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RobertPi1ot

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    Madison Scouts 2010

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted · Edited by RobertPi1ot

    Well put, many alumni including myself (that do not post here) totally agree. They will be louder I am told by Allentown Go Scouts!

    As the original poster, I wanted to weigh back in and say how much I appreciate you alums taking the time to respond to and thoughtfully reflect on my comments in Post #1135 on page 114 of this thread. Briefly recapping, I said that as a long-time, die-hard fan of the corps, I was a "tiny bit disappointed" in the level of the brass volume put out by the Scouts in the Dallas and Converse, Tex., shows a couple days ago. I also noted that the arrangements of Slaughter and Rhapsody are quite tame and don't come close to generating the type of crowd excitement that Ray Baumgardt's old versions did.

    I saw every World Class corps except Jersey Surf perform twice during four great days of non-stop drum corps, and it's pretty easy to make comparisons when you see all the corps back to back to back. I thoroughly enjoyed the Scouts show. I loved seeing the corps in the modified Explorer Scout uniform once again and the music was wonderful and well performed. If the Scouts can jump from 15th to 11th place in a single year, that would be a significant accomplishment, especially considering that there are only about two dozen "large" corps left and the competition is fierce.

    Nevertheless, it was a bit of a letdown that the corps didn't project the volume or produce the excitement I was expecting. The corps scoring directly above the Scouts, such as the Crusaders, Blue Stars, and Blue Knights, each sounded more powerful, and the Blue Devils, Crown, Cadets, Coats, and at times even the Cavies, were in another league. Considering that the corps is one season removed from 15th place, there was no logical reason to think that the Scouts would instantly sound like BD or Crown. But with 84 horns and those uniforms, it was also impossible--however unfair--not to expect them to sound at least close to the great 74-75 corps in terms of volume. And I also expected to hear arrangements that would generate the type of excitement that would get the crowd on its feet long before the end of the show--like 74-75. So I suppose I just had unrealistic expectations. Mason & Co. obviously know what they are doing and they understand the capabilities of their corps. The 1985 version of Star of Indiana had a relatively simple program and hardly resembled the phenomenal corps that followed just a few years later.

    So it's probably a good thing that there aren't too many old-time fans still around who can vividly recall "experiencing" the Scouts live during the magical summers of 74-75. The class the corps showed at retreat after they suffered that heart-breaking defeat at Ithaca--the soprano soloist turning and playing directly to Santa Clara during Never Walk and then marching off to another thunderous ovation with heads held high. And coming back the following year and putting on the most thrilling show in drum corps history at Franklin Field and taking home the title. The crowd, myself included, spent at least half of those 12 minutes, on its feet going crazy, reacting to what was happening on the field. Yes, that's a lot to live up to, especially in year one.

    Is this proposal economically moral?

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    I'll jump in here, again, like I always do, to make a point about why this particular complaint is so annoying to me.

    Over the years, judging has become increasingly based on design and less on execution. No, I don't want the old tick system back, but the reason we have this problem is that the competition has become less about the kids in the corps working with what they've got and more about the minds driving the design. It is WAY out of balance, IMO. Now we have a situation in which design teams (via caption heads) get to pre-sell the show to the green shirted folks before the show even starts. I think it's time to create more parity via adjudication changes instead of focusing on who is and is not worthy of inclusion in some arbitrary 7-corps super league.

    Why is this important? Because if we take away some of the extra bonus points for design and place them back in the world of execution, I believe we would see a LOT more movement in all of the tiers. Movement in placement is EXCITEMENT for all. And movement based on execution rather than design gives the kids doing the job on the field a lot more control over their product.

    The "supercorps" have created for themselves this arbitrary status via judging changes and design initiatives. Now that we've got a change in the BoD, maybe we can bring the driving force of competition back to where I believe it belongs - weighted more toward who is doing the running around instead of who is moving the dots on a computer.

    Amen!

    OFFICIAL 2009 Madison Scouts Thread

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Thanks Jimmy, we did this in 1978 before DCI East. Thank you for the great memories!

