JimF-LowBari Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Disclaimer: Not trying to slam anyone, just bringing up one point of view. IMO, there are many ways to support young people and compared to more basic needs, doing DC is not that important. If one wants to support young people but doesn't like the way an activity is going, there are other places to support. One parallel could be the Boy Scouts stand on athiests and homosexuals. Some people didn't like the way the rules were applied so they took their support else where. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Kyle, everyone here has had that experience so we do know what the activity is about. I’m just a spectator now. You know how hard it is to get from here to a World division show. The question to ask yourself is why should I do that when the product has changed into something I no longer recognize as the activity I fell in love with? If you are still in love with it, that’s fine. But for me, at the World level, it’s pretty much over. I’ll still support Dutch Boy. I have every intention of being at the home show. I still have a very strong emotional tie to that corps and those kids. On that note, as much as I hate narration (as you know very well!) if I had been at a show this year I would have watched Cadets and cheered for the sole reason that you, Jamie and Geoff were there. I have posted elsewhere how much I oppose the reception you got at finals, but I do believe it was directed at George. Unfortunately there was no way for you to know that on the field, I guess. I think he did the right thing in trying to ensure the safety of the members. I’ve posted that all over these forums. If the disgruntled legacy fans that decide not to attend any more are a significant portion of the audience then DCI will have to re-evaluate the “product” on the field in the face of falling revenues. If it’s just a few grumpy old farts, nothing will be hurt. Either way, the marching experience, as you correctly point out, will be the same. Going George’s way, it will be a band experience, summer and fall. Going the other way, there will be a wider variety of marching music to choose from. Choice is good. In the end, if you don’t like opera, why would you drive 6-8 hours and then pay hard earned cash to go see it? You know what an SCV fan I am, I used to love what DCI World was, I don’t anymore. I’ve tried writing emails, the only option, and the most effective, is to vote with your feet, and with your closed wallet. If you hear anger in these posts, you are right. But look closer and there’s a lot of sadness, a lot of concern for continued longevity of the activity, and a real fear that the unique aspects that made drum corps special are disappearing. Don’t ever translate any of that as any kind of a knock against the members on the field. Cheers Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madscout96 Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I'm not trying to preach i'm trying to open your eyes to what the activity is about.. what it has always been about.. life, experience... You can yell about how much everything has changed but... just so you all know it feels just as rewarding as ever to step out onto that field and know that what you are doing is something amazing... I have marched since 1997 and no i don't agree with all of the rule changes maybe they don't all apeal to everyone... life goes on I know that just becuase there is amplification vocals w/e else on the field that the people on that field are still pouring their hearts into every moment of that show for YOU. Supporting the activity should not be based on the decisions coming from the top it should be based on the people on that field experienceing what you experienced.. I spent my last 2 summers with The Cadets and when I came out on the quaterfinals field after the hashes were sprayed and was confronted by thousands of booing fans yea it effected me... you know what most of them said... "we we're booing George"... do you really think that George was affected as much by those boos as we were on that feild wanting to give the performance of a life time... we were robbed of the oppertunity... The way you all talk about giving up on the activity... Do you really think your getting back at the people who made the rule changes? No... really the only people that are going to be affected are the young people that want the very experience that we listen to those who have come before us talk so passionately about... Drum Corps is life changing. Trustme just because there is someone singing on the field doesn't take away from that. Support the expereince support the people on the field... I think you are trying to preach, though. Trust me, we all already know what the activity is about, at least according to you. Yes it's about the friends, the experience, the hard work, etc. But what brings all these people together in the first place? Drum corps does! You can get all these experiences playing varsity football too. So why not just go play football? Because you're not into football, you're into drum corps! People who are into football do football. People who are into marching band do marching band, or DCI. People who are into drum corps do DCA. I'm not going to support DCI anymore because I have no interest in what they are doing now, compared to 10 years ago. There are other activities where kids work hard and gain great life experiences that I could support instead. Perhaps there's a really talented kid who needs a little extra cash to pay to go to Interlochen this summer... As far as your experience at quarterfinals this year, I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I blame the fans for booing when the corps re-entered the field after the hashes were painted, they should not have done that. But all of the other boos were aimed at your director. He clearly knew what was going on, he has been in the activity long enough to know how fans will react to certain situations, and he certainly knows what most fans think of him. That situation could have been avoided, and according to his blog a few days after that incident he apologized to you for it (which was certainly warrented). