wishbonecav

Spartans 69.3 So Pioneer (69.2) has to get their best score of the year by a couple 10ths to clinch Friday. I'd say that's pretty exciting.

the 34 minute break is going to be rife (is that a word? or is it "ripe"?) with speculation once the scores hit the tape for OC, SCVC,BDB, Spartans and 7th. The numbers this afternoon are HIGH! Pio has a 69.2 and a 65.4 in their recent hopper Cascades have a 68.6 Mandarins have a 69.9 and a 71.4 Its a big jump to JS at 74.1 and Academy has that dud from Allentown to wonder about. If it even RESEMBLES consistent, OC might be the big surprise...the ants at the WC picnic, so to speak. 34 minutes of agony followed by Pioneer, Seattle and Mandarins. this is a fun day.....and not finishing up until late tonight at the theater :)

Someone hit you with a NEGATIVE (-1) I wonder why...? At the end of the day, you are simply describing your personal and comparative experience. Something unique and, frankly, not a matter of opinion. That said, warming up in the lot with the idea that you are on your way to compete for a championship is a different feeling/mindset than just "getting ready to perform your show". With the first, you are, of course "getting ready to perform"...but you also have that taste in your mouth anticipation of not just "doing a good show" but also "being the best"...here....at this place...on this night. And it might come with an extra reward like an encore with the horn arc and all that jazz. That's a different feeling than taking last, packing it up and getting on the bus. Especially if you knew that's how it would end before the first note of music was played.

I'll buy this. My remarks were well intentioned. Well intentioned doesnt always mean welcomed or well executed. Your point is spot on. It isnt like Roman hadn't thought of any of this....and I meant no disrespect by offering it.

The truth of the matter is in here somewhere. Indoor is a BIG deal nowadays. That was a product of outdoor percussion and the seeds of it were planted by drum corps people in band programs. It's all "corps style" stuff. As is WGI. Band programs are now offering in spades the experience that only DCI could offer before...high level marching and music that is a byproduct of emulating the excellence that came from the DCI experience. Once the two "factions"...band and drum corps...melded together after YEARS AND YEARS of discord and derision between the two (remember THAT from your marching days?) the landscape changed and kids today have the opportunity for a school level experience that is EXCELLENT and a summer experience that is as well. They can choose to do BOTH...or they can choose one or the other. BANDS are BETTER, arguably because of drum corps. MORE kids are doing this "marching thing", and at a high level....arguably because of drum corps. YEA is a baby that drum corps birthed. There are states where BOA, etc has EXPLODED....and, if you look at the staffs of the good/great bands...its ALL drum corps people (and the schools tend to pay pretty well, too which means drum corps people have created opportunities for themselves and others using their drum corps experience and parlaying that into an economy...I know this because i draw from that as well) Drum corps contributed in SO MANY WAYS to the expansion of the marching arts....not as a SUMMER thing that was a kind of secret society, but as a YEAR ROUND thing. Here's a tough pill to swallow: kids in GREAT band programs might not want to "settle" for being in GOOD drum corps and would rather do something else in the summer just before band camp. A girl in, say, Flanagan's color guard doesnt feel like she is missing out if she isnt marching during the summer ... Blue Devils or not...because she'll be in rehearsal soon enough with a POWERHOUSE guard and band come the 3rd week of August. Is a Tarpon Springs kid "missing out" on excellent marching arts participation if they dont march during the summer? Its hard to make that argument. We aint the only game in town anymore. And, by being excellent and sharing those skills and talents as teachers (and going to B instruments) we did it to ourselves...and at the same time, made marching arts BIGGER and BETTER than ever.

Pioneer could have a super competitive Open Class experience....high placements and at their level of competitiveness. It is no secret that the program, for whatever reason, doesnt compete well in World Class. That said, marching 30 shows on the World Tour versus 12 on the Open Tour is a very different experience and one that may go beyond placements, etc. Its a tough question: should Pioneer be in Open or World? What is it that makes up the total drum corps experience? Would they get a turnout in an Open situtation? Are they just training members to fly the coop after a year or two...kind of a dci cadet-corps? I, for one, would fear Pioneer if they were on an Open Class show roster. They would literally go from the small fry to the big dog overnight with that change. After years of taking their lumps, having them in an Open Finals with the opportunity to be a surprise at Quarterfinals might return the aura to a pretty awesome organization. The politics, show availability, compensation stuff that goes with that change might make it less favorable. Tough situation.

:)

it'll be fun to find out. regardless, i dont think they'll look out of place tommorrow....and that is pretty cool in itself. the rest of the week for them is gravy....17th, 20th...can any of us say it really matters at this point? it's got to be pretty neat to be a part of it....rehearsal, sectionals and ensemble at night at the hotel....Saturday at Finals just throwing down..... .....130 kids are getting a lifetime memory that doesnt suck. love it.

