Most competitive season in DCI history?

[clrgrd]

The season may not end up being the most numerically competitive to date, but as a fan, I can't remember ENJOYING so many shows at so many different ranks in the lineup. Usually there are only one or two that jump out at me, but this year I have 6 or 7 favorite shows instead of just one or two.

[jwillis35]

I am going to buck the trend and say no. Here is why:

Yes, this year is wonderful and amazingly competitive, and I love it, but...

1) there are fewer corps today, and regardless of what many think about today's show designs and performance quality vs. yesteryear, the fact is that a greater number of competitors will make it more difficult for others to crack the top 12, top 5, top 3.

2) Unless the spreads stay the same or get somewhat closer by Finals I think we are going to see some distance between 1-4 and 5-7 or 8. Until recently I was worried that the Big 3 were at it once again (the typical BD, Cavaliers, Cadets two-step), but thankfully we have the Bluecoats in 4th and looking to push into the top 3, but I believe they are the only corps capable of this here in 2007. I do not believe Phantom, Crown, or SCV has a chance, although they have wonderful shows. And I do feel there will be close to a 2 point spread between the top 4 and next 3 or so.

3) At this point we have to go by what we DO know, and here is what we know:

- only 1 point separated the top 4 in 1988. And the 5th, 6th, and 7th place shows were incredible. Cavaliers 1988 show is still one of my favorites, Phantom's 6th place Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet show is awesome, and Star of Indiana's Porgy and Bess 7th place show is one of the best 7th place shows of all time.

- only .6 separated the top 4 after semis in 1985, and again the 5th, 6th, and 7th place corps were all shows to remember.

- 1990 saw fierce competition all summer, with BD, Phantom, Cavaliers, SCV, Star, and Cadets all winning major regionals. The top 6 in 1990 is likely the strongest top 6 I have ever seen, and the 7th place Crossmen with their New York Voices show was outstanding. With the right tweaks, each of the top 6 could have potentially won the DCI title in 1990. That is not the case today. Today maybe 3 or 4 corps can win the title, but not 6 or 7.

- 1992 is the strongest top 12 I have ever seen, and only Phantom did not live up to their hype on finals night, otherwise all the shows were just amazing and some of the best ever for each of those corps.

- Those around in the 70s will tell you that there were years in which the fight for top 12 was unreal, and they are right. You would have over a 100 corps competing during many of those years, maybe not all Div 1, but the competition was fierce.

I guess I would say 1990 gets my vote for best top 6 or top 7, and 1992 still gets my vote for best top 12.

JW

[Glad To Be Hear]

Thank you, JW. I've posted a few times here before. 1990 was the most competitive year for the top 6. I've never seen another year where EVERY top 6 corps had a REAL chance of winning finals week. Not like that. And 1990-1992 were the most competitive years overall -- from top to bottom. I see this year as a RETURN to where things were 15 years ago. And I do think that competition OVERALL (from top to bottom) has been in a "slump" during this time. Very encouraging...

[chrisNAtlanta]

I am going to buck the trend and say no. Here is why:

Yes, this year is wonderful and amazingly competitive, and I love it, but...

1) there are fewer corps today, and regardless of what many think about today's show designs and performance quality vs. yesteryear, the fact is that a greater number of competitors will make it more difficult for others to crack the top 12, top 5, top 3.

2) Unless the spreads stay the same or get somewhat closer by Finals I think we are going to see some distance between 1-4 and 5-7 or 8. Until recently I was worried that the Big 3 were at it once again (the typical BD, Cavaliers, Cadets two-step), but thankfully we have the Bluecoats in 4th and looking to push into the top 3, but I believe they are the only corps capable of this here in 2007. I do not believe Phantom, Crown, or SCV has a chance, although they have wonderful shows. And I do feel there will be close to a 2 point spread between the top 4 and next 3 or so.

3) At this point we have to go by what we DO know, and here is what we know:

- only 1 point separated the top 4 in 1988. And the 5th, 6th, and 7th place shows were incredible. Cavaliers 1988 show is still one of my favorites, Phantom's 6th place Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet show is awesome, and Star of Indiana's Porgy and Bess 7th place show is one of the best 7th place shows of all time.

- only .6 separated the top 4 after semis in 1985, and again the 5th, 6th, and 7th place corps were all shows to remember.

