Dan Detweiler

On this, the day that all of DCI will come together to start sorting out who will ultimately be crowned World Champion, I would ask a favor of everyone. For the last 6 months these kids...ALL these kids, top 12/bottom 12, Open Class/World Class, have willingly put every aspect of their lives up to scrutiny. Their sleep, their diet, their practice, their performance have all been laid open for all to see, criticize and evaluate. While there are certainly differences from one corps to the next, there is nobody that could ever convince me that any one group of kids works harder than any other. These kids have sacrificed a year of their lives to share this experience doing what they love with the people they love doing it with. So, when we get our bowl of popcorn and plop down on the couch with our laptops today, ready to comment on every error, every shortcoming, every reason they should be ahead or behind this group or that group, let's give all of these kids the respect they deserve. We are all armchair quarterbacks to one degree or another but they are the ones out there doing it. Sure, we all have our favorites, but I for one will never...NEVER place a negative comment about any corps on a public forum. Is that being wussy, politically correct, mamby pamby, BS? No, it is being respectful. Respectful of the human beings that sacrificed so much to entertain us. I applaud each and every person that has driven themselves to be better, pushed themselves beyond the limits of their endurance and laid it on the line just so they might hear a little bit of appreciation from a crowd. So, before you start ripping a group apart, remember that you're on the couch and they are doing it. Kind of like sitting with a hot dog and beer mocking the morbidly obese guy trying to make it 10 minutes on a treadmill. Who is trying to better themselves? Who looks like the idiot? Best of luck to all of those triumphant warriors that have the courage to take the field of competition today. You have my envy and my undying, unabashed, unrelenting respect. Dan

In some ways attitude is a "social disease". Years ago we maybe felt many of these things but we didn't have the immediate venting vehicle called social media. Today, every little gripe and concern is immediately shared with the world. These feelings then spread like wildfire. Yes, it's a maturity thing. Learning to handle adversity, taking responsibility for one's environment, doing something positive to offset the negative. This is a problem in society in general. We live in a "what's in it for me now" world. Gotta find some way out of the spiral we seem to be in. Dan

You are correct Fran. This year was the first year since I have been with CV that we went that far north this early. Fans tend to make more of the situation than is really there. Nobody down here is complaining. It is what it is and we all do the best we can to get better. If nothing else, the way the system stands makes for a very interesting prelims! Like every other drum corps in the country, we will bring the very best product we can to Rochester. Hopefully that will put us in a position to contend. I have enough faith in the judging community that they will sort it out when the time comes. If anything, this just puts the prelims panel in a position that they have to be ready to reward the best performances regardless of when they go on. Remember, we came into prelims last year seeded 8th. Went to 6th going into finals and ended up 5th. We are getting great input from the panels we see. DCA is doing a good job getting the people that will judge finals week around to different parts of the country to sample everyone, and I think they have a pretty good idea of where everyone is at this point. I have heard that DCA plans to make the Ijamsville early show an annual thing and hopefully we can get a few more to take the trip to Baltimore early in the year. I think the show was good for the fans and good for DCA. Sure was great to see old friends from up north early in the year instead of having to wait until Finals! CV is working hard...duh, so is everyone else! We will be as ready as we can be. It's an exciting time of year and everyone is watching scores come in and speculating on what that means long term. The reality is that it means precious little. It means that the corps that win on a given night were the best corps in that show on that night...period. Not fair to the judging community to try to compare numbers from week to week or from show to show. (It does probably sell more tickets for prelims though!) Can't wait to see everyone in a few weeks! Andrea, Chris, Frank and all the rest I haven't seen in a while...one of you guys please have a cup of coffee ready for me when I get off the bus in Rochester. This old butt will need a pick-me-up after the ride from Atlanta! Love and best wishes to all in their final preps pushing to Finals week. ...and speaking of Finals week...GO BABY BLUE! (Sorry, the dad in me came out for a minute!) Dan

I wouldn't read too much into Gold's absence last night. It costs CV around $18,000 just to get out of the parking lot when we travel. These trips are expensive...REALLY expensive. I am sure Carolina Gold is just fine and saving their pennies for the trip up north in a few weeks and then again the next weekend for Championships. Looking forward to seeing them again in Rochester. Dan

Got THAT right! Dan

Lots of great lines in DCA. We'll see what happens but thanks for the vote of confidence and glad you enjoyed our show tonight! Dan

84 was a pretty good year to age out, huh Sam? Dan

It is a background of cityscape sounds to try to set the stage as a more contemporary story. Early in the year they had sounds from the Bayou in the background (crickets and such). They wanted a more urban setting, hence the change. As to finances, everyone I have talked to that are associated with the corps say they are in a much better place and anxious to move forward in the coming years. Dan

If CV was at that show... I'm in BIG trouble! ;) Dan

Here ya go. Housing for DCI ATL - 2016 Cavaliers Charles Drew H.S. Blue Devils Chattahoochee H.S. SCV Flowery Branch H.S. Cadets Tri-Cities H.S. Phantom Alpharetta H.S. Bluecoats Milton H.S. Crown Kell H.S. Blue Knights McEachern H.S. Spirit Luella H.S. Madison West Forsyth Troopers Temple H.S. Crossmen Adairsville H.S. Cascades South Cobb H.S. Colts Hampton H.S. Boston Sonoravlille H.S. Pioneer Henry County H.S. Mandarins Temple M.S. Pacific crest Gordon Central H.S. Academy Jackson county H.S. Surf Bay Springs M.S. Oregon Crusaders Locust Grove H.S. Heat Wave Rockdale H.S

