Booing and the Cadets

[JimF-LowBari]

The funniest thing I read on here is how people boo and think everyone else "knows" exactly who and why they are booing. Thought my mother in law was bad with leaving out info when you talk with her and then comes back with "didn't you know that?".

As for booing GH when he wasn't with the corps. Wonder if he thought it was a Bluecoats fan. ^0^

[Wadep66]

Nothing for nothing....an email is probably a waste of time. Staffer reads said email....disagrees and hits delete. If you wish to express your opinion to a corps staff the best way is face to face. At least they can see your emotion and get a true sense of your feelings on the topic.

Great rationalization! So I guess when you boo, they think "Wow, these people are obviously upset about the design of points A, B, and C in my show and I should consider changing it to D, E, and F so that will meet with their approval".

Makes a huge amount of sense.

Another weightless argument for booing. <**>

[MikeD]

Nothing for nothing....an email is probably a waste of time. Staffer reads said email....disagrees and hits delete. If you wish to express your opinion to a corps staff the best way is face to face. At least they can see your emotion and get a true sense of your feelings on the topic.

Booing is not "face to face"...it's an anonymous act of self indulgence that displays a total lack of control and humanity.

BTW...many anti-Cadet/Hoppy DCP people have written Hoppy emails and reported back that he did indeed read them and respond.

[MikeD]

And be careful about who in the stands you call a moron, many of them are real drum corps people who still wear their corps colors and don't take kindly to being called names.

Real drum corps people do not boo, regardless of the jacket they wear...wasn't appropriate in 71...nor is it appropriate in 07.

[Wadep66]

I did not attend this year but let me say this ( and excuse me for not reading through 77 pages of this topic )

I was there when the Scouts and Cavies were booed in 1971 for their break from military style. I even bought the tee shirt that had the white rabbit standing on a tombstone holding the clock with the caption " it's later than you think, drum corps died in 71. ( I actually loved the show but I thought the tee shirt was clever )

I was there when the Cavies were booed in 75 ? for calling Muchachoes on the over age members,

I was there when people booed Bridgemen for their new style.

I was there when Star was booed for presenting a show so far above what the average fan in the stands could understand.

And now we have the Cadets. No, not the Holy Name Cadets. No, Not the Garfield Cadets, no, not the Cadets of Bergan County. Ir's the George Hopkins Cadets.

I was a member of several corps and later went on to instruct and judge and I'm a band director.

While "I" would never boo any corps, I support a fans right to express their feelings. This is not a junior high event where we support the kids no matter what, this is an activity that is performed outside in a football stadium, not a concert hall.

The young ADULTS who marched with the Cadets, did so of their own choice. They PAID to further the ego of their director. Mr. Hopkins is a wonderful businessman who had made a pretty good life for himself through drum corps.

Mr Hopkins has continued to try and change drum corps ( sometimes for the better, sometimes not ). His arrogance and ego is directly supported by the young ADULTS who pay his way. Mr Hopkins and his actions has caused a line to be drawn in the sand, either you are for him, or against him.............sorta like George Bush.

When someones ego becomes a problem so large that this many people in a stadium boo him and HIS corps, we must consider the possibility that the problem just might not be with the people in the stands.

Had the crowd left their seats and all went for a hot dog, that would be a direct slap in the face to the "kids" on the field, yet the people who did boo Mr Hopkins, stayed and supported the "kids"

" I believe you should take a much closer look at the cause, not the effect"

And be careful about who in the stands you call a moron, many of them are real drum corps people who still wear their corps colors and don't take kindly to being called names.

How hypocritical. "Don't take kindly to being called names". Please re-read what you wrote.

I think I'd tread lightly when calling someone else arrogant and egotistical. Your post reeks of both. George Hopkins is about the furthest thing from both as much as I can tell from emails I've gotten, reading his blog, and talking to people who ACTUALLY KNOW him. Just because there are some elements of his style you disagree with does not make him arrogant or egotistical.

[DncnJDub]

I did not attend this year but let me say this ( and excuse me for not reading through 77 pages of this topic )

I was there when the Scouts and Cavies were booed in 1971 for their break from military style. I even bought the tee shirt that had the white rabbit standing on a tombstone holding the clock with the caption " it's later than you think, drum corps died in 71. ( I actually loved the show but I thought the tee shirt was clever )

I was there when the Cavies were booed in 75 ? for calling Muchachoes on the over age members,

I was there when people booed Bridgemen for their new style.

I was there when Star was booed for presenting a show so far above what the average fan in the stands could understand.

And now we have the Cadets. No, not the Holy Name Cadets. No, Not the Garfield Cadets, no, not the Cadets of Bergan County. Ir's the George Hopkins Cadets.

I was a member of several corps and later went on to instruct and judge and I'm a band director.

While "I" would never boo any corps, I support a fans right to express their feelings. This is not a junior high event where we support the kids no matter what, this is an activity that is performed outside in a football stadium, not a concert hall.

