members but no booer can be subjected to " dismissal from Finals ", nor can they ( nor should they ) be removed for simply booing a performance. We walk down a dangerous path when we try to remove a fan or fans from the stands for simply expessing displeasure with something in the stadium. If we remove a fan for booing a Corps, should we remove a fan for booing a judge ? For booing the decision to suspend a show for an hour because of rain ? Who gets to decide what booing is allowed and what booing is not ? Just ignore the rude people who boo would be my suggestion.

I think it would be helpful in the discussion to recognize the inalienable RIGHT to boo, but at the same time that it is a very poor choice indeed to exercise that RIGHT to boo a Drum Corps. Some of us who are diligent about protecting one's freedom of speech rights from intrusive acts of censorship also have an obligation to point out how rude it is to boo a Drum Corps. That said, lets not confuse the issue and say people do not have a RIGHT to boo. They most certainly do, so long as this is in an outddoor stadium venue and in a competitive event such as Drum Corps.

Your right to free speech is protected under The Constitution, Stef not only from overreaching government, but also from other people trying to silence you. That right to free speech is not unlimited. One can not scream " FIRE" !! in a crowded move theatre when you know that there is no fire present. The right to boo in an outdoor stadium would be protected under the free speech doctrine. Yelling obscenities at a Corps would not. Some of this is tricky however. Last month, the wife of Yankee baseball player, Alex Rodrigues wore a t shirt to a home game at Yankee stadium that said on the back of the t shirt what Yankee fans can do that were booing and heckling her husband. The statement on the t shirt mentioned what a person can do re intercourse when there is noone else around but just yourself. ( t shirt said " go......yourself" ). A fan that sat directly in back with his family thought the t shirt was obscene and asked the usher to remove her. Since this was a billionaire ball player's wife who played for the home team, his request was essentially ignored. That said, this would be an example where the freedom of speech of the spectator in back should have taken precedence over the the person wearing the obscene t shirt and expressing their " free speech " in that t shirt.

With all due respect, depending upon the venue, you do not have a right that supercedes that of a person who wants to boo. If you are in an auditorium or in a setting that does typically ask for silence, then you are given deference and a person who is acting rude can be removed by an usher. However, in an outdoor stadium, in a competitive event, the right of the person to express audible displeasure before and after a performance is allowed, and frankly you have to endure that person's booing. The person in the outdoor stadium has the legal right to protect their free speech exercise over your right to silence their response to a Corps in a competitive event.

most likely, I'll place the blame squarely now on " sleep deprivation ". SORRY. And to use the baseball analogy, I 've definately lost my fastball, curve and slider today, and I think I 'm about to be removed from the game, 'cuz here comes the manager to the mound ( my wife ) to yank me outta here. I'm gonna take a nap now after I'm yanked and hope I'll be more on top of my game with better "accuracy" tomorrow. Bye for now.