KakkoiiOtaku

I'll play along, but I'll add that mine are not predictions ... they are just what I'd LIKE to see happen next year. Obviously, this is only counting WORLD Class Corps ... assuming they are going to continue the Prelims format next year. 1. Carolina Crown - I was lucky enough to witness the most incredible and mindblowing performance, I feel, that I've ever witnessed being there on Finals night this year. I am, in no way, saying "Crown is entitled to the Gold" as some (a small percentage) BD fans on here say (i.e. "I don't know why Crown fans feel like they're entitled to a Championship."). I just feel like they've had two seasons now where, I feel, they earned it. It was just that the judging community didn't feel the same way for whatever reason. However, I really feel that, after this incredibly successful season, they will build an even more amazing show and can hopefully be the first new Champion since Phantom in 1996. 2. Santa Clara Vanguard - It has been way too long since Santa Clara last medaled. If I remember correctly, it was 2004. Santa Clara seems to be on the right track now to get back into the Top 3, I'm hoping as early as next year. With all the staff changes for the 2012 season, if there is a large amount of staff retention for 2013, I think this is actually possible. In fact, I am going to go ahead and say that I want to see Crown win in 2013, but Santa Clara in 2014 with Crown second. :) 3. Madison Scouts - This years corps shows that something special is happening at Madison. If they keep it up, next year, though I know it's a huge stretch, I would love to see them back in the Top 3 -- especially for their 75th Anniversary season. 4. Blue Devils - I know I'll probably end up getting flamed or red neged for this ... but, this is what I'd like to see. Now, if they would start doing shows like 1999-2003 again, I'd love it! However, I know this is still probably unlikely. The only way they'd finish out of 3rd place would be if it was really close, score wise, between 2 and 4. 5 or 6. Phantom Regiment - Though they had an amazing year this year and deserved their medal, I just really want Madison and Santa Clara to get medals along with Carolina Crown in 2013. So, knowing that Blue Devils would probably not drop lower than 4th, this is where I'd like to see Phantom. I just don't know whether I'd want them in fifth or sixth. 5 or 6. The Cadets - This is not meant as a way of saying I have something against The Cadets. No. I really loved their show this year. I just know that, with where I'd like to see other corps, The Cadets would have to drop. I just don't know whether I'd want them in fifth or sixth. 7. Bluecoats - Basically, this is just where they'd have to be with Madison popping up into the Top 3. That's the only reasoning behind me saying I'd want to see them here -- that and that I wouldn't see them beating Phantom or Cadets this year ... unless they have an amazing show. 8. Spirit of Atlanta - I think, though it's probably asking too much, that I'd love to see Spirit place in eighth next season. Earlier in the season this year when Spirit was placing close to eighth, I thought they had a chance of doing it this year. It's sad that they ended up 11th. However, I would love to see them do it next year. 9. Crossmen - Something amazing is happening at Crossmen. Seventeenth to twelfth in one season's time? Yeah ... there's a fire rising (no THE DARK KNIGHT RISES pun intended) in the Crossmen and it's AWESOME! I would love to see them come out even more on fire next year and pop up to ninth. 10. The Cavaliers - This is where I really thought The Cavaliers should have finished this season. Not a knock on the marching members, though. I just felt like they were not the same without Michael Gaines. So, I'd want them down here. Plus, with Madison and Spirit popping up into the Top 8, two corps would have to fall out. Also, without Michael Gaines coming back, I think it would take them a LONG time to rebuild. 11. Boston Crusaders - And, as much as I love Boston, to see the above results come to fruition, I'd want them out of the Top 8. It'd be the only way that outcome would even be remotely possible. 12. Blue Stars - I love Blue Stars ... and I really didn't want them out of Finals this year, but as the season wound down, I knew the only way I'd see Crossmen back in Finals (which I personally wanted to see more than I wanted to see Troopers back in Finals in 2009 ... and I wanted that REALLY bad!) would be if they knocked Blue Stars out of Finals. That being said, I would want them back in next year, but with absolutely no information about the next season, I just don't have the confidence to put them any higher. I know I'm one of the few who loved it, but I just really wish they'd do another show like ReBourne! I loved the aggression of that show! I thought it was a travesty that they didn't stay in the Top 8 with that show. But I digress. 13. Blue Knights - Obviously, by wanting Blue Stars back in Finals, someone else had to be knocked out. I knocked out Blue Knights just because there was no one else that I would want to see out of the Top 12. This is nothing against the Blue Knights ... I love Blue Knights. It's just that, to see Crossmen AND Blue Stars remain in Finals, I thought this was the only logical outcome for my list of "things I'd "like" to see." Again, none of these are predictions. 14. Jersey Surf - After the success of "Bridgemania," they adapt a new identity ... doing more fun shows in the same vein as "Bridgemania." They also have a huge jump in membership thanks to "Bridgemania." This is what I'd like to see happen so that they can rise. I really want them to keep doing more shows like "Bridgemania." I think the activity needs it. I also think that, if they do and are continually successful with it, they will eventually be in the Top 12 ... possibly as early as 2014. 15. Troopers - I would love to see them start to surge back up and make their way back towards Finals. 16. Teal Sound - I know this is the most "out there" and least possible of all of what I've said here, but let me explain why I said this. I would love for them to find some kind of financial sponsor that could help them get back on the road and hire an incredible PR Guru that can quell all the bad PR out there thanks to their folding this season so that they could come back in 2013 stronger and with even more talented membership, finally placing them in the area I wanted them to place in 2010. I know we probably won't see them again in 2013 ... maybe not even in 2014 ... but one can dream. That's where I'm going to stop. I don't really have any opinions about the others right off the top of my head because the way I feel about those corps always depends on the show they put on the field and how well they perform. For example if Mandarins show next year impresses me, then I'd want to see them rise. I was just using Mandarins as an example, though. Just a hypothetical. I loved their show this year and wanted them higher, but it is what it is.

