The Academy: Will they make finals?

[RsD]

Re-reading my post... 'think'... 'might'... 'may'...

Yep, I'm pretty sure that I set my scenario up as a possibility. Me thinking that there is a chance that Academy's model might not work is a more logical argument than you telling us that it absolutely works halfway though the season.

Frankly, I hope that it does work, and that they do make finals. It would sure make a really nice blueprint for other new corps to follow.

But please don't suggest that winning a DivIII title works the same as making DivI finals. And don't say that something works before it has played out.

Edit: Horrible grammar. I'm tired. I'm going to bed.

Edited July 16, 2007 by OUTrumprano

[Elmo Blatch]

I personally got more burned out during spring training and long stretches of rehearsal days than I ever did traveling and doing shows.

True for me.

(notice I quoted you)

Elmo Blatch

[supersop]

For my money .... I would rather see Surf, Spartans, Revo, BDB, SCVC and the like wreak some havoc in Quarterfinals. Let's see who Div 2/3 can knock off!!!!

I had Academy in 15th last year, right behind Blue Stars. They were obviously ready for the move from a competitive standpoint. They're proving it again this year.

Let's take another look at regional circuits and packaging the div2/3 with the div 1. If DCM were still around, every corps in the midwest would be doing 40+ shows this year. Most are doing 32-35. Scouts are only doing 30 this year. Why? Less corps to fill a slate. Less shows because the smaller venues were killed off by DCI.

Now let's look at Academy. What region are they in? How many corps are around them? How many shows are in the SW and Southern Cali? queue big PHAT buzzer!

The current touring model stinks on many levels. It's hurting DRUM CORPS as a whole. Div 2/3 is an afterthought. Leaving the first month to regional shows is a thing of the past. I'm not spelling out all of the points to be made here ........ but it should be pretty clear what I'm getting at.

Good Job Academy for working the system. Good luck to Surf and Spartans and whomever else moves up in the years to come. I sincerely hope this Regional Div 1 option is still available to you.

[RsD]

For my money .... I would rather see Surf, Spartans, Revo, BDB, SCVC and the like wreak some havoc in Quarterfinals. Let's see who Div 2/3 can knock off!!!!

But if we let Div 2/3 compete directly against Div 1 on the same sheets... The Div 2/3 Corps might *gasp* win.

Oh yeah, I'm supposed to be going to bed.

[VKMello84]

News Flash ...... Divisions didn't matter when it came to Quarter Finals/Semifinals/Finals for 30 years. T

I am pretty sure that 1983 was the first year that DCI allowed any corps to compete in more than one class. And in fact, the concept Semifinals and Quarterfinals were not part of the mix either prior to that year. Edited July 16, 2007 by VKMello84

[27Socal]

Whaa Whaa I can't spend the $ on travel, give me a break, let me go home for weeks and practice. No injuries, no burnout etc. BUT then let me in for the finish.

News Flash, can't do a DIv I tour, stay in Div 2 until you can do the deal. It's that simple.

Ok, I'll agree to that when DCI brings nationals back to the west coast EVERY 2 or 3 years, not once every 35 years. Look how many time the west coast corps have won championships. The western corps have been getting screwed for years and years. About time they even the score.

[Acad Dad]

True for me.

(notice I quoted you)

Elmo Blatch

OK...lets say for a second that this point and the one above are true. More injuries during practice. More burned out during extended periods of practice. Personally, I would tend to agree. I played baseball up to a decent level. Practice sucked. Loved the games. But you have to practice. You have to put the time in. Games were the reward. What if a corps didn't get the reward they needed? What if they were lacking motivation? What if they were burning out because they didn't have enough to work for without the constant feedback of the shows night after night. Well, some corps may lose focus. Some may lose motivation. Some may come out and actually LOSE a place or two from their off time.

Now, let's look at Academy and assume all the above is true. So, now what. After a 3 week layoff from competition? Grueling 12 hour rehersals in 115 degree heat (down to only 98 at 9:00 p.m) with many corps members sleeping on floors and mattresses in spare bedrooms because they are being housed for the summer, far away from their home (hmmm, kinda like tour) without the pull and excitement of the next show driving them onward. What could possibly motivate them to attain the perfection they strive for? Oh, I don't know, maybe an incredible sense of pride in what they do? Maybe they love the activity, and the scores are secondary. Maybe the love of learning how to play better music or how to march better. Pride in doing a job just for the sake of doing it?

And, now, again assuming all the above is true, they go out on tour and start getting the benefits you describe. Judges feedback, crowd critique, the excitement and drive of the show, the "benefit" of sleeping on a high school gym floor and eating our of a tractor-trailer kitchen. The comraderie of being on "the tour" and seeing the bands they are competing against night after night. So lets assume they come out after this "horrible" layoff and score, say a 79.2, up from 71.05. Let's say that the "benefits" of the road begin to stack up and they begin to feel the "pressure" of the tour to score higher, to keep up with the "Jones'" and make the drive to Finals. Let's say that on top of all that internal drive that these kids have been feeding on, they reach down and find out that external drivers can be an extra motivation? You know what I think could happpen.....That a corps that followed an untraditional path (but entirely legal and legit) through their first Div 1 season could quite possibly make finals night. And wouldn't that be something. But you know what. If they don't, and I've said this before, you'll have kids that will be disappointed, but you will not have anyone that will question if they are in the right place and make a run for a higher level corps. They LOVE it at Academy. They'll suck it up and say they want to do better next year. If better next year still means they don't make finals, but they are better, they are ok with it. Because, you see, it isn't about the scores about Academy. It is about the growth. The scores just naturally follow. Now, of course all of this is just a big what if? But what if they DO make the finals this year???

