No housing in San Diego

[jjlet]

Thank you...Im just embarrased in what my Corps director has done to DCI and what he has made the rest of DCI members and fans look at us as.

You mean "former" director as he resigned last March.

[drumstix909]

Speaking as someone who was a member of Esperanza for 5 out if its 7 years of existence, and someone who still lives in San Diego county, I can agree completely that it was lack of promotion that led to low attendance at this show. I went to the Riverside show earlier in the season, and when I saw the San Diego show in the SoCal program I was surprised. I thought the show had been canceled when the corps folded. My family wanted to go to the San Diego show, but after looking on Esperanza's website and seeing no sign of it, and after talking to a few other people who used to be involved in the corps who also knew nothing about it, we concluded that there was no way the show was gonna happen. I didn't think anything more of it until today, because we have finals tickets and have been looking forward to championship weekend for a long time.

So even as an ex-member of the "host" corps who was interested in attending the show, I had no idea that it was taking place and therefore did not go to it. Had there been so much as an anouncement on Esperanza's website about the show, myself and my family would have been there, likely with some other friends as well. In past years, when there was actually a corps to host the show, there was a lot higher attendance simply from promotion by corps members themselves. It was always primarily a local corps, and we all invited our friends, our family, our high school bands, etc. We put up flyers in local band rooms, we had special "Esperanza Family Section" tickets to sell to friends and family for the best seats in the house, and it was corps members' family and friends who ran the show itself (in terms of running ticket windows, concessions, etc). Obviously when the corps folded, all of that support and "free" advertisement was lost.

I'm not going to point fingers because I'm really out of the loop and I have no idea who is in charge of the Esperanza organization now, or if the organization even exists anymore, but I'm sad that this happened this way nonetheless. I would like to be able to go to drum corps events wearing my Esperanza jacket and be proud that I spent 5 years as part of a respected drum corps...it seems now that the corps no longer exists our reputation is being smudged for reasons out of our control, and it is embarrassing. If the organization was not stable enough to host the show (which would be completely understandable), I wish they would have just canceled it, rather than making the name Esperanza look bad.

[Bob James]

I just returned from the San Diego "Esperanza Experience" show. I'd read about all sorts of planning fiascoes with the show on here before I even left, but one that made me very upset -

Pioneer and Blue Stars (and perhaps even others) were given no housing site for their corps in San Diego!

That means no down time to sleep, no showers (the two corps mentioned asked Phantom Regiment if they could shower at Mt. Carmel H.S.), nowhere to step-up for food, and no bathrooms! :o :o :o

Peewee is ######!!! And not only this, but a band booster from Mt. Carmel (show site) told me that they received very little information on what they were suppose to do. They had no programs for tonights show as a result of poor planning by the drum corps organization sponsoring this competition.

Please contact DCI and let them know that, whoever was SUPPOSE to be in charge of housing for San Diego, left some corps out to dry - literally!

I feel that whoever is responsible should not be allowed to host a drum corps show for DCI ever again. They have shown themselves to be very irresponsible to say the least.

Who's with me?

Contact DCI

Pee Wee you got it all wrong. Mike Herd you got it all wrong.

This is Bob James. I was the announcer for the San Diego Show. I was the guy there to take care of the judges. I was the guy there with his wife who tabulated the scores. I am Bob James. I volunteered to help with this show.

Notice I am using my name in this post. I am not hiding behind some username where I have no responsiblity for my words.

Mike, EACH AND EVERY CORPS HAD A PLACE to sleep, shower and practice. Pioneer had a school in Temecula. Blue Stars had Patrick Henry high school. Pioneer chose not to be housed in Temecula. Blue Stars chose to go to MCRD. So your entire premise for this 100 post subject is flawed. Period.

The fact we marched in the same drum corps makes me terribly sad. The three years I marched in Santa Clara we learned integrity, loyalty, and not being unprofessional towards others in the Drum Corps Community. Obviously you forgot those teachings from your 1989 season with SCV.

