ekrebs102

Told ya Finals would be different. Also, I do not think that Ulicny has an issue with Bluecoats per se (he was a FMM), I just do not think he cares for the style of the drumeline or something. I figured JJ and Jeff would see the light and they did. Congrats also to Phantom, Paul Rennick and the rest of the UNT connection. Go BLOOOOOOOO!

So the big difference tonight from last night sems to be Bluecoats going from 7th in guard to 12. OK, apparently the guard was so ticked at being 7th that they lost their mind and became 12th. That is a huge change. This next comment may have nothing to do with tonight, but I will put it out there for others to contemplate. In every other competitive activity that declares itself "professional" or at least the top of the game, the judges or refs or umpires have no affiliation with the teams, people, etc., that they are judging. (IF I AM WRONG PLEASE CORRECT ME). Unfortunately, with the nature of our activity, most judges have been affiliated with a particular corps, or staff or organization prior to judging. With that fact and the fact that judging in DCI is COMPLETELY subjective, there is no way to change the fact that there will be bias by judges in the sport, activity, spectacle, etc. Unlike every other subjectively judged activity there is no set way to teach a corps in the way its brass, percussion or guard should perform and the basics that each section should know or even the "correct" way they should march. I am not sure a way to correct these issues other than to try to pool judges from outside the activity, but I do not think that will help. At least it is not practical. I guess I would rather see judges judge on merit of performance regardless of affiliation and style, and mandate that judges must be free from bias to some degree. The best way I can think of that is to create a Judge Oversight Comittee that monitors the judges on their scores from corps to corps and determine if there is too much bias in the system. Judges should not act as movie critics or sports announcers and use ther particular liking to determine what is good. Skill, conformity, balance, technicality, difficulty, etc. should determine the winner. Every jujdge in every category should be reviewed strenuously. Anyway, I guess more oversight is needed and less personal opinion and more expert decision making is needed. Not to say the judges are not experts, but they should relay on community standards to determine rank as opposed to opinion. There is no "right way" per se to hit a drum, play a horn or swing a flag. However the difficulty required to do so cleanly with a good tone and balance and a uniformity of the guard is capable of ajudication. I Vent off

So your reply is "I have no experience in the subject, but I wil reply" very useful. The problem tonight was Ulicny, again. Tomorrow will be different.

Rimshot!! Haha...true

I do not know, but from a distance the whole corps looks a lot like 92 Bluecoats.

Dude, I totally misread your name the first time I saw it. LOL

I'm pretty sure the first pic was opening set and the last was closing set with cymbals. Another is a closeup of a few members. That is not really any indication of the cleanliness of their show...of course I am also a Bluecoats honk and am a little upset at the moment. Go BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Get 'em tomorrow...or at least Saturday.

Oh, I meant on page one of this thread. I see now what you are talking about.

Where is the Blue Knights' Score on DCP?

Unfortunately it does not matter which of these is more important. GE takes up 40 percent of the score. Lame.

I am still up with Matt through Facebook. He seems to be doing well. Send me a message and I give you his information. I just checked out the "other" judge's info. He is a Bluecoats alum and former instructor according to some bio info I found. And he marched and taught with several of my good friends. I guess it's just the subjective nature of the activity. He seems qualified to me. But a point difference is pretty big. Ok, ..... Go BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! I saw the show in Ft. Walton Beach. I dug it and was able to take two of my nephews (who are drummers) to the show. They should be Bluecoats alums at some point. Honk.

Cool. You marched with my buddy Matt Dammes. He was our Grad assistant at Southern Miss for a while. I dug the 90 line a lot at Spirit.

I know Jeff because I went to UNT with him and know what he feels is an accomplished percussion section. My question is, before I decide to bash or not, who is the other judge, and what is his background? I can question whatever I would like to question, within reason. I would just like to know more about the other judge. Word or no word. Dig?

A full point different between the drum judges in Allentown Friday for Bluecoats?!?!?! Really??? I know and respect Jeff Prosperie, but who is the other guy? If someone knows, please let me know. I do no want to bash someone I have no info on.

Also, 97 Bluecoats "Blue Q." That was a great tenor line.