The young ADULTS who marched with the Cadets, did so of their own choice. They PAID to further the ego of their director. Mr. Hopkins is a wonderful businessman who had made a pretty good life for himself through drum corps.

Mr Hopkins has continued to try and change drum corps ( sometimes for the better, sometimes not ). His arrogance and ego is directly supported by the young ADULTS who pay his way. Mr Hopkins and his actions has caused a line to be drawn in the sand, either you are for him, or against him.............sorta like George Bush.

When someones ego becomes a problem so large that this many people in a stadium boo him and HIS corps, we must consider the possibility that the problem just might not be with the people in the stands.

Had the crowd left their seats and all went for a hot dog, that would be a direct slap in the face to the "kids" on the field, yet the people who did boo Mr Hopkins, stayed and supported the "kids"

" I believe you should take a much closer look at the cause, not the effect"

And be careful about who in the stands you call a moron, many of them are real drum corps people who still wear their corps colors and don't take kindly to being called names.

It's quite fascinating after being out there for three months to get back and read some of the stuff that people actually think about what went on this summer. I've read more interesting posts the last couple days, both extremely positive and extremely negative, but it's really amazing to see what people have to think.

It's really amazing how people will forget that we're just kids out on a football field. So many people get so caught up in this George Hopkins thing that I feel like some people think he goes out and finds 135 gang members to fight his war on innovating drum corps. But realistically that's just not the case. We're just 135 kids who want to be a part of something amazing. So when we work for three long months on a show that is the hardest thing I think any of us had ever done, and come to finals to get booed, it's hurtful. Now whether the booing was directed directly at the kids or at George, whatever the case, people forget that what they're looking at out on the field is 135 kids, not a professional football team. And if you think that 135 kids while out on the field about to perform their show for this first time at quarter finals are all automatically thinking, well of course they're not booing us, they're just booing George, that's probably not the case. So while I suppose every fan has the right to boo or cheer or whatever they want, I'm shocked that so many people would want to put a kid through something like that. But I'll definitely say it was quite an experience to be out there and experience that. I never thought I'd get booed my first time at Div I Quarter finals lol.

[The Other Mike]

How hypocritical. "Don't take kindly to being called names". Please re-read what you wrote.

I think I'd tread lightly when calling someone else arrogant and egotistical. Your post reeks of both. George Hopkins is about the furthest thing from both as much as I can tell from emails I've gotten, reading his blog, and talking to people who ACTUALLY KNOW him. Just because there are some elements of his style you disagree with does not make him arrogant or egotistical.

Theres a mighty big differnce between being called a moron and being called arrogant.

By the way, I'm a self admitted arrogant smart ###.

I've met and have spoken with Mr Hopkins, have you ?

But thats ok, I should go by the emails you've received ?

[Jamesdrum007]

It's really amazing how people will forget that we're just kids out on a football field. So many people get so caught up in this George Hopkins thing that I feel like some people think he goes out and finds 135 gang members to fight his war on innovating drum corps. But realistically that's just not the case. We're just 135 kids who want to be a part of something amazing. So when we work for three long months on a show that is the hardest thing I think any of us had ever done, and come to finals to get booed, it's hurtful. Now whether the booing was directed directly at the kids or at George, whatever the case, people forget that what they're looking at out on the field is 135 kids, not a professional football team. And if you think that 135 kids while out on the field about to perform their show for this first time at quarter finals are all automatically thinking, well of course they're not booing us, they're just booing George, that's probably not the case. So while I suppose every fan has the right to boo or cheer or whatever they want, I'm shocked that so many people would want to put a kid through something like that. But I'll definitely say it was quite an experience to be out there and experience that. I never thought I'd get booed my first time at Div I Quarter finals lol.

Thank you Jason for expressing your first-hand feelings about this issue. Your comments should quiet those foolish people who defend their booing by stating that they booed Hopkins, not you, and therefore you should be able to distinguish the difference while you stand there on the field preparing to perform. I appreciate you for posting.

[MikeD]

Thank you Jason for expressing your first-hand feelings about this issue. Your comments should quiet those foolish people who defend their booing by stating that they booed Hopkins, not you, and therefore you should be able to distinguish the difference while you stand there on the field preparing to perform. I appreciate you for posting.

Jim,

Sad to say that it won't change how others here in DCP behave. Other members have written similar statements, and the booers ignore them.

Mike

[Jamesdrum007]

Jim,

Sad to say that it won't change how others here in DCP behave. Other members have written similar statements, and the booers ignore them.

Mike

Mike,

I sadly agree that you're probably right. But I nonetheless believe that we need to continuously (and continually) remind these misguided people about the error of their behevior. I agree with the OP that it was indeed an embarassment for our activity to hear their negative behavior. I sat there in the stands that night with my family and I was saddened by the poor behavior of these vocally negative audience members. As you can see, I don't post here very much; but this was really wrong.