DallasManUFan

Super quick question. I've been racking my brain trying to find/remember the answer to this, so I'll just throw it out to the masses: When and why did the defending champion stop performing last on Finals night? The furthest back I can remember the champions going on last was '88, but that was the year of the wacky drawings so it may have just been happenstance. At any rate, I leave this to you fine people. Thanks.

Somewhat short reviews from last night. Please remember that my thoughts aren’t really all that technical, just more of a layman’s view of everything I saw and heard. Traffic to the Georgia Dome was almost nonexistent, which is a small miracle considering that Atlanta is nothing but traffic at all hours in all directions. Parking was great, $7 in the dodgy lot across from Gate B, so we had that going for us. We arrived a bit late so we missed Carolina Gold, Atlanta CV and Pioneer. I assuaged my guilt by dropping some cash in the Pioneer Fuel Fund. Off we go from Section 115, Row 33, Seats 1 & 2. Right on the 50 almost all the way at the top of the lower bowl. This is the final result of banging F5 on my computer repeatedly while on the Ticketmaster website six months ago…but I digress. Mandarins: didn’t like the narration. Felt intrusive and didn’t really add to the show, in my opinion (please note that I am neither pro- nor anti- narration, I take it all on a case-by-case basis). Seemed to have some trouble with the backfield props and keeping them together so that their mosaics lined up. Wife thought that with the black pants, plum tops, black headgear that they could have used a different colored plume to help the tighter groupings not look so much like a blob…this was a continuing theme for her on the night. Cascades: I’m sorry, I don’t remember anything about this show. Nothing. That’s a lie…great plumes. That’s what I remember. Jersey Surf: I really disliked this show. I have no rational or logical reason why, I just didn’t like it. Not sure why. Maybe the overly attitudinal electronic-wind-instrument (no idea it’s proper name) playing guy. Wife really enjoyed the uniforms, she thought they looked like one big Vera Bradley project run amok, in a good way (The Wife watches shows differently than I do). Oregon Crusaders: again another show that I don’t remember much about, other than the New Orleans-style funeral procession across the back field as the main corps is playing a ballad. Academy: please, please, please, please, please get rid of the guy talking during the introduction. Please. Other than that, enjoyed this show. Well played, well marched. Wife really liked the red bistro chairs. (see what I’m dealing with here?) Intermission: Coke Zero and bottle of water to go with the contraband bag of Twizzlers we brought in. Colts: new unis are nice, show was very Colts if that makes sense. Apparently, “if you build it they will come”… Troopers: I loved the new uniform…this color blue seems to show up much better than the old blue. Good look, good theme and a really good show. I’m always impressed by how popular the Troopers are no matter where they go, they seem to have a really good following. SUNBURST!!! Crossmen: Sloppy…nothing seemed to line up or come together. Bad day at the office, maybe? Sound seemed good and musically they were fine. Pacific Crest: I got nothing. No memory whatsoever. BAC: Wow are those grey uniforms bland, which I’m pretty sure is the point, and if so, well done. The red really popped once the grey gets shed. Was that a hint of “Conquest” I heard at the end or just my nostalgic brain hoping with all hope that it was there? Blue Stars: See Pacific Crest Spirit of Atlanta: Home team. Great reception from the crowd. Nice theme, good props. Well executed. Fun. Loud. Good times. Enjoyed this show a great deal. Cavaliers: Not sure what I was expecting. In my mind it could have been anything from a bunch of Gibbons blowing in the wrong end of the horn to a bunch of guys that looked like they were marching with only one shoe on. I thought this show was great. I really, really liked it. From what I heard from the people around me, it seems that the Cavaliers have spent a great deal of time cleaning, culling and changing. Quick question: did this show have narration at the beginning of the season and it was totally taken out or did I make that up on my own? At any rate, I was pleasantly surprised by this show. Intermission 2: Diet Coke, another water, hot dog for me, chicken strips for The Wife and contraband Milk Duds from her purse. Scouts: What a show. Such a good, Madison show. Loved the theme and how they really brought it all across. “YNWA” was the first true standing ovation of the night, and it was well deserved. Kudos to those guys and their staff. Well done and fitting show for their 75th anniversary. Quick sidenote from the wife: “How’d you like to be the guy who paid $2000 to march this summer and then spend 4 minutes of the show lying ‘dead ‘on the field?” She doesn’t get out much. Blue Knights: Holy crap there’s a giant blue ball on the field!! Nothing too memorable, but that’s basically what I think of every Blue Knight’s show. Not that that’s a bad thing but it’s just the way they’ve always been to me. Also, I would have had them in first place tonight based on the four-person tambourine feature alone… Bluecoats: I like the new uniforms. Bleachers, bleachers, bleachers. Seems that they’d be a real problem to drag around the country all summer. Really good sound. Enjoyable show. BLOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Santa Clara Vanguard: Fantastic. Just fantastic. Loved every iota of this show. The mellophone solo, the corps behind the screens, the red/white/blue flag toss. Just a flat-out amazing show. I don’t have the vocabulary to describe how much I enjoyed this show. My favorite of the night, easily. Phantom Regiment: It was Phantom. So Phantom. It was everything you expect from Phantom: lots of bari and euph, emotional ballad, chevron, that halt thing where they kick their left foot out (I’m a wordsmith). Also, I really enjoyed the tribute to the late Manute Bol; that was an unexpected surprise. Blue Devils: I don’t know what the hell I just watched, but I loved it. I need to see this show about 5 more times. Correct me if I’m wrong, and I probably am, but this show doesn’t have any stop for applause and transition to the next piece of music phases does it? If so, I didn’t notice. Just felt like 12 minutes of go, go, go. Maybe I was just too enthralled. Magical show that I just want to see again and again. Carolina Crown: Crowd favorite. The guy across the aisle loved it so much he recorded it on his iPhone. Loud, tons of movement, great music, shakos with no lids and according to the guy behind me, a tenor section that’s going to keep them from winning a championship. Wife’s favorite show. The Cadets: unfortunate that they had to follow the two best shows of the night. Very good show, just a tough spot to go out in. I love “Adagio for Strings” and I love the way it was worked in throughout the show. I kinda wish I’d have been sitting higher up so I could see more of the drill. I’m sure this is a much better show than I’m giving it credit for, just unfortunate to draw a bad slot. If I was a judge: Top Five Blue Knights: tambourine feature = automatic win Blue Devils Carolina Crown Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets That’s it. Very little technical insight, because I don’t have the requisite knowledge, just the thoughts of one guy and his experience.