    Dear Madison Supporters and Interested Site Attendees:

    I can understand those who question my belief that our gentlemen will come through. We have a history of taking the difficult route from A to B. To paraphrase and then quote Dr. Seuss --”We are in a SLUMP,” “ And when you’re in a Slump you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.” I have been a part of causing slumps and the agonizing wait time it takes to come out of a slump. What I’ve learned is that the only game we can’t win is when we play against ourselves. All other games we can win because we are smarter. We just have to be ourselves, because that is the standard by which we are being adjudicated by. If you see the best of competitors as the tops of mountains, then true Madison is the ocean surrounding them. The 2009 edition is now starting to be who it really is--Mystic Madison. These men will do what ever is necessary to climb those mountains. Having put our men in similar situations, I know what the corps is capable achieving when against a wall. What they need from us right now is faith in them to do their job. They won’t let themselves down! If you still have trouble understanding where I am going, try this: gather 12 small sticks or pencils or tooth pics. Lay them into two piles, one with 10 sticks and one with two sticks. Take a stick from the two pile and break it. Do it again. Now take all the sticks in the ten pile and try to break them. Now you know what we have to do as the back stop for this edition. Go to training and look for the excellence. We always perform at our best in front of a crowd!

    James Elvord

    Lifer

    OFFICIAL 2009 Madison Scouts Thread

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    James (Jimmy), Wow I can hear your voice :blink: Mr. Elvord's horn lines went undefeated for two years and won 3 horn titles. And was the Madison Scouts, period.

    Dear Site Gallery:

    I don't visit at this level/venue often because it is a no-win situation chatting among all the masked experts. However today peanut gallery, I am with Vincent. I personally know the capacity of the Madison Scouts to rise up from the present pit like the PHOENIX and save the beautiful maiden. Three weeks is a lifetime within the Madison culture. When we decide to be ourselves, we can move mountains, eat glass, run faster than a speeding bullet, and dance better than most. Trust me when it is all said and done, the 2009 edition will do all of that! Matter of fact I would be worry if my squad wasn't in 9th place or higher. These guys will WALK ON WATER. If you are a marching member, practical staff member, support staff ( chefs, bus drivers etc.), admin staff , or just a Mad-City fan--- I believe in YOU!! Now get up out of that hole and LET IT RIP GENTLEMEN. Go take somebody's name, their girl friend, her red slippers, the dog--take any you desire in the next three weeks. It is your birth right and pedigree as Scouts. Go MAKE YOURSELVES PROUD----YOU ARE BETTER THAN THEM. YOU ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    James Elvord

    Old family member

    OFFICIAL 2009 Madison Scouts Thread

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    I agree.

    I agree with the late season surges the last few years, but one thing that would REALLY help is if the Scouts learned the show earlier. It was less than a week before the first show when they started learning the closer this year. It seems to me that waiting so long to learn the last tune really puts them at a disadvantage, and sets up a slow start to the season.

    Best Madison Show ever

    in DCI World Class Corps Discussions

    Posted

    Yep..1975.95.88

    Such a show was considered in the late 70s, but was dropped when a test audience died of cerebral hemorrhaging.

    However - there were 2 "close calls":

    1978: Malaguena was the opener and we played the Slaughter fanfare as part of our warm-up. Fatalities: 0.

    2006: Alumni corps. Again, to protect audience members, not all of Slaughter was played and the version of Malaguena did not include the '88 ending. Again, no known fatalities.

    Over The Years.......

    in Historical Junior Corps Discussions

    Posted

    I agree, I would put General Butler and the St. Paul Scouts in 1972 too.

    72-74 Blue Rock

    74 Polish Falcons Cadets

    75 Precisionnaires

    79 Offensive Lions

    80 Seattle Imperials

    81 Holy Family Defenders

    82 Memphis Blues Brass Band

    84 Les Eclipses

    87 Florida Wave

    Some great corps that never made it to DCI Finals.

    Tired and Old in Pa

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