Trolls are a funny sort of creature, aren't they?

I have a feeling I'll probably get blasted for this ... but here's my opinion: Very interesting recaps tonight. Sure, Blue Devils opened the gap up big time from the last time they saw Crown (0.2 at NightBEAT to 1.15 at Allentown tonight). BUT, Crown won Brass, Music Analysis and PERCUSSION! Yes, Crown scored higher than Blue Devils in percussion! That is a first this season, as far as I know. On the other side, Crown was a full point behind BD in Visual and half a point in GE ... mostly thanks to GE Visual and GE Music 1. So, all that being said ... Some people are going to say there's no way Crown can beat Blue Devils now. I respectfully disagree. I think the percussion will continue to remain clean now that they've achieved this level. So, all they need to do is really work on the visual part of the show (which I understand there was a new ending tonight, which I would assume led to some dirt) while continuing to make sure the percussion can maintain tonight's achievement and they can pull this out! Come on, Superhumans! You can do it!

It is a regional. it's called DCI East. This is the last regional before World Championships. It's just traditionally a two night event, so they've kept it that way.

If it's like the meal ... it's a meal of fish (surf) and steak (turf).

Okay, I know it's not on the schedule and I don't think DCI has ever done this before, but hear me out. I was at NightBEAT this year and was sitting in the front row on the aisle next to the stairs they put up for the staff. There was someone right on the other side of the wall in front of me operating a computer that was hooked up to four microphones. He was definitely recording audio. I saw his badge at one point and I recognize the name from a name I've seen on previous APD's in the "Comments" section of iTunes in reference to someone who helped create the APD. So, I thought DCI might be surprising us with APD's that were not on the schedule. However, as of right before I posted this new topic, I haven't seen any APD's posted from NightBEAT. So, was I just reading too much into this, or does anyone know if they were recording APD's for this event? I haven't been to NightBEAT as a fan since 2003, so I don't know if someone recording the audio is normal or not.

