Martybucs Posted June 3, 2008 Author Share Posted June 3, 2008 Well we'd have to change the "green" is gone as well...since Reilly is back at it too... I know!!! We should just hum there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 You obviously didn't read the first one.Although it would be easy to confuse the meaning of the thread, I think most are missing the point. If you find it annoying, then don't read it. I wish there was a way for the moderators to ban you from the thread. An alumni corps, is an alumni corps, is an alumni corps. Whatever YOU make of it. The point isn't to debate whether a corps is WORTHY of the appellation. All are worthy. If that's what you read into the discussion, you've missed the point. There are corps that are being called alumni corps, mostly because they attend and perform at events that are mostly alumni corps events, but they are not alumni corps and DON'T wish to be called alumni corps. Part of the discussion is about whether or not being called an alumni corps hurts your chances of recruiting non-alumni members for the good of your group, e.g. some people may not join because they think you HAVE to be an alumni to belong and therefore won't even check it out. I personally don't care who marches in what group or what they call themselves. I'm happy the Bridgemen are around - they're awesome, no matter what status the membership holds. THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE MAKE UP OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR WHETHER YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE CALLED AN ALUMNI CORPS. ALL ARE WORTHY THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE SEMANTICS OF THE WORD ALUMNUS/ALUMNI, unless you reduce it to that; in that case it is annoying and you have made it so. This is about the general grouping of the non competitive corps that perform today and whether the classification of "alumni" corp helps or hurts the activity or excludes/includes too many. when we first came out for Serenade in 02, we were called the Westshoremen....no alumni. People immeditaely thought we were back as a competing corps. I think the term alumni is a hell of a lot easier to say than "the Westshoremen non competing corps". I can't imagine it hurting recruiting for a corps...has not hurt us. I'd imagine if we dropped the Alimni tag, we'd get people thinking the competing corps was back and we'd end up having issues that way....and we dont have the $$$ to go that route despite many rumors still floating Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 I know!!! We should just hum there. Bill Toomey's son didnt sing that line when he marched Bucs in 06 given his families ties to the red and the green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted June 3, 2008 Author Share Posted June 3, 2008 Oy vey! For hopefully the last time! This isn't about the worth of a corps based on its' relative membership. We/you are all great!!!! I love you all. Go back and reread and try to grasp the meaning of the thread. Bridgemen guys - you're wonderful. I love the corps and what you've come up with, but the ones posting here are responding to other posters and NOT my original intention. I'm getting pinned with the misconception being perpetuated by responses to posts dealing with whether or not an alumni corps has the right to call itself an alumni corps if it has non alumni members. In regard to this, once and for all - I DON'T CARE!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted June 3, 2008 Author Share Posted June 3, 2008 Bill Toomey's son didnt sing that line when he marched Bucs in 06 given his families ties to the red and the green. Danny doesn't sing it either. I don't blame him. At the time it was written, it made sense. I feel it's unappropriate and think it should be changed. I think we've discussed changing it, but no one has gotten around to it. However, it goes a long with one of the points I made earlier about whether a corps should be an alumni corps, IF they really are a continuance of the corps whose name they use. Again, if they want to be called an alumni corps, I'M OK WITH IT, but does it hurt recruitment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martybucs Posted June 3, 2008 Author Share Posted June 3, 2008 when we first came out for Serenade in 02, we were called the Westshoremen....no alumni.People immeditaely thought we were back as a competing corps. I think the term alumni is a hell of a lot easier to say than "the Westshoremen non competing corps". I can't imagine it hurting recruiting for a corps...has not hurt us. I'd imagine if we dropped the Alimni tag, we'd get people thinking the competing corps was back and we'd end up having issues that way....and we dont have the $$$ to go that route despite many rumors still floating I didn't know that. We just say, "Oh you guys, again" I get what you're saying. I think most people know your gig by now and accept it as such. Once and done for the year. That's cool, but not really what I mean here. I'm talking about how it affects those corps that are trying to maintain the present and build for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 (edited) I can't imagine it hurting recruiting for a corps...has not hurt us. I'd imagine if we dropped the Alimni tag, we'd get people thinking the competing corps was back and we'd end up having issues that way....and we dont have the $$$ to go that route despite many rumors still floating Hmmm, yet another difference between "Alumni" corps that I didn't think about. Not sure if any group besides WSMs does concerts only so they might be unique until I'm corrected. Westshore only does Serenade in Brass which is attended by people who know DC and pretty much follow DC. So almost everyone who sees the corps knows what drum corps is all about. On the other hand, "Alumnis" who do parades perform mainly to people who have no idea what a drum corps is. And to be more