Watched the video of last night's run in Daytona. The corps is improving leaps and bounds at every show. Their score has jumped 4 points in the last 7 days. Every time I see this show I realize how different it is and how smart it was designed. It was put together so the members could achieve it at a very high level. It is subtle, fun, and memorable to the fans. No, it doesn't have the technique the top shows have but they are maximizing what they do well. They put a smile on the face of everyone that see it. They play beautifully and the story has a fun twist to it. No, it isn't clean yet by any stretch but it is definitely attainable for the members. They are exciting the alumni everywhere they perform and rallying their fan base behind them again. Yeah, I am a jaded parent for sure, but what I have seen so far is positive in every aspect. When I saw them in South Carolina there was a line at their souvenir stand almost all night. Time to order more inventory! In the words of the immortal Freddy Martin..."Let's sell some t-shirts! Dan

No, this assumption is dead wrong. The consistency of scores is not based on private previews among judges or behind the door conversations before a show. They are based on solid, consistent training. Too many people assume that these judges are just arbitrarily selected to judge and are then thrown into the arena to fend for themselves. There is extensive, and I do mean extensive training involved as well as trial judging that takes place before someone is allowed to put a number on a sheet as a member of a panel. Training includes expected standards, sheet vocabulary, numbers management, box criteria and much more. The numbers management part is especially important. Having sat through a number of these judging seminars, I am here to tell you that every tenth of a point is taken VERY seriously. I say the judging communities consistency lies in the training of its members, not any conspiracy or shady dealings. Dan

Go get 'em baby blue! Keep the ball rolling. Dan

Well, I assume you have actually seen the show in person? Some of what you say may be true...may not. We'll see what the judging community thinks tonight. My wife and I will be there wearing our corps jackets and baby blue chearing on the efforts of our kids, their staff, their volunteers, their admin team, their board of directors, their alumni and the Spirit family those kids have inspired and whom they represent. Yeah, and when it's over they will get a number. In many ways, a completely irrelevant number that does little to reward the real accomplishments this organization has already achieved. I totally understand that the average, hot dog eating spectator with no affiliation with Spirit past or present, will place all the relevance and credence of how the organization is managing on that number tonight. I'm ok with that. Just please don't try to tell those of us that are truly vetted in what this corps is trying to do what or how we should view what is going on. Remember folks, by all rights, this corps should have folded. It's a credit that they are even out there let alone in buses that are paid in full, trucks properly inspected and in top running order, eating healthy with members and staff excited about the possibilities. Remember folks, these kids read this stuff. Let's at least give them the benefit of the doubt. They deserve at least that much. Dan

What will be interesting is next week's show in Woodstock that has DCA corps before intermission and DCI Open class corps after. Dan

I'm a little confused by your post. This show is not what exactly? Have you seen it? Are you saying that it is a throwback show? I assure you it is not. Just because the title is "Georgia" doesn't mean it's 1980 all over again. Far from it. While there is a tiny bit of Georgia in the show I had to really dig to find it. Whether this show is deemed competitive by the judging community and the fans will not be because it is some sort of blast from the past. That much I assure you. Dan

I never said they aren't putting a competitive fire under the corps. I think you will most definitely be entertained. Nobody is apologizing for anything. They don't have anything to apologize for. A corps doesn't simply go from the precipice of folding into finals in one season. They are doing all the right things. Be patient, enjoy their show, and let's see where the competitive chips fall. Dan

Saw their last uniformed run though before leaving on tour last night. As a parent, I am thrilled with what Spirit is doing and the way my son (and of course the other members) are being treated. They are eating well, getting great instruction, being taken care of medically if needed, lines of communication from the corps to the parents are always open and honest, etc. All the things a parent would consider important in an organization. When watching the show last night the thing that blew me away was the thought that a month ago they had maybe half their music and zero drill. What these kids and that staff have done in one month, to me, is mind blowing. The show is complete, fun, and entertaining with a big dark rich brass sound and an impressively clean drum line. It was pretty soggy on the field so the guard was not in uniform but I got to see them do a run of their show in uniform in the gym afterward. The kids are chomping at the bit to get on the road and show people what they have been up to. I am going to travel over to South Carolina for the Lexington show Friday and can't wait to see how they are received. One very happy and proud dad here. Also, as a staff alum and married to a 2 year alum and guard staff alum, I am thrilled to see them in the position they are in. Competitive placement really isn't on their radar at this point at all I don't think, nor should it be. Proving to themselves and the drum corps community that they can field a healthy, thriving, viable product is where their focus is and they are succeeding in spades. Dan

You're kidding right? Tell me you're kidding. Dan

So I just need to throw this out there. Those of you that are put off by early season preparedness of various corps need to come to the Ijamsville show tonight. Your concerns will most definitely be laid to rest. Just sayin' Dan

If and when they do I am sure they will have earned it as nobody is getting worse, that's for sure. Dan

Best corps wearing green and black that comes from Atlanta! Dan

Ha! Baltimore is a "southern" show? I think we need to work on your geography! ;)

I looked on the web site and couldn't find any info regarding class. (Please refrain from all "classless" jokes. ) Of course, I'm old so I may have been looking right at it. Dan

If you're in the neighborhood... https://www.facebook.com/events/296430744022970/ Dan