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 (edited) Missed this on my previous post and others have posted since then. My only suggestion would be to support the individual members and not the group itself if you don't like the direction an activity is going. In this case, help feed or help with dues. And yes I know, helping with dues supports the corps but at least the member gets more of a direct benefit. More of a direct benefit than buyig souvies or writing a check to the corps itself. Edited February 13, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baritone97 Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 As far as your experience at quarterfinals this year, I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I blame the fans for booing when the corps re-entered the field after the hashes were painted, they should not have done that. But all of the other boos were aimed at your director. He clearly knew what was going on, he has been in the activity long enough to know how fans will react to certain situations, and he certainly knows what most fans think of him. That situation could have been avoided, and according to his blog a few days after that incident he apologized to you for it (which was certainly warrented). Are you serious??? really are you serious???... Actually your right it was definately Hopkins fault that whole situation happened... He was definately the one who made sure there were no hashmarks on the field and razzed the crowed into booing us... and he wasn't appologizing for what he did he was appologizing for the ignorance of the crowd... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusankusho Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 (edited) Are you serious??? really are you serious???... Actually your right it was definately Hopkins fault that whole situation happened... He was definately the one who made sure there were no hashmarks on the field and razzed the crowed into booing us... and he wasn't appologizing for what he did he was appologizing for the ignorance of the crowd... I think the point he was trying to make is what many have said elsewhere, that the crowd took that opportunity to vent at George over the rule changes he has introduced over the last few years. Either way, it was wrong. There's a thread on the hashmark thing here --> http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/inde...howtopic=109168 Edited February 13, 2008 by kusankusho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedford Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 (edited) I'm not trying to preach i'm trying to open your eyes to what the activity is about.. what it has always been about.. life, experience... You can yell about how much everything has changed but... just so you all know it feels just as rewarding as ever to step out onto that field and know that what you are doing is something amazing... I have marched since 1997 and no i don't agree with all of the rule changes maybe they don't all apeal to everyone... life goes on I know that just becuase there is amplification vocals w/e else on the field that the people on that field are still pouring their hearts into every moment of that show for YOU. Supporting the activity should not be based on the decisions coming from the top it should be based on the people on that field experienceing what you experienced.. I spent my last 2 summers with The Cadets and when I came out on the quaterfinals field after the hashes were sprayed and was confronted by thousands of booing fans yea it effected me... you know what most of them said... "we we're booing George"... do you really think that George was affected as much by those boos as we were on that feild wanting to give the performance of a life time... we were robbed of the oppertunity... The way you all talk about giving up on the activity... Do you really think your getting back at the people who made the rule changes? No... really the only people that are going to be affected are the young people that want the very experience that we listen to those who have come before us talk so passionately about... Drum Corps is life changing. Trustme just because there is someone singing on the field doesn't take away from that. Support the expereince support the people on the field... Hey dude, it's one of your kw supporters - Take it easy!!!!! The reality is; many people don't like the changes and it's their choice, and in some cases their loss, if they decide to walk away. C'est la vie ! This forum does not, in any way, represent the masses. It only represents those choosing to be vocal be they negative, balanced or positive in their views. Attendance figures generally suggest things are going pretty well with the activity. I don't like plenty of what I see all over the place, not only in drum corps. But the only way to deal with it is to; Call it what it is. Stick to the positive. Promote