I'm so proud of them. Their show looks wonderful, they worked their buns off for 3 weeks with no feedback, and here they are. Best of luck, Academy, in San Antonio. Go show 'em what you are made of....go give them a show that I KNOW the crowd will love. And the score.....well, we'll see, won't we? :)

Edited July 16, 2007 by Acad Dad

[xxxdcifanxxx]

I honestly think that once Academy starts competing with more corps (San Antonio) they will fall back a little into a more comfortable 14-17 range.

[supersop]

I am pretty sure that 1983 was the first year that DCI allowed any corps to compete in more than one class. And in fact, the concept Semifinals and Quarterfinals were not part of the mix either prior to that year.

Be that as it may, I should have said 20 years instead of 30. DCI saw that there was a need to create an A-60 class in 1986, I believe, which is comparable to Div 3 by todays standards. The regular Class A became A-90 (membership between 61-90 members). Open Class was reserved for anyone who WANTED TO and THOUGHT they could compete in Open Class under 90 members ... or automatically if you had over 90. 3 classes then .. 3 classes now.

Prelims (Quarters), Semi's, Finals ... much of this hasn't changed. I know that there was a Prelims/Finals for many years prior to 1985 (but no, I'm not going to look it up because it's late and I'm tired). The fact is ... for nearly 2 decades the top "X" number of Div 2/3 (A-60/A-90) corps qualified to advance to the Open Class prelims (what ever you would like to call it .. Quarters ... prelims .. whatever).

Does this happen anymore? NO! WHy? Thank Magic in 2002!! It made it a better story for the fan$ to see a Div 2 corps make DIV 1 FINALS!!!! Nobody cried. It was all back slaps and atta boy's (except for the div 1 corps management). "OH NO .. we can't let a div 2 corps that does a partial tour beat up on our div 1 MEMBER corps". Fact is, that had been going on for years (Academie Musicale/Ventures/KK/Crown just to name a few), but none of the smaller division corps had busted in to finals until Magic. They picked off plenty of 13th to 29th place corps with a handful making it in to Semis. Oh wait .. there are only 22 now.

The rule change was bad ... period. It's still bad. It will be bad until it is changed.

Touring is not equivalent to being good.

Touring is not equivalent to Divisional Status.

Touring is not equivalent to winning!

Div 2/3 is not equivalent to second class

Div 2/3 is not equivalent to feeder corps

Div 2/3 is not equivalent to sideshow proving grounds for DCI Div 1 status

If you're not checking out what's being developed in Div 2/3 ... you'll never see the "NEXT" Academy coming until you're reading their bumper stickers and chewing on dirt.

[EKBari]

Be that as it may, I should have said 20 years instead of 30. DCI saw that there was a need to create an A-60 class in 1986, I believe, which is comparable to Div 3 by todays standards. The regular Class A became A-90 (membership between 61-90 members). Open Class was reserved for anyone who WANTED TO and THOUGHT they could compete in Open Class under 90 members ... or automatically if you had over 90. 3 classes then .. 3 classes now.

Prelims (Quarters), Semi's, Finals ... much of this hasn't changed. I know that there was a Prelims/Finals for many years prior to 1985 (but no, I'm not going to look it up because it's late and I'm tired). The fact is ... for nearly 2 decades the top "X" number of Div 2/3 (A-60/A-90) corps qualified to advance to the Open Class prelims (what ever you would like to call it .. Quarters ... prelims .. whatever).

Does this happen anymore? NO! WHy? Thank Magic in 2002!! It made it a better story for the fan$ to see a Div 2 corps make DIV 1 FINALS!!!! Nobody cried. It was all back slaps and atta boy's (except for the div 1 corps management). "OH NO .. we can't let a div 2 corps that does a partial tour beat up on our div 1 MEMBER corps". Fact is, that had been going on for years (Academie Musicale/Ventures/KK/Crown just to name a few), but none of the smaller division corps had busted in to finals until Magic. They picked off plenty of 13th to 29th place corps with a handful making it in to Semis. Oh wait .. there are only 22 now.

The rule change was bad ... period. It's still bad. It will be bad until it is changed.

Touring is not equivalent to being good.

Touring is not equivalent to Divisional Status.

Touring is not equivalent to winning!

Div 2/3 is not equivalent to second class

Div 2/3 is not equivalent to feeder corps

Div 2/3 is not equivalent to sideshow proving grounds for DCI Div 1 status

If you're not checking out what's being developed in Div 2/3 ... you'll never see the "NEXT" Academy coming until you're reading their bumper stickers and chewing on dirt.

Well if you want things to change, the D2/3 directors are the ones who VOTED to have things the way they are now so that a focus can be on winning their championship.