Cadets Classy Retreat

[liebot]

All I'm going to say is that neither the Cavaliers nor BD are the classiest corps when it comes to the way they handle themselves off the field (or on the field in retreat), and none of the stuff that is being said in this thread is really groundbreaking. They both focus pretty much only on winning and tend to behave poorly when they don't get what they want (or when they do, when it comes to the way that they celebrate). Which isn't to bash them or anything, I guess it's just part of the swagger or attitude that comes with being the best (T.O. syndrome maybe?). It does, however, make respecting their organizations a bit more difficult.

I don't know. I would just like those two corps a bit more if they behaved like mature people off the performance field instead of carrying on like a bunch of hyperactive bandos.

[Vito]

I am new to posting, but this topic made me get involved.

I think that every thing we say or do gets interpreted. As such we need to be aware of the messages that we are sending. When we offend someone we work with we apologize. I believe that much of the bafoonery at retreat is offensive and disrespectful to the other corps and to the activity. It's pretty obvious, clapping for another competitor is classy; imitating part of their show is not. Parading past a coprs to show respect is classy; putting on a display or show (like Crown) throughout retreat is not.

Frankly, I am waiting for apologies from a number of corps. I guess that won't happen since we condone this as entertianment.

Sigh.

[TerriTroop]

So, has anyone contacted the Bluecoats administration about this issue, or is it going to stay here in internet rumor-land? I know people are saying they saw it, etc. and I know it's totally possible that such things happened, but discussing it here does nothing but engender bad feelings toward a whole organization based on some allegedly dumb moves by a few individuals.

"Dear Bluecoats organization, please go read this thread on DCP and respond" doesn't seem like the right thing to do, but it would be good if someone official in their organization addressed it somehow.

[Kekkles]

i agree. and there are more organizations than just the bluecoats that need to be contacted about their member's conduct.

[Meaghatron]

i agree. and there are more organizations than just the bluecoats that need to be contacted about their member's conduct.

FWIW, Bruno Zuccala addresses The Cavaliers actions during retreat on The Cavaliers message forums.

[Kekkles]

FWIW, Bruno Zuccala addresses The Cavaliers actions during retreat on The Cavaliers message forums.

i couldn't find it.

if it's anything like dave gibbs' response to his corps behavior (which was basically to call those of us who had a problem with their behavior liars) then i don't find very much peace in that.

[Meaghatron]

i couldn't find it.

if it's anything like dave gibbs' response to his corps behavior (which was basically to call those of us who had a problem with their behavior liars) then i don't find very much peace in that.

It's under the topic "Finale" in the main forum.

[Kekkles]

It's under the topic "Finale" in the main forum.

ah, found it.

i suppose that's better than dave gibbs' response, but it leaves a lot to be desired; i.e., throwing candy at people and instruments, comments made to the cadets while moving into retreat, breaking cadets' ranks, etc.

[Meaghatron]

ah, found it.

i suppose that's better than dave gibbs' response, but it leaves a lot to be desired; i.e., throwing candy at people and instruments, comments made to the cadets while moving into retreat, breaking cadets' ranks, etc.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I've met Bruno before, and he's a really cool guy. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt. At least with the throwing the jolly ranchers, that's nothing new. It happened under Jeff Fiedler. That's not an excuse. Just pointing out that it's something that's gone on for a long time.

[Kekkles]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I've met Bruno before, and he's a really cool guy. I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt. At least with the throwing the jolly ranchers, that's nothing new. It happened under Jeff Fiedler. That's not an excuse. Just pointing out that it's something that's gone on for a long time.

i know exactly what you mean about giving him the benefit of the doubt, but in the long run, we really can't do that. it's "giving people the benefit of the doubt" that leads us to god awful renditions of america, members of various corps saying despicable things to members of other corps because an adult isn't standing right there, and so on, and so on, and so on.

if we want to keep anything that resembles honor and dignity in this activity, we can't just give people the benefit of the doubt. nobody gave michael jordan the "benefit of the doubt" when he was still a basketball superstar; he was a good human being, and everyone knew it, and there was no doubt about anything.

one would hope that, in the same way, the performers in the corps would be unquestionably mature and classy; not drinking in uniform, or being carried around by their drunk friends, while their other friends curse at the cadets, and their friends in other corps join them, while still others are falling into other people and throwing stuff around the field like four year olds.

my point being, even if the candy throwing was meant to be "fun," and the falling down was not malicious, and everything the blue devils, bluecoats, and cavaliers muttered under their breath to various other corps at various times was all meant in good fun... why are you even doing anything that can be seen as disgraceful in the first place? why aren't you clapping for your peers and keeping your mouth shut? that was always the classic excuse of the bully, wasn't it? "i was only playing!" i don't buy it, and even if i did, you shouldn't be doing that's even minutely questionable in the first place.

Edited August 13, 2008 by Kekkles