2008 Regiment Champion Rings

[84BDsop]

Here's the text of an email I just sent to Regiment,

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"First off, congratulations on the 08 win...even if it WAS at the expense of my old corps! (BD) it was a spectacular performance that had ME standing up in the theaters and yelling SUTA at the end of it!

I DO, however, have an issue with the commemorative rings.

I understand the desire to share with the phans, but the design bears FAR to much resemblance to past actual championship rings, especially "World Champions" around the stone and the DCI logo.

Being an alum of any corps is a special thing...even more so when you're in a traditionally successful corps, and ESPECIALLY when you win it all. There are far too many people, however, who lie about being in a corps, sometimes putting those corps in a bad light...I had one guy tell me to my face that he was in the soprano line of 1984 BD...funny how I didn't remember someone from my own section...and NO one in that corps forgets me!

If you wish to continue with the ring idea, might I suggest replacing the DCI logo with the shield crossed by, perhaps, a spear (or even a graphic of the lead DM getting "killed"...great moment there) and putting "I AM SPARTACUS" around the stone??

The championship ring is special...as much in some ways as the member jacket...please don't cheapen it by offering a VERY similar design to those who have not earned it."

[ouooga]

As much as the audience shared in the experience with the corps, I couldn't bring myself to wear one.

Great intent. Epic Fail.

Completely agree. It's a cool idea and a great way to get the phans included - the fact that they encouraged the audience to participate was awesome, and this sums that up incredibly well. Unfortunately, I don't think there's a single phan out there that feels they deserve a ring just for yelling that they, apparently, are Spartacus, so filling a void no one asked for might not be the best plan.

But they went to the trouble, and it is an awesome idea to have something similar to this. Maybe just a little too over the top.

[Buick]

I agree with everything said here, think of this awkward convo out of the limitless possibilities:

"Hey, nice ring, where'd you march"

"Ummm, I really liked Phantom's 08 show, but I never marched before"

"Oh.."

I would hope anyone that buys one doesn't EVER wear it.

[Latrobe's Finest]

I wonder if maybe PR's reason for the rings was for parents, support staff and alumni. I'd imagine if I was the parent of an '08 member that I would want to share in my child's accomplishment. Or, if I helped out on the cook truck all summer, I would want to feel connected to the kids I served. Finally, if I was an alumni of the corps from a non-title year, I might want to buy the ring to support my former corps. That, I think, might be a major reason for the ring being sold.

I can say that I would be personally offended if someone not from PR 2008 wore that ring and passed it off as real, although I can't imagine too many actual drum corps people doing that. I figure some DCI wanna-be would try something like that, not an actual member of another corps.

[JayM]

I wonder if maybe PR's reason for the rings was for parents, support staff and alumni. I'd imagine if I was the parent of an '08 member that I would want to share in my child's accomplishment. Or, if I helped out on the cook truck all summer, I would want to feel connected to the kids I served. Finally, if I was an alumni of the corps from a non-title year, I might want to buy the ring to support my former corps. That, I think, might be a major reason for the ring being sold.

They could handle that sort of thing internally. It's been done before.

I'm not sure what they're thinking here. That looks almost exactly like my championship ring (different logo, year, etc., obviously).

How lame.

[silvertrombone]

Dunno...personally, I'd rather have one with my year on it. Name of the show, finals score, etc.

Just me. Thought I'd pipe in as an alum...albeit a little bit older one.

[SynthLine09]

I hope nobody buys one of these

[festive]

Oh wow, with the epic fails. Seriously.

I suppose the St. Louis Cardinals were