Tad_MMA

I was responding to the M&M comment. I wrote an interesting piece for MMA about going to the Symphony to hear "Pictures at an Exhibition" only to have a narrator ruin the performance. I believe it was called "The Most Annoying Article Ever."

What is that definition of M&M? Zingali DID redefine it through Garfield! There is a lengthy Hopkins/Cesario "reunion" conversation on a 2005 Cadets DVD: the 20th Anniv. of their 3peat. Michael shared that the visual staff would be SCREAMING at each other on the buses after shows, because the judges didn't "get" what they were doing. Don Angelica really helped convince DCI that this kind of change was good. A couple of interesting examples: In '82 and '83, they were being ticked because they couldn't keep "established" intervals. Well, they explained, this line is at a 2; THAT line is at a 3. Why WOULD they be one uniformed interval? They're two distinctly separate parts of the asymmetrical drill! And, they would explain to the judges: Put on your blinders. How much can you see as you rate? Do you understand that you're seeing EIGHT Blue Devils march by you in that space, but you see THIRTY-TWO Cadets whiz past? So, if you see an error, it's one of 32---not 8. I wish I knew how to upload DVDs to YouTube. There is some great stuff there. And it's important to learn it, because as I said, we're not HERE but for those THEN.

I still insist that much of this "new injection" comes from one corps going undefeated for so long (and now counting this year). One conversation Michael and I had that didn't make the interview was that although our culture enjoys success, it tends to say, "Enough already!" after a while. I mentioned two of the most popular US Presidents of the last century: Reagan and Clinton. The height of their popularity was NOT in either's last two years. (Even FDR's Electoral numbers ebbed as he was re-re-reelected).If Michael Phelps had dominated as he did in '08, we'd all be waving our little flags, but if he did it in 2016? "Enough already! There are plenty of other American swimmers!" As for the Blue Devils, they make it look so goshdanged easy, and that frustrates me and others w/ whom I've discussed this (my mailbox was full of the "BS" word today). I told MC that watching the 1985 Garfield Cadets or the 1992 Cavaliers was amazing, because it was so obvious that what they were doing was so hard. It doesn't look that way w/ BD which isn't itself a criticism. All week, the upstairs visual judges gave the Devils HUGE spreads. It wasn't because this guy likes jazz or this one judges WGI. MC: "The best thing that happened to us in '84 was that fall in Whitewater. Everybody really understood how hard it was then." Incidentally, interviewing him was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced as a (supposed) journalist. This guy had BOTH hands in the reinvention of marching music. Thankfully, YouTube offers young DCI fans a taste of HOW we got where we are TODAY. ------>And I wish somebody would post the complete 1986 BD show. THAT...blows away '09, '10, '12.

1990 was another year. After two years of that awful 6-panel judging, DCI returned to the 9-panel team. The Visual Award was first announced to the Cavies (Phantom/Cadets won). And Best Color Guard was announced to the Blue Devils, and I'm STILL waiting for Brandt Crocker to correct that. The next year, Star was omitted from the High Percussion tie w/ Cavies/SCV. All scored 19.3 (no caption awards came from prelims/semis until very recently).

You missed my post. Go to http://www.mastersmarchingarts.com/2011/index.php and read the complete interview w/ M. Cesario. In it, you'll find that he has no power in corps' decision-making.

I encourage all drum corps fans to take a few minutes to read an interview I did with DCI's Artistic Director, Michael Cesario. The activity has just completed its third season with his position (his first year was merely an observational tool which led to judging changes, etc.). Feel free to compare/contrast his written words with what you have seen/heard on the field! Maybe you'll be quoted in our next issue. Cheers. http://www.mastersma.../2011/index.php

Ouch. Who's in charge of the simple mathematics here? First, the Blue Devils are incorrectly announced as the Jim Ott Brass winner. And... the Brazale Visual Award was a tie? After the detailed explanation of how caption winners are determined? Devils: 19.5 + 19.4 + 19.5 = 58.4 (QF + SF + F) Crown: 19.1 + 19.6 + 19.7 = 58.4 (QF + SF + F) "In the event of a tie, the higher number at Finals will determine the winner." So...congrats to Crown on being the sole winner of the John Brazale Visual Proficiency Award! This takes me back to 1985 when SCV was erroneously announced as the Color Guard winner. After PBS cut out, the correction was announced, and the Trophy was lugged down to Spirit of Atlanta. Fortunately, these things are rare.