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Is this a Madison Scouts Alumni only alumni corps?

MONEY

So cool yet so...hot! Thanks!

1st California State Championships Sacramento 1970 Walked away as the state champ Last 1973 DCI Championships Like the Bus I got to "retire" with a ring

'73 first DCI champ- first time we played Young Persons Guide '74 first year for Clowns

HDTV & 16:9 are the future of television and for many of us the future is now! It’s crazy that DCI hasn’t already begun broadcast in the new format.

<personal attack removed: bluestarcontra> DC has “grown and evolved” and we now have themes and concepts and a lot of intellectual flatulence. As a horn player I always looked forward to seeing the drum solos. I loved watching the stick work…it was entertaining! Sorry, I almost forgot that in the minds of the judges and show designers entertainment value is a low priority.

I wonder if DCI “celebrated” its fifteenth anniversary?

<personal attack removed: bluestarcontra> It’s a tragedy that so many potential members ignore the opportunities available to them by marching D2. I know in SCV land we are trying to build a more local “A” corps by building a strong (and very competitive) cadet corps. Maybe DCI needs to give more recognition to the lower division corps. With that thought in mind I’m altering my proposal slightly. Three regions would still be formed and regional championships held. The winner and runner-up in both D1 & D2 in each region would be invited to compete at the DCI championships. Also three wild card entries would be invited from D1. DCI would then subsidize the travel expensive for each of the fifteen corps. D1 and 2 would still crown their individual “international champs”, but the top three D2 corps would be invited to perform for the D 1 finals. I've been around this activity for over thrity-five years and seen a mutitude of changes. I can safely say that not one of the changes has done anything to further the activities growth in the number of corps.

The proof that the above quote is a load of crap, lies in the number of students who audition for the remaining D1 corps. The problem is not a lack of interest, but lack of opportunities. I believe the lack of opportunity is caused by the economic restraints DCI puts on its member corps by its preoccupation with the national tour. As I have posted before I believe DCI should put its focus on developing a regional competitive circuit and crowning regional champions (East, Mid-west and West). The top three finishers in each region along with three wild cards would then travel to the DCI championship site which would rotate between the three regions. DCI would subsidize each corps travel costs. I believe this would help develop more locally based corps and build regional rivalries. Since it’s Christmas Eve and I need to get ready to go out I don’t have time to elaborate, but DC could grow if DCI would change it’s business model.

The busses and Miss Amana have never had anything but Santa Clara Vanguard painted on them. If you go to the corps website you will see Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps mentioned in multiple areas. It's also on the lighted sign above the main entrance of the corps hall.

From Jerry's Jacket (thanks Gwen!)

1st DCI "Ring"

SCV's 1st Championship

Losing Joanna and Mike was so much worse than anything that ever happened on the field. I will never forget Joanna’s smile…it would light up a room. She never lost that smile, even when her treatments caused her to lose her beautiful hair. I’ll never forget the day she left us, a bunch of us (Mike LaTourette, Tim Salinas, Newt, Kurt Peterson, and Barry Turner) were playing basketball at Benton Park. Eric Unruh drove up and we knew something was wrong because Eric was never interested in basketball. That’s when we heard the terrible news. #### even now I still get weepy. Mike was one of the new breed of DC percussionists. He was a protégé of Fred’s and his future was indeed ahead of him. The activity lost two future stars with their passing. The SCV organization honors both their memories every year when they hand out the Joanna Avilla award for most inspirational Color Guard member and the Mike LaPorta percussion award.

