BlueR36

OK -- did the "From San Antonio, Texas ..." make anyone else go, "Who's from there?" "The Crossmen!!" ... oh yeah, that's right!!!

I enjoyed the Troopers -- brass, drill ... I'm not much of a guard person, sooo ... but they were good. Did they make Semifinals last year? I don't think they did -- but look out this year!!!

Thanks!

Two questions ... the show starts at 4:30 pm ... Eastern or Central?? and does anyone know "how" we're going to log onto the Fan Network to see the show?

I don't think Phantom is there either.

I kinda have to agree. Couldn't DCI come up with a better plan to save a little cash? We really have no idea what these truly will mean when the full panels show up ... as another poster said, Bluecoats should gain when brass gets scored, but CCrown should gain when CG gets scored -- so what do these mean? Are them meaningless? If so, what was the point?

I was hoping the Bluecoats would be higher at a show like this before the season started, but I'm actually pleased they're not too far behind CCrown after the way the scores have been going so far this season. Here's hoping the Bluecoats and their show are poised to peak as the season peaks!!! BTW -- was this a full panel tonight or still the short panel?? And does anyone think the "spreads" and placements will change drastically when the full panels return??

Thanks for the review. While I'm disappointed that my Bluecoats didn't win, like they beat the Cadets early last season, I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the season. Hopefully they'll get those CG problems worked out ... again ... The only review I can give of the show is that listening to the Bluecoats on my home phone while a friend held a cell phone in the stands doesn't lend to a good review ... all I can say is I recognized most of the music and THAT gets me excited to see them in Buffalo for a couple days in early August!!!

Wait -- so the Bluecoats are only marching eight hornline members this year??? There's a rumor for everyone ... Again ... Loud is Good!!!

Do you remember when the extennnnnnded Spring Training actually started for Bluecoats specifically? I agree that gas prices might be a benefit now, but I don't think they were truly a factor 5-6-7 years ago when the change happened.

I like loud. Loud is good. What's that old saying ... "Loud is Good. But soft is clean. Therefore, clean is bad!!"

I have to remind myself that I marched about 15 years ago ... we had "Hell WEEK" in my three years -- not 3.5 weeks -- 5 weeks ... OUCH!! When did that change occur?? I know it was years ago, but I don't remember when. I just remember suddenly going "Holy Crap!" Of course, I think they have about 25 shows this summer, while we had 35 or 36 all three years I marched.

I'm a Bluecoats alum and supporter ... just thought I'd get that out there first. I don't like narration as a whole and wish it would just all go away, but it's here to stay, so it seems. I hope they don't include TOO much into it -- we'll see. BUT, I do trust the minds and talents of the staff. AND, let's not forget how much these shows change from June to August, let alone April.

Things were pretty good for us most of the time. The AC went out occasionally, which made for some pretty sweaty passengers -- some near fainting -- when the trips were long and down south. Food ... we always ate well. Although I wasn't very fond of the "macaroni and Yellow #5."

My corps performed in Bloomington both when I marched and when I was on staff. It was always one of our favorite sites. In fact, "Preview of Champions" was held there at least once with all of the old Division I corps competing in prelims and then the Top 12 in Finals ... I can't recall if it was the same day or a Friday-Saturday gig, but the stadium could certainly handle it. As for the "college town" atmosphere -- I've always heard Bloomington compares to Madison in that aspect. And one more note ... as a long-time newspaper editor, it happens EVERY DAY somewhere in this country that a reporter (newspaper, TV, sometimes radio) breaks a story LONG before it is known to all of the people who "should" know and it will affect. A major national ice skating event was planned for a new ice arena in a city I used to work in once and it had to be moved when the arena was done in time. When I had one of my reporters call people from the ice skating group, they didn't know. It happens. It is NOT a big deal that DCI may not have been completely "in-the-know" ... but I bet they were more aware of what was going on then we now know. Maybe they weren't completely ready for the announcement to be made and maybe they still hoped there was a possibility that the new stadium would be ready in time ... but this is NOT a big deal folks. And if the stadium isn't ready for when the Colts are supposed to host my Buffalo Bills a couple weeks later, they'll move that game too. I mean -- let's get real ... they really want the stadium to be ready for the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS, and if it means they have to move DCI for one week to get it done in time, well, that's what happens. Maybe there's some additional "incentives" DCI will receive for this inconvenience -- something none of us might ever know b/c it might not be any of our business!! Some reporter did his job -- he got a scoop!! Applaud him ... and applaud DCI for having a back-up plan. Someone noted on here earlier that in 2000, they ended up at Univ. of Maryland instead of the Washington Redskins' new stadium or the Baltimore Ravens' stadium, and I don't think that was "discovered" any sooner than this timeframe with or without a "back-up plan" in place. This will work -- Bloomington is A TON better prepared today than Jackson, Mississippi, was or ever will be to host DCI Finals!!

