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Debbie is as fair and professional as they come!! Each judge is trained and they do bring in a background which could produce different results. You see a blip i see debbie being consistant. I know Debbie and know when asked to take a look at something she may have missed about a unit she always has done so. Sometimes she sees what we think she missed and sometimes she is able to tell us what we think is happening may not be clear. But, she is as honest and fair as the day is long. She is one of the best judges in the activity and yes she is one of the toughest. But to question her training or background is to not know her. Did i often fear seeing her ?/ YES !! Was she always professional ?? YES !!!!! Debbie is without question one of the very best in DCI and WGI . Jeff Bridges

Dan , Crown -Jekyl and Hide year --Great guard Horrible feet that should have been 14 or so in field visual. Even if you factor in how great gurad was the horn line could not march. No offense to anyone that year just my opinion. Crossmen 02 --How did they get a Visual effect number that year higher than 12th?? Guard placement horrid . One cool effect in design that was very effective but overall show lacked visual coordination. They also had some serious excellence issues in field visual that year . Crossmen perc in 2000--New staff -new kids and a rough year for the drums in general . All put forth great effort to inprove but was a weakness that should have scored much lower than they did . There are 3 that stand out to me and i know i have more if i went back and studied more videos .Now as i stated that is only my opinion . Oh yeah, I know it is past time frame of last few years But lets Talk aboit VK not getting some higher effect numbers than they did and some much lower excellence numbers than they did . If they were a little sloppy i didnt care as long as it generated the intended effects. But there a few years they should have been way up in GE and way down in excellence. And i speak mainly to visual. I would also venture to say that Crowns 04 show could be justified in effect as a top 3 or 4 show. IMHO Jeff

IT is Him and He is the BEST !!!!!! Just a pure pleasure to meet ,teach and be around . Jeff

And i would add that had the corps been given the proper spreads for it's strengths on friday and saturday nights it would have been in 9th as it should have been. We also shot ourselves in the foot with a bad run on thursday night at quarters and did not set ourselves up for a great 3 day run.Like we did in 95 when we moved a spot each night up in rankings. Chuck is dead on in his take on what happened in the Colts case in 96. Oh yeah he was there with me also . Jeff

I think the post was menat along lines of say ,Sky Ryders one year . 3rd in effect 24 th in drums 8th in brass 13th in visual corps placed 9th ( i believe ) Once a Canadian corps was 2nd in drums and the visual in was in 30's ANd i Agree with him that by nationals every year captions tend to line up in placement more than they really are . I agree that the top 3 is usually in the 3 or 4 in captions but across the board there are greater strengths in some corps that dont get the number they deserve.and on the other side some weakness that derve to be scored much lower. Then see where the score falls for placement. Jeff

Well Nikk , I am a tree hugging liberal hippy and i totally agree with you . That either means you are getting older or the world is ending !! Jeff

Agreed !! Crossmen 81, Suncoast Kenton show, BD when they actually played full jazz melodies. JB

OUCH !! That sounds like a Yankee fan spewing it's venom !! Be not bitter just because your team had the GREATEST collapse in the history of sports. Besides maybe drum corps would be better if we were half in the bag . Who knows maybe the fans would get the full meaning of how some shows were developed ( HA HA ). And lets be honest . How many fans will actually be in the stands when the show starts at quarter finals on thursday?? Sober or drunk ?? Jeff

Thanks for the idea . If Chuck and I are there next season I am sure we will take a listen . Jeff

As a drill writer i would like to address a few issues here. 1-I wrote for 2 corps thos year and both had the complete show in plenty of time to teach . This was because the arrangers stayed on schedule even with a music approval problem for one of the corps.Troopers needed more time for the guard to get show done before starting tour which they did not have this year.Taipei' show was done 4 weeks before leaving taiwan visually. 2-I do not know any designers that plan on not being done!! Delays can happen for many reasons. Usually due to lack of communication by the design team. 3-As far as shows being to complex ,i think not. Some may be too hard for the students attempting them. I have not seen or heard a show that took more than one view to understand. Now to get the full range and depth may take more but all can be understood in one view. 4-I have not read anything about a show being so hard or complex that you could not appreciate the planned effects this year.Many writers have things that motivate an idea or design process that are not readily seen or known but you can usually get the basics of effect. Like a great book or movie you may like something on the first read or view and go back for more to see more of the details.Your personal background makes a big difference as well when viewing. As a Visual person with a music background that is also involved in winter guard I tend to see the whole and allow things to come to me as presented by the designer. If i am judging effect i like to read a few sentences before i react to the paragraph. Then see how that developes thru the chapter and takes me to the end.One of the resons i love Tarantino movies is because i never know where he is taking me until it is done.So i can just enjoy the ride. Jeff

1-Cadets 2-Cavies 3-Blue Devils 4-Phantom 5-Madison 6-Bluecoats 7-Boston 8-Crown 9-Blue Knights 10-SCV 11-Glassmen 12-Spirit 13-Crossmen 14-Colts 15-Pacific Crest 16-Cascades 17-Southwind 18-Cap Regiment 19-Manderins 20-Magic 21-Troopers 22-Esperanza 23-Kawanis 24-Pioneer

A tough question but from experience I can tell you it varies greatly from corps to corps. Some of the directors have regular jobs. Some are full time directors but none that i know belong to the Yacht club. As Far as staff goes,most mix drun corps with other jobs and income. Many in the field they currently work in such as teachers. Others completely different jobs not related to activity.I do Not know of any instuctors whose only income comes from one drum corps and no where else. Jeff

