GeekySam

a) One person was fired AFTER LOTS OF TIMES he did and said innapropriate things. she didn't complain once and then he was fired. AND the fired guy's friend who would participate and egg him on was NOT fired instead he stayed workign for sean for a few more years and would say lots of innapropriate stuff and sometimes sean would reprimand him but he let him stay despite some really bad stuff he would say. b) I 100% agree with you that if she had told sean "Hey - George raped me" That sean would have talked to her about going to the police and would have tried to find a way to get the board or coo to do something. But that's not what she is claiming she told him. reading the article she didnt say she told sean about the rape - she told him about the harrasment that happened before the rape. when the rape happened she just shut down - WHICH IS A TOTALLY NORMAL PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE. And that is what is wrong about the 'it's no big deal, don't be sensitive, just ignore him' reaction to people who say innappropriate things. Hop said innappropriate things to someone and noone ever told him to shove it so he doesn't have any reason to think about boundaries or limits or consquences and eventually saying innappropriate things turned into doing innappropriate things. EVERYONE who ever heard George say something truly innappropriate and just rolled their eyes but said nothing (or worse - laughed and egged the conversation on) contributed to the culture of acceptance which made for an unsafe workplace. anyone who worked there could have tried to speak up but as a department head sean had the most responsibility to speak up.

Most employees come in straight out of college or not long out of corps. You don't know about the blackmark you know that it has a reputation for a lot of hardwork and you think "I can work hard. I have passion and am willing to work hard to give others the same great experiences i had. how can working in an office be harder than what i did on a field for 3 years?" If you want to be a part of creating marching band and corps experiences as your full time job and you're not a teacher there are not alot of options in the industry. YEA, BOA, DCI... everything else is part time or run by teachers. A couple of the other corps have full time staff but not many like this. It's all about trying to find a job that fits what you care about and thinking that it can't be that bad and you are strong enough especially if you care enough about the kids.

the way you worded it did not make it that clear. And I'm a former YEA! employee and i agree that we didn't see actual physical assaults in the office or know the extent that was going on - but we all knew he was capable, all knew he talked about stuff a professional shouldn't be talking about in the office, and we all are not in the least surprised. We accepted that dealing with Hopkins being an ### and getting whatever he wanted was part of the job. last night a coworker and i were talking about how just that - accepting any of his behaviour that would be unacceptable anywhere else - enabled him to continue to think he could do anything he wanted. there was nothing we saw that we could bring to the police but there was plenty we enabled and that is something we are all going to need to live with - including sean who i also like alot.

I think it was because at least twice you said something like "I have spoken to at least 10 YEA employees that said they never saw anything like was alleged go on at YEA." That makes it sound like you are defending him or questioning the victims stories.

as a former YEA! employee, none of the people I worked with over the 2 years I was there are surprised about Hopkins we all knew he was a hypocrite and a creep and for some employees there was freedom for plenty of what some would call locker room talk. it was part of the work culture. i agree Sean is good and he mostly stayed out of the messs but there was no HR department, just colleagues venting to one another. being there the longest Sean would daily hear frustrations of employees and then he would get dumped on by Hopkins daily. i can imagine Jess probably went to Sean's office and said something basicly like, "George is unbearable and rude and inappropriate." And Sean probably nodded and said, "I know. Just avoid him." that basic conversation happened hundreds of times while i was there. most times it was because hop yelled about ticket sales being low or not enough bands being signed up for a band show. if she didn't explicitly say what hop was doing to make her uncomfortable sean probably assumed it was typical stuff. Sean probably didn't know exactly what was going on and even with all the complaints there was no recourse for him to do anything with the complaints. There was no HR and no spines on the board members. So Sean just took in people's venting and did what he could to make them feel supported. Had he been told of a physical assault I have no doubt he would have reported it to the police or advised her to do the same but at a certain point 'Hop is rude and an ###.' was just part of the job that everyone accepted because if you didn't, you'd be the one out of a job.

Just got an email from YEA! - they moved the show back a half hour to try and stay out of the really hot stuff! Show starts at 8pm.

On Friday I spoke with the woman at the Cadets booth at the lower gate (quick observation- Cadets and Cavies had booths up top and down below but crown only was up top- anyone know if that's anything of interest?) She was friendly as I looked at the gear so I decided to ask if she had heard anything about G7 yet and she said no and that she didn't over hear anything being said at the director meet n' greet which had been set up next to her. I asked her if she was instructed how to respond if anyone brought it up and she said that she just sold t-shirts and didn't get involved in that kind of stuff. She said the only thing she knows she is supposed to do is to get help if someone is belligerent. Apparently during "hashmark-gate" people were very rude, yelled and threw things at the Souvie booth in California. Maybe I will check back in during DCI East and see how her summer went...

