decompressed

Just as long as we NEVER, and i mean NEVER, see the Oregon Ducks in those awful and i mean AWFUL football uniforms.

I loved Grant Field at Georgia Tech (atlanta 1994). No track, spectators right on top of the action and GREAT acoustics.

Thats funny, we joked when the cavies did it the Firebird should be shot!!!

If you drink enough you may be able to "pretend" they are not there!

TUMBLING!!!!!!

Are we talkin' about dipping dots? Perhaps they melted by the time Cavies went on!!!!!

It certainly wouldn't hurt the chances!!!!! I mean...what are you supposed to de in between corps???

Alcohol would certainly help!

A sail is when the flag silk gets wrapped around the pole a little (or a lot) and less than the full silk is presented. It kind of looks like a sail on a mast, more triangular in nature. it generally means that when the person is spinning that they are slightly turning the pole so the silk starts getting wrapped. As a horn guy, this is the best i can give you!

perhaps an example once again of the activity and competition dictating design choices and thus homogenizing the corps by finals week....sigh.

So lets see: Family of four: $100.00 for at least a Bronze Friends of DCI membership $299.00 x 4 for super premium seats which means: $1300.00 for this family to get the best seats at DCI???? Then: throw in aifare and hotels prices and this family could have had a REAL VACATION....no offense to indy or indy fans, but c'mon, if you are gonna plunck that kind of money down....go to the grand canyon...see America...not just the inside of Lucas Oil for a few days. And i assume families can't just buy Finals in combination with the Bronze membership.... so....I pass on this....folks...its drum corps.....watch at home or in the movies i guess. Let me know if my figures are wrong, but this is how it reads according to DCI. And i know there are plenty of people out there who are willing to and love to cough up this type of money for drum corps....personally, that would buy me two Dolphins Season tickets which is a far more entertaining value for my buck. Again...my 2 cents.

I think you must take into account that in many aspects, when the Crossmen moved to Texas they basically started over as a new drum corps. A young but eager talent base, new management, etc. so in essence if you view the Crossmen as a "third year" corps given its new location then wouldn't you say they have been extremely successful. Not many 3 year old world class corps would complain if they had a run of the past 3 years that the crossmen have had. There are some ties to the east coast edition, such as staff members, great alumni support and teaching, and i'm sure a few marchers remain from the other Crossmen groups, but, in essence, they are going through everything organizationally that perhaps a NEW drum corps would go through. Particularly in reference to member retention and the relative age of the corps compared to those that are perennial finalists. As a former teacher of the XMEN i am glad to see such great turnout and Al hit the nail on the head. If the kids show up, have fun and are being taken care of, they will ultimately build a base of talent over the next few years that will help them reach their competitive goals. Now...in no way am i saying that the crossmen tradition and things that make thema beloved corps is gone, i am just trying to draw a reference to the fact that they are doing extremely well for a corps that relocated to another geographical location. Congrats to all involved and keep up the great work.....and Al!!!! Whats up buddy?

1994 was a big one. Boston came in looking at 12th and i think the Colts shocked everyone with their first ever finals appearance and snuck in there after semi-finals making BAC wait another 5 years. Let me know if i got this one right or not.

Uhmmm...if only it were that easy!

You can do both...many corps have shown this...most recently carolina crown. But....you have to have the right choices being made. Haven't seen 'em, don't know who's teaching them, who the PC is, but if they are struggling with how to "play the game" and yet be entertaining, then it seems to me that perhaps they haven't quite figured it out yet. Best of luck to the Scouts! Gosh knows they will always be a fan favorite. Heres to hoping that in 2010 they have it all put together.

Yes...after tonight...they will announce the show lineup order

Add another corps to world class from open class?

I don't like Detroit or Pittsburgh. Both cities are cold, damp and too whitebread, hence i have no comparison!

So i take it that INT is the equivalent of the corps that is the "hot dog" corps? You know, the one everybody uses to NOT WATCH and go stretch their legs?

Agreed....now..onto your pic...how did the cadets win(tie) that year...i mean..look at all the variances in the lower body.....UNACCEPTABLE!!!

Oy vey!

Its a COMPETITIVE ACTIVITY...rankings matter. Otherwise, just do exhibitions and look for the missing people in the stands. You'll get the point then i think.

Interesting points you make.....and we aren't even talking about stylistic issues in the music, such as interpretation, articulation, etc......WHY DO SO MANY CORPS NOT DO REAL JAZZ ANYMORE? Because for years, some judges rooted in classical training, couldn't or wouldn't eward the intrinsic demand of interpreting jazz on the move. I MEAN...HELL...its hard enough to teach kids how to swing sitting down in a band room....let alone moving around at 160 on a footall field. This goes back to my original point on how the activity sometime dictates its own sterility (oooohhhh...i like that)

UPSIDE DOWN indeed....lmao! Hope you are well Gary!

Thanks Brad! I am honored!