The Tsar

Well guys....it's been fun, but this is my last post on DCP. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, I pack up the truck and head to my new life in Athens, GA, where I will join the faculty there along with some fantastic colleagues that I am going to be very lucky to learn from. I was not surprised during the job search process to have folks on search committees tell me that they had run across some of my posts on DCP via google searches. Luckily, I've never really gone off the deep end here, but it was enough to put me on notice. Truly, everything we do these days is open to the world, and I can't take chances with my college teaching career at its very start. I'm sure I will still see some of you at DCI events and via the online world. And who knows...perhaps at some point in the future I will return, though not with a recognizable screen name. There are some very good, very knowledgeable, very impartial, and very friendly posters here. Then there are the exceptions, of course, and I won't miss them. But I will miss talking to you. Yes, you. In any case...if anyone ever needs to get a hold of me, you should know how to find me. Don't PM me, as I won't be checking DCP for a good long while, at least not until I am settled and the Fall semester is behind me. It's going to be a busy (but fun) time. Go Dawgs! (Good thing I get to keep hating the Gators). These are my final DCP predictions. Maybe I'll get lucky and get 40% of them right. 1. Blue Devils. These guys are just too clean right now. The horn line will likely start scoring better, and that guard will continue to kick butt. Either Cavaliers or PR could make a push, but...this is the Blue Devils. I'm not saying they don't have a good show (they do), but let's face it, they'll also get some points for being the winningest corps in DCI history. That should be at least worth 2 tenths...and it may be all they need. 2. Cavaliers. The new ending is quite dirty, but even so they are fairly close to the Devils. Once it's clean, I think they'll be able to hold off Regiment by virtue of superior visual scores. I am somewhat disappointed by the show (musically), but we can't deny that these guys march their tails off, and their guard is pretty darned good too. 3. Phantom Regiment. I love this show. I don't care where this show places, 1st or 8th. It's a great show, and as far as the brass book, well...I think it is some of the toughest stuff they have done in a long time. I find the brass to be a little bright at times, and I wish they had started the season with 4 more contrabasses, but for the most part, they perform the bejesus out of the music. The visual design could be better, and it will get better over the years as the new drill designer continues to improve and become comfortable with the process. 4. Carolina Crown. This is a great show, but upon repeated viewings, it is lacking something, though I'll be darned if I can tell what it is. The brass is great, the guard is great, the visual program is solid...I don't know what it is. But I think I was right when I said earlier in the year that Crown is on its way to a championship in the next few years. 5. The Cadets. I am not going to say much about the narration aspects of the show. The brass and visual programs are quite good (though sloppy at times), and I think that if they had been more focused on that this summer, this corps would be top three. 6. Bluecoats. At the beginning of the year I thought this show was a step backward for them. Boy, was I wrong. There are stronger corps all around this year, so they won't come back into the top five this year, but I really dig this show. The visual never quite got clean, and they have some program issues related to the pacing of the show, but don't let their 6th place finish fool you: This is a great corps. 7. Santa Clara Vanguard. Such a fun show...but so dirty. I've said it before, but...maybe SCV should toss a ton of money at Todd Ryan (or one of his more talented proteges). Feet were a mess last night in Atlanta...the closer is coming along better, but it is still somewhat weak compared to the rest of the show. There's nothing wrong with SCV...they will still be quite strong for next year. 8. Blue Knights. The show is dark and subtle, and it rubs many people the wrong way. Hey, that's the way these guys program. But it won't get them back into the top 6 this year. They need more visual pizazz. 9. Boston Crusaders. To be honest...I am not sure I care for this show. But it is being performed fairly well, and I was surprised to see them down to Blue Stars last night. I don't think it will last. 10. Blue Stars. I have a better feeling about their show than I did when I saw the earlier webcast, it has cleaned up nicely. How cool for them! What a great story to be back in the top twelve after over 20 years. Kudos to their staff and members. It will be interesting to see what happens with them next year as they keep fighting off the Scouts. 11. Glassmen. Fun show, especially considering the types of shows these guys were doing when this decade began. I would love to see these guys become a top 6 contender again. 12. Madison Scouts. I don't know why, but...I'm calling it. They're going to be back in Finals. I have a feeling they will surge past the Crossmen. The show is coming along better than I thought it would. But I would still love to see them do a Buena Vista Social Club show next year. Farewell, The Tsar.

No need for gunplay. I agree that they have as good a shot. It isn't my favourite Cavaliers show of the last decade, but it's sitting in 2nd place right now with some cleaning to do....I'd say they have a better shot at the title than Regiment does.

Why ask why? Personally....I think that fans refer to them as "Phantom" because it's the first word in the name. As for members and alumni...not sure. I don't ever recall making a decision to call them "Regiment." I just did...from very early on. Maybe it was referred to in that way by other staff and members and i just picked it up, maybe not. I don't have any problems with a non-member calling them "Regiment" however....and I don't think i have ever seen a FMM who does. But I tell you what...on at least two occasions I have known right away when someone was lying about marching with PR because they started with "Oh yeah? I marched with Phantom." Well, maybe I didn't know right away...I am sure there are FMM's who do refer to them as "Phantom." But it definitely put me on my guard. (And the ###### who claimed to march in the baritone section one of the years I marched was just in trouble from the get-go).

Ok. So I was a year off on this prediction.

