bhs alumni

so after rereading through the links...i'm still confused, but a little less so. i had read up on the subject before, and knew (somewhat) about the beginning and DCI success of Star, but it always seemed like a mystery as to why Star left...i had heard the rumors, but it seems to me now upon re-reading Bill Cook's recollections that perhaps there was no conspiracy....he just decided to move on? seems strange still, but can anyone confirm that that's all it was? i had heard something about it being a huge disagreement with DCI or a problem with a contract with a vendor (Yamaha?) or something else, but now it seems those are in fact just rumors....truth?

that last sentence in the opening paragraph (which i'm not sure i'm allowed to quote on here)....WOW!!!!

this is from DCI.org but a semi-extensive search of the news archive cannot find the original wording of the rule, nor the announcement of the new rule from 2001, which i again believe was explained differently...i did however find the announcement of the new division and championship format that was subsequently scrubbed...never knew about that, and i find it very interesting.

nothing but CIRCLE DRILL!!!!!!

in before merger....btw it's the president....give him some slack, i saw plenty of "breaking" this is lame edit: my bad, in before close (thought the old topic was still open)

does the 40 brass include the folks from thunder?

the overall answer is the olympics...as already pointed out, it's not an every year thing (for you 2 year people) and as also pointed out and more importantly how often is it in the USA? that means it's the rarest of all the choices above. also plenty of countries might watch the inauguration, but how big is the parade's international audience? i would like to point out that the Tournament of Roses parade/game shouldn't even be on this list...i understand why it is, but let me explain: having marched in the parade twice with the L.A. All-City High School Honor Band (one of the "annual bands") i can tell you it's vastly overrated. the spectacle you see on TV is about 1/2 mile at most into the parade route. it's about a 5 story multi-tiered, scaffolding packed as full of cameras as you can imagine. that's pretty darn funny to look at, but after that point it becomes the same as every parade i have ever been part of in 4 states!! also, i have been told what an honor it is to be selected to march in it and how big a deal it is when the tournament president comes out to make the announcement...let me say the talent and the standards have gone down exponentially ($1 to Lewis Black) since i marched. At that time (new year's 1999 & 2000): the minimum was 250 marching members (which exception to annual bands and hawaii, which usually made the cut IIRC). i can't tell you how many bands i've seen since than who barely boast 150...now i understand (coming from a band of 50 in high school) that the big bands aren't as common as you might think but if you're gonna have a limit, hold to it. also, and this could be the sound over the TV, but the musicianship of many of these bands seems to have gone down as well. i should also point out the coverage is terrible...first of all if the TV station doesn't leave to commercial when your band is marching by, and if they aren't talking about flowers during the entire time you are playing, they are more wrong in their commentary than they are correct: "From Santa Clara Community College, the Santa Clara Vanguard Marching Band"...LA All-City Band was "marching in the 2009 inaugural parade" no they didn't...why would you even say that?? and even worse is the occasional broadcaster who might have been in band in high school and tries to relate to what's going on...usually they know even less than the brainless goop reading the script. every year i can't tell you how many inacuracies i find from as minute as how the band takes "the turn" (this year one of the annual broadcasters was shocked to see a new style of turning...the same that All-City does EVERY YEAR!!) that being said it's my favorite parade which i watch every year and it's how i met my fiancée and i wouldn't trade my experience for anything. </pedestal>

well i don't think that would have been an issue because IIRC, the "tiebreaker" wasn't total number of captions won...i seem to remember the broadcast team explaining that it was the highest overall GE that wins. in other words: 2000 - Cavaliers overall GE score was 39.1 which would have beat the Cadets' 39.0 1999 - SCV overall GE 39.7 beats BD's 39.5 1996 - Phantom wins with 39.2 to BD's 38.9 all numbers courtesy of fromthepressbox.com (love that site)

the open class directors have their own board...their collective "power" is discussed and given a total of one vote....well actually that was under the old system, now i'm not sure how it works....probably still the same for rules since the whole world class still vote on those

a very well worded statement and thanks for your insight. actually your comment about them not trying to rent the hall because bingo was the cash cow is an interesting one...lesson be learned to any prospective future corps directors out there: more money is always good...never rely on one avenue to fund your corps. bill cook started two business (besides the $1 million trust fund) to found Star of Indiana: Star of America bus lines, and a travel agency. had the spartans thought to use the building during the off-season, might the financial part of this story still be an issue? interesting for me to think about.

ahh, a Plainfield alum? the distribution war has been with DCI as well...can't get my hold on a Velvet Knights "through the years" video because he can't sell them to me. IIRC he said he has some on the shelves, but it's all owned by DCI now.

true, but you have to admit this...no matter what you think of BD personally....they are always near the top: not being out of the top 5 since the first time they made finals (1974 - 9th place, their second year in DCI competition) and only 7 times out of the top 3 since than as well only once being since 1994. that gives them some 'cred.

i don't consider it a championship for BD, nor 99....i'm sorry i've watched both championship shows from each year (BD/Regiment - BD/SCV), heck i even knew two of the tuba players from BD 99....IMO BD should not have tied either time and i am still trying to figure out what the heck the judges saw in those shows (or even last year's which IMO shouldn't have even been top 5, but that's another argument.) i guess chalk it all up to the BD bump

unless finals were in San Diego, because they have quietness rules (which didn't stop a corps from having a second encore even though most people left after SCV's encore)

yes...Larry McCormick - founder, Scott McCormick - son and current President/CEO

not really an MBP thing....too bad there's no PDP (pipe and drum planet)

i have to imagine that DCI won't ALLOW them to tour unless they are assured everything is in order first...just to avoid any potential issues that might arise towards the members. (obviously i'm not saying there are any issues that might come up, just i think DCI will want to keep a very close eye on this one)

he's been on the board for years

interesting that George Hopkins was only voted to a one-year term

yeah, just noticed this...welcome back Scades

yeah, but he has already "aged-out"

but what equpiment are they talking about....wasn't the horns owned by the third party? corps have all kinds of other equpiment not limited to scaffolding, pit vehicles, sound equipment (long rangers and if they used amps as well), plus any food truck related items they might have had (cooking utensils, punch jugs, tables, etc), souvie booth stuff (tents, tables, etc) so there could be plenty of items owned by the corps itself that could still be sold to make money besides horns or drums or flags (rifles/sabres/etc).

yes they can still get the experience and education of rehearsals, and possibly local parades and exhibition performances, but i doubt very much that DCI would allow them into any shows even as exhibition if things progress in a negative fashion for the corps in the future, and for many kids, the DCI experience is a large reason they want to join a corps in the first place. has happened before, but ya gotta than watch out for bigger groups looking to further pad their numbers who make agreements with the troubled corps but then go back on that word, making the summer terrible for the members who weren't even looking to march in the second corps in the first place...has happened before!!!

email someone from the cadets...a caption head is a good bet...and ask about the audition process and if they can recommend any literature that might indicate what level they are looking for. it might take a while, but they should be able to get back to you. and yes, join an open class corps!!!

legally the information that is taken from public documents and court records is not hearsay...the facts given about what paperwork has been filed, and debt information. the "whose fault is it" argument can still be considered hearsay until a judge were to make a desicion one way or another. ===keep in mind, i'm not a lawyer, but i watch Law & Order===