Mad75

If "Nine White Russians" has the inside scoop, the "overseas" cap you mention is based upon a 1911 version that has a crease down the center. The only clues that Jimmy Elvord expressed in public interviews is a "modernized" version of the "original" 1930's Scouts khaki uniform. Jimmy gave no other particular uniform/costume details...He did say though that he believes "we'll love the look"! In regards to your headgear question, the original Madison Scout hat was the time period Boy Scout wide brim round park ranger hat.

Sorry, I don't know the answer to either of your questions. I simply reported what I was told..."they're still looking to fill the guard". That was from a week ago...maybe things have changed. I do know from Jimmy Elvord interviews that the intention is to field a "large" guard. How that corresponds into numbers would be a guess.

From what I'm being told via those who've been in attendance at the Scouts spring training is that the percussion section is presently head and shoulders the strongest and most mature section of the corps. Overall though, the corps is VERY young this year, especially the horn line. I've also been told that it appears that they're still looking to fill a number of guard positions, but that the rest of the corps is apparently full. The overriding report is that the Men of Madison are absolutely loving the show and that those in attendance are unanimously very impressed and thrilled by the music along with overall sound and visuals! An early BIG setback has been that the weather is not cooperating which means they're somewhat behind on the visual package. Overall, it sounds like everyone is in great spirits and they're genuinely jazzed. Everyone who's given me first hand reporting is telling me that the 2019 Madison Scouts are going to hit us square between the eyes with unmistakable Madison!...Let us hope this is true.

Tesmusic, You're either being purposely misleading, disingenuous, or you simply do not have your facts in check. As much as you continue to laud the praises and pull out the pom-poms for CK and DP and herald their "ruler-ship", It's been communicated that their roles have been changed/curtailed. CK is NO LONGER in charge of the product on the field for the Scouts...And, this is hopefully the change that has been desperately required! I realize this is probably a hard pill for you to swallow...But, the Scouts deserve success, not sub par leaders.

Fact...They haven't been looking...

Wrong...Komnick and Peterson had NOTHING to do with these hires. I'm told that all performance staff hires are now the responsibility of Mr. James Elvord. What shows up on the field moving forward stops at the doorstep of Jimmy Elvord!

Welcome back Michael Turner! I marched with Michael and he's a GREAT talent! He was a part of and taught Madison at a time when Madison's Guards were true innovators and bar setters in DCI!...Welcome home Michael!

Other than the posted "bio", can you tell us anything more regarding this individuals pedigree or style?...Anything further that might excite the masses?

EXACTLY!...

I never said that the need for money was no longer a problem as it pertains to the Scouts...The lack of funding for the Scouts has been a HUGE problem for decades. What this BOD member pointed out was that the lack of money couldn't be used as an excuse this year for having a "down year", because in his words there was adequate funding for this season.

My connection on the BOD has told me that money was not an issue this year! SO, why should alumni support horrible leadership, over, and over, and over, and over again? What? You truly think throwing good money at bad solves things!...In what world? That's not how businesses with failing leadership are treated!...Why do you insist in treating drum corps differently? There's the problem...Follow the bouncing ball on how things operate!

Irrelevant...Almost a 5 point spread beneath the Mandarins, their closest competitor at tonight's show.

I'm guessing you've never worked for a corporation or a company and don't understand how one runs or where the responsibilities lie? Floundering companies can only replace their "support staff" so many times before all responsibility and blame comes home to nest at the leadership doorstep. It's called bad leadership. Some are gifted to lead, some are not. This "management team" has been in place for around 10 years!...How many more bites at the apple is enough for you?

At this late stage of the season, they can make all the changes they want! But, it rarely equates to score improvement as it relates to other competitors. Scouts are probably a lock at 16-18.

Yea!...That's because there's a pretty good chance for them to finish "south" of 16th!!!

Back in the day, Troopers and Madison would square up well and had some pretty good rivalry years...The Casper Troopers would see it as a momentous victory to pass up the Scouts at Finals! At this point, I'd be equally happy for them!

Maybe...Here's the really big problem though! Everyone is making their "BIG" end of season changes right now! The modern day season is only 1 month, 10 days long!...With the season entering it's final 1/3rd, there's NOTHING in the way of changes that will make a difference for a 16/17th place corps at this stage of the game...everyone typically moves up at the same rate together! Stick a fork in it!

Link seems to be dead...

From the look of things in the Scouts rear-view mirror, I'd say 16th place is hardly secure!...There's a few fast approaching drum corps closing at tremendous speed! What a snowballing pathetic job by the leaderless leadership of the Scouts! The best 80th year anniversary gift you could give to the memory, the alumni and the fans of this once great corps, would be for ALL OF YOU to resign en-mass 15 minutes after DCI Quarterfinals! Truly a sad situation...

Partially correct...I was told just a few days ago by the original creator of the Alumni FB Page that he was ALSO contacted by CK to shut the page down! Furthermore, the Originator of the "page" was being threatened to have attorneys come after him for things not liked by this extremely hostile PC "later day" alum! THIS is how bad the division has become (CK, DP, Board President and Board are hugely responsible and complacent in creating this current toxic environment)! The PB page originator threw in the towel and said screw it!...It's not worth it anymore!

BRASSO, what you're seeing "here" is a level of fever pitch frustration that for all practical purposes has nowhere left to go other than places like this to publicly vent! I agree, the most effective route would be to keep "family matters" behind closed doors. Unfortunately, this is the level that things deteriorate too when communication and efforts to help or fix matters have been thwarted, and or shown the middle finger by the likes of Ck, DP, the Board President and Board over the coarse of the past 10 years!

Who's responsible?...Where does the buck stop? Instead of drum corps, think business 101. If after, give or take 10 yrs, you watched the slow death of your beloved family business brought to it's knees; You would do (hopefully) what every other prudent shareholder does and would do...You'd remove the individuals in which all of those critical decisions flowed through that amounted to the company collapse. Allowing these same individuals who destroyed your company to be given yet again another opportunity to try again is the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting a different outcome!)...Fool me once, shame on you!...Fool me 10yrs, shame on me!

I wouldn't assume to speak for BigShow, but for many sickened alumni and fans of Madison, it's the reasoning, (or lack there of), it's the leaderless leadership, it's the manipulative agenda, it's the "let's throw our hands up in the air, signal surrender, and turn the keys over and run this thing by consensus" travesty behind "these" Madison survey's which causes many to view all of this as a colossal slippery slope disturbing symptom and absolutely "illegitimate"!

Admittedly FlamMan, I have practically zero faith that there's a rescue operation on the horizon...You and I both know that the bar has been set so low for so long now, that it's last gasp miracle time!...Fourth down and 95!

Here in lies all the evidence one needs to prove that there exists a complete vacuum of capable leadership at the helm in Madison! As a matter of fact, these flunkies have a brand new "2018 Survey" out there that's weighted even more heavily towards going coed! This is what weak individuals do that don't know the first thing about leadership 101! They throw their hands in the air, and signal to the world, "I've Got Nothing"! They than decide to do what so many arms flailing in the air, last gasp organizations ignorantly choose to do...Let's take a vote to see how to run this thing! They turn in their forged leadership card credentials, and then turn the class over to the students. It's called abdication of responsibility, authority and direction...It's mob rule and steering the ship by consensus and a show of hands...Let's all just lick our fingers and see what direction the winds are blowing! Great leaders lead...They have no need for straw polls!