On Topic, corps (well in south central PA anyway) have to recruit with the non-DC savvy people in mind. The percentage of people in the general population who have even heard of Drum Corps goes down each year. If you think I'm kidding we did a parade In May and didn't have anyone to carry our corps banner. Hearing "What band is this?" was bad enough, hearing "What High School is this group from?" made ya wanta scream.... Edited June 3, 2008 by JimF-3rdBari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overthehillDM Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 You obviously didn't read the first one.Although it would be easy to confuse the meaning of the thread, I think most are missing the point. If you find it annoying, then don't read it. I wish there was a way for the moderators to ban you from the thread. An alumni corps, is an alumni corps, is an alumni corps. Whatever YOU make of it. The point isn't to debate whether a corps is WORTHY of the appellation. All are worthy. If that's what you read into the discussion, you've missed the point. There are corps that are being called alumni corps, mostly because they attend and perform at events that are mostly alumni corps events, but they are not alumni corps and DON'T wish to be called alumni corps. Part of the discussion is about whether or not being called an alumni corps hurts your chances of recruiting non-alumni members for the good of your group, e.g. some people may not join because they think you HAVE to be an alumni to belong and therefore won't even check it out. I personally don't care who marches in what group or what they call themselves. I'm happy the Bridgemen are around - they're awesome, no matter what status the membership holds. THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE MAKE UP OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR WHETHER YOU ARE WORTHY TO BE CALLED AN ALUMNI CORPS. ALL ARE WORTHY THIS ISN'T ABOUT THE SEMANTICS OF THE WORD ALUMNUS/ALUMNI, unless you reduce it to that; in that case it is annoying and you have made it so. This is about the general grouping of the non competitive corps that perform today and whether the classification of "alumni" corp helps or hurts the activity or excludes/includes too many. Marty, First of all, I did, indeed, read your original post. My answer basically covered your questions. But to be more direct... These "definitions" (below), that you set forth are fairly accurate in describing the Bridgemen, the only thing that I would add is that there is a definite drive toward performing well, like ANY drum corps: >>>A corps that was once inactive, but is now active or reorganized?<<< (YEP, that's us!) >>>Or is it what it seems, any current, performance only corps made up of a bunch of old farts that couldn't care less about the, shall we say, complexities, of being a competitive field corps?<<< (Yep, that describes us, also, but to be fair, only about 70% of us are old farts!) Yes, competition is for the kids. Heck, the average age in DCA is down to about 28 yrs., right? If not, lower. You obviously didn't read my post whereby I stated that our corps is comprised of 75% members that DIDN'T march with us back in the day. So, perhaps we're an "alumni" corps in name only. And as my brothers Terry, and Jerome stated... "What's in a name?" I guess what I should have said was... I think alumni or not, it's great that many great corps have returned to perform, and have a good time. As for the argument...I think it's just splitting hairs. It certainly has little, if any bearing on recruitment. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 It certainly has little, if any bearing on recruitment. Jim, do you need corps experience to join the Bridgemen or can anyone who can play join? Asking because IMO each group being targeted for recruitment is affected by the "Alumni" name differently. From what I can tell Bridgemen are getting people who mostly know that "Alumni" doesn't mean ex-Bridgemen only need apply. In that case using the Alumni tag isn't that great of a hinderance. In my corps case we are going after people who might not know that much about drum corps and "Alumni" does throw them. And to be honest all the grey (and no) hair makes younger folks think a few times about asking to join too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROSSMENCORPS30 Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 (edited) Ahhhhh...good morning to you all! Beautiful sunny day here in NJ! Only 3 days left till NJ Elks....anyhow... I do agree with Jimmy as far as the "alumni" tag not hurting us (the Bridgemen), but I can also see where it may hurt other groups when recruiting is concerned. It's funny with Reilly; somtimes I see the word "alumni" in our name & at times I don't. I actually don't know whether technically it's apart of our name or not. Especially with a...shall we say...more mature group such as Reilly, it would be harder to get people "in" if we had "alumni" printed on everything. I mean recruiting is tough enough without yet another wall to hop.In a voluntary organization such as these I feel you can never have enough; mostly because a corps like Reilly does like 20 parades per year & no way can everyone make them all. So hey...if ya think the "alumni" tag hurts to the point ya can't get newer, younger bodies then pull it. I realize that is a lot easier said than done with the many sensitive members out there....good luck wit dat one yo My advice is to get as many hot women as possible in your corps & drink with them heavily after rehearsals....I know I know...I'm married & my beautiful wife does read these things.....just kidding dear, just trying to be me...& that is to keep things light.....take care everyone & have a great day at work, play, the track...whatever it is!! Edited June 3, 2008 by CROSSMENCORPS30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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