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A: Competitive Inertia


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Safe for another year. No new champion. No new blood in Top 3. The universe is right again. In a year where Bloo couldn't afford to stumble, they did. Crown just did what they always do: Put a one-rank pipe organ on the field (different octaves of the same sound, ho-hum), and make sure it's close to the stands when it's loud. (and I love 'em for it, although I prefer multiple colors.)

The only real surprise from a CI standpoint is Madison: I was absolutely certain they would make it into the Top 8 this year, based purely on CI, and nothing else, lol. Doesn't everyone want them at next year's TOC shows?

Somewhere in the annals of posts last year, I quipped about Spirit making it to top 12, based solely on their "return to Atlanta," but I think they earned it. (ty for stumbling, Glassmen)

OK, so who's going to make it to the Top 3 next year who hasn't? Who's going to win who hasn't?

CI is a b!tc4!

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I'm glad I finally go to read your very first post, B. I'd followed other threads and never followed your logic. Now that I've read it my world is right again.

I'm sure it's been discussed and I missed it, but did Star fulfill the CI mandate?

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Safe for another year. No new champion. No new blood in Top 3. The universe is right again. In a year where Bloo couldn't afford to stumble, they did. Crown just did what they always do: Put a one-rank pipe organ on the field (different octaves of the same sound, ho-hum), and make sure it's close to the stands when it's loud. (and I love 'em for it, although I prefer multiple colors.)

The only real surprise from a CI standpoint is Madison: I was absolutely certain they would make it into the Top 8 this year, based purely on CI, and nothing else, lol. Doesn't everyone want them at next year's TOC shows?

Somewhere in the annals of posts last year, I quipped about Spirit making it to top 12, based solely on their "return to Atlanta," but I think they earned it. (ty for stumbling, Glassmen)

OK, so who's going to make it to the Top 3 next year who hasn't? Who's going to win who hasn't?

CI is BS!

Edited by SFZFAN
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I'm glad I finally go to read your very first post, B. I'd followed other threads and never followed your logic. Now that I've read it my world is right again.

I'm sure it's been discussed and I missed it, but did Star fulfill the CI mandate?

They did once they'd placed 3rd in 90.

In every case, the corps in the 4th-7th slots this year had noticeable weaknesses or inconsistencies that kept them from making a real challenge for top 3. So while it's good for the activity to have a big field of potential title winners, it won't happen until 5 or 6 corps are as competitive in every caption over a long period of time as the Top Three have historically been.

That being said, the greater competition across the board seemed to be rewarded with increased ticket sales. Not sure if DCI was doing a lot of comping, but there were at least 5,000 to 6,000 more people at Finals this year than last year, and the focus and intensity of reaction was greater than in recent memory.

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I would not argue that it is necessarily competitive inertia... there are a few other factors at play.

The level of maturity of the top 3-4 corps is dramatically different than those of other corps. This is not simply age, but maturity as a performer.

Frankly speaking, the majority of performers in the top 3-4 corps have performed for several years in other corps prior to coming to these corps. In the case of corps below this mark, many coming to the organization have not had as much experience and for many this is their first experience performing with any corps. Take Blue Devils, Cadets or Cavaliers, for example... their membership is comprised of kids from nearly every other corps out there. The same cannot be said for any other corps.

So, I suggest it is not a question of inertia, but simply of recruiting as a primary factor. There are other factors past this point, but are all pointless to discuss when this is the one factor that is unique to these programs.

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I would not argue that it is necessarily competitive inertia... there are a few other factors at play.

The level of maturity of the top 3-4 corps is dramatically different than those of other corps. This is not simply age, but maturity as a performer.

Frankly speaking, the majority of performers in the top 3-4 corps have performed for several years in other corps prior to coming to these corps. In the case of corps below this mark, many coming to the organization have not had as much experience and for many this is their first experience performing with any corps. Take Blue Devils, Cadets or Cavaliers, for example... their membership is comprised of kids from nearly every other corps out there. The same cannot be said for any other corps.

So, I suggest it is not a question of inertia, but simply of recruiting as a primary factor. There are other factors past this point, but are all pointless to discuss when this is the one factor that is unique to these programs.

While I agree with this at at high level...I would be confident in saying that Cadets over all other "elite" corps has the most true drum corps rookies. Most people will tell you that have been involved with the corps, they recruit on work ethic, not just raw talent and experience. Word hard and amazing things will happen.

2011 a great example.

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While I agree with this at at high level...I would be confident in saying that Cadets over all other "elite" corps has the most true drum corps rookies. Most people will tell you that have been involved with the corps, they recruit on work ethic, not just raw talent and experience. Word hard and amazing things will happen.

2011 a great example.

I will agree with you on the point of Cadets taking more diamonds in the rough, so to speak. Cadets have taken loads of kids who couldn't blow their nose and turned them into champions. This is more past legend than current case. They get kids that are much more experienced and that can really play now.

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<Take Blue Devils, Cadets or Cavaliers, for example... their membership is comprised of kids from nearly every other corps out there. The same cannot be said for any other corps.>

I don't know about Bluecoats, Crown, SCV, or Phantom...but I 'expect' they're also attracting members with experience in other corps, as well as retaining their own members for 2-6 years...which makes them not only super experienced, but in synch with the teaching and processes of these fine corps.

I believe CI explains why these four rarely (if ever) win far better than talent and ability. This year, I think the top three corps simply had better products with which to work, with the exception of Phantom, which (imo) had a top three product.

Edited by FHdork
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While I agree with this at at high level...I would be confident in saying that Cadets over all other "elite" corps has the most true drum corps rookies. Most people will tell you that have been involved with the corps, they recruit on work ethic, not just raw talent and experience. Word hard and amazing things will happen.

2011 a great example.

I'd say the many " rookies" that The Cadets decided to go with this year were chosen based upon a combination of " talent " and " experience " with " work ethic " essentially being a non factor in the camper getting a spot. Thats because as a " rookie " to The Cadets ( " rookies" to The Cadets we are talking about here ), The Cadets staff is wildly guessing on that rookie campers " work ethic ". They would have no idea on the level of his or her " work ethic ". Its a big guess for the staff on that. The staff can read the resume on the level of experience and test the level of talent via the submitted tape and/ or the personal tryout evaluation. But does the staff know the " work ethic " of the new Cadet rookie in Camp ? No. Not really. They have no way of knowing this. Its an educated guess. But to The Cadets staff credit, they get the camp talent and experience level that is sufficient enough that allows them to push their chosen experienced and talented rookies to maximum efficiency for their Corps.

Edited by BRASSO
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