mcjordansc

I think Crown has a better chance at finishing third at finals than falling below fourth.

I never thought I would see another corps wear the 1977 Emerald Knights helmets, but darn if Boston isn't doing it this year.

The first rule of fight club, is you don't talk about fight club.

The Blue Stars design staff know how to put a show together that can score well. Add to that strong brass, percussion, and color guard sections, I fully expect the Stars to beat their 2010 finals score this year. They are going to be spectacular in Indy.

Stars guard must love indoor shows. They look great tonight with no wind.

Crazy how good corps are getting. Blue Stars are better than last year and may not move up in finals position. The Cavaliers are exceptional, but not likely to be higher than sixth. Once a corps reaches finals, moving up is a Herculean task. It makes what Boston has done so impressive.

1979

Blue Stars were noticeably better since just Thursday night. Great show.

FloSports

Iowan stoic. It's the German heritage.

I am sure it looks much different in person. Hard to see what is going on over there on Flo. Plus, this is the July 7 ending. I am guessing the finals ending will take better advantage of the prop.

Any not named Blue Devils?

DCI judges are pretty good at getting the corps in the right groupings by this point in the season. They are also very predictable. I am betting SCV and Bluecoats are within a half point, somewhere around 83/83.5. Cavaliers will be about 2.5 points back, followed by Cadets and Blue Stars within a few tenths of each other close to 78. I am looking forward to this weekend of shows. Not so much because of the top two, but to watch the Blue Stars/Cadets matchup. I think by Sunday we will know if Blue Stars are ready to take down a corps they have not beaten head to head since 1980.

I don't think that many corps have closed rehearsals. I am willing to be proven wrong, but I am guessing you can count the number on one hand and not use all your fingers.

Blue Stars remind me of Boston in 2017. Not the show, but how they took a step up competitively. To move up, the Stars have to jump the Cadets, the same unit Boston knocked down a notch two years ago. The Blue Stars have made some good moves staff wise the past few years and it is really starting to pay off. Friday night might be the biggest early season show they have had in years.

The Blue Stars back in the 70s had a great drinking song sung to the tune of You'll Never Walk Alone. The words were different. It was very creative.

Great corps and enjoy the show, but the quality of the top ten is such that I am not sure they move up this year.

Last year at this show the Stars scored more than four points lower and lost to PR and Crossmen. Regardless of where they end up in August, they are a better corps this year. 7th is very possible.

Crown has it all this year. What a great show. May be very close to an 80 tonight.

Might be the Stars best color guard ever. They are doing incredible work very well.

I think Phantom's demise is exaggerated. This is a better show than Colts, Spirit, or Madison.

As a Blue Stars alum from way back in the day, yes, what they did was remarkable and impossible to overstate when discussing degree of difficulty. Incredible leadership in La Crosse.

A few years ago Boston was like Phantom looking like they might not make finals. They squeaked in. It may happen again, but it will be an up hill fight.

It will make me sad if PR drops out of finals this year, which seems very possible. What has it been for them, 45 consecutive years? Only SCV and BD have are in their league for consecutive finals appearances, with Cavies close behind.

After the opening weekend of shows my three predictions are no one new makes the top ten. Those corps will be the same ones we saw in 2018. The top six remain the same six corps. Blue Devils take gold. The show I saw last night can grow into something that challenges 2014 level of awesomeness.