Arizona Academy

[CorpsRelic]

The show really wasn't written to be top 3 or top 5 or top 10 and I think we all agree on that. The brass program at Academy has progressed faster than the others. The drumline and pit (I feel) made a big jump this year. The guard is about the same as last year, but they do have a bit stronger presence on the field now (less high school looking). They wrote a drill that was achievable and focussed on staging more than demand. They wrote a very nice brass book that challenged their players in NEW ways this year (and that's how you grow). I've loved the arranging style of the battery for the last 2 years and it was good to see a stronger/more unified technique from the battery this season.

Where they need help is the guard and their winter program in WGI should continue to help them with their efforts.

In the end .. they were a great corps I see some great competitive rivalries starting up ... and that makes it fun for all of drum corps!! This year was truly a STEP UP .. I can't wait for these corps to Bring It again in '08. Good luck to all the creative teams over these next short months.

I would say this is as fine of a critique any Academy Member, Staff, organization, and fan could concur with.

I will admit the results of the ACADAMY's first apperance with a full complement of Div 1 Corps in San Antonio was the source of much exuberance and easily can be cited for the initial over the top expectations of some of its fans (yes, inclulding yours truly) and the postings and threads that followed on DCP.

Corps Executive Director Mark Richardson is quoted as saying: "It has never been our (ACADEMY) goal to set out at the beginning of the season to beat every corps out there. Rather, we have grown into the habit of measuring success differently.

Goal #1: we will do everything in our power as an organization, every day, to achieve the highest levels of excellence as

people and performers.

Goal #2: In some fashion we will improve the organization to surpass the quality of the year before.

Goal #3: Nothing that we do will compromise our organization's ability to provide these opportunities to people in the future.

Goal #4: We will travel this journey as people of strong character, work ethic, compassion and humility.

Mark went on to say "So as we journey on in this season (in Div I) and beyond, we recognize that quite possible THE ACADEMY DRUM AND BUGLE CORPS will have seen its last World Championship Medal. However, the small victories will be countless as the years go on."

When all is said and done, 2007 has simply shown that Mark is a man of his word. The goals set by THE ACADEMY were achieved, and the small victories through "baby steps" attained.

[corps-mudgeon]

Considering a week earlier Spirit was getting dumped in horns and finding themselves with 15th-17th place ordinals in Brass and Ensemble ... I would say they cranked it up. I never brought Blue Stars brass in to my comments.

You said:

"It's a Semifinals drill and guard with a Finals quality Hornline, horn book, drumline and percussion book."

and

"[Academy ranked] 13th in Brass and Ensemble (and Spirit really did crank up that hornline down the stretch to pass Academy and Blue Stars)."

My main point is that 13th or 14th, that's by definition not a finals hornline or book. Perhaps I'm too nitpicky--it's still a job well done. I guess I fixated on brass too much when I pulled the numbers for the three corps you mentioned. Sorry for misinterpreting your point about Spirit, and thanks for the clarification. :)

And so that critical discussion will not be confused with criticism, let me say again that the Academy did well and should continue to do well in the future. And also that the Academy program is one to be proud of.

Edited August 21, 2007 by corps-mudgeon

[BariEuph]

Hey bud...

Try, for a change, NOT clicking on a thread that says "Academy" and you won't have this problem. See...... <**>

w/Stp:

Hey bud...

I have a better idea. Try, for a change, NOT starting a new thread that says "Academy". I'm sure the 100+ we already have on the first 10 or so pages of this forum is enough.

Sorry, just "not clicking" is not enough for me anymore. I'm tired of seeing their name on this forum at all. It was overkill long ago!

wow, 100 in ten pages? can you link me to those please? i seem to be on the other version of dcp.

it's not against the guidelines to talk about a corps. so, too bad for you.

YOU control YOURSELF. and what threads YOU click. try it. it's better for your blood pressure. :)

[Gaddabout]

Gaddabout .. I just wanted to point out another error that some old schoolers seem to be doing quite a bit lately. The YEA! Cadets are from Allentown PA ..

NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!! NOT GARFIELD!!

That is all :)

Doing my best Johnny Carson impression ...

Iiiiii did not KNOW that.

[84BDsop]

Hey bud...

I have a better idea. Try, for a change, NOT starting a new thread that says "Academy". I'm sure the 100+ we already have on the first 10 or so pages of this forum is enough.

Sorry, just "not clicking" is not enough for me anymore. I'm tired of seeing their name on this forum at all. It was overkill long ago!

Some call the

Seriously dude....if you don't like it...don't read it...I, for one, do not feel it's MY obligation to protect you from being irritated.....learn to deal with it.

[Hipposduck]

Why is everyone either passionately against them or passionately for them? Can't we just let them do their gig?

[passionatedc]

To those of you opposiong my "shhhhh" and advising me to just not click the links...thank you for the advice. If I think I need it, I'll use it.

Now let me give the honks some advice...."SHHHH". That's right...."SHHHH". But don't "SHHHH" for me...."SHHHH" for you...AND The Academy themselves. I'm going to be very frank with the honks on this board. You guys have made complete fools of yourselves this year. Since January, we've been drowning in honk hype stating everything from "Academy is going to be in the top 12" to "they are going to be in the top 10, maybe the top 8 and maybe the top 5". Now we sit here in late August with the facts...those facts being that The Academy really wasn't that good and were out of finals by a solid point.

SO!!!! If the honks want to make the same mistake and overhype the corps again...only to possibly eat more crow in 2008, knock yourselves out. At the end of the day, you are the ones who look foolish when the final results are in.

I think for the sake OF....The Academy....the honks need to "SHHH"! And guess what, you are going to get it from me any time the honks get out of control with the overhype from now on. If you don't like it, oh well. I won't stop "shhhing" the honks until the get the clue that they are doing the Academy more harm than good.

Edited August 21, 2007 by passionatedc

[passionatedc]

Why is everyone either passionately against them or passionately for them? Can't we just let them do their gig?

Exactly why I say "shhh". Let them do their gig. Exactly! Could not agree more. I am not against the corps...I am against the HONKS! THOUGH...I fear sometimes that the honks ARE the corps and it's affiliates. Of course, I can't prove that. But the evidence is sometimes overwhelming.

[XxDrumCorpsFanxX]

how is academy any different than any other corps besides the fact of them being new? No 2 years will ever be the same for any drum corps, so i don't really see why the heck we always make predictions for any corps. Just because a corp did good one year doesn't mean they will do good the next.

Basically what the people who are saying "theres madison and crossmen, etc... who will move up next year" is that the people who have a name already are going to move up. How do you honestly know what is going to happen next year with those corps? How do you know whats going to happen with academy? you don't.... all you know is that those other corps have a branding out there and thats why you say they will move up.

Thats how everything these days is...the branding is what makes something so "special" even if it is the same quality as the "lower brand"

This is why i hate predictions, because we honestly don't know what will happen, unless we know that over 95 percent of a corps from the previous year came back...then I think we might be able to make predictions. But do we have all the numbers of who will come back to each corps and who won't?

[audiodb]

hmm...hometown corps....hometown judge.

nah...that's never happened before.

The judge in question hails from Peabody, MA - nowhere near Tempe, AZ.