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GUARDLING

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Everything posted by GUARDLING

  1. Over promised ( staff and members ) under delivered
  2. I've often wondered if they even listen to their own music. I also agree some this year did at least hit some cues and was very effective.
  3. Very true , but it's also well known among World class where the bread and butter is. Many from that class also rely on those scholastic groups . I remember a time ,and keep in mind, with many of the same in charge when they literallywere selling tickets to the lower classes to finals with 100% obstruction. Not in the way of seeing a bit BUT 100% so nothing could be seen and for ( if I remember correctly ), for like 10 bucks. I personally went to the office at the arena and spoke to the big guns so to speak and said these kids can''t see a thing ,nothing, and how wrong it was, well I was told at least they were in the arena and if they didn't like it there was several exits. That's an answer? Of course I was furious and keep in mind it didn't affect at the time kids I was teaching but #### if you're gonna let them in with not enough space at least let them in free or maybe a minimal. Thankfully, at least the outward support for the lower teams has changed and I think many realized that their salaries and positions depend on ALL, especially, scholastic groups.. There's so many of them..lol. WC will always have the loudest voice BUT I guess when you've been around since dirt and can remember a time when A class didn't even have a voice it's nice to see how the power in numbers and $$$$$$$ can make an impact or at very least demand respect, as they should. DCI can learn! HMMMM being that DCI IS THE CORPS maybe it's just some people need to be willing to learn😉
  4. and the Scholastic units from A to world learned how to leverage their importance years ago. THEY are the bread and butter of WGI
  5. AS there have been older ones who were or have been great leaders. Just saying we will always have issues young or old. As far as recent issues , I can tell you 1st hand there are creepy dirt bags all over, running things, teaching and yes marching . Sad but true, I think it just takes eyes wide open and hopefully trustworthy management. Yes it can be tricky
  6. Would be different ?, not so sure. Many of the issues in the past runs the age range. Just recently it was about member to member. I agree at times the old boys club can be obstruction to many things others would like to see OR it's a protection club of their own self interest BUT I have also seen new people just take on the same role, No different except for the faces
  7. Im sure there is more than we hear or see BUT , I also think the court of public opinion is quite something different. AS a director of many programs in the past winter fall and summer I can tell you my reasoning on how these things get out of control BUT ( as in the past )won't say much beacuse in many cases people want their cake and eat it too and want freedom to do whatever without responsibility because so many think "they have the right" There has to be strong leaders who rule with an iron fist with no exception, especially in many of these cases. I will say 1 thing, I do believe people do have the right to do what they want but as a director I also have the choice to take someone in or keep them or not, staff or member. , can ya tell I was raised under some of those icons you mentioned..lol......Sorry it works.....lol.
  8. I'm sure very strong and with an iron fist, 1st good directors, even today SHOULD KNOW everything that is going on, Thats their job. With that said, let's not kid ourselves , there was alot of questionable things even BITD, We can't judge yesterday by today's standards for sure BUT I believe those leaders were strong, demanding, took no bull for sure.
  9. You're right, a different world has alot to do with it, different responsibilities, different rules ( as we see ) different members, even different reasons for why a member joins the activity. Knowing the people you mentioned and a few other icons personally I would like to think those people would have evolved and did what was necessary to survive, just as they did BITD. Actually, I'm very sure they would have. They were a unique bunch for sure, powerful leaders
  10. OMG...seeing that the 1st time made me put down my horn for good...lol...Miss him, and many others. My sibling worked with him back in the 70s . Oh the stories..lol But you see, this is exactly what I mean. Archaic? compared to today? Maybe BUT how many times, including in WGI and DCI , thousands of band programs have we seen variations of this exact thing. Change the costuming, change the shape, alter it a bit......it's there, to this day...Thank You !