Know of any changes? :)

Oh, don't get me wrong ... I love the ending as it is. I just feel like it would be even more touching and better for GE if they did were to end up doing what I posted earlier.

I just finished watching (again) the 25th Anniversary special performance of Phantom of the Opera from the Royal Albert Hall ... and one thought came to my mind at the end regarding Vanguard: What if Vanguard slightly changed the soft ending of their show to where it ended with a short silence, the corps singing "It's over now ... the Music of the ... " and end with the final chords of "Music of the Night?" I think that would be AMAZING!

If those are the true designations, then consider me a FULL ON yahoo!

Yeah! And, oddly enough, that was also Santa Clara. :-p

So, no one thinks it's weird that SCV got a 90.456? As far as I know that's not possible. It can either be xx.x25, xx.x50 or xx.x75 as far as I know. I think it's just a typo, but still.

I saw that after I posted my response. I wasn't being snarky in either except when I felt you were insinuating that I didn't know what I was talking about. I apologize for that now.

I didn't need to because I watched the two webcasts live and have already watched the Houston VOD. I personally thought it sounded awkward without. Thank you for assuming I had never seen the videos.

Here's your honest answer. It's better WITH the Yell. I figured that would be obvious by now. Those who like the Vanguard Yell will say it's better with it and those who don't will say it's better without.

THIS!!!

The drumline is running through a rough patch. Yes, they placed seventh at Atlanta and fifth at NightBEAT and Murfreesboro. However, if you look back at the scores, they came in third at San Antonio. I know that was over a week ago, but it shows that the drumline is just in a rough patch right now. Certain parts of the show for the percussion section were the cleanest they've ever been at NightBEAT (the percussion pods in the main Fanfare section). That alone shows that you can't count these guys and girls out yet. Percussion has always been a perennial Achilles Heel for Crown. But, this is an amazing line with an amazing staff. I feel they will rise to the task over the next week and a half and, while I don't think there's even a slight chance that they will win the Fred Sanford Award (that will go to Vanguard), they should place third in percussion. But, I also see it all being a tenth, two at most, separating probably the top four lines. Long story short, don't count them out just yet.

You are definitely welcome to your opinion, but I added my opinions (in bold) to your post. :) As far as Open Class goes ... Oregon Crusaders or Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets win the gold with BDB placing third.

Now that I realize it was sarcasm, I went back and gave you a plus ... which worked out because someone had red neg'ed you.

Sorry. I did see your first post and knew your response to me was based on that post, but I didn't realize the first post was laced with sarcasm. I actually, for some reason, assumed you were serious. After all, it is so difficult to convey tone on the internet.

Did you miss the rest of my post? It ruins nothing because the Yell is in silence. If I'm with someone who wants to do it but doesn't know where it is, I tell them before the show and give them a low hand signal as a reminder right before. So, no. I am not a "goober" who "might ruin it for others." In fact, if I'm not mistaken, the corps puts the silence there specifically FOR the yell ... allowing the audience to become part of the performance. Therefore, it's what the corps wants. Again ... it ruins nothing.

I don't understand what the big deal is. The yell itself is always in a moment of silence. So, those who say they're missing something ... you're not. It's hype. That's what it is. The only time I have ever gotten upset about the yell was in 2009 when people kept yelling it even though the corps specifically said they didn't want fans to do that for that season because it didn't fit with what they were doing. Then, it was brought back last year and I joined in. I will also do it this year because it is part of the Vanguard Tradition.

You definitely weren't the only one! I did it too! :)

In case people are looking for the ZippyChat ... here's the URL again: http://zippychat.com/room/yyrdv See you all there!

I actually thought it might be that. I worked on the sound crew for my University's Marching Band (Western Carolina University) for two seasons and we had to deal with that from time to time. So, that makes perfect sense. Thanks!