xmenjeffb

They do have a great organization and Mark is one of the best guys in the activity !! They have stuck with this very interesting viusal approach and have made it their own. Kudos to the entire Blue Knights Organization !!!!! The real question in this thread should read Will the Blue Knights make the top 8 ?? Talk about your " dark " horses. Good luck to them . Jeff

Ok thank you for answering. I am happy too know i was wrong on my guess. So does that stand to reason you are on the board because you want a championship. If it is not about the kids ,then why raise funds and recruit ?? I do agree with you about the need to recruit and i respect that you serve on a board. Both are a very difficult task. But as a long standing instructor I could not send my students to a corps that said it was not about the kids.And professed it was about building a championship program. I am in no way against winning or building to win. But not at the expense of the memebers experince. I just believe it can happen with them in mind. And i know what i am talking about because i have done it with the help of a strong staff , strong admin and board that provided direction to the staff . The members were the core of all of the choices we made. Did we win ?? No . Did we build a great tradition and competitve drum corps ?? Absolutly. Because the members were incredible kids and they recruited based on the experince they enjoyed. I will always be proud of the retention rates we had and maintained. I agree it is not about taking kids off the street, in that ,you are correct at the DCI level. But the day that anyone convinces me it is not about the members experince is the day I no longer will be involved. I respect your opinions and the time you give to your organization. Jeff

It was but may have changed again 1-6 7-12 13-17 everyone else

Numbers will be set by Glassmen and Crown . then the Judges get Cavies and if all goes as usual they will get the bump. Then Bluecoats. A great place to be if you feel are you are running with the Top 3 or 4. But with Blue Devils and Cadets to Follow , Bluecoats will need to smoke a run to get a number that makes things tight . My guess is they will within 3rd by 2 points. MAdison is the one that could be hurt by this oreder of appearance the most. Just my thoughts. Blue Devils -87.1 Cavies - 86.4 Cadets - 86.1 Bluecoats-84.6 Crown- 81.1 Glassmen-80 .3 Madison-79.9 Colts-75,6 Crossmen -74.9 Blue Stars- 72.1 Cap Reg- 71.5 Southwind-71.2 Magic- 66.1 Pioneer 63.2

Enquiring minds have to know : Did you ever march drum corps?? Did you only march in a corps that won ?? ?? I would guess not. To have shared just a touch of the Madison Brotherhood in 1981 in Montreal as we stayed in the same housing . Too see them do what they do While we in Crossmen did what we do. And while neither of us won . I am very sure none of us would have traded our experinces with our corps !!! I am Bones till the day i die. Some years i love us some years i dont But i am always bones.. Did I cry foul in 1985 when they came out looking like Hostess CUPCAKES ?? !! no I SCREAMED !!!!!!! Yes the staff owes the members who PAY to go on tour and work the hours we ask them to work ! We owe them the very best we can provide in a summer experince . An experince which we hope will stay with them a life time as it has many here !! We owe them an ear or a shoulder when " real life " from home injects itself into the " fantasy "world of tour . We owe them our best effort as we expect it from them everyday !! I am stopping here as I feel a rage building . As to the orginal post.. Scream on , because i bet you still support them . Would i choose this forum to express as you have . Probably not but it is your choice not mine. Sal is a great man . A hard working and caring person. If you feel as strongly as you do at the end of the season send him a note. Express your thoughts . But i encourage you to be open to hear his side . Chuck made a great post here IMHO and that may be the root of the issue. It is a challenge to many corps that have had the years of quality that some have shared. We know who we are . But where do we take us from here ?? It is never as easy as some may imagine. My .04 cents Jeff

I Marched in 80 and 81 . Bones in Birmingham as the corps made it back into finals Was very very cool. And , Yes it does provide an emotional lift. I got a great look that year from under the goal post with a broken foot!!! 81--We were wondering if he could speak French , so he could talk his way past the Montreal security . He was there . And i vividly remember thinking , That dude can get in anywhere !!!! Gary , Help me out here was it 2000 or 2001 when there was a second bones lurking in Allentown ?? I thought .this could get interesting . A bones rumble in the Allentown park. As to how " Bones : got started ............. Hopkins tells the best story of the word Bones and it;s relationship to the corps . Generating from the snare and percussion features of that time. 1978 , when George and Thom Hannum were both in the snare line. As to the Mystic of the Figure .... Malibu is pretty much in line with what I knew coming in 1980. If you think it is cool now . I can only tell you it sent shivers thru me everytime when I marched because it was so different than anyone else and as Malibu stated we were still wearing the capes then. It was like the spirit of every Crossmen member before you would shoot thru your veins and that THIS NIGHT is one I would remember forever. We were not alone and were not to be forgotten. Some corps have songs, some have Mascots. We have " BONES " Jeff

Andy taught Colts one year in 90, only, he never wrote for them in the 90's. 90- 91 -Al Temby 92-97- me 98-99 Al Smith Jeff

