normy diploome

Reading about the characterures of the Hoover dam holding back the drum corps competition reminds me of this saying: "Genious and insanity are divided by a thin membrane which is often porous."

Let me assure you that the visual caption supe new to OC is a tremendous guy with a heart as big as he is, a sensitive Irishman with wisdom beyond his young years. He is quite talented but quite pleasent. Your son will have no problems with P.C. if he comes prepared, brings his energy and focus, and a smile or two.

We were going to surprise you with the massed hornlines playing happy birthday, but then we figured you'd be put on the begging list of each of the corps, and we didn't want to do that to your mailman who is probably already sweltering in the heat. Plus, you'd expect it every year. So Happy Birthday sine voce. Condolences on your mom's first anniversary. Let's hope she is interceding for best weather.

The bottom two photos in this link My link which show the mellophones "at work" pretending to be pit people from the front ensemble at practice and the bottom of the local scenery reminds me that Cadets' trademark Rocky Point Holiday was penned by Ron Nelson just down the strand from Bristol back in his day.

This poster could not be any further from the truth as it actually happened if the poster tried. Go back to the video tapes of the Seattle Imperials of Stanley Knaub using Oriental dance the first year of WGI. Go back to the minutes and tapes of the board room discussions and the joking with Shirlee Whitcomb, the laughing of her self-deprecating humor imagining herself frolicking about in a tutu, and the sarcastic comments referring to the hippos in Disney's movie of Fantasia. The humor was to offset the ardor of others who foresaw that letting the danceshoes in a toe meant that they would eventually want the whole foot, leg, and body to enter. There was much wraggling and wrenching whether military color guards would enventually become a thing of the past as they now have. Like most young know-it-all self-appointed guard elitists today, you disrespect the wisdom, knowledge, and efforts of the Founders by presuming it is all about the now and no one had a thought or premonition but the present. The second line underlined is exactly why a judge would be banned from forever judging again as all the rule books (DCI, WGI, DCA) appoint the judge to evaluate the performers not the theory.

Agreed. But those high numbers do not just drop out of the air. There is some pre-thought if one is so blind that the judge doesn't see the need for wiggle room with so many remaining units to perform. Witness what happened with the drum scores when championships were at Jackson, Mississippi.

Which is exactly the biased judging being scolded on other threads (cf. Full Panels.) An honest judge evaluates the 150 members in front of that judge that show, not a legacy, tradition, or history. Otherwise that judge is unfairly judging the other units of 150 members in that same show. A mature judge knows how to curb that. An immature judge does not. Notice I did not use the words rookie or veteran judge. I agree it happens. It should not happen...to any unit.If a judge can not curb that tendency that judge should quit before being fired.

There is a major difference between "some who just don't 'get it.'" and those who who just don't agree. I have known Kevin Smith since the time he was still on L.I. as Director of the St. James Saints in the 1970's-1980's before he and Maureen were transferred South. The only time I have ever known him to scream or witnessed him yelling at the corps members were both at the Bristol parade on Hope Street when Crown kids were losing all structure and balance according to him in their "celebratory" style which was frightening to some little locals. Even the esteemed EVD was struggling to regain their focus so that all did not become chaos at a certain house party.. As someone who has donated to Crown annually, has been a consultant at times, has taught a number of their present design team and instructors when they marched and who is still privileged to call a number of them friends whom we embrace when we see each others at shows, I certainly do "get Crown's approach." But please, don't be so much of a homer to deny that each style whether celebratory or impersonal/military has its limits because humans are the performers and humans have limits. Drilltech1 is not completely right, but neither is he wrong. It's not a black or white dichotomy. Because you don't like the impersonal style doesn't mean the celebratory is perfect either. Be fair with both eyes. Each is appropriate for its own circumstance. What that circumstance is is not an infallible decision, as witnessed by the horns up and down by the rest of the corps peers at Crown. I for one am going to enjoy the narrowing to finals this year a LOT>

Yes, that is true. Some of the favoritism is more obvious than subtle. If a judge is persistently giving a particular unit a lower score than his peers, the questions beg is he/she a more observant judge? is every unit in the contest scored lower? are placements and spreads relative to judging peers at most other shows. Earlier this season someone mentioned that they were adopting the cause of charting each judge and the score that judge would give each unit. Though a tedious trial to embrace, it would be revealing beyond bias and rumor what patterns of grading reveal as fact. Judges who consistently use a different standard with any unit should be excluded. There was previously talk of one particular former friend of George Zingali always giving his units lower scores. Rumors abounded that it was a rejected lover's revenge. When confronted that judge said he held Zingali and his unit to a higher standard because he knew the capabilities possible. Unit called foul. Judge persisted that he was "maximizing his review." A charting of the flow of scores even after GZ had moved to another unit seemed to back the contention that the judge was not impartial to his review of GZ's units. Zingali died before it was resolved but that judge is still with us. A similar numerical analysis of ordinals, raw scores, spreads, and placements would be quite revealing. On the other hand, there are the questions of over generousity with less protests by units that they were overscored. The debate will continue ad nauseum ad infinitum about the drum scores at Jackson championships in '93.