If there hasn't been one already, I officially nominate this above as "DCP Post of the Year ... Decade ... Millennium". I don't think what this activity means to so many has been stated so nicely in a long time. BRING ON SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm VERY glad that my Bluecoats are in there, though I thought 2005 or 2006 would make it in instead of 2007. And I'm VERY surprised that no SCV show made it!!

Phantom Regiment 1993 -- "Fire of Eternal Glory" ... the crab-wedge+spin ... watching and hearing the crowd react to that move and that ballad all season long ... then being in that crowd on Finals night ... WOW!!

Bump ... And wouldn't it be nice to have some current corps re-play this show musically and add some current drill and visual to the package?? The music itself would stand today, no doubt, and the way some of these corps can clean now and the amazing talent on the field and on staff -- it would be awesome-r ... more amesomey?? Just a thought ...

So I was just watching the "Legacy" videos on the DCI Web site with my still-current Platinum membership ... ... and I noticed something I hadn't seen before ... During Cadets 2002, at the point where the corps all stops as says part of the "Pledge" (including the "under God," thank God!!), the video pans from them raising the flag toward the middle of the field and I see a judge stopped, facing the flag, with his hand on his heart, I assume saying the pledge. Anyone else notice that before?? I just think that's cool. Can anyone think of neat, cool or even bad stories of judges doing something on the field?? Not on their tapes -- that's different. We've all either been involved or heard of stories of judges getting run over, but what about other out-of-the-ordinary stories like this one. Drum corps or marching band, I suppose.

And as another poster said earlier, with the membership limit up to 150 this year, why not get someone who is not only good but who really isn't "taking away a spot" you used to have from someone else. And who's to say they can't get this person to perform other duties on and off the field. I don't like amplified voice. I don't like electronics. (I've kinda been convinced the amplified pit isn't TOO bad, but it has helped bring in the rest of this "crap.") But the Bluecoats have used it fairly well so far. I love my corps ... we'll see if I love this idea.

ummm ... ... yup!!!!!

77-7 ... what is this, a Patriots-Bills game?? (coming from a Bills fan, too)

That is most certainly true!!! The man is a legit "hero"!!!

I appreciate your opinion on the placements, but I disagree. The Bluecoats were ahead of Cadets and SCV all season, slipped up a bit in Semifinals, and (in my opinion) "corrected" it on Finals night. The Bluecoats were well ahead of CCrown all season, so I don't see that one -- not even close ... sorry. I kinda agree with several of the other people who thought the Bluecoats should've been ahead of Blue Devils ... at least, the Bluecoats' SHOW should've been well ahead of Blue Devils, while listening to the actual performers told me that it was very close. The Blue Devils might've gotten a little bit of the "benefit of the doubt," but oh well. As for judges "conspiring" to alter placements ... I can see one judge throwing caution to the wind and "messing up" his/her caption, but ALL of them -- that's a bit of a stretch. I just can't see it happening; it would be too obvious with of of us "experts" out here!!!