Actually i think most would prefer they reflect the performance of the evening. George O once held a corps I was teaching field visual number in the same place for almost 3 weeks, being we only saw him on the field that 3 times over the course of that time, Every time we would clean and fix and think ok he has GOT to move us now. WRONG !! we still were missing what needed to be fixed and how. Finally we literally walked the field as he did with his tape playing until we found the MAJOR issues, And OMG they were there and he was right. But by doing that he made us learn how to be better . How to see things on the field better. We got better and so did the corps. Was i happy while this was happening ?/ NO WAY . Those that know me can only imagine. But he was right. He was consistent in his views and sampling. We learned or we were not moving unitil we learned how to fix the issues .Others have been that strong as well. Point being ... the performers are young adults . Many staff people are young as i was then and The corps do not get better every show. We see them in practice . They see them that night , in that stadium and give you a read. Simple as that . Maybe we were better based on what we had been seeing for a week. Does not always equal great improvement. Just like All changes are not better , sometimes they are just changes. I say Bash the knee caps if they have a bad night . Just make sure you reward them if and when it is better down the road, The system is based on achievement . There were nights with the Colts when we were just plain BAD . Seems Don Hill was usually on the panels those nights. And in critque we talked about baseball and the cubs because He knew and we knew it was an off night. But when it was achieved you would see a difference in his numbers , That is all that most performers and staffs want . It is what i believe most judges if not all strive to do.

Write for a few --LOL I watch other things. Anything visual outside our activity. I leave the house for a while . I watch TV . BUt i NEVER sit and stare at the screen without an idea of where i am going. The music and arrangements make a world of difference also. Working with Chuck as long as i have makes it easier most of the time. As he has developed an eye and understanding of visual arranging. Input from and about the guard helps a bunch as far as developing something. The dots are logistics so if you dont have an idea of how you want to develope a phrase into a paragraph , then you will spin your wheels for days . But the most helpful thing is seeing other visual things . Check out some art work to see how the lines flow. Look at some buildings see what lines and arcs were used.These have always helped me most. JB

You are correct . The annoucer is watching the T&P judge. And the corps know when the one minute mark is .Due to TV timing is very tight and is solely in the hands of the 2 people mentioned.

Been talked about here before but i will answer it again. Her parents order it for her as a surprise. I had no knowledge they were doing it. It was supposed to fly the banner over another area close to teh stadium but NOT around the stadium. The pilot assumed it was to be around the stadium , because when he flys banners it is usually around the stadium like at a Bills Game. So that is what he did instead of over the area near stadium he was supposed to use. The corps was staying so close to the stadium they did all that weeks warm ups at the housing site . It was NEVER supposed to buzz the stadium. It was great gesture that went horribly wrong.For the fans, the corps that had to perform and the family involved. But yes she did see it as the corps arrived prior to report time for the gate.but so did EVERYBODY else!!

Qualifies you yes for sure it does. But if your asking i would say you sound much more like a fan as far as how you view drum corps is concerned.You like to watch them all and you buy tickets to shows and you pretty much defend in a positive manner all corps. WHen there are things you dont like ,you seem to state your view in nice way. You relate to the members and what they go thru on tour because you were one. But you sound like a great fan to me.Nothing wrong with that at all. And i might add a very educated fan. So pick one and be what ever makes you happy . LOL glad to know the family is doing fine. b**bs Jeff

You are correct . Somewhere around 93 they showed up for the first time . The staff did not reconize what it was in the meat line. So we lovingly named them " Butt Chops ". A name we had seen that day on a store in Anamosa , Iowa. I cant believe they STILL call them Butt Chops / b**bs And the Colts have fed the corps very well for years . It was great from day 1 i went to teach there and has always been a priorty for Greg and the admin. Saulsbury steak night was usually a fave dinner. JB

It clearly states the intent. What BEST describes your INVOVLEMENT? When I started I thought i would see more in the Fan area. It is interesting to me that so many former members see themselves as that more than a fan. Based on many post i read , it leads me to believe that former members may be more into following Their corps more than activity.And that is fine . I have a friend who is not a fan of baseball but she is a Yankee fan.Has been a Yankee fan all her life.But does not follow the rest of baseball. I am a baseball fan that has my fave teams. I see myself as a former instuctor more. I have taught , marched and been a director. I dont have the same view of the activity as the FAN that has been buying tickets for years. I follow here because i have a great interest in the pagentry activities and since it is summer I am following the trends of the corps. When i started in 1975 i was a fan , then I marched , then i taught ,designed and programmed before i was a director. Am I a fan still ?? No . The FANS are all you great people that support the shows , souvies and donate items to the kids when they roll into town. People that plan vacations around shows and drum corps is what they follow.Do I appreciate what drum corps offer students in a summer program?? Yes I do !! So as i said before . I know you may be able to check off many . I just want to know how you see yourself now. thank you . Jeff

