spnbvisguy

The open class needs to be promoted in non expensive ways.. Lets look at the Field Pass.. How many field pass segments were dedicated to the Open Class? If BDA did not win World Class would the BDB have received as much recognition on there as they did? I am not sure. Field Pass is great.. and this not a slam against it.. I just wonder if any Open Class group (a part from a World Class group) would get as much press time. Stories on DCI.org- if anyone had the time to compare the number of stories about World Class compared to Open Class .. would we be surprised that World Class dominated the news updates? Probably not. These two things alone cost DCI no money and are an easy way to open more eyes to the good work of this class. New drum corps came on to the field, old ones came back to life... how much press did all that get? Are these not great business and drum corps stories? Did we as a community recognize the courage of the these stories? The Open Class also needs to stand up and defend itself better. With all this talk of G7 and special meetings and re designed judge systems.. who represents the kids, staff, parents and business interests of the Open Class at these meetings? If there is representation, is it listened to? Does it speak? Does it stand up for the groups that are still performing, raising funds and promoting the cause of drum corps? I say again.. would any of us be surprised to find out that the new improved judging system that is being looked at and evaluated hasn't even given the open class a thought? I bet you it has not. Imagine that...... again... why not? Where are the Open Class Representatives in this discussion. The Open Class needs to be as responsible for its "value" in the activity as does DCI as a whole. There is a place for these corps.. it just needs to be respected and promoted better by everyone involved. No one should let any meeting or talk of DCI and its future happen without representation from all levels of the drum corps activity present. The big issue here is not wether Open Class will survive.. it is wether or not the elite will allow all the competing corps seek the same value at the table. And I am not talking money value.. I am talking value in what drum corps is and how it has served a great purpose for many many young people.

Citations and 7th represented the N.E. area well. 7th has def. taken steps in the right direction to forward their quest for a top 12 spot.. The Citations have picked up where they left off last year... beautiful sound, great improvements in percussion and a guard that was already breath taking at times. The Northeast has a chance for another medalist in DCI with this corps. Scores were pretty consistent with the national trends for early season. The worst part of Saturday night.. was realizing that the Northeast has losts its drum corps. Three competing groups left. Good luck to everyone.

so nice to hear.. to bad the leadership of the corps did not have those values over the past few years and implement a plan to reach their hand out to the people who wanted to help and get to the bottom of the financial mess. No sympathy here for a person who ruined a great drum corps because of self fulfillment and self gratification. Feel bad for the history of the corps, its past great staff and its past drivers and support staff absolutely YES.... but don let the lies and deception of the leadership blind any one from the truth. The truth is something the Spartans lost when their members and employees walked out the door because of the deception of the leader.

Oh come on now. This is trash talk and ridiculous. Tom and the people at Citations have been helping each other out for years and there is no need for all this to go on. Let the corps enjoy its success and move on. Good luck to everyone over the winter months. God why people are so mean on here is so against the reasons people do corps. It is called sportsmanship.. lets use it in all we do and set good examples for the kids in the corps!