  11. You could be right. Maybe these are some of the things which should be re- taught on the 50th anniversary. Your own corps was a huge influence and I believe to this very day in many ways from people to courage to make heads spin back then.. and you did..lol
  12. The corps felt it didn't work and wanted another direction. I'm not going to get into the old and tired discussion on the BITD verses today. It's simply a different world, the good or bad of that. I myself was a member BITD and have taught or been involved in one way or another to the present. Even the member of today is not even close to the member from the 70s or 60s. With that said, corps recognized back then being under the thumb of the AL or VFW ruling was archaic ,with the world changing back then the direction corps believed it was time to also move forward,. Budget wise many corps didn't have much to run on and there were plenty of good hearted directors who mortgaged their homes, took out personal loans, I knew many personally. Fiscally smart ? well I'm not so sure about that, how many corps went belly up? Don't mis understand me, drum corps of the past needs to be respected,100% because the reason there is even anything today is because of the past. remember ( the good or bad of it ) we are what we are today because of those who moved us forward, decade after decade, from the beginning. Like that or not , agree or not it's many from the past who took the activity to the direction it is.. Now I suppose one could debate if that was good or not. I believe if not for smart, aggressive, visionaries from BITD there wouldn't even be an activity today. I was lucky that several were mentor's and I was privileged to have worked under many of them.
  13. Actually it didn't BUT if you want to compare the hundreds of corps, many non-competitive , most sponsored by groups who either ( as another poster said ) on life support or not around anymore or able to support themselves let alone the drum corps activity then one would have to compare the world of 50 years ago to today on ALL fronts. Can't be done All that aside, Drum Corps decided (the good or bad of it ) what was archaic for them and did so as corps will do the same today. Agree with it or not The corps agreed the system was archaic before 1972 , 50 years ago. IF
  14. That would be going back to the archaic form before DCI. The very reason corps wanted out at the time. As far as entertainment, that would be just as subjective as anything else and is. Now the background checks can be done by the DCI office but corps should be compelled to do this and agreed on by all. It's a good start although many offenders do skirt by the system 1 way or another, so there will always be issues time to time just like any group activity. Remember " They " as in DCI, are the corps
  15. or the BBA Broadway Band Association...lol You know what you started now...lol;😁
  16. If Drum Corps would continue at all it would just re- org. Gone are the days of the local support groups, So before any one says go back to whatever, IMO that would never happen . Corps formed DCI to decide their own path and IF it were to continue would do the same.
  17. I think what the poster above says would be great BUT I believe it could possibly have to much focus on the past and not inclusive of the present and future. My opinion would be : Do all said above BUT include current members with an Olympic type beginning to championship week with opening ceremonies, 50th T shirts in corps colors, entering LOS corps by corps, entertainment. Make current members feel like they are part of something way bigger than their own corps or even them selves. That they are part of a long history and how they, are now part of that history. A closing ceremony for all
  18. Thank You🙂 Your corps DID influence an abundance of creativity, change to this day people who one way or another set an example for many aspects of the activity. AS I said in another post, we do have to look back and respect the past for who and what it was because all great things evolved from it. Without it and those from BITD there would be nothing today.
  19. I've judged as well as taught under both times and I do believe there is much more accountability now. Gone is the mentality of " I call it as I see it and case closed " Now are all battles won? no of course not but criteria alone does , or at least is supposed to keep those who judge in line within those guidelines of criteria. Does it always work? naw , never does. And yes subjectivity is present now as it was then but hopefully most ( we hope) at least stay within criteria. Watching your old rile line was a treat for sure and for me was a good part of the reason I went from being in a hornline from a very young age to decades of being in the visual and guard part of the activity. That and having George Z, Bobby Hoffman, Pete Emmons and a few others as mentors.
  20. A penalty was nothing more than just another mistake. Avoidable? Yes just like any mistake. BUT thats was also the mindset of the day or times I think. AS I was as guilty of that thinking also back then. I would like to think over 50 years of DCI and before we learned alot, explored alot, grown alot and not forget that what comes before us contributes to who we are now..Now ,one can also say the good and bad of that...lol
  21. HMMM I remember thinking and even saying the same BITD BUT really thinking about that...how dumb was that. If a show was lost why would it have been a dropped rifle causing that and not a bad interval, a dropped stick, a soloist cracking etc etc or even a bad judge who didn't have to account for their decision .....I guess you get my point...lol
  22. Thank You, 100%...Including the sanctimonious who now being praised at other places who spent decades there and not to leave out some of the so called " whistle Blowers " who were all on board for years until they were insulted when no longer needed or wanted or outlived their usefulness to ...well you know the rest. Selective morality I think
  23. Different world for sure from back in the day..In all aspects.. The good and BAD of it
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