SteenAZ

I have been wearing my new Phantom shirt all day in support. Wish I would have been there to see you one last time.

So here we are about to end the season. Just a few weeks ago the supporters of the return to an all-female guard were gloating with the scores and placements of the guard sub-caption. Now it seems this has reversed and while the all-female guard was not the disaster on the field in score like in 04 (I think they were around 10th)they also were not dispatching the competition in Finals like many had assumed or hoped. In prelims and semi-finals they took 6th. Still waiting for results of finals but we all know how theses things trend. So... Was it worth it to keep talented young men out of the guard? For the record I loved the show but the exclusion/discrimination has still left a bad taste in my mouth. Also... Did anyone notice in the Thursday theater broadcast that Will Pitts felt the need to explain the all-female guard? He called it a "tradition" of Phantom. To me that was a slap in the face of all the young men who marched 05 - 10. Could he at least have said "old tradition" or "we brought back the old tradition?" I also find it ironic that the two highest placing shows of Phantom in that period and the show that made him famous could not have happened without male guard members. Imagine Faust without Faust or the Devil. Imagine Spartacus without... you get the idea.

I should be on tour but I will have to settle for... Mesa, AZ Cinemark

Can't wait!!! I fly in from Phoenix in the morning to join tour all the way to Indy. Looking forward to seeing how everyone progressed and to see the shows from corps that did not come out west this year.

Wes, can we play nice? If you could dig back and see all the wonderful things I had posted about Phantom Regiment, especially two of your years you would know I am a long time DCP participant. You even performed in a show I helped run in Phoenix. Phantom has and always will continue to inspire me to help build The Academy. Remember we are all one big Drum Corps family no matter what our opinions might be. We are in this to support the current members who give us so much with what they do on the field night after night each summer.

No, I insinuated that Hard Core fans post from the show. Ugh! You have no right to call me or anyone a troll.

And this is why I don't post much on DCP anymore. How dare you attack me over a comment about a lack of reports compared to the previous shows.

The Academy - Pendleton Heights HS in Pendleton

Wow, nobody reporting from this show? Clearly no hard core fans in Little Rock.

I agree that the Cavies had the superior Guard. They were electrifying! The big difference explaining the score could be the difficulty. I don't have the DVDs to confirm but if memory form finals and regionals I attended serves me correct the Cavies had a far more complicated program with very tough catches and complicated rifle work.

Ok, but what about this... Phantom is a co-ed organization like all but two of the corps in World Class. By closing an entire section, almost a third of the corps to one sex aren't they discriminating? Other than Cavies and Scouts do we know of any other situation in the modern era where a section would exclude a talented member based on gender alone? If this is about "casting" as someone put it then I am equally upset to think they will put the guard ladies on the field only to writhe around in front of the horn line like in past shows. It seems to me that some of you fans only remember moments when an all-female guard gets slutty with the horn line. Is this the kind of thing we should have young people to do to entertain us? I am not happy about this move but I will reserve judgement till I see what they put on the field. Even then at best they still are discriminating against young men who might have wanted to march with an amazing corps. Such a shame.

Would there be individual awards tonight? Never seen them before at SA

This is way past the awards ceremony according to the scedule.

this is crazy!

Scores coming soon, I have to post on Facebook first but will put here if no one else does.

Why is this so quiet?

Just got word, another good run for the Academy. I hope the brass score comes up from last night.

Trying to get a report from the stadium.

shouldn't this be the Dallas thread tonight?

2009 - Charleston, WV - Phantom playing Ave Maria as an encore. I moved down very close to the field and closed my eyes as the sound rushed over me. Four weeks later The Academy recording of Ave Maria was used in my wedding.

You know what would make me happy? That we never talk about Academy on DCP ever again. We seem to be one of the few corps that it is perfectly fine to trash. As a fan of a sacred beyond reproach corps and the Academy I can say I am starting to get fed up with this site. I would rather hang out with the people on our Facebook page who don't have inane arguments and try and prove points to people who will never listen anyway. Every corps has kids, staff and volunteers who work themselves like crazy and do not deserve this negativity. Criticize all you like but keep it off the public forums. The users of the DCP forums are in decline and the negativity and futility of the conversations are a big reason why.

Just last night we had a little fundraiser night for The Academy Winterguard at a California Pizza Kitchen. My husband brought up that we should go yet he had to endure a night of me swapping tour stories with my "tour buddy." He goes to our home shows only and even volunteers at them when needed. He has been truly supportive of me going on tour to drive or cook for the Academy so I should be thankful. Someday I hope he will go with us and help on the road but it just is not as much fun for him.

Is there a thread for the show? Where is the dissection of the music?

That would be cool considering it is our first official year in Indy. Sadly I will be breezing in Saturday afternoon and not spending much time in the city.

Thanks for all the kind words. Winning fans in DCI is a hard thing to do. The kids in the corps know they are entertaining you and putting out a great effort each night. I was with them for the past week on tour and they have a great positive attitude and are proud of the show.