That's Aver-rill, for those not fluent with Bostonese.:tongue:/>/>/>

Found that out the hard way when DCI started and met the swamps outside Whitewater/Ft. Atkinson. (yes, I know they are in Wisconsin.) For the following years on tour as a staffer, one of the sub-responsibilities I had was being the one to make sure there were enough available CASES of Deep Woods Off for the membership. This included the many times we practiced at the old parade grounds stadium across the street from the Basilica in Minnie-apolis where they are going to build the new stadium. The one benefit of the errand was the chance to get some nice Northwoods cooking at the restaurant down the block from where I used to get the CASES.

Agreed.

You don't think the young Crownie is not embarassed that this wasn't edited out. Think again.

Now there you go trying to confuse the non-Bay Staters. It took me awhile of writing my dissertation chapters in Scituate, Mass. (not RI who say the c like a K where the Mass brand keeps it silent) before I figured out that up the Cape and down the Cape makes sense to landlubbers only thinking of the Cape as your arm at the side of your body. Imagine the mainland as your shoulder. If you curl your arm, the hand is still down the arm, even if you raise it above your head. So down the Cape is from the mainland to Provincetown, up the Cape is from Provincetown to Plymouth. And there is no Bourne tunnel, so don't buy the toll pass :-) Leave extra time today to get your Frappe at Brigham's. (Ice cream sodas for the rest of the world. jimmies are sprinkles, no matter what the color or flavor.)

As someone who had a hand in the founding of both DCI and WGI, I am certainly behind you on this one. And no way BD should ever get a perfect CG score the past few years with the number of equiptment bobbles, drops, and missed throws I have seen...all which have had a negative effect on dance flow, timing of movement, and projection of other visual elements. No matter how many California school jobs, the BD staff networks for certain judges, a missed toss is a missed toss which the judges are not supposed to miss or mess.

I see on the Cadets' whiteboard for today, their show in Lynn is a full panel as well. I think the time for real scoring is upon us.

of course you are aware that there are certain corps, such as Crown and Cadets who allow into the circle only alums and people who have made amazing contributions to the life of the corps. While your suggestion is worthy of consideration, it comes at the cost of killing another revered tradition unless you are able to find another way to mark the respect the tradition honors.

By not using local judging panels any longer, by extending the touring time a corps is on the road, and moving the first sanctioned contest to Father's Day weekend, DCI has changed the parameters of the drum corps tours compared to what it was when DCI first began (local circuits, less air travel for judging assignments, different windows determining touring calendar.) As only the Midwestern and Southern schools are all ended by the time of the first show, many good qualified judges currently employed as educators are not yet available as well. The movement of championships to earlier in the summer has also meant some judges are obligated to their educational institutions earlier. Corps do want the assessment of certain judges early in the season so as to help the corps rebuild their shows toward regionals and championships. The increase of total DCI experiences for which DCI supplies judging panels has also increased dramatically so now only 2 days all summer are contest free (no judges needed) and 100 contests on all the rest of those days.

Is this where we are supposed to shout "Uff da!" ?? If any out of staters might be venturing to the Gopherbowl, continue about a mile north of the stadium on University Av. You'll pass some "interesting" places to eat/drink there in "Dinkytown" neighborhood of UMN. I like to get my Minnesotan food at Lunds and Byerly's who have a great Whole Foods like salad bar, cheese bar, local eats, and Minnesotan specials.

We and DCP rejoice that you survived but wonder if your prostration was due to one too many of those Upper Midwest beverages. I hear they take "Bug-juice" quite literally there but say it in Scandinavian. :blink:/>/>/>

In so many ways, Bristol lends the current marching members a touch of family, community, and country as well as a beautiful scenery with the oldest of all the Fourth of July celebrations for our nation. In some ways, this experience also links current marchers with those Dinos BITD who remember doing loads of parades, local and small site shows rather than NFL stadiums, impromptu concerts and encores, and the after parties sometimes with the fans, other corps, and down time with our corpsmates. For all the "progress" over the DCI years, Bristol returns the activity to its roots. One can't have a strong skyscraper without a firm foundation. Bristol provides that which is why so many corps choose to participate even though there are so many options available that day. Where else do the neighbors have tables of paper cups filled with water and Del's lemonade in case the corps stops and needs renewal? or the spontaneous misting hoses the year the parade temp was mid-90's? Or the thousands who still stand on the sidelines in the pouring rain just to keep a two hundred plus year old tradition going? Unfortunately, my ride to the show and parade backed out at last minute and the trains and buses will get me there too late. I am going to miss it. Please enjoy it for me.

Please nullify this rumor going currently throughout the East and Midwest that there is at least one Californian designated each day to respond on this thread just so the rest of us don't forget BD while in awe of Crown.

Best of everything for a most successful show, raise lots of money, and then give Thomas Baker a well deserved raise.:worthy:/>

Carolina Crown: Klesch & Harloff giving us a horn sound that is pure heaven Cadets: the tradition of excellence ...in all captions. Bluecoats: great percussion with strong hornline in a very interesting show designed by Canadians. Cavaliers: their persistence Madison: the return of the brotherhood to higher goals and glory. SCV: a class act, every year. Blue Devils: giving us always much to "discuss"

and he can race around the track almost as fast as Tony DiCarlo given their ages.