I posted this in another thread, but I feel it needs it's own. Please let me know what you think, and please read the entire post, before commenting. Okay, rules change, times change, that is a given. But, the level of any high school or college marching band will NEVER reach the level of a DCI corps. (Keep reading). I realize that people are upset about the recent rules being passed, but to compare the work of (read this carefully) an ALL high school ensemble that is limited to (at least in Texas) 10 hours a week plus class time or a college band that rehearses 3 to 4 shows over a season 10 hours a week respectively (I know there are a few exceptions... UTA) to a majority college music major member organization that spends every hour of the day over a course of 10-15 weeks in the summer, plus the music for many months past that, rehearsing an 11 minute show, is utterly rediculous. Drum corps is inherently a different experience than "marching band." As an ex-band director and percussion instructor, I know that most band directors in the country (please read that again, I said most not all) think that marching band is a waste of muscial time, where the musicians could be working on "real" works and musical techniques as opposed to being the side show to a brutal sport that results in a lot of physical and physchological injuries in the long run, as we watch those injuries occur in often the worst weather conditions available (UTA ... shut up please). However, as a drummer, I enjoyed marching season much more than "concert" season as most drummers do. Yet, no matter what changes occur in Drum Corps, the fact is that this is an independent, competitve (somewhat subjective) activity that occurs away from any educational organization (besides JSU, which is loosely organized, 16 year olds can be in Spirit, but not at JSU as often, but I digress) where a limited group of individuals spend the majority of a year perfecting 11 minutes of music. If you were to ask any High School prinicipal or College President to allow the students at their institutions to allow YOU to make the students spend the same amount of time that a drum corps spends on so little amount of music, YOU would be laughed at and immediately LET GO for another candidate. Drum Corps may incorporate the same styles and ways (including, but not limited to, amphlipication, electronics, and yes even woodwinds, etc.) as a "marching band", but the ideas of solidarity, fraternity, excellence, and competitveness, will NEVER be matched by a high school or COLLEGE marching band. (If you did not know, most music majors HATE college marching band past the first two years. Read that again, I said most not all.) Either except that this wonderful activity of utter excellent will change with the times and technology, or go away. And stop comparing Drum Corps (with or without electronics, narration, woodwinds) with a high school or college organization which many involved would rather be somewhere else having a party or worrying about math homework, than the members of drum corps who often sacrifice money, family, life and limb for this activity. DCP needs to unite to celebrate what this activity is.....BRILLIANCE AND DEDICATION. Stop nitpicking the semantics involved. As long as it exists, I AM DRUM CORPS. As should everyone who has ever been involved with the activity be. Let's figure out how to get more involved, rather than arguing about why someone should not be involved. Anyone involved with drum corps should love it. No matter what form it may arrive in. There really are more pressing matters to the world than amplification or anything else added to Drum Corps. Are you entertained and are those currently involved still moved the way we were when we marched? That is all that matters. Get over yourselves. Regardless of the form, LET'S GET THIS ART FORM OUT FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY! That is the life of Drum Corps. nothing else matters. I step off my soap box. I only hope that this message may move someone to act for the heart of the activity. This is Drum Corps. Join Us.

