DeanInChicago

Looking forward to Garfield's comments!

It was very tiring this season reading through many show threads only to see complaints about Flo instead of actual commentary on the corps.

INT not for sale. It's a classic. Will return next season.

After finals, I had the good fortune of meeting front ensemble member Rick Jones at the Indy Megabus stop Sunday at 2AM. Turns out, we were both on the 2:35 red eye to Chicago. Rick has a flight today back to California out of O'Hare. Rick is the guy who played the colorful bird whistles in the breath-taking Alumni performances. "I had never played one before," admitted Rick. "I played marching timpani back in the 70s. "My picture is up at the hall on Space Park, as are hundreds and hundreds of others." The Alumni set up deluxe air mattresses in one large coed arena at the 4-H fairgrounds in Danville, west of I-465 on Monday, August 7, and put in over 40 hours of rehearsal. Rick beamed with Vanguard pride about meeting old friends and the current members. "It's not about winning," remarked Rick when he headed down memory lane. "It's all about obtaining achievement."

How perfect to hit 10,000 posts today, during Sunday morning church.

Section 143?! No thanks.

Plus, Shapiro's is on McCarty.

Ron once had the byline of "Inside the Forties". He was buying and selling this past weekend in Allentown.

When I visit Shapiro's, their chilled salmon salad is my go to. It is large enough to satisfy. If especially hungry, I will grab one of the bowls of blueberries or kiwi, and the winning broccoli salad. Meanwhile, your fast food choices: White Castle on South Street a few blocks east of stadium. Arby's on South Street, en route to The Alexander Hotel. The Omni usually has complimentary granny smith apples in their lobby. Au Baun Pan (sp?) on the Circle. Third floor of Circle City Mall has your Chick Fa Lay. Atrocious spelling, but you get the drift. The vending machines at the Greyhound Station are a good source for Gatorade and honeybuns. Jimmy Johns one block south of the Circle. Regrets, there are no Popeyes, Burger King, nor McDonalds in the immediate downtown. I like Punch Burger on Ohio, the perfect tator tots at Slippery Noodle, and the Idaho Spud candy bars at the candy shop on the Circle. Idaho Spud is not stocked in the summer months as the coconut does not travel well between Idaho and Indy. Good soups at Chase Tower on the second floor. Oh, and there is a Chipotle on Washington. Order the featured item - and see if they have any clue what it is.

Hello again Wonker. My brainstorms always need fleshed out more. When I think of Finals, I think of the Top 12. The final 12 means 12 shows. Yeah I know the event is ONE SHOW, but in my book, the evening is made up of 12 smaller shows. The performances of the one dozen finalist corps - this is what I mean as the 12 shows. I admit that I generally skip the early bonus shows on Finals night: InPact band, Open Class champ, the Marine corps, the line up of sponsors. Yes, it is all worthy, but the Top Twelve is why I attend. With apologies to your wife, I can only offer the original idea to just you. Let's guess that of all the possible top 12 shows to see, you most want to see Santa Clara. I would then pick Bluecoats, then you would then pick Blue Devils, then I would pick The Cadets. so on and so on, until we are left with Crown and maybe Madison or Mandarins. Between shows, we would swap spaces in the 140-240 video lobby. I will go pee while you enjoy Blue Knights, then you can buy popcorn while I view Crossmen. Yes, you would still need to buy a general admission ticket to get into Lucas Oil, while your wife strikes out on her own.

Hello again Wonkadoo. Hey, just like Disney World allows parents to ride swap, why don't we go halfsies on my Section 141 row 20 seat. Seriously. As the seat set me back $129, how about we do playground picks back and forth, and you may choose first. That way, we both see 6 great shows from a wonderful seat. Your cost to join in the merriment will be $60 - such a deal. We need to collaborate so that you get to finals!

Hello Wonk-o-rama. I recommend buying the least expensive tickets at the Lucas Oil gate, then sitting in the empty, expensive seats until the seats are claimed. Just don't tell anyone you are doing this. Mums the word.

Hit several garage and yard sales this morning in Kutztown, Allentown, and Fogelsville, Scored an umbrella, Michael Jackson CD, trash can, gloves, 2 books, and a great 25 cent lemonade from a little girl. The girl only filled the cup halfway. "Fill it to the top," the mom said. So the little girl fills it to the very top, then sips some lemonade out of the cup. "No," gasped the mom. "He will need a new cup." So the little girl pours my first cup of lemonade into a new cup. * * * * * Meeting up with Tony and Teresa at 2PM at Prime Steakhouse east of the airport. Good luck to all the corps tonight.

The tickets are being offered to Boxing Fred. Thank you everyone.

What baked goods are Scott and Ann Liberman schlepping to the stadium?

Selling a pair of upper deck seats. Friday and Saturday both available. Sit up high: section Q row 16. Seats are in section to the left of the press box, if you are on the field looking up, and nearly the same height as press box. I will eat the service fees. Tickets are being sold at $45 face value. Total price $180.

Businesslike Bentonville is better than Bodacious and Buttered. Art and DCI are businesses in my book.

Meanwhile, back at Popeye's, there are several Cadets MMs ordering cajun rice and chicken tenders. One MM was surprised his corps didn't score 80.

Neighborhood kids in back stands conducting, running stairs, climbing over railing, pulling my focus. Serenity Now.

WOW!

Maybe McDonalds should add All Day small plates. At the stadium, The Cadets have unloaded their many beautiful 2 sided backdrops. The rabbit-eared Academy guard is stretching. Several fans including me are snarfing down Popeye's SW of the stadium. Ok. Off to the pre show small ensembles!

Who can pass up the $5 clearance t-shirts at The Academy's souvenir truck? All sizes available. I grabbed 4 shirts for twenty bucks. At current rehearsal, Phantom guard director says technical is good, but that emotion must be added. Crescendos must be more consistent among brass, states another voice. Wind will challenge the guards tonight. Yuk. Settled for McDonalds at the DeKalb Oasis on toll road 88 an hour ago.

Double post. My apologies. One should not type on the el.

Phantom Regiment will perform an instant encore Saturday night, states their website. Good luck to all the corps!

Pioneer is making its end-of-show barricade banners unfurl cleaner. Madison is adding a creative move with its under-used oxygen tanks. Crown is gonna win us over with its long lasting vocalist. I spend too much time watching Bluecoats zip down the front of their Devil's staircase. They will agree, and push my focus elsewhere. Crossmen will thrill the Finals night crowd near the north endzone with a Dirty Dancing guard drill. Cadets will add medals to their uniforms to win the DCP poll. And a super strong magnet will appear out of nowhere starting with the Texas part of the tour, and the marchers will be controlled by the movements of said magnet. Phantom Regiment will add yellow Beethoven flags just to satisfy my memory of the first time I saw their majestic selves. Hairography will be patented by the Blue Devils. Dutch Boy and Sky Ryders have secretly been rehearsing two stellar shows which will debut in Allentown. Blue Knights will add Colorado weed to the Lucas Oil air vents. After scoring two bingos in Casper this May, the $150 winnings will be used to blackmail the weather gods to guarantee no rain on all remaining Troopers performances. One game was a large plus sign. The other, a speedball blackout. Outstanding cheese nachos. The Cavaliers organization will promote Venus to a larger role. She was at the Lisle show distributing flyers for the all ages unit. On a lark, Boston will misspell G-U-I-L-T-Y as R-E-D-R-U-M. Vanguard will retire its 4 cymbalists. Just kidding!