TenorsForWorldDomination

We weren't excited by any means, it brought back too many memories of not making finals in 1997. We were excited at the show we put on the field that night. Prelims 2005 out of all the years I have marched is one of my favourite performances. We were on fire that night. That was the exciting part. The not so exciting part came when we heard we were only 1.65 out of finals. Corps have to set realistic goals for themselves. A 10th place corps all season long should not set a goal to get first at finals. You should set a reasonable goal of jumping a place or two, doing the best you can, entertain the crowd and have some FUN! You can easily setup your membership for disappointment if you set unrealistic goals.

To each his own. I can remember DCA being extremely predictable from when I started up until about 2003/2004. From a Grenadier perspective, '05 looked like it was going to be the same ol', but we jumped 2 spots in prelims over Cru and Sky and were 1.65 from making finals. We weren't going to give up, but there was something inside of me that kept saying we would stay 13th. As for 2008, I don't think 1st place is in question. I'm almost certain I can say that will be Buccs title. The dog fight between Statesmen, Hurricanes and Cabs could be interesting. Where do MBI, Renegades, Brigs and Bush fit in? Corpsvets, Cru, Kilties? A class fight...Alliance, Fusion Core, White Sabers. Can Grenadiers make a push? Where does Govies and the west coast corps fit in? No one can really answer these questions right now. I sure as heck can't.

I really don't know anyone who couldn't agree. I was in DCA from '97 - '05, except '04 and this is by far the most unpredictable season I have seen in DCA. From top to bottom it's anyone's game this year. It could settle down and everyone fits right into place, or it could get down to some major upsets. Who really knows this year?

Nope! Gene, everyone has the same seat number, row number and section number as you. Get ready for a BIG PILE UP! Everyone is sitting on Gene's lap at DCA's!

This home-stretch is killing me. I want to be at DCA's so bad this year!

Are we going to get a Jeff Ream review? Yours are some of the best reviews I have seen. They are straight to the point, no sugar coating, and very unbiased.

I take it you haven't been around DCA long enough. There have been some years where placements have been predictable. You knew where corps X was going to place and corps Y. This year we have so many scenarios, that makes DCA 2008 the most competitive season to date. I marched DCA from '97 to '05 with the exception of '04 and this year is crazy compared to previous seasons. Within my years in DCA, I have never quite seen it this unpredictable. Last year was jam packed, but not quite like this. If a corps doesn't bring their A game, like Jeff said, they are in trouble. Some corps members might not be in the right frame of mind. It happens! It happened to me in prelims 2003. I made stupid mistakes I shouldn't have and couldn't get in the zone...ON THE FIELD!!! Also, who are you to ask whether I was a member of a corps that didn't care? Of course I cared, without a doubt more than others. I think Grenadiers battery in the open class years speaks for itself. We showed up, we threw down, entertained, and made that field ours. There was and STILL IS an intense group from the North.

I check DCP often! I guess I don't have a life! hahaha I've been zipping between the laptop and my camera on a tripod on the balcony. I've been capturing lightning shots like crazy this summer. Kingston has been getting thunderstorms almost every day, and pretty monsoon like rain every other day. At least the grass is nice and green for this time of year! ;) The fans are going to get MUCH more than their tickets and travel is worth! Too bad I won't be there to cheer you and the rest of my pals in DCA on. I will be cheering here on DCP.

This year without a doubt, all corps will have to bring their A+ game. It's an insanely intense competition from top to bottom this year.

Chuck, you'll have to take that up with the yellow team! I can't wait to see the scores from prelims to see how you guys and Grenadiers pan out. It is going to be a crazy night from top to bottom. Good luck out there fella!

Slow and steady wins the race as they say! I hope to see a live webcast in the future, especially the times I can't be there.

I know there is a yellow team out there that worked incredibly hard this weekend. They are hungry and it shows in their stare.

Maybe the planning should start now for next year. A webcast is not an easy task to produce. I know some of what it takes, but there is a lot more I do not know and can't even begin to imagine. However, I think the planning should start now. Consultations, reports, bids for companies to provide such services, costs, market research in terms of demand to determine costs for customers and for bandwidth calculations. I know DCA doesn't have a fraction of the budget DCI does. I can't speak on behalf of all the DCA fans out there, but I know a good amount would be willing to donate or help in anyway possible.

Jeff, the "Madison" treatment you speak of was in 2000. It was Canada Day back home and there we were, on the field at the Barnum show. I'll never forget that year. It was quite a year for crowd reactions. That night was in Hurricanes backyard and the fans weren't happy with the score or the placement. They believed we should have been higher than the hometown favourite. You win some, you lose some! I also remember the parade the day after. A family at the start of the parade route let us rehearse in their backyard. They fed us food that was on the table for the family get together. We played a standstill for them, with Petey blasting the "Land of Make Believe" solo in their face.

I was at Grenadiers rehearsal on the weekend. I know a lot of members and staff are excited to pull into Reading. As far as I can remember from '97 - '05, the years I marched, we never did the Reading show. I didn't march '04, so maybe they did then? That is a nice line up of corps! Good luck everyone!

Mr. Root, I wish I could be there to see the dog fight between White Sabers and Grenadiers. There are still quite a few folks around White Sabers that I would remember for sure. With my excellent new job, there is no way I could head to DCA's Labour Day weekend. At least I won't be completely out of the loop.

What a CRAZY intense season so far! I won't be able to attend DCA's, so I will be glued to DCP for the play-by-play from the MAN himself Kevin Gamin and the others.

I'm a Yamaha fan through and through, but Pearl bass drums cannot be beat.

A lot of corps set the tuning from the bottom bass up. Then you carry on the tenors from 1st bass. Also, I don't know what you are smoking, but a line of 4-6 multi-tenors looks ###### on the field. I cannot agree it would look better at all if you used single or two drums. Tri's looked absolutely ridiculous, and single tenors were hard to differentiate from snares.

Typically a corps will carry flags of various locations that members come from. In Grenadiers I do believe our honour guard carried the Canadian and US flags, Quebec flag, Ontario flag and Kingston flags.

I believe every corps that gets new staff takes a while to adjust. In some cases, a change in scores on the positive side is going to happen, especially if that respective program was hurting before. New fresh people, new techniques, new philosophies. The next two years will tell the tale whether the new SCV brass staff was the right choice or not.

Kilties made finals in 1998.

Limited to open class? I bet you will miss out on some interesting topics from the A Class corps. Such as corps that were open class and why they are A class, new upcoming A class corps and the challenges they have faced, what it feels like to be in a division that still doesn't get the credit they deserve aka. BUTTS in the seats.

I won't deny Alliance has a kick ### overall program this year. Without a doubt they are getting what they deserve.

Which leads to whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. Shows and how they come across, when designed well, are open for interpretation, just as lyrics in a song. Everyone will interpret how they want, or better yet, how they know how to. It's human nature and judges are human last time I checked! lol I still stand by my wish, demand should be on the sheets. However, it does leave open a lot of gray area. If somehow or some way it could be refined, I would love to see it make a comeback.