the benefits. And take the high road. Easier said than doneI know. Now...... having said all that, I do believe that DCI, as an organization, is ignoring its legacy membership. Whether rule changes are truly reflective of this, I'm not certain, but I do know it doesn't help change the perception. Simple example.... Dude you're Canadian. Try and visit a local theatre showing the Countdown, Quarter Finals or any other theatre broadcast. The technology is there to deliver live performances from The Met but not a DC show..... why? Bottom line ...some folks are PO'ed. I'm one of them at times. We're all entitled to our positions. Don't let it bother you. And sorry about that 1/4 finals experience. Noone should be booing anyone in this fraternity. It's too small a world and life's too short. See you at Centennial! Edited February 13, 2008 by bedford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedford Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Kyle, everyone here has had that experience so we do know what the activity is about.I’m just a spectator now. You know how hard it is to get from here to a World division show. The question to ask yourself is why should I do that when the product has changed into something I no longer recognize as the activity I fell in love with? If you are still in love with it, that’s fine. But for me, at the World level, it’s pretty much over. I’ll still support Dutch Boy. I have every intention of being at the home show. I still have a very strong emotional tie to that corps and those kids. On that note, as much as I hate narration (as you know very well!) if I had been at a show this year I would have watched Cadets and cheered for the sole reason that you, Jamie and Geoff were there. I have posted elsewhere how much I oppose the reception you got at finals, but I do believe it was directed at George. Unfortunately there was no way for you to know that on the field, I guess. I think he did the right thing in trying to ensure the safety of the members. I’ve posted that all over these forums. If the disgruntled legacy fans that decide not to attend any more are a significant portion of the audience then DCI will have to re-evaluate the “product” on the field in the face of falling revenues. If it’s just a few grumpy old farts, nothing will be hurt. Either way, the marching experience, as you correctly point out, will be the same. Going George’s way, it will be a band experience, summer and fall. Going the other way, there will be a wider variety of marching music to choose from. Choice is good. In the end, if you don’t like opera, why would you drive 6-8 hours and then pay hard earned cash to go see it? You know what an SCV fan I am, I used to love what DCI World was, I don’t anymore. I’ve tried writing emails, the only option, and the most effective, is to vote with your feet, and with your closed wallet. If you hear anger in these posts, you are right. But look closer and there’s a lot of sadness, a lot of concern for continued longevity of the activity, and a real fear that the unique aspects that made drum corps special are disappearing. Don’t ever translate any of that as any kind of a knock against the members on the field. Cheers Jim Jimmy Spot on! Gardiner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueemrld8 Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 If you hear anger in these posts, you are right. But look closer and there's a lot of sadness, a lot of concern for continued longevity of the activity, and a real fear that the unique aspects that made drum corps special are disappearing. Don't ever translate any of that as any kind of a knock against the members on the field. This is a VERY important point that i think sooo many on here are skipping past. Maybe many on here don't know how to respond to that sadness and that is why they are only hearing the anger? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baritone97 Posted February 13, 2008 Author Share Posted February 13, 2008 I'm not trying to respond in anger... i'm trying to express my sadness for those of you who are turning your back on something that is still one of the most amazing experiences in the world... the truth is that the activity seems to be going on a downward slope and it's not just to do with people being angry with the changes taking place its costing more and more money each year to get a corps down the road with gas prices, housing, ect... The thing that i love about the activity so much is being able to watch people putting there everything into one cause... wheather there is amps or not when you go to a drumcorps show you will always get that... you are able to look out on that field and watch people perform in the same way you did and that to me is amazing... I'm 21 years old i started marching at 10 and as much as it hurts you when there are changes to the activity it hurts me when i hear you all talk about how its no longer drumcorps... I grew up listening to stories and have continued through the activity to gain stories of my own... it bothers me how there is now a barrier between people like me and people who do not believe drumcorps is drumcorps anymore... I didn't write this thread to create more of a distance between us i only write it to try to convince you not to give up on the activity... I really didn't mean to offend anyone honestly I only wish there wasn't this friction and this talk of drumcorps being dead it doesn't make sense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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