PhantomPhanatic

The backfield conductor who killed Phrygia was Kyle Nijoka. Koji was the one who killed Will Pitts at the end. Kyle and Koji both returned for 2009 for their age-out.

Crowd Favorites: 05 - Cadets 06 - Regiment or Cavies - it was very close I'd say 07 - Crown (Sorry BD - you may have won but I don't think you were crowd favorite - or even 2nd) 08 - Regiment 09 - SCV (Sorry Crown - I think they were crowd faves this year - you may have won FN voting for who you thought should win - but that doesn't mean it was the fave of the crowd.)

Except for Paul Rennick. I think Regiment got the best Blast! designer of the bunch. :)

I'm a Phantom Regiment Phan but you cannot throw 07 Flower Duet in here. It was shaky and inconsistent all season - a lot of fracks. Even a 1/2 of one at Finals night. No doubt they threw it down the best they had at Finals..........but still not one of the best.

'93 Regiment!!!

Ave Maria from 06 was a far superior ballad (in both arrangement, performance, and original context) than that of Spartacus. I'm going to bet their encore will include some from Spartacus - but not the ballad - I'm guessing it will be the end of the show where everyone yelled I AM SPARTACUS. Just a thought - who knows though.

Rich people will kick in at the very end - BOA will not close down.

Regiment 03, 08 Cavies 95 Crown 07, 08 Favorite all time..................Regiment 06...............Ave Maria FTW! INT 02 as well! :)

No one has anything "to prove" IMHO - and I think that anyone on here commenting and saying things that corps have to prove up on are egotistical. Each corps puts out an entertaining program for the audiences and their staff works 100% to ensure the members have the best educational opportunity possible. So things like this are dumb....... 12 seasons until they are a factor? So is getting 2nd or 3rd not a factor in DCI? Because they had plenty of those before 96, and then have been in the top 5 every year since 2002 (getting 2nd in 06 by less than a point). And let's not forget they have passed up BD in finals 3 of the last 4 years. And whoever said PR has to come out with a show that's awesome to prove BD shouldn't have won last year is completely dumb. You don't win championships based on the corps performance the next year. No one said that Cadets had to come out and win again in 2006 to validate their 2005 1st place. Just accept Phantom was awarded a gold medal and move on. So if there are any corps staff or members reading this - do what you keep doing and keep putting 100% into your shows! Thanks for keeping this activity alive and enjoyable for family fun entertainment and educational success for the members!

This year we had a good Crown v. Cadets Rivalry. The other one was kind of a PR/BD/Cavies 3 way rivalry. Over the years - Regiment vs. Cavies definitely. Music vs. Visual Regiment vs. BD Jazz vs. Classical BD may have finally caught on this year - Regiment has passed them up in finals 3 out of 4 years. 2007 was just a poor year for drum corps as a whole - except for Carolina!

More power to them, and DCI should let them. DCI has no room to be picky with what - 23 World Class Corps (only 21 of which are going on tour again?) I don't think this would ever happen - but if it did - and if DCI was smart - they'd be stupid to not include them. I probably wouldn't accept "donations" from the corps though -- that might be stretching it.

This is great news. Regiment needs an alumni corps for their 60th in 2016!

Yeah........I'm sorry that you are a Phantom hater, but the sound from the crowd reaction WAS much different for them than every other corps. DVDs did the sound justice, and from quality of sound coming from the DVD, doesn't sound like they upped the mic levels or toyed with anything post-production in that respect.

You CAN do Johan de Meij........you will just be charged an arm and a leg to do it. Jay Bocook has an arrangement of his Lord of the Rings Symphony you can find on JW Pepper.

Well Phantom 06 Ave Maria at the end..............technically. They parked the formation - and blew their brains out with an amazing full brass sound! So yes - park and blow there was awesome! How about 05 Rhapsody show during American in Paris? That was one of the first times in some years I actually saw Phantom really having fun with their show! And it's only gotten better since then.

Congratulations to Phantom Regiment - the ONLY corps to beat BD in finals 3 of the last 4 years!

9th Place - 2001 8th Place - 2002 7th Place - 2000 6th Place - 2004 5th Place - 2003 4th Place - 2007 3rd Place - 2005 2nd Place....................................which is actually a tie for 1st.................................in numerical order 2006 and 2008!

Ok - you can't say you aren't convinced they should have won if you didn't pay attention to the visual program. And actually - the judging panel did NOT favor them, because everyone knows Lee Carlson would dip Phantom in Vis. GE and he did (Phantom won overall GE in quarters and semis, but then Lee had them in 3rd on Finals which dipped them into 2nd). I knew it from looking at the judging panel leading into finals, that Lee would move them lower than the other GE judges had during the weekend....................however, ol' Lee didn't dip them enough because............. They won.........the judges scores averaged together had them higher than every other corps..........and it's because that's how the system works.

