BlooooContra

Bluecoats have peaked ONCE this century, which was in 03, and happened for certain... er... reasons. :P Other than that, it's a corps known for surging late. 01, 05 and 06 in particular come to mind. Heck, in 05 we surged on Finals day! lol

When I marched, we never got love in Centerville. It was Glassmen/quasi-Cavalier territory, and we always got (relatively) bad receptions there.

Firstoff, I'm loving Criminal. After the quasi-debacle that was 2003, it almost sounds like "Capture and Escape" done correctly. And for any of you out there who may have marched 03, take a listen to the closer, then go back to your original first draft of "Snared." Hear something familiar? lol I think the strength this year lies with the drumline, though in terms of single sections, I'd have to go with the contras. Not only are they holding their own, but those 12 guys are adding a ton of personality to the show with their playing (and Doug's arranging!) Weakness? I'd have to go with the visual package. They're hauling through most of the show, but it doesn't always seem to have a big payoff. Look at SCV this year, or Cavaliers 01-02 for an example of how to move all the time and still always create effect. I think while trying to compete for the title, "filler" drill needs to be cut out. It's nowhere near as bad as the Bluecoats track meet in 04 (TONS of running, but nowhere near the effect there should have been considering all that movement), but it's still got a little ways to go. I'm predicting a medal for Blue this year. As to what color, I'm gonna just wait and see. Can't wait for the home show on Saturday!

Bluecoats. Might want to fix that poll somehow if possible, considering they beat BD and Cavies last night.

We need to change the topic of this thread. BRING MIKE DITKA TO MADISON!!!

I think Cavaliers will pull out the win tonight. Bluecoats in second by a mere tenth. Orrrrrrr maybe a tie. Bluecoats on top of both of them in August. Hopefully BD on top of Cavaliers as well. If Vanguard and Bluecoats can somehow take the top 2 slots, I'll be the happiest guy ever.

Um.... yeah. Might want to study your sound physics before you start arguing, especially with a cat like Bob. And as for a couple different points... I totally agree, to be a GREAT contra line, you need to look like it. I don't think Blue is there yet. Honestly, I don't think Blue has ever been there. We've been close, very close, but at least since the shows I've seen (87-present), they've never had the 100% strong-looking line. It's ultra frustrating, but I've got my fingers crossed that it happens this year. It always seems to be about 7-8 bad muthas, and a couple stragglers who can always seem to play well, but they don't have that visual killer instinct. As a contra player, you've got to go out there every night, looking like some psycho who's about to eff someone up at the drop of a hat. With these unis, not to mention a freaking show called Criminal... that should be happening by mid-July. As for BD, they put out some AMAZING sounds. Unfortunately in the past, they always just float outside the rest of the hornline, doing absurdly easy drill. Lookin at their 07 show, it looks like that's really started to change. I'm loving the 07 BD hornline, and their contras are really doing a great job this season. And on a totally unrelated sidenote, SCV's drill blows my freaking mind, and IMO has set the new activity standard. Time for everyone else to start playing catchup, except maybe the Cavaliers. Ok, back on topic: Go Blue. :)

The **** with reputation. 2007 Bluecoats.

Bluecoats come in second. Phantom in third. The 2007 Bluecoats Contra Line FTW by .2 Contra Line also takes Vis Performance and GE Hotness Holy freaking crap. Anybody else heard those guys? Way to go, Bob. /end gushing

I love lamp. ...and SCV 99.

Fun game. Didn't like some of the cheesy body movements. Colts 99?

You can add this guy to the list. Can't stand that show. Or Madison 95 for that matter. :P

How about this? Say you're in the trumpet section. You march with 22 trumpets. In 08, you have to march with 24. Take the would-be worst guy: guy number 22. Now think -- you'll have 2 people in your section who suck even more than him. Sure, there will be more inclusion, but I think quality might suffer just a tad at the top where the additional spots will easily be filled. I'm picturing my age-out year, and if we shaved off the 2 worst ticks in each section, how much better would we have been? (Answer: Way cleaner) I'm sure the same could be said for just about any group. Now I'm picturing adding even more people to the 05 Bluecoats who would have gotten cut. Aaaaand I'm shuddering just a little bit. Yeah, I'm thinking about the overall product over the lives of 15 more individuals, but that's just the totally baised way how I roll. :P Does any of this make sense, or am I totally out in left field?