After reading this entire diatribe of postings with he said - she said - they said - they could have - they should have - I couldn't bear it further.

I actually signed up in this website so I could voice my utter frsutration with people like you. People who criticize, moan, groan, chastise and berate. WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO MIKE!?

How many drum corps shows have you worked? They have been in San Diego since the 1980's.

How many hornlines have you taught for any corps?

I have taught, volunteered, toured, and coached hundreds of members in San Diego County. I can't believe you feel it is your place to write the things you say here. Then to have the balls to put the Vanguard logo in your signature line.

In fact so many here criticize. Why is Drum Corps dying....because it is easier to sit at your keyboard and hit enter than show up to a Sunday rehearsal and teach. It is easier for you to show up at the show and go...."What happened?" "Why isn't this perfect?"

When I marched, I can't tell you the number of places I had to rehaearse, sleep and shower with other corps. It wasn't a big deal.

Mike, how many shows have you volunteered at? How many times did you call, Helix High School, Earthquakes, or Esperanza and volunteer to work a show. I have.

How many shows have you signed your name to a contract that said you would be personally responsible for $20,000+ to DCI? I have.

So when people sit there at there keyboard and become a virtual sniper, I find it disheartening and down right wrong.

So Mike, are you going to now call DCI and tell them you are going to guarantee everything you complain about for a show in San Diego next year.

Was the communication to all corps and DCI very poorly handled. You bet. I had nothing to do with it. But I did call my friend Alan and asked could I help with the San Diego show. I brought my wife. We volunteered. We made it possible for you to watch drum corps in San Diego last Sunday. In fact Mt. Carmel boosters ran the concessions and aisles and they even were allowed to keep all the profits.

Mean old Esperanza.

Was Mt. Carmel the optimum place to hold the show. Usually yes. It is the best facility in the County. Unfortunately, it is old and the contractors did there work on the parking lot. So I, like you, had to walk a bit further through some dirt.

My point here Mike is your entire methodology for calling DCI, and leaving corps out to dry is completely wrong.

If you would like to be on a list to volunteer at a future show, email me and we can talk. In fact everyone of you on this web forum is invited to volunteer next year.

Send me an email at bobjamesjr@gmail.com. I will forward your offer to help to whoever is in charge of the show next year.

And yes, I will volunteer my time where needed, to whoever runs next years show.

So Mike, what do you have to say now?

P.S. Please take SCV out of your rants. It diminishes the good work of all the 40 years of work the corps has earned.

Edited August 9, 2007 by Bob James

[hsreed]

I have to agree with Bob. Bob's stand up guy and it sounds like he's supporting the drum corps activity, not just a single corps. Good for him!!

Although I don't have much free time to give to drum corps, I send money to SCV and buy a few things at the souvie booth every year, but I give more financial support to PC because they're local and I like they're approach. I want a local group like PC in the area. I support drum corps in a different way. I also volunteer as an AYSO coach (two teams this year), I'm the unofficial Cheer Dad for my daughter's competitive cheer team, and I volunteer and help the local high school band for their entire season.

Mike is a good guy. I believe Mike just moved to SD this past year, so the area doesn't know about him and vice-versa. He works in the SCV food trailer (the lovely Miss Amana) every year - Mr. Dependable! He does volunteer to support drum corps in his way. I'm sure that had he known the event needed his assistance, he would have done everything in his power to make it happen. I believe Mike is a good guy.

The lesson here is that if you want something, anything, to stay alive, you need to get involved.

I also think this show failed for two reasons:

1. The collapse of Esperanza and their support staff

2. Stanford had both major CA corps perform thi night before, all the drum corps nuts were there.

[BHandMom]

Bob James, you rock!

One not so great show, many lessons to be learned. Let's hope we can all move forward and put our energies into making it better. One unfortunate experience is not indicative of the So Cal drum corps community. So Cal is a GREAT place for drum corps. I'm thankful for the time my son spent in Esperanza, and will continue to support them, and all drum corps activity, now and long after my son ages out.