Well my point was to see what makes up the bulk of posters over the summer. Many Current staff members do not stay on tour all summer , Those days are long past. They are in and out over the summer. Between Wi-Fi and cell phones with internet connections many current members read and post while on tour. Even if the corps has a no post policy which several do. I am well aware that most of us are more than one of my listed choices. But i wanted to see , if they consider themselves fans or something else. I enjoyed the post of those that spoke of the history in corps. As well as Parents that marched and now the kids do . i am getting exactly what i wanted to see with poll. And way much more and I enjoying seeing where people take it . But thanks for you opinion. Jeff

On the starting line from Manaluialui THE Grass Skirt Cadets Chuck has to write me a Conk Shell solo or i quit !! And we already know you have to hire Shanakqa to teach the dance. Chief Makalottabang to do drums And of course Dean Blothrusmallend for Brass Can you make Beer from coconuts??

That would be most anyone !! We already know how much Evan will let us do. As He is Sooooooo Protective of his area of knowledge he could NEVER , EVER allow anyone to help his kids . LOL b**bs

I am curious to get a smple of where most of the DCP people come from. How you may be active in Drum Corps.

Great question . I do know this because Gail himself told me. When he heard about the musical he flew to London to see it in person. Is it possible that ending was the ending used in London ?? Does anyone know??

Hopkins told me this many years ago and it still holds true. Every great performance group has a PIED PIPER. The bottom line on all choices and directions. Some are very visible some work behind the scenes. If you look into why a group got a lot better you will find that person. To me, that is the biggest reason you see positive change forward. Yes it takes , many other factors and some luck. But there is a PIED PIPER that leads the way. Jeff

Dont know why the numbers got so close but the second set of numbers are the Music ensemble numbers for each show. The first set is the visual . I dint not set them up that way. Goes to show how much i know technology . Sorry if it looks confusing. I tried LOL Jeff

Assuming the recaps are correct. And that the judge listed was the one there and the numbers belong to that judge, Maybe what you want to do is track a judges numbers thru the season. Yes , the time between shows is important and are the contest dynamics.But since the recaps are there thought i would take a peek at 2 sets of ensemble numbers by the same judges in different shows. June 24 Columbia SC Visual --Gray Music- Prosperie Corps---Ensemble Visual-- Ensemble Music Cadets-- 15.9 ---- 15.3 Phantom 15.3 ---- 14.9 Boston 14.8 ---- 14.6 Crown 14.6 ---- 13.7 Spirit 13.5 ---- 14.1 Cap Reg 12.4 ---- 13.2 Magic 11.8 ---- 11.3 June 30th Same judges same Captions Corps Ensemble Visual ------Ensemble Music B Devils-- 16.3 --- 16.0 SCV 15.6 --- 15.0 B Knights 14.2 --- 14.2 Manderians 13.6 --- 11.8 Pac Crest 12.8 --- 13.4 Cascades 12.1 --- 12.7 Espera 12.3 --- 12 .8 What does it show me?? That the judges are more consistent with themselves than many see or believe. That the ranges the corps appear to be right now is where they are. Can they move up or down ?/ Yes many corps , in fact most are taking feedback and sifting that thru what they had planned to fix, change, or rewrite and changes to make a psuh will began to happen after the 4th. You track numbers an input see where the show is consistly showing a weakness. Most the corps have that mid season 3 or 4 day break where those changes and fixes will be put in and then the season begins. So all I am saying track the judge not the total number. Compare a persons numbers to that person not another judge at another show , time and place. Then if you are still interested, at all , you should be on tour teaching or helping out in some way !! Because you are consumed with the madness. When I toured I had one staff person in each caption keep that track thru the season of each judge we saw more than one time. Why , mainly because we have to review and critique the judges during and at the seasons end. The numbers as well as tape commentary are a part of that evaluation each corps should do. Now the sad truth of this is.... With all the number watching and all the OMG did you see What that judge did during the season. only a small percent of the corps over the years ever fill out and return the judges evaluations. So here is to my dream of a 12 way tie !! I still have hope !! Jeff

VEry well done and thank you .

I think lazy is not what happens. But a fact that i know we looked at was. The closer and ending is the easist thing to change.It has no bearing on the rest of the show as it relates to how much the new stuff the members have to learn. If you change the beginning or the middle it could mean major changes in the rest of the drill or at least in the order . Causing many members to have relearn whole sections of the show over again. The time to do that is not available on most of todays tours. Jeff

it was huge return rate of members and the time was right to move . But the jump did take them from 20 or below bottom feeders to Semi- Finals and Finals contenders. Prior to that season the Colts best finish in history was 15th in 1985. Florida Wave made a similar jump in 87 going 20th to 13 and just missing finals by a few tenths. But they could not sustain what was started. Jeff