Pkease read all of this. First, why are we resurrecting posts from over two years ago? But since we have... (please read this) Okay, rules change, times change, that is a given. But, the level of any BOA marching band will NEVER reach the level of a DCI winning corps. (Keep reading). I realize that people are upset about the recent rules being passed, but to compare the work of (read this carefully) an ALL high school ensemble that is limited to (at least in Texas) 10 hours a week plus class time to a majority college music major member organization that spends every hour of the day over a course of 10-15 weeks in the summer, plus the music for many months past that, rehearsing an 11 minute show, is utterly rediculous. Drum corps is inherently a different experience than "marching band." As an ex-band director and percussion instructor, I know that most band directors in the country (please read that again, I said most not all) think that marching band is a waste of muscial time, where the musicians could be working on "real" works and musical techniques as opposed to being the side show to a brutal sport that results in a lot of physical and physchological injuries in the long run, as we watch those injuries occur in often the worst weather conditions available. However, as a drummer, I enjoyed marching season much more than "concert" season as most drummers do. No matter what changes occur in Drum Corps, the fact is that this is an independent, competitve (somewhat subjective) activity that occurs away from any educational organization (besides JSU, which is loosely organized, 16 year olds can be in Spirit, but not at JSU as often, but I digress) where a limited group of individuals spend the majority of a year perfecting 11 minutes of music. If you were to ask any High School prinicipal or College President to allow the students at their institutions to allow YOU to make the students spend the same amount of time that a drum corps spends on so little amount of music, YOU would be laughed at and immediately LET GO for another candidate. Drum Corps may incorporate the same styles and ways (including, but not limited to, amphlipication, electronics, and yes even woodwinds, etc.) as a "marching band", but the ideas of solidarity, fraternity, excellence, and competitveness, will NEVER be matched by a high school or COLLEGE marching band. (If you did not know, most music majors HATE college marching band past the first two years. Read that again, I said most not all.) Either except that this wonderful activity of utter excellent will change with the times and technology, or go away. And stop comparing Drum Corps (with or without electronics, narration, woodwinds) with a high school organization which many involved would rather be somewhere else having a party or worrying about math homework, than the members of drum corps who often sacrifice money, family, life and limb for this activity. DCP needs to unite to celebrate what this activity is.....BRILLIANCE AND DEDICATION. Stop nitpicking the semantics involved. As long as it exists, I AM DRUM CORPS. As should everyone who has ever been involved with be. Let's figure out how to get more involved, rather than arguing about why someone should not be involved. Anyone involved with drum corps should love it. No matter what form it may arrive in. There really are more pressing matters to the world than amplification or anything else added to Drum Corps. Are you entertained and are those involved still moved the way we were when we marched? That is all that matters. Get over yourselves. Regardless of the form, LET'S GET THIS ART FORM OUT FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY! That is the life of Drum Corps. nothing else matters. I step off my soap box. I only hope that this message may move someone to act for the heart of the activity.

Check out the picture on Bluecoats website. Pretty indicative of boxing. Plus, I guess I also am a liar.

You can hear it at Suncoastsound.org under multimedia. i forgot about it. All you can say is....wow

Let's not forget the 60 yard wide, 70 foot tall screen that will be hanging over the field for all to enjoy. Plus... I live 15 minutes from there. B)

F the scores tonight. They seem very off key from the rest of the season. I understand that Bluecoats have a weak visual program consistantly, but to go from 1st in brass to 4th and to be beat by crown for the first time this season and to get 8th in a few captions. WHATEVER. I have seen all of the top 7 products this season and unless bluecoats are physically ill, they should be top 4 at the least. I really dig crown, they should be top five, but these scores are IMHO asinine. Call me a homer or a honk, but these scores suck as far as consistancy. Scores this out of whack from night to night almost make me wish for exhibitions tomorrow. Screw it. Enjoy the shows this year and just take a "TILT" on the scores. No one wins this year. 22 way tie. Really, I love Drum Corps and I am ranting a bit. This year has been very interesting to follow, but I somehow doubt that Coats drop that much in a day, when they have consistantly been destroying scv. Crown has been close the last few shows and they have a good program. Bottom line, I am pulling for bluecoats and I hope that history repeats itself and thry peak on finals night, jumping 2 or 3 corps. It has happened before, why not now? P.S. Bluecoats, hire a visual team that can reach the level of the music staff. If you are striving to be competitive and want to win in the near future, FIX VISUAL. I love the show this year, but something that the corps has been doing visually for 15 years really does not set well with the judges. Rambling, rambling etc. You know what to do. Kick A at finals and finish this. GO BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (no I am not biased B) )

You need to add a poll answer that says that if they do not win one thinks that someone else should have won, or at least you have no feelings one way or the other.

Are you suggesting a show without a theme, just random music? If so, i think any corps could pull that off successively with the right design from piece to piece. However, with the way that ge calculates into the score as significantly as it does today, i think the corps would lose points with such a disjunct show. That is unless the "theme" was a particular genre, or the corps' show was so well designed that they would portay the piece individually and effectively.

Plus, we wouldn't have to fish through so many forums to find out about all of the junior corps. Or have posts moved. (Just having a little fun with the mods on that.) Something needs to change to help this situation. I like the idea of separating the corps by touring boundaries. Plus, I would like to see every corps have a chance to make finals, like it used to be. Not that many probably would, but it has happened.

Go BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! At the denton show, even though it was a home show for cavies, a lot of people around me were upset blooo came in second and not first. I know, different panel, different night, but i am hoping pittsburg was a fluke and this is the real deal and not inflation for not having a "top 3" corps there.