Same thing only two years earlier. '87 Santa Clara Vanguard is my favorite show to this day.

For me, all quiet moments that don't include someone screaming, "Go <insert name here>" tie for first...

Most likely to do something polarizing: The Cadets.

I'm guessing that an HD broadcast would have been a bridge too far...

What is this rain you speak of? It was 97 at the first pitch of the Rangers/Angels game last night...and I was happy it was so cool.

I've often had the same kind thoughts, but more along the lines of selling the heads of the bass drums...you could easily replace the "Yamaha" with "Pepsi", for example, and I wouldn't think that it would become too much of a distraction. Of course, it wouldn't pay that well either, but every dollar helps.

Nope. Each event is an independent competition. The previous competitions scores (QF and SF) are used to determine who advance. Thusly, Finals scores, being thier own competition, determine the final 12 positions.

Now that Atlanta is over, anyone wanna go play Omaha H/L over at PokerStars?

No, if I was kidding I would have gone: Pioneer Blue Stars Regiment SCV Dexy's Midnight Runners

Devils Phantom Crown Cadets Bluecoats

Crown is my most anticipated show of the night...for what it's worth.

That show did nothing for me, other than what it does every year...prove that The Cavies have more athletic talent than anyone else. Other than that...average show...very, very average.

Well played, sir...well played.