Depending on what some would call surprises . But based on these panels, i am expecting some moves. A dash of crazy and a pinch of " WHAT " with a head scratch and at least 2 bent eyebrows. Jeff

NOT comparing scores from differnt shows but looking at how they rank in groupings from those scores ,I think your formula is close to how the blocks will fall.I think the compitive blocks look like this. 1-6 --NO order just blocks -Devils-MAdison-Cavies -Cadets-Bluecoats-Phantom 7-9--Vanguard-Crown-Glassmen 10-14--Boston--Blue Knights-Spirit-Colts-Crossmen 15-18--Manderans-Cascades-Crest-Esperanza 19-24-Cap Regiment-Southwind- MAgic-Pioneer-Troopers-Kawanis That being said,It is still early,so corps will move up and down in the blocks and sometimes move to bottom of next block or drop to top of lower one. I do not think the blocks will change much more than that and if they do it will be in San Antonio or Indy.I actually find myself pulling for BLuecoats to be a NEW top 3 entry.Better keep and eye on the west up to San Antonio 15-18 block looks interesting but do not see others until then.Leaving me to think 15-20 could see some shake ups possibly. It is July and now changes happen between here and San Antonio.If some one is going to make a major move it will come in those weeks and the week following San Antonio. I will be interested to follow the calculations trends up to mid -season. Thanks, Jeff

MIne would have to be 1984 Florida Wave. Where are the Ventures?? They had some great A class corps. Jeff

Great review Dave --and Yes--The Troopers are having a great time as i saw them and worked some changes in the drill In Orlando --Which i think added to them being a bit tentitive in Orlando --but has paid off since --SO all is good---Goal is retention and build on this season Jeff

NOt so much attacked as they were trying to get to Randy one last time and my crutch sorta "slipped" into that guys stomach . I would love to have a copy of that pic Sandy.

It was the BOYS bus that had the show down with FL Vanguard in Miami and at Finals in 80. Vanguard came after Randy in miami as we pulled in for the show. He sent the black belt John S??? out the front door to "talk " to them--while the rest of the "boys" bus went out the back escape---They said we have no problem with you guys --we just want Randy ---By then we were lined up behind them ---And Steve Kiefer replied from the back ---If you got a problem with him --you got a problem with all of US---We are from Philly and we will hurt you !!!( ha ) They left --but did continue to do evil things to Randys mom at shows and try and bother Randy --just never came close to him.... After finals in 80 --we were celebrating in the lot when some came after Randy one more time--I hit one with my crutch in the stomach --couple other guys--stood up and landed a few blows and they scattered away quickly--it was over in seconds. When they returned home ( vanguard ) --Reliable Rondo --folded florida vanguard --reformed under the name Florida Wave--He kicked out all problem kids plus some left and went to other corps---And Wave started to turn things into a corps the way they should be--- Ironic --I came on board with Wave in 84 and stayed thru 89--and the guy i hit with the crutch --Was one of the 2 DM'S--LOL----he had changed....He left after 84 marched scouts his age out year and the rest is history!! I will say there were many sordid details happening in florida vanguard that gave Randy more than enough good reasons to leave.....Those same reasons are what lead Rondo to change the whole corps for the better in the future. Jeff

Randy on a lighter note here ---We were just happy you were not driving a Crossmen Bus that night ---You were a much better horn player than a Bus driver when you marched.

Hummm i ws marching Crossmen that year also --We must know each other. When we found out what really happened we were in warm up for the Memphis show --Kelsey had to walk away and we were just stunned. We stopped by Spirit sitting near the end Zone and played " Superman" for them. Very emotional night and season. Jeff

In theory yes they can.... however in drum corps ..as we have seen thru history replacing someone is never as easy at it seems. Many times you are trying to replace a personality..more than just a teacher. And a corps can lose it's identity with that. Not every instructor is capable of motivating at the same level much less teaching at the same level. Tour needs a pied piper .. a person that wills the students to achieve night after night . Every successful team has that person. Look around at all the corps and you will find that person. The one that everyone follows-staff --students -vols and admin. Some times a director --sometimes a staff person but i bet they each have that person. Now of course experience of staff and kids plays a huge roll in the final outcome..chemistry of a staff --very important -IMHO---But not everyone can be replaced--some one else hired --Yes ---person replaced --not always..... Jeff

While exciting --i agree with Evan it was draining on everyone--Mainly because of the 2 hour drive back to housing every night ---We did have a 12 year old in the corps that year ( cory ) and I still laugh about him falling asleep in the luggage racks on the way back to housing one night. Only to have me find him banging on a window to get out, the next morning. ( Busses had padlocks on the doors then ) The moment that sticks out most is the night we made top 25 --going in the room for directors /managers and hearing--" Welcome to DCI membership and semi -finals"--Was a great night for the corps as a whole. Winning Class A ---great to win any world championship --- Most importantly are the amount of friendships I still whole dear from that 84 corps--So many still involved in drum corps Proudest moments--When the students became teachers Thanks for the flash back... Jeff Bridges

Lunch --dinner and breakfast--LOL----But i we believe it will get stronger as the brass line matures---Still working in new kids and I believe that the set up is a place for me to make it better musically yet still keep the effect --we shall see. Really is good to hear from you Bobby---- Jeff

Thank for the great review--makes me want to give you a hat --lol--no money either !!! HA---Very happy you enjoyed Troopers so much -- Jeff