Most competitive season in DCI history?

[Glad To Be Hear]

Yes. It was 1990. Every top 6 corps won a regional. Not sure if that will ever happen again...

Again, I see this year as a RETURN to the competitiveness of the early 90s. Not the most competitive ever. We tend to have short memories...

[supersop]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't 1988 THE YEAR with the smallest spread between 1-12? I understand the top 6 in 1990 argument (heck I was a part of it), but when finals ends at a 12 pt spread from top to bottom ... something good must have been going on. Check out the shows that hit the field in 88 ... bust out your old DVD or VHS collection and watch those shows.

Does it compare to this year .... so far, heck yes. But, this year isn't over and the top 12 haven't been officially decided. For the first month of tour there was only a 10 pt spread from 1-12 and it remained that way. That was pretty telling for me. For the first month of the season the top 7 were seperated by 3pts or less (highly impressive). As the summer wears on, the margins are starting to widen. I do see some justification for this. However, my biggest comparison between 2007 and 1988 is the wide range of unique shows and a return to crowd entertainment (for the most part). No it's not Malaguena, PHantom of the Opera, Organ Symphony, My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Contemporary Child, Magical Mystery tour, Buddy Rich, Firebird, Petroushka, Copland and whatever else I missed ......... but it's pretty darn close to being as entertaining and as competitive.

This really can't be answered until after finals night. I still believe 1988 will be the strongest top 12 until the numbers prove otherwise and there are as many great shows happening on the same night just like 88.

[ScribeToo]

Didn't know DC existed in 90

n00b!

I remember the mid-90s being extremely exciting in terms of competitiveness.. and for the past 4 or 5 years, we've had a relatively solid group of corps ranking 9 - 15 who could easily trade a spot and be either in or out of finals..

but this season.. definitely among my top seasons for competitive excitement.

Stef

[scv guy]

19 freakin' 80

[GMichael1230]

Well, this year is by far the most competitve in years....maybe since , yup! 1990 !!! That top six was extraordinary and yes SCV had a legitimate shot at the title. Remember early on it was Cadets in th eeast, then beaten by Star. Blue Devilsundefeated and SCV behind them, the battle with Cavaliers and Phantom in the midwest, then SCV defeats Star in the South, Scouts and Bluecoats going at it and the re-emergence of Spirit of Atlanta. Dutch boy turnig it up and Crossmen turning into a powerhouse. A large 50th anniversary Boston and the Freelancers with one of the greatest OTL moments ever. Who was going to make the top 12 ??

Then, you have 1983. Garfieldrolls into finals undefeated and get beat and tied, thats competition. Suncoast Sound, never in finals wind up fifth in prelims. a 12 th place in 82 SPirit of Atlanta rebounds and challenges the top six. 27th Lancers, Cavalers, and Bridgemen hang on and fight for finals. Crossmen, Troopers, Knights, Alliance, all had a shot at finals and Valley Fever and Velvet Knights were western powerhouses

And of course my benchmark for all things that follow:1982

Blue Devils - undefeated - not much competition there right ? Wrong SCV was a constant threat all year and when Garfield, who was beaten early by Scouts and Regiment wenton to defeat Vanguard late in the season, everything was turned upside down. THen the 27th Lancers started out BEHIND Crossmen, Bridgemen, and Cavaliers to wind up ahead and solid in the top six with a stunning performance. You want competition ? Check out prelims vs finals at DCI East that year.

I say as far as all time ??

For me this year ranks in the top five for sure.

~G~

[kstein]

1980. Still the most entertaining and competitive year.

27 peaked one week early at an absolutely glorious Allentown performance. 1 - 12 were not only competitive but highly entertaining, and the corps right behind them outside of finals weren't slouches, either.

I'm still waiting to see the constant and frantic crowd response throughout an entire Finals show that we saw that year in (hideous) Birmingham. Still, the best year ever.

Cheers!

Karen

[Glad To Be Hear]

All great points, guys. I consider 90-92 to be the end of that great 80s-90s era. And this year being a return to that competitive (and entertaining) level.

[2000Cadet]

If

1. We see the same fluctuations in placement through the end of the season,

and

2. someone rises up and beats the semi-finals winner at Finals

THEN I'll be willing to say that this has been the most competitive season ever.

Ditto.

So far this year has been very competitive with the fluctuations in corps' placements, but if it can be that way up to Finals night, this will be a year for the recordbooks in my opinion.

Edited July 25, 2007 by 2000Cadet

[chrisNAtlanta]

Ditto.

So far this year has been very competitive with the fluctuations in corps' placements, but if it can be that way up to Finals night, this will be a year for the recordbooks in my opinion.

We need a couple more upsets to keep everyone pushing hard! Wild to see the fight, and rapid improvements, going on from 1st-7th and the dog fight it appears that the bottom 8th-12th will have, just to get in Finals.

Thoughts on what score that the 12th place corp will have to break to get into finals??

Can you imagine having to break 90 to get in finals? Will we ever see the day?

[Michael Boo]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't 1988 THE YEAR with the smallest spread between 1-12? ...

From my liner notes for the DCI Legacy Series...

<< This was the first year that all finalists were finalists the year before. Only 2.0 separated the top five corps, with Madison Scouts’ victorious after having spent several days in Europe for its 50th Anniversary.

Blue Devils had been undefeated until the final week, and Santa Clara Vanguard finished 2nd for the fourth year in a row. The 12.0 point spread between 1st and 12th place remains the smallest in DCI history.>>