88keys

I agree about the diamonds, but the costumes just didn't do it for me. Forgive my ignorance, but how did they fit in with the show?

You didn't like the blanket dance???? I thought it was...interesting...definitely different than anything I had ever seen.

ugh...It's so hard picking the best yr from, in my opinion, the best guard. 1995--Okay, they were weird, and they weren't terribly clean (compared to the cadets and cavs), but they were good. Not too much to say on this show, good work, good performance, good attitude, and a good guard. 1996--They started off perfect. The first big flag hit which complimented the trumpet staccato was INSANELY effective for me. The costumes were so Dick Tracy with the color (which made sense, seeing as how the ballad came from the movie). After that first big hit, though, things got weird. People became looney in places and the performance wasn't perfect. I did love the end pose with the couple at the end of the ballad. There were parts when the rifles would just be walking around, which made me want to scream DO SOMETHING, but then they got better........good job overall. 1997--They weren't the cleanest (the cadets were cleaner, but that's not to say that BD was dirty), but they were definitely the best. The feathers and the sexy dancing from the girls, with the attitude from the guys, great work, great performance.......just GREAT. The ending was very nice, and the costumes were perfect. 1998--Wowsa...from the opening flags to the end pose, I think the guard was stellar during this show. The Juliets were great, and I love how they contrasted with the Tonys...the rifle work in the second song looked notoriously difficult, but they pulled it off very well. The flags were very nice to watch, and the costumes were cool. Best guard that year? I would've have been happy if either they or the cadets took it. 1999--One word: Perfection. Everything about it was perfect. I loved the opening flag work, and when the guard was in a box around the rest of the corps during the first song doing work. the tango moments were greaaaaaaaaat, and the ending work was PERFECT. This is my 2nd favorite guard of all time. The flag design was great, and costumes were great......just a great show overall. 2000--hmmm, well the costumes were good, and the performance was good, but something was missing. It was a great performance. My favorite guard moment in this show was towards the end of the second song when the hornline has the high staccato notes (from Psycho) and the rifles and sabers in front made the stabbing motion implying the murder from the movie......I though it was genius. Good show overall. 2001--GREAT costumes. GREAT dancing. GREAT work. GREAT performance. 'nuff said. My pick for the best.

It was between '99 and '00 for me, and I chose '99 just because overall, that was a far better show for the guard. '00 was still really amazing though, especially the end in the block--watch the yellow flags up front in the moments before the hit the block, they are seriously moving up there! I like 1999 better because I loved the goose stepping, and the work for Blue Shades was incredible. The other years for the guard a plagued by bad timing and bad work in areas. 1998 was a step forward, and I think was reason for their success in 1999. 1997 was good but sloppy, as with the other years. SCV has a good guard, but when compared to the Cadets, BD, CAvs, Crossmen, etc., this guard just won't cut it for the title.

I voted for 2000 because in 2001 I didn't like the work, in 1999 I liked them but they weren't spectacular, in 1998 they were only okay, in 1997 I think they were being dragged down by a bad show but they were definitely decent, in 1996 I just reallllly didn't like them, and in 1995 they were good but not as good as 2000. Even 2000 had its problems: many drops and a few guard space-outs but the show was just so exciting, and the guard's sequentials fit in with the show so well that you just had to be blown away by them. Definitely the best guard that year.

Hey, I'm new to this board, but I was just skimming through and saw this post...these are my opinions on the cadets guard from '95 up: 1995-- An exceptional guard to compliment an exceptional show. They were clean, and the work was good, but this year wasn't my favorite of theirs because it didn't have enough "Umph!" for me, but still, good job. 1996--Perfection, especially in the guar'd first big impact with everyone on flags. And the last flags, with the cows, were funny. I still don't like this show (guard, brass, and all) because it seemed old-fashioned to me, but that's just my opinion. Still, the guard was good. It's between them, BD, and phantom for my favorite guard that yr. BD was the most creative, I think, and the Cadets were the cleanest (besides a flag drop), and PR was strong all around. 1997--This yr's guard put a smile on my face. The opening hit: WOW...they got a little sloppy at the end of the first song, but other than that, they were great. Great rifle work, and the dancing was fun, to say the least. A flag was dropped, but the person recovered nicely. Cleaner than BD that year, but still BD had something about them that made them my favorite overall (must've been the feathers :) ). 1998--I didn't like the costumes, and I wish that they didn't pull out their flags until the first big hit, that would've done it more for me. The braiding of the hair was nice, and the flags were tolerable. The work was good, but still not my favorite. The rifles were tame compared to BD's Tony's. 1999--Besides quite a few drops, they were good. They didn't move me like BD that year, and the Cavs had nicer colors. I did like the use of different country's flags in the ballad, though, and the rifle work was fun. 2000--Sigh. They were clean, but the guard just didn't do it for me this year. Actually, most of the guards just weren't doing it for me in 2000. The Cavs had a few wacked out members who decided to write their own work a few times, apparently, and BD's show was kind of boring. The Cadet's show was good as far as performance, but it just didn't move me. 2001--With the exception of the Ballad, I completely disliked this yr's guard. The only moment I REALLY liked was during the ballad when it reaches the climax and the guard has that amazing flag toss--EXTREME emotion there. I chose 1997 as my favorite because it was performed brilliantly, and because it was fun. I hope the guard comes back this yr, because for the last 2 years they haven't been up to their usual standards.