<personal attack removed: bluestarcontra> The back of my jacket is embroidered Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps. Last time I looked they still are. When I marched we were taught to respect and honor the tradition of the drum & bugle corps. Oh and bye the way drum & bugle corps existed decades before DCI and valves were added to the bugles as the activity grew. In my day we were proud to be members of a drum and bugle corps and nothing would get you a dirtier look than calling us a marching band. In my discussions with recent members I still feel that pride. <personal attack removed: bluestarcontra> Flame away!!! Paul

In 1980 it had been seven years since I marched and I wasn’t what you would call still active in the corps. I did however still share a house with guys I marched with and still hung out and partied with a good number of other alumni. It came to our attention through the rumor mill that Pete and Fred thought it was time Gail gave up some of his creative duties. Actually that’s the nice way of putting it. What we heard (correctly or not) was that Pete and Fred wanted Gail gone. I know we (many alumni) took the rumor serious enough that a few of us organized a banquet to honor GR and show our support. Rumor also had it that GR had “turned over the show” to Pete and Fred. During the season we heard (again rumor) that Gail was less than supportive of the show within the DC hierarchy. To this day I couldn’t tell you how much of these rumors were based in fact. I do know 1980 was the last year of Pete and Fred’s affiliation with SCV. And although the corps won the title in ’81 they did so without the creative risk taking of the previous year. It’s too bad that the genius that was Gail, Pete and Fred had to end. Paul

I suggest your son give serious consideration to joining the SCV Cadets! George Brown and his staff will guarantee he receives the full SCV experience. Plus this year the Cadets are going to Madison for D2 finals. Paul

In all the years I’ve been reading this forum I’ve seen some pretty moronic posts. Made a few myself, but this one takes the cake! Let’s do a drum corps show with no drums. I’ve got it; let’s get rid of the drums and horns!!! Then the drill writers and choreographers can really cut loose. With amps all the sound can be provided by a synth and a drum machine or better yet just pre-record it. I really can’t understand why some people want to continue to screw with the activity. IMO the activity peaked in the late eighties and early nineties and all the changes since then have done nothing to improve the product. Here’s a novel idea!!! Leave the activity alone and enjoy it for what it is!!!!

Jerry’s a punk. I find it hard to believe he was ever a member of SCV. He’s a disgrace to the history and traditions of a great corps. He’s also a ###### hiding behind his screen name. He and others like him are the reason I believe this should become a real names forum! You may not like or agree with my posts and in retrospect I’ve made some emotionally based dumb ones, but you will always know where the post came from.

Saw this on RAMD and thought it was funny! Just shows how some things never change...even after almost 80 years!!!! "Charles Tiede, a member of Racine's Boy's of 76 and in charge of publicity for the corps, contacted the Racine newspaper after the contest stating that "the judging of the whole contest was so incompetent that the wonderful drum corps from Omaha, Neb., and Beloit, Wis. were not selected for the semi-finals" and both of these corps in addition to the Rockford, Ill., corps should have been included in the top five to compete in finals. Charles Tiede also stated that "at every other competition the judges gave a detailed report immediately after the contest on these points: uniform, marching appearance, rhythm, cadence and maneuvers. Two days after the contest and we have not been able to get a report or even learn the names of the judges." It was later learned that two judges were sailors and another a sergeant in the Marines." -one account of American Legion Nationals, 1926 Posted via Rick Beckham's "Rudimental Drumming" site.

I have 1994 & 1996 VK shot at SCV's home show. I used a two cameras one high level and one field. Paul

Bb vs. G, 2005 Cadets or 2002 Cavies, nothing wrong with that type of debate!!! ’89 PR got screwed or ’75 Madison didn’t deserve the title have no place on this board! Such comments are an affront to the winning units; it diminishes and demeans their accomplishments. I guess it’s that old “win with dignity and lose with class” that was engrained in me as a member of SCV. I find these types of threads void of class.

Re-read the first post… “I can’t see how SCV won.”…doesn’t sound like a personal agenda? So this “expert” with all his experience as a marching member and judge has watched a video a few times and concluded he is more qualified to determine the winner than the judges on the field that night.

In the judges opinion SCV won the show. Since the judges have the only opinion that counts SCV went home with the trophy. Most years there is very little separating the top two or three corps and one could probably argue if the winner in any year was the correct one. These types of threads are the ultimate in stupidity. Started by an anonymous poster who in all likelihood is someone who never marched in a DC, much less one of the top corps. These treads are nothing more than a haven for unqualified opinions and sour grapes!!! They should be closed as soon as they are posted!!!!