Is there anybody out there who actually marched Finals in 03 and wants to set foot in that God-forsaken region ever again? *shudders*

Though OT, The University of Akron's Music Ed. Dept. threw a FIT when I tried to use my 2 Bluecoats credits (that were on my transcript as "University of Akron marching Band) for the 2 UA marching bang requirement credits. It's been a while since I've seen any college faculty that up in arms. :P And slightly On Topic- Can't wait to hear the Goodwin/Brubeck charts from the Troopers this season!

Anybody who does a cut with Talib Kweli is ok in my book.

Paranoid Android Exit Music (for a film) The National Anthem With No Suprises as an on-field that flows into the opener, similar to 2001 SCV. I've been posting about this Radiohead show for the last 4 years now. No takers yet. lol I'd love to see Bluecoats put it on the field. It would fit the new style so perfectly.

Good catch! Should have specified that I meant score-wise.

My Personal Top 5 Totally Biased Moments (in no particular order) 1. Cavaliers 2001- 3rd Corner Rock-Out. All season I was nodding my head to that one. 2. Bluecoats 2000- Screaming duet till the end. Nearly tears me up every time, even 6 years later. 3. SCV 2000- Adagio for Strings. No caption needed. :) 4. BD 1992- WAMLAW closer. Freaking amazing musically. So much individual visual intensity 5. Bluecoats 2001- First notes of Red Cape Tango- the song that started the modern Bluecoats Honorable mention- Crown 2000- Diego's Goodbye. Gorgeous. Most underrated ballad of all time IMO

Blue Devils- LOVE that music Bluecoats- It's the year after my ageout. Of course I want to march it! Madison- Let me at that drill. Man, that would have been sweet Spirit- Always wanted to try a year there. Just love their style these days

Ok. Here we go. And remember- I'm really, really biased. :) 1. Phantom Regiment- Pains me to say it, but I think this could be the year. Never been a Regiment fan, but they've got the talent and the staff. Now it's just a matter of being better than everyone else at the same time. 2. Bluecoats- Gonna be a fight for the top, but having seen the talent pool and what staff members are coming back, I'd be genuinely shocked if they placed lower than third. 3. Blue Devils- The Godfather was a great step in a great direction. I'm hoping BD will be consistently on its way back up after the tiny 05 slip. 4. Cavaliers- With their staff, I can't see them slipping below 4th. Always talented, always great design. 5. SCV- BOUT TIME! If 06 was any indication, SCV is back to their innovative show design a la 99-00. 6. Cadets/Crown tie- Cadets need to recover atfer 06. Crown will keep rising up. 8. Blue Knights- 06 was the first BK show ever to really grab me. I'm hoping they'll step it up in 07 9. Glassmen- Almost always a solid corps. Should be dependable to make the top 10. 10. Spitit- Love the jazzy shows they've been putting out recently. 11. Colts- They've been clawing their way back to finals, hopefully 07 will be it. 12. Crossmen- Sneaking back into finals. Can't wait to see them back in 01-02 form! 13. Madison- Almost there, but just too much competition. 14. Boston- After what their design staff put out in 06, I'd imagine it would be tough to draw new talent this year. 15. Blue Stars- Grat showing in 06. Some more talent in 07 will bring them even closer to finals

The Bluecoats Ohio camp had the highest single camp turnout in corps history, according to an administration annoucement at the camp's final "Show and Tell." If you remember what 03-04 numbers were like, that's no easy feat. Not sure on the TX numbers, or any official specific instrumentation auditionee digits.

I'm gonna have to go with BD 2001. Soooo clean, but it didn't have the meat in the book that Cavies did to pull off the ring. Star 93? Did you guys see that 2nd to last halt at the end of the closer??? *shudders* Heck of a time to have a few people totally blow their dots. I've always wondered if that one exposed set cost them that missing tenth of a point that could have been added to the Ensemble Vis sheet.

Travis Barker (drummer, Blink-182) didn't march, but he did plug/hype DCI on LA's KROQ about 2 years ago. That was freaking awesome.

1999 SCV- One word: memorable. 2000 SCV- Sooo must intensity. They totally made that show. 2004 Bluecoats- Attitude. Loved the expression 2006 Crown- The emoting got on my nerves a little at times, but I can definitely appreciate the talent and execution.