I don't see it. They are clean right now. But their brass has issues...about the only thing that I would call "untouchable" in their show right now is their guard. Heck, even a non-guard person like me can see they are out of this world. If they win Finals, it will be by less than a point. Corps will catch up.

Well duh, I'd obviously have an evil filter installed in the cloning device. Hey, I'm not crazy over here.

There's no doubt that the Devs march whatever they are given very, very cleanly. And I must say, I do enjoy this year's drill design much more than I have most years (2006 being an exception). But...I'm not seeing it when people say that the Devs' drill design is light years ahead of Regiment's. I think they are near the same level* in design, though I do believe Regiment's demand is slightly higher. *Unless by "visual design" people are talking about guard...in which case, BD is certainly LIGHT YEARS ahead of Regiment in that department. Oh, and in the "clean feet" department. But in the actual design department/layout of the drill? Not sure...there certainly is a lot of standing still, running around, and "walking the tightrope" action that -while cool- is not exactly ripping up the demand charts. But daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn they're clean. Sheesh. I wish I could clone Todd Ryan and send the clone (Rod Tyan) over to Regiment.

You're an interesting fella.

I'm still waiting for you to point it out to me. From what I saw, most of the jazz running looked like 5-to-5....which I don't recommend attempting to do without jazz running unless you've got really long legs. Please tell me where I can see the 6-to-5 jazz running. I'm serious, not being sarcastic...I want to see it...

You mean like when Cavaliers used it in the Fight Club scene in 2002 and no one said a word back then? Oh, but if Regiment does it....it must be "teh suck."

If they WERE to go black one of these years....I have just one little word of advice: KEEP THE WHITE UNIS AROUND! Imagine the GE if they HAD come out in all-black for Finals in 2006? Couldn't do that because the black unis were probably sold off to a high school after 1999. Keep the unis somewhere in storage if you do change again....just in case. (Just please don't go back to the white pants/tan top).

If you don't have a large and somewhat competent guard in DCI these days, fuggedahboutit. That's what you get for having so many guard folks judging the visual categories. I wonder...of all the visual judges, how many of them are drill writers versus color guard personnel who don't write drill?

I was pilato_n@cmr.fsu.edu. Back in the good old days of Usenet, before AOL and WebTV access. I can't remember the gRAMDies I won, it was a few...usually for sarcastic flame responses, faux news stories, or smart-alecky one-liner comebacks. I think I also won "Sexiest Male Poster" or something like that....with Martha Leeson (now Garcia). Maybe it was Cutest Couple or something (even though we never even met! Heh). Now I am curious....I am off to google stuff.... Aha! Found some. I had forgotten all about my crappy roommate that inspired the following gRAMDie-winning (real) story: The Roommate Saga That was not a fun time. I know I won a "Best Flame" gRAMDie for this rather crude riposte (original poster I was responding to was deleted): "> I see you've set aside this special time to make an ### out of >yourself in public. How cute. You're probably nothing but a lame attempt >at trolling, but what the heck: I'm bored. I'll play along, dillweed. > Son, you've brought a knife to an intellectual gunfight. I don't >know what your problem is, but I'll bet it ain't easy to pronounce. No >one in his or her right mind can claim superiority of vantage point on >either side of the fence (which was the point that went whizzing over your >head at the start of this thread, you dolt). While people who are there >live can get the "feel" as you like to put it, they can't see (or hear) >everything. In this regard, someone watching the broadcast gets a better >"sample" than you, no matter where in the stadium you are sitting. > Let me put it in terms someone like you can understand. If I were >there in that dungeon you call a room, I could FEEL the waves of idiocy >and neglect coming off your troglodytic skull. However, since I am not >there live, I can not catch all of your stupidity, only snippets of it >through the incredibly asinine post I am responding to. But regardless, I >am able to get a sample of your incredible lack of worthwhile brain cells, >just from this alone, and perhaps I am able to get a better idea of all >the facets of your ignorance than I could were you spewing it LIVE. Get >it? No, I didn't think so. > Listen, caveman...why don't you take both your IQ points, rub them >together, and see if you can start a fire? Perhaps one day, far off in the >future, when you finally catch a clue, we can have a rational discussion. >Until then, I'll leave you to your whiny, hysterical moronity. " I was a right little pissant, wasn't I? Kinda glad I don't have that sort of temperament anymore. Or do I? Apparently, i won "Most Improved" in 1996, 1998, and 1999. That's a LOT of improvement! Over the course of those years on RAMD, I won "Funniest Poster," "Best Writer," "Best New Poster," and who knows what else. Probably "biggest ###### in the universe" as well, and I would have deserved it, heh. Those were the days...ah, so full of innocence.

Problem is... It isn't like DCI's website ignored the Blue Devils...they very clearly mentioned that the Devils were still undefeated and had won 17 straight (did no one read the story?). It just seemed a little like piling on. I get it. There have been a few vocal fanboys out and about this morning...if you're a fan of the corps that is for all intents and purposes the 2008 Champion-to-be-crowned, I can understand why it would get annoying. But let them have their fun...sadly, I think that will be dashed either tonight or in Bloomington (it won't matter to me....I will still enjoy the heck out of this show). Besides....I am "retiring" from DCP on Sunday night, and I want to see if I can hit 1500 posts before I move to Athens.

Mine said "Go eff yourself." I think it is borked. (but my tea leaves said Regiment is going to finish 3rd this year)