- 1990 saw fierce competition all summer, with BD, Phantom, Cavaliers, SCV, Star, and Cadets all winning major regionals. The top 6 in 1990 is likely the strongest top 6 I have ever seen, and the 7th place Crossmen with their New York Voices show was outstanding. With the right tweaks, each of the top 6 could have potentially won the DCI title in 1990. That is not the case today. Today maybe 3 or 4 corps can win the title, but not 6 or 7.

- 1992 is the strongest top 12 I have ever seen, and only Phantom did not live up to their hype on finals night, otherwise all the shows were just amazing and some of the best ever for each of those corps.

- Those around in the 70s will tell you that there were years in which the fight for top 12 was unreal, and they are right. You would have over a 100 corps competing during many of those years, maybe not all Div 1, but the competition was fierce.

I guess I would say 1990 gets my vote for best top 6 or top 7, and 1992 still gets my vote for best top 12.

JW

Interesting that you picked 1990. I have a small connection to that year. LOL. My point is that there used to be a difinitive "slide" after about the 13th place corp that you knew had no chance getting into finals. This year, seems that we have a true quality 15-16 corps with the top 7 being resoundingly tight.

Thanks for your thoughts!! Love that 1990 was your choice! B)

[xhead]

It has never been this competitive score wise, but I haven't been really emotionally engaged by any of the shows yet. Still haven't been to a live show yet, though, and I expect Drums Along the Rockies will change my point of view.

[shawn craig]

In the first decade of DCI it was an honor to be in the top 25! There was a lot of turn over from year to year, as many as 4 corps, moving in and out of finals. There was also a tie for 12th place at prelims one year between Garfield and someone else (forget who). Not to mention a few times when the corps that won prelims did not win the championship.

So from strictly a competetive standpoint, this year would be equal to but not exceeding other years. Although I would say it's the most competetive in several years.

There are a lot of great shows.

[silvertrombone]

I'd like to acknowledge JW and Shawn's points. Didn't know DC existed in 90, but marched 92 and you're right, JW--great year! Best 15th-place corps ever! (ha-ha!) Great competition all up and down the line for finals positions. Sky even bit a hunk out of Freelancers the week or so before championships, placing something like .8 back in Minnesota. Couldn't close the gap, though. Well-deserved finalist in Sacramento that year.

And I don't know anything about the early years of DCI other than what gets said here and on video. But having more corps back then, it makes sense that it would be an honor to be top 25 or semi-finalists back then.

But from the standpoint of competition top to bottom, D1/2/3--wow! This year takes the cake. Sadly, I haven't seen any D2/3's. Only been to Dallas and San Antonio. Planning on LA--we'll see!

There are easily three legitimate contenders, with Blooo capable of ripping off a great performance and stealing the BD "Cheaper by the Dozen" thunder. And Blooo and Crown just showed Phantom that they're for real, as if there were any doubt.

The competition from 7 to 9 has been kind of stagnant lately, with SCV, Boston, and BK basically scoring in the same position while each improves. 10-13 got a little bit interesting after SA with Blue Stars nipping Academy. And the competition for that 12th spot goes to AT LEAST the 15/16 spots.

So while I agree that 92 was a great year in the top 12, and I would say that top to bottom they were more entertaining, the fat lady hasn't begun to warm up yet, and I agree with the OP's statement--this IS the most competitive year, top to bottom, in the activities history. Bar none!

[Michael Boo]

It's a knock-down, drag-out fight to the finish, with entertaining shows up and down the ranks.

To quote Mike Boo from 2002... "This is the best year of drum corps EVER!" :P

And I'm afraid I'm going to have to go back to that line for this year's liner notes.

I've never seen it stacked like this at the top. And a number of very deserving corps are going to be watching Saturday finals.

Here's something perhaps for another thread. WHY? Personally, I think the instruction has gotten better. The instructors are better trained and more aware of what is going on.

Heck, I think I'll start that tread now.

[ouooga]

I don't remember what year it was, it was during the 90s though, but I remember watching the PBS videos, and I just remember them saying that every DCI major event a different corps had won. No corps had won two major events that season.

I wish I knew what season that was. Any ideas? I'd like to look at scores for that year, and compare them spread wise to this year.

[ouooga]

Looking at it now, I think it was 90. Looks like a pretty cool seaosn right there too.