I ended up going to the show, got there as the Cavies were in the middle of their first run through. My seats were a little low for my taste but I noticed people were sitting in the top deck so I went back to the ticket booth to see if I could get some of those. I was told that they weren't for sale- the top deck was "closed" and only open for corps staff. But there were easily 50 people sitting up there. Basically noone was monitoring where people sat so people sat where ever they wanted. It was a comfortable night but the seating is tight so people really spread out. By the end of the evening I'd say the number of people in the top deck tripled. Considering the Upper deck is only slightly smaller than many high school stands I guess I have to say it was actually a decent sized crowd but because the stadium is SO big it looked pretty sparse in some areas and the far sides basically empty...but I know I certainly wasn't expecting a DCI East type crowd...I imagine that Hopkins and proponents of the show must be pleased with themselves. I have to admit it was nice to be in the stadium when it's not packed...it felt kind of intimate and special. Especially knowing it was the first show of the season and I was seeing what hadn't been seen yet with only 1,500ish folks...it was pretty cool. The question and answer questions sounded like they were written by kids and there were a bunch of them near my original seat so even though they weren't necessarily satisfying to MY interests it was probably a great experience for many youth (which is who we need to get and keep engaged!) The encore was not the clarity and sound I would have hoped from 3 monster brass lines but it was still very cool to see them all together and the patriotic song fit well with the honoring of the veterans earlier in the evening. Yes, the announcers were hard to hear and the t-shirt slinging felt like being at a college football game but if a similar show runs next year I will definitely go back...regardless of the corps. :-)

If you were given tickets on the 50 yard line, where do you want to sit? Considering that many stadiums (with the exception of regionals and big shows like Giants Stadium) you can't REALLY get high enough to see the true forms... Do you like to be down low and see the lightening fast mallet technique and be BLOWN away by the sound? Do you like to be mid level? Do you like to be up as high as possible?

If you don't think the corps directors already know what people are thinking and saying then you are kidding yourself. We all know Hopkins trolls these boards as does Coates. And chances are the things that are said here are probably not as strong as what was said by the FA-16 in the board room when this first came up. Knowing the egos of the corps directors; they don't care what is said to the souvie people. Yes, they may care about the money but they will hear "People said they aren't buying because they disagree with G7" as an excuse for poor salesmanship and then fire the Souvie sellers because THEY must be the one to blame for a drop in sales. If you want the directors to HEAR what you want them to you need to find ways to do it yourself - they all have facebook and email and twitter and roam around the lots (which are open for anyone) but if you sneak into some other context they will just continue to make excuses. If you tell the souvie people=The souvie people are bad sellers If you tell the volunteers=They are being hyper sensitive because it's their kid/brother/niece If you tell the marching members=You can't be credible because you're taking your frustration out on a kid If you tell the staff=They are exaggerating in hopes of getting a "hazard pay raise" If you boo the corps=You're just jealous Take your pick; rationalization and justification are amazingly powerful things...don't risk the message being heard through a filter.

I just heard today that the tickets at the gate are only going to be inside the 40's! I wasn't sure I was going to go because an early season show from the 10 yardline isn't worth it but maybe I'll drive out there if there are decent seats. Will someone be blogging from the show and let us know how it looks?