Those would be almglocken. :)

DCI monkey is right. Carolina Crown had a higher score than Phantom when there was no percussion judge, and beat them. Phantom Regiment had a higher score the rest of the year against Carolina when there was a percussion judge, and beat them........more than once. Those are true statements. Thank you for speaking the truth DCI Monkey.

I think Carolina can medal next year, just not Gold. Rumor has it there will be more drama coming out of Rosemont, so let's all sit back and watch it unfold. I think Cavaliers will be off the medal podium next year. Cadets "came out with a vengeance" this year, as some put it, and they got 5th again. They, along with the Cavaliers and SCV, are going to have to re-invent themselves as their style of shows is stale (not much difference for them in the last 7 years). In 3 years, Cadets have gotten 5th twice. Cavaliers have gotten 3rd twice. Meanwhile BD has gotten 3rd, 1st, 2nd - Phantom has gotten 2nd, 4th, 1st, Crown has jumped up to 4th, Bluecoats have pulled ahead in finals above one of the "top 5" twice now. In order for the following to have more success next year, I suggest the following: SCV needs to figure out who they are. I think they have a huge identity crisis. I think Pearson getting canned might help. You need to get rid of Key as well........and Weber. Key's music is not good, and his arrangements are only slightly better. Pete's drill, while good, is very much the same throughout. I can see a Pete Weber drill from a mile away, but doesn't offer much in the way of different flavors - just one good flavor. I like a variety! :) 7th place..............I don't like where you are heading. The streak of finals better not be in jeopardy! Cavaliers needs to start playing real music again. (I.e. success with shows like The Planets). Saucedo gone - will be a huge help. Drumline is good, they can give PR a run for their money next year maybe. Cadets need to stop trying to be a BOA High school band and start going back to being a drum corps. Quit with the stupid storylines........we are not watching Lifetime TV. Crown needs to take this success and come out with a more indepth and less cheesy show (and don't copy all of Phantom's past music - I know you are trying to play the classics like them - but there's more to choose from) BD needs to not be absurd again! It got you more success than I thought it would have. (You would have not been 3rd place in 06 with this show). Please play more musically and less jazzy in your face! It's good at some points, but not 85% of the show. PR needs to not let their 2nd win stump them on show ideas. Completely take it out of your head when you are thinking of show ideas for 2009. The trophy shouldn't affect what you want to do! Also, just because your drumline was hot - keep it up. I heard you were August clean in June - make it a goal to be August clean in April this year! Coats - You've surprised fans 2 out of 3 years in finals by passing up a perennial "top 5" although this year it was passing a Top 5 to get into 6th (thank you Carolina). I think you are trying to be Cadets-Lite - and I don't know if it will get you in the Top 5 or medal contention. Just as Carolina is the cutsy counterpart of Regiment - you are the cutsy side of Cadets. Regiment got 1st and Carolina got 4th, Cadets got 5th and you got 6th.........see the pattern? Blue Stars - I'll be honest - I think you got just a bit more love than deserved because the judges got excited you were back in Finals. Congrats on it - but I think you will, at best, keep the same position next year. Boston, Blue Knights - I'm just going to lump you together..........please be more exciting. You are always good and always hang around 8-11th place in finals. Boston you have so few age-outs.......make a good run next year - be BOLD - do something exciting and different! Madison - Watch some old Madison DVDs. That's it. Crossmen - Clean Clean Clean.............you have most potential out of the 12-15th place corps I think. Colts - do something similar to 07..........08 was not good design. Probably played better than Madison - but visual and design killed you.

For everyone that has mentioned a Spartacus Part II type show, or even a Requiem relating back to Spartacus............please - for the love of God - NOOOOOOOOOOOO See Cadets 2005, 2006 for reference. Spartacus was magical, and superb - let it be - it will stand in its place in history as one of the all time greatest drum corps shows, period. For those wanting re-do (Fire of Eternal glory, Fantastique, etc...) - I'd say no again. We just had a re-do and it went great. Now we need to do something different, and maybe do a re-do in 3 years on their 55th anniversary - or wait a bit longer for their 60th. (which is my preference). Of course, we'll have to end the show on the 60th with the chevron again.....duh! Regiment will amaze me with whatever Paul and JD pick out. PS. Don't throw the leg wedge move in again for another 3-5 years as well. We all know that was added in On Air at the end to try and bump GE just enough over Billy Joel to get the bronze. (Which it should have anyway without the move!)

I know this will hurt, but they will have to find another way to make money. I'm sure if cities like Dubuque, Iowa and Rockford, Illinois can sustain world class corps, so can Santa Clara and Concord, California. :)

Who won the Corps Director of the Year award this year?

I'm under the impression from people I've talked to that Cavies is an old corps with many age outs this year, Phantom is a young corps (especially the guard), BD was somewhere in the middle, and Cadets were old.