oldsoprano

I didn't participate in the prediction contest, but after seeing Spirit live a couple of weeks ago, I'm not particularly surprised by their score. Here's what I posted on the Spirit thread 11 days ago: " It seems like every year at the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, there's that one bracket-busting team that outperforms everyone's expectations and predictions. Last year, BAC was what I would call a bracket-buster. Could Spirit be 2018's bracket-buster? I guess we'll all know the answer pretty soon. Should be a fun season."

How 'bout a washateria?

Yep. When your sponsor (WXIA-TV) opens up the checkbook and tells you to hire the best available, you hire Ott and Float. There was a reason that some corps referred to us at times in 1978 as $pirit of Atlanta. :) (Sure did hurt, though, a couple of years later when the TV station got bought out and the new owners nixed the cashflow.)

There were actually THREE finalists in 2002 that weren't in finals the previous year. Spirit went from 13th in 2001 to 10th in 2002.

Also, Spirit went from 23rd in 1977 to 6th in 1978.

It appears from the last paragraph of this letter that Jim sent to the hornline in late December of 1977 that he already could tell how successful we would be in '78.

Or Spirit of Atlanta from 23rd in 1977 prelims to 6th in 1978 finals (and missing the high horns trophy, which would later be named for their horn instructor, by a scant .05).

While about 98 percent of the '77 corps had never marched drum corps - and most had never even seen a drum corps competition before joining the newly-formed Spirit, we had a very high return rate in '78. Jim Ott tried to tell us in the spring that we were really good and were in for an amazing season, but we didn't believe him. Until. The. Second. Show. I don't even remember our first show, but I vividly remember our second show in Cedarburg, Wisc., on the old high school football field that was in the middle of a racetrack. The bleachers had an overhang that captured all of the sound, and the crowd went nuts from the first big hit in the show. We began feeding off the crowd's reaction, which raised our energy level about tenfold, I would guess. That night, we beat the Blue Stars, who had finished in 7th the previous year, by 6 points. Yes, we were very shocked.

I agree, and I marched in a Spirit of Atlanta corps that went from 23rd one year to 6th the next. But, who knows? It seems like every year at the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, there's that one bracket-busting team that outperforms everyone's expectations and predictions. Last year, BAC was what I would call a bracket-buster. Could Spirit be 2018's bracket-buster? I guess we'll all know the answer pretty soon. Should be a fun season.

Having seen last night's preview performance live, I totally concur with your assessment!

Welcome to the baby blue family, SOA Dad! Your son chose a wonderful organization to be a part of. What section is he in? Hope he has a terrific and memorable summer and experience. I still remember with great fondness my first year in Spirit, 41 seasons ago, and hope that all of the 2018 Spirit of Atlanta has as great a time as we did all those many years ago.

You are partially right about that. The corps WAS in very dire straits organizationally and financially just a few seasons ago after several years of abysmal leadership, but totally new leadership came on board after the 2015 season, and the corps has improved by leaps and bounds the past two seasons, from both an organizational and financial standpoint. As an alum and charter member of Spirit of Atlanta, I'm very encouraged by the strides made by the current corps leadership (which includes Jeff Pearson, who was brought in as operations director in 2016) and look forward to that continuing with Jeff's promotion to executive director.

And I would wager that the principal of the Florida high school that housed Crossmen for the 2012 Orlando show wouldn't have been particularly pleased to know that a guy whose Florida teaching license had been revoked was spending time teaching at - and living in - his high school, even if it was just a day or two. And I would also wager that if the principal had found out, he likely wouldn't be so willing to house a corps the next time he is asked, in which case Morrison's ill advised hire could have had a negative affect on other corps in the future as well.

Might not be an official name change. The newspaper is free call them whatever they want to, just like I can still refer to them as "Garfield" (which I still do most of the time). :)

Nor am I. And as for jsd''s assertion that some of us have no "dog in the fight," I disagree. As damaging as this has the potential to be for the entire activity, I say that anyone who loves the activity has a dog in this fight.

Yeah, I'm thinking his next career might be making license plates. I also understand that in addition to manufacturing license plates, Pennsylvania Correctional Industries also provides screen-printing services to non-profits in the state. How poetic would it be if the final chapter of this sad book involved him printing Cadets t-shirts to earn his keep in the Pennsylvania state prison system?

A good friend of mine was illiterate because his English teacher died too young, so he couldn't read the warning sign and got electrocuted. How dare you belittle what happened to him?!?!!!????!!!!!!!!??????? :)

I agree with much of what you said, but would go a little bit farther. Let the corps get on the field and make it through the season, period. At this point, does it really matter if they lose ground? Perhaps they lose enough ground that they don't even make finals. SO WHAT? Not losing ground is not a measure of whether they had a successful 2018. It might have been in 2017 or 2016, but not this year, not after the events of the past couple of weeks. I say that if they give the members a safe and complete season, and if the members finish the season with no regrets, than it was a successful season no matter the competitive outcome.

As they say, it's not the years, it's the miles! (At least in my case)

Hush yo mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure I've ever seen anyone use the word "euphoniumist" before. Guess I better change my screen name to "oldsopranoist."

My age-out year (1979), we marched in the "Crossroads of America" d&bc competition at Lawrence North H.S. in Indy.

Here's the comment I left on Channel 69's website: As a real journalist who retired a couple of years ago after 37 years at a major daily newspaper, I highly resent Evan Rice being referred to in the article as a "drum corps journalist." And the reason the story didn't mention how his credentials are relevant is because he has no credentials. Period. Exclamation point.

You challenged us earlier, "ebo," to show you where you had shamed a victim. Well, unless you can post a link to EVIDENCE that she has either "changed" or "recanted" her story, I'd call your above quote victim shaming in the first degree. Now, like others before me have suggested, "Please stop."

I think I'd have to disagree somewhat with the notion that DCI as an organization can only schedule and promote shows. It appears that DCI, through its voting members, dictates policy as to what happens ON the field (number of members, instrumentation allowed, judging criteria, etc.). Perhaps DCI, again through its voting members, actually CAN also dictate policy as to what happens OFF the field. Not wanting to start any arguments with anyone, just expressing a thought that's in my head.