An Idea

[Willie85]

And, for what my humble opinion's worth, the Cadets sucked in Atlanta in 96. Couldn't have been less indicative of what we as drum corps people really do.

Agreed. Drum corps as comic relief - a side show act. I get that it was a parody of the prototypical US marching band and I'm sure they worked hard to put it together, but it went a long way to confirm the general public's perception of drum corps as just another band in the 4th of July parade.

[84BDsop]

And, for what my humble opinion's worth, the Cadets sucked in Atlanta in 96. Couldn't have been less indicative of what we as drum corps people really do.

I don't entirely agree....yes, the shtick atg the end with Bill Irwin was just bad, but that was NOT Cadets' fault...and no one can say they performed poorly....even for comic relief, they performed it better then most observers would think for a bunch of kids.....and they did their competitive program pretty darn well.

[prodigal bari]

MLB suspending the season would never happen.

As for DCI taking part in the Ceremonies, with their season winding down and gearing up towards finals week it would be a logistical nightmare, IMO.

Actually, if you integrate it into a regional specifically for the ongoing Games audience (i.e., a DCI Olympic regional somewhere in Chicago on Friday at one of the venues that have closed out their sport) ; practice Saturday; then the Sunday performance for the Closing Ceremonies would not be a problem at all (except for the housing logistics...). The COOG could even get a special dispensation from the IOC to use the Olympic name for the event as a part of the cultural exhibitions that are required of all Olympic cities; and in a sense, DC would be an actual participant in the Games.

It would be landmark for the activity.

[BigSnareline]

If (not likely) Chicago gets it I could see the Cavies performing if the timing could be worked out. Not much else though.

[tommytimp]

I don't entirely agree....yes, the shtick atg the end with Bill Irwin was just bad, but that was NOT Cadets' fault...and no one can say they performed poorly....even for comic relief, they performed it better then most observers would think for a bunch of kids.....and they did their competitive program pretty darn well.

I would never say they performed poorly...on the contrary, they ripped it up, as the Cadets are wont to do every time they perform. The program was what sucked. The fact that they performed it so well was the proverbial icing on a half-baked cake.

[jonnyboy]

....And, for what my humble opinion's worth, the Cadets sucked in Atlanta in 96. Couldn't have been less indicative of what we as drum corps people really do.

Agreed. Drum corps as comic relief - a side show act. I get that it was a parody of the prototypical US marching band and I'm sure they worked hard to put it together, but it went a long way to confirm the general public's perception of drum corps as just another band in the 4th of July parade.

The closing ceremonies wasn't about drumcorps, it was about closing out the Olympics American style. The Cadets drove all night after performing at DCI East in Allentown. They put the show together that day and performed it that night. They are one of 3 or 4 drumcorps that could have pulled that off at such a high level, and they did an excellent job.

Say what you want about GH and his crew, but they consistenly look for high profile performance opportunities for the kids, and often they are sought out for such things. They not only performed that seasons show, but they worked out a nice bit with Bill Irwin after. I think they did a great job representing marching music and drumcorps.

[Suviduvi]

If the crowd response and attention to the performance is the same as at The Rose Bowl (08) its not worth it.

I sat among the general crowd, and the vast majority could care less about what was happening on the field

[Old School Contra Guy]

Sorry to be a nay-sayer, but I don't think you want any part of the Opening Ceremonies. My old roommate from college explained part of it this way. You stand around in the heat for 9 hours waiting for you turn to line up and go in. He spoke with some of the girls who were on the Fencing team in Athens back in '04. That's what they had to put up with. This year, the women's sabre squad and some of the other fencers involved in the first day of the games did not march in the ceremonies. ...oh, and by the way...the women's sabre team SWEPT the medals in the event. (his daughter took the bronze)

[Willie85]

Sorry to be a nay-sayer, but I don't think you want any part of the Opening Ceremonies. My old roommate from college explained part of it this way. You stand around in the heat for 9 hours waiting for you turn to line up and go in. He spoke with some of the girls who were on the Fencing team in Athens back in '04. That's what they had to put up with. This year, the women's sabre squad and some of the other fencers involved in the first day of the games did not march in the ceremonies. ...oh, and by the way...the women's sabre team SWEPT the medals in the event. (his daughter took the bronze)

Sounds familiar. When I played for the opening ceremony of Gay Games VII at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2006 (I know - not quite the same, but anyway...), we had a 6PM call time for the dress rehearsal, though we didn't take the field until almost midnight. Still, it was completely worth it when we finally went on during the actual ceremony.

BTW - congrats to the women's sabre squad. Who says it's a lost art?!

Oh, and it could be worse. From a recent AP article about putting together the Beijing opening:

In the Olympic ceremony segment showcasing the Chinese invention of movable type, the nearly 900 performers who crouched under 40-pound boxes donned adult diapers to allow them to stay inside for at least six hours, Beijing organizers said.

[elmhurstmusiced]

I thought the Cadets deal in 1996 was cool. I mean, world exposure to the activity, how could it be wrong. Was it less than traditional in what we want people to think of the activity, sure, but it was there, and attention was on it.

Back when the movie Drumline came out, there were many people that thought it would make all people pressure marching bands/drum corps to do that style of show, and that didn't happen, but what it did do was show people that there's an activity out there besides playing a football game on a Friday night.