From an Email I just got... Fan Guide: The Three 'C' Double Play Season Opener What you need to know: Schedule, Tickets, Parking, Directions & More! See a clip from what you missed at last night's All Access. See it LIVE, in full uniform, Friday at the show. The weather will be gorgeous! Fans making the trip to Allentown, Pa., for the first "Drum Corps—An American Tradition" show of the season have more than just fabulous drum corps to enjoy. As part of the evening’s excitement, the team at Youth Education in the Arts has added a fresh and unique approach to the first event of the season that includes a question/answer session with the creative teams, a meet and greet with the corps’ directors, special recognition to America’s service members and a massive three-corps hornline for the grand finale! The Three ‘C’ Double Play season opener starts at 8:03 p.m., as the three Cs: Carolina Crown, the Cavaliers, and The Cadets—unveil their 2010 productions! Adding in a twist to the format—they do it twice during the evening with both scores averaged to determine a winner! Gates to J. Birney Crum Stadium will open at 7 p.m. Come early and meet the directors of Carolina Crown, the Cavaliers, and The Cadets. Stroll and shop in the marketplace for the season’s newest looks, enjoy the talent of the Lehigh Valley Youth Drumline, and catch up with old friends as the 2010 season finally gets underway! WHAT NOT TO MISS FRIDAY IN ALLENTOWN: • Corps’ director’s meet and greet at Gate 1 from 7–8 p.m. • Pick the creative team’s brains! Question/answer session midway through the show • Marching marketplace: Shop each corps’ store on wheels and pick up the newest gear • Recognition of America’s service members and honors to former Cadets who also served their country through The Cadets Hall of Honored Veterans • Lehigh Valley Youth Drumline pre-show marketplace performances • A double dose of The Cadets performing "Toy Souldier," The Cavaliers performing "Mad World," and Carolina Crown presenting "A Second Chance" • The grand finale—three world class hornlines on the field performing together for a fantastic season-launching experience! SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE: • 4 p.m.—Ticket Booth Opens • 7 p.m.—Gates Open • 7–8 p.m.—Meet the Directors at Gate 1 • 8:03 p.m.—The Cavaliers • 8:23 p.m.—Carolina Crown • 8:43 p.m.—The Cadets • The Cadets Hall of Honored Veterans presentation • Midway Q&A with the creative teams • 9:48 p.m.—Carolina Crown • 10:08 p.m.—The Cadets • 10:28 p.m.—The Cavaliers • 10:55 p.m.—Awards and the grand finale—a three-corps hornline! TICKETS: Tickets for "Drum Corps—An American Tradition" remain available at The Cadets website, www.Cadets.org, and will be for sale at the entrance gate beginning at 4 p.m. VIP: SOLD OUT! RESERVED: $23 VALUE RESERVED: $13 Half-price admission tickets for veterans, active duty, military dependents and Lehigh Valley residents! Just show an ID at the ticket gate! Children under 12 are admitted free. Tickets purchased online will be picked up at will call at Gate 1. SPECTATOR ENTRANCES: • Gate 1 (Lower): Will call and ticket purchase (Located at Linden and 19th streets) • Gate 3 (Upper): Handicapped parking and entrance, ticket purchase (Located at Turner and 22nd streets) DIRECTIONS: J. Birney Crum Stadium is located on Linden Street at 19th Street, Allentown, Pa. North/East/West of Allentown: Take Route 22, exiting at 15th St. Proceed south towards town for approximately 1-1/2 miles past Trexler Middle School (left) and the Armory (right) to Linden St. Turn right onto Linden and proceed past William Allen High School. J. Birney Crum Stadium is on the right at the bottom of the hill. East/South of Allentown: Take I-78 Westbound to Exit 55 (Cedar Crest Boulevard). Make right at bottom of ramp. Follow to the second traffic light (Hamilton Boulevard) (Perkins Restaurant will be on your left hand side) and make a right. Follow Hamilton approximately 2 miles to 19th Street and turn left. Follow one block to Linden Street and turn left. J. Birney Crum Stadium will be on your right. West of Allentown: Take I-78 Eastbound to Exit 54 (Hamilton Boulevard). Make left at bottom of ramp. Follow Hamilton approximately 3-4 miles to 19th Street and turn left. Follow one block to Linden Street and turn left. J. Birney Crum Stadium will be on your right. PARKING: Spectator parking is on residential streets surrounding the stadium and also in the park on Hamilton St. Gate 1 (lower) and Gate 3 (upper) will be open for admission to the stadium Handicap parking is located near Gate 3 on Turner St. CONCESSIONS: All the legendary, delicious favorites available through J. Birney Crum Stadium. Please note: NO VIDEOTAPING ALLOWED! PLAN AHEAD FOR A SIZZLING DRUM CORPS SUMMER! "Drum Corps—An American Tradition" is one of five YEA!-sponsored drum corps shows this summer! Join us this summer at the following shows: • June 29—College of New Jersey, Ewing, N.J. • July 6—Chambersburg High School, Chambersburg, Pa. • Aug. 5—West Chester University, West Chester, Pa. • Aug. 8—Clifton Stadium, Clifton, N.J. CLICK HERE for "Drum Corps—An American Tradition" ticket and show information. Buy Tickets Here Reserve the best seats, save on handling charges and have your tickets waiting for you to pick them up at the gate on Friday!

From another thread.

Please don't bother the Souvie people...many of them are young people who have a passion for the activity or someone in it and are unable to march for one reason or another. There is a chance they may talk to the corps director but it is more likely that they very rarely do. For Crown and Cadets the people in the booth report to the person running the tour logistics who reports to Coates and Hop. The souvie people themselves spend more time hanging with the kids and the food truck volunteers than with the director - none of whom are influential in this whole thing. If you choose to go- try to keep the evening a positive experience and not ruin it for others who are trying to just enjoy and support the results of youth's hard work and passion.

and they cant want to change it to much- the cadets host 3 to 4 shows each summer with corps from all levels and never more than 2 maybe 3 big names. they don't want to risk all that income from those shows. those shows alone are reason for the top 7 to try and maintain a relationship with the non-7 corps. They are even cohosting a show WITH surf this summer. i need to wait and hear more details and voices from dci and non-7 corps before i start speculating over who is doing what.