Open, A, Alumni and Mini-Corps 40 corps? Way to go DCA. 15 states coast to coast and 3 countries. You all make Allen Buell's TO DO list nice and full.

And i would mark my "who do i need to make sure to see" tote sheet to include the next 3...with a break somewhere in there to stop at the souvie truck :)

Les Etoiles 96...5 shows (5 for 5...no Wednesday show that year :) BDB 11...4 for 4...which is not 5 for 5 due to rain, nor 6 for 6...nor "competing all days" and i am wasting time at work on this just for the sake of conversation.... Back to the OP......Oregon just might crack the top 15...even if their show was written for DII :)

I think Ventures pulled this trick, too.

How do you know this? For either situation? OC is a mirror of World Class material...almost note for note in some cases. And not just the musical score, but the visual score. They obviously had to write it for 64 horns worth of field coverage....and included all the physical enhancements and simultaneous responsibilities. ITS A GREAT SHOW...and it just might hold up on Thursday against the big dogs. Magic's was a GREAT SHOW. And it DID hold up against the big dogs. As a side note: if Magic "only cared about Division 1 Championships", then why did they bother ordering rings? (they are pretty cool by the way...they say "World Champion" right on them :) Speculation is one thing. The reality of the situation is another. It's 88 degrees today in Orlando. I dont know that because I read it in the paper...or someone told me so; I know because I can walk outside.

Unique situation. Unique accomplishment. When they were selling the 2002 season to MOSTLY new people, that was a big challenge. It isnt like the age outs from 2000 and 2001 "magically" appeared to march Magic; they were long gone (half the corps) Or that the OTHER half of the corps that didnt stick around to do parades in MicroMagic didnt make new allegiances at their "new" corps that they marched with in 2001. Magic literally started 2002 with THREE members (maybe FOUR)...a blank sheet of paper and a whole lot of question marks. Credit for all they did is warranted all around. You could make the argument that 64 horns, 128 kids and that super staff and show makes Oregon Crusaders a "division 1 corps, plain and simple"... but that is Monday Morning Quarterbacking. I guess if its "pretty good" its a feel good story about the "little engine that could", but if its too good then it gets diluted in conversation. Magic 2002. Unique situation. Unique accomplishment. DCI World Champions. DCI Finalist.

1. roto toms 2. kitchen sink 3. Santa suits (ok, I went too far)

AS ADVERTISED! you gotta be kidding me.... WOW! ...and a 93 plus to boot.... ....GREAT, GREAT, GREAT..... ...if a stranger asked you "what's drum corps?"...you could show them this cool-arse show and get away with it as your "final answer" ...thanks, OC, for making 2012 fun....for me anyway :)

Oregon Crusaders....Appalachian Spring, through bass drum feature (ridiculous) and fast ending with the call-outs to Garfield, BD and Cavies...with 64 horns ...leap from your seat, hair on the neck, fist pumping type stuff

OC is really on another planet ... not just the scores, but that show is way fun; way good. I wonder if they have the bounce to be in the top 15. It's happened before (Les Etoiles, Magic, etc) Its easy to speculate that OC will best a corps here or there... ....but how about putting that package up aginst the Crossmen? Or Academy? or Colts? or Glassmen? Not to get too far ahead of the game, but the BIG audience gets to see the Open Clas winner on Saturday night (right?)...

wow. judges are asked at PRELIMS to "make a decision" and get the right corps in.... ...if Colt Cadets were seeded 12th, I'd say the judges made a decision ...way to go.....Colt Cadets are IN.... (and having 14 at prelims is cool because its still a contest) Blue Saints and Stentors get another go at it on Thursday.

another nation heard from.... ....this score is high enough to make things a little interesting...... ....over Blue Saints..... ...if they top just ONE more, they get to play the night show..... ...fun stuff

Can we get ONE....Just ONE....person in the stands or press box with a comp ticket (god FORBID!) and a computer to stream this out to those of us who cant be there? Is there ONE person at DCI this week who can pull this off? Or am i missing it somewhere?

Oh dang! it's an hour earlier in Indiana! so 18 minutes? or 78 minutes? killing me. Blue Saints with ANOTHER hour of "get the DCI Championship ball rolling" anticipation see what i mean???

The Blue Saints are the most anticipated corps of the day :) Go get 'em, Weise!! Shout out to all former Statesmen with a kid in the corps.

The Blue Saints are the most anticipated corps of the day :) Go get 'em, Weise!! Shout out to all former Statesmen with a kid in the corps.

SO....prelims is at 3pm and everyone is "in"...and it's a bona fide contest....ya gotta beat someone to make finals. Cool. FINALS is after; Top 12 get a chance to shine and put some hardware in play. NOBODY goes home right away b/c Individuals is Wednesday; PRELIMS is Thursday and there's a slot on the Prelims dance card for 14 corps....everybody's in....and in the big stadium, too? this is shaping up to be a fun week.