Achilles

Bridgemen's 'Christmas in July'...don't remember the year, but it was weird, even for the Bridgemen, who could really sell a lot of cr*p on the field.

Sure, there can be. BD, Cadets and Cavies have found the formula for success year over year. As Star demonstrated, it's a multiyear effort to get to the top of DCI, and so, whomever wants to make a run at it, must realize that they need to plan for the long haul - there will be no flash in the pans in this sport. You have to build a robust organization that can withstand the ups and downs, can learn and grow and will not self destruct, just to get into the top 6 that have, in any given year, a reasonable shot at the title. There is only a little luck in this activity...the rest is planning, hard work and persistence. It seems like Bluecoats have done just that. I suspect there are other organizations that have structured themselves in a way to ensure long term stability. And others that would fly away in the breeze if it blew hard enough - I'm not going to name names but I'm sure you can think of some.

Yea, I saw discrimination in my junior days. The kids who tried out and sucked, didn't make the corps, simple as that. They were certainly discriminated against.

Is that as good as Crossmen Melissa's airplane banner thingy several years ago?

I'm all for free days but I don't think that's what tour's all about, y'know 'Join our drum corps and see the world' kinda stuff. Although BD certainly makes it a part of their organization with regular trips to Japan and Europe. I think the value of tour lies in the personal growth you go through, and the friends you make because of the shared intense experience.

I 'reviewed' Westminster here. I'm not a judge, just some personal remarks from a somewhat educated observer.

If true, I think a fitting punishment might be to have the entire corps, including the Cadet corps, play in the arc in front of her house (or cell block, as the case may be). She needs to let those kids look her in the eye, outside the walls of the bingo hall. She needs to see her victims and what that money was supposed to be for, and ask forgiveness.

Did I miss The Academy's ranking here?

" I told you this show was gonna be a CF but noooooooo, you wouldn't believe me!"

Right in line with the sports franchise model that DCI emulates. For example the financial reviews that corps must undergo to declare/maintain status (cf: Troopers) as Div. I.

Just like baseball. Japan's another place for American Drum Corps to recruit!

Just spent the weekend in Cape May - 10 ~ 15 minutes from Wildwood. I can confirm the shore weather is now absolutely, positively perfect. So Wildwood should be a great start to the season. Good luck to all in DCA!

Arrrggh!!! Isn't that why they call it a parade? People in similar outfits lining up and marching in unison so other people can watch and be entertained? Far be it from me to criticize the esteemed Cavaliers with their 'dot' approach, but even they know that two 'dots' make a line!

The good news is, it's still a free country. The bad news is, it's still a free country. DCI can't compel anyone but DCI membership or those that aspire to it, to do anything. Hey if starting a drum corps was easy, we'd have clerks do it. It's not - you have to have a vision, the time and the energy, and a pretty decent skill set to do it.

C'mon, isn't this just a good excuse to put together a drum circle?

DCA is way better than DCI if you're over 22 and still want to march drum corps.

About a thiird to a half full in Wilmington, DE. Less Xmen response than I'd thought there'd be. More old farts like me than youngsters. 2-7 - it was interesting to see how restricted the guard's body movement was, compared to later years. Gawd those gals - they had rifles and they SPUN those rifles. Wonderful execution. The chime guy got lots of respectful laughs. 79 BD just made it all seem so effortless. 80 Bridgemen - my memory was correct. I loved 'em them, and love 'em now. The best anti-drum corps drum corps. People today don't realize now how ground breaking that stuff was. Drum line - gawd, still wonder how they did it. Cadets got a good reaction and for good reason. The show really was way ahead of it's time. The musical arrangement left me wanting, though. 88 Madison, electric. Blast ain't got nothin' on that version of Malaguenya Phantom did what the always do - tore my heart out. So glad they were voted first, it validated my impressions. I appreciate Cavies much more now than I did then. Especially after Star. Yeah, I get it. It was supposed to be depressing, anxiety filled, tragic. And it was. We almost ditched after the 90's, too. Seemed like the right time to leave - who planned that? I liked Crown almost more than I'm willing to admit. Except the beat part. I liked this show live, I liked it last night. Great horns, great feet, good show. Deserves more credit. Bloo. Love the horn line, didn't move as well as I'd like.

The NFL/sports franchise concept comes increasingly to mind... So the elimination of the term 'Open' Class was a harbinger, and wasn't done idly.

Precisely the response I would have expected.

So, would anyone in the know care to enlighten the broader DC community as to what has been proposed for this 'new governance structure'? C'mon, DCI is gonna do what DCI is going to do. It won't hurt to let us folks buying all those tickets....er, in the peanut gallery!, know what's being talked about and kick the tires a bit.

Oh jeez that stadium has the corporate logo of one of those greedy oil company on it, if this deal goes through, I don't know if I can support it. Wouldn't it be, like, supporting Walmart or something? I would feel smarmy.

I thought I'd read on here that Indy is getting a movable top stadium like Toronto's. If that's the case the stadium acoustics issue is less of a concern (after the thing gets built). But I do like the fact that the championships move around. If there is some rationale for having it be in one place - such as the strengthening the regionalization of DCI somehow - I'd be for Indy. Just another tiny step towards DCI becoming the summer circuit of BOA.

True, and this doesn't justify it, but ya think they could've cut the grass before that show?

Yes, this op-ed is 'slanted', or better put, presents an opposing viewpoint to some of the comments being made here. I didn't mean to imply that I intended to provide a full stand-alone argument which states and evaluates both sides of the issue. Just as most of the other posts here avoid providing.

And once you have these facts, on what basis will you evaluate them if you do not use 'ideology', fuzzy wuzzy or otherwise?