[More reps]

You gotta love all the Alan Cox support......

Whenever I here somone defending that man I throwup a little in my mouth. Thankfully it doesn't happen often.

Oh yeah, and his resignation in March was only for show. He was still the acting executive director and responsible for that show. He was even there on Sunday running things.

DCI should have known better than let this man or this organization be responsible for that show period!

Let's be honest, is it really that shocking that phone calls were not returned and buisness wasn't taken care of??

Many people have put their repuation on the line on these forums by letting the truth be told on the dealing of this man and that organization.

Shame on DCI for leaving the show in these hands!!

[Bob James]

You gotta love all the Alan Cox support......

Whenever I here somone defending that man I throwup a little in my mouth. Thankfully it doesn't happen often.

Oh yeah, and his resignation in March was only for show. He was still the acting executive director and responsible for that show. He was even there on Sunday running things.

DCI should have known better than let this man or this organization be responsible for that show period!

Let's be honest, is it really that shocking that phone calls were not returned and buisness wasn't taken care of??

Many people have put their repuation on the line on these forums by letting the truth be told on the dealing of this man and that organization.

Shame on DCI for leaving the show in these hands!!

I again state....people hide behind their usernames and play sniper.

Throw up all you want, since you have no name, your opinion holds no validity.

This has nothing to do one show, or one person...

MoreReps and et al, You with all your virile comments, you are all contributing to people NOT wanting to volunteer, support, or march. All the while you hide your identity and smear anyone or any group. Since I don't even know who you are, I can only judge by what you type.

As you can see by my number of posts to the left, I don't post. Until now.

This has to stop! Be accountable with your keyboard. Get up and be someone who actually does something for the kids and this activity.

Being a Monday morning commentator serves nobody's purpose except your own.

Criticism is allowed any where and at any time....but when you provide NO VIABLE solution and only spite, nobody wins.

Defend Alan Cox....you are #### right I will. I will also tell you he has earned it.

Am I blindly following? No. Am I placing blame where appropriate? Yes. Where the corps left to the last couple of days before the show to know where there housing was...Yes. But please also mention there was housing availablility for every single corps when the time came.

Since you mentioned it yourself, Yes, Alan was there himself in person Sunday. He was there. After any and all angst he may have caused. He still was there. To face the criticism and complaints. Obviously you must have been there, since you saw him. Did you stop by and ask him what happened....or do you leave it to this website's forum for your news?

So how did these corps get let down in San Diego? There was a show, there were judges, and there were fans. There was food, there was souveniers, there was lights, power, perfect synthetic field and track. We even had DCI there.

I guess I let the corps down by not speaking clear enough when announcing, and I missed some words. So I am guilty I guess in that respect.

So once again More Reps point out to me how the world is ending and one person is completely responsible for it all happening.

See you all in Pasadena.....but I hear there are problems there too....since I read it right here.....now you just read it here too.

[More reps]

Your right,

My opinion means nothing since I am nameless,

and Alan Cox is a Saint and savior of all children........

It is just a coincidence that his show was a mess.

You talk about there being fans. Give me a break, 400 people.

The most pathetic part here is that with the amount of money that organiztion owes to so many people this was their attempt to raise some money and pay what is deserved. Bob, you can go on and on about how you are a volunteer and blah blah blah, but how can you defend that?? Nothing was even put up on their own website. There is no respect for the people that are still owed money. But I am sure you are one of those who think the people who expected to get paid are jerks since you are a volunteer.

But I guess my opinion is null and void, I must reveal my "secret identity" to have worth. The real problem here is me not Alan Cox, I have been so confused all this time.

[Gold_Bond]

people hide behind their usernames and play sniper.

Throw up all you want, since you have no name, your opinion holds no validity.

In another thread in this forum people are dismissing the opinions of a poster because their post count is in the single-digits.

Whatever allows you to dismiss someone with a point you do not agree with I guess.

Just sayin'.

Edited August 10, 2007 by Gold_Bond

[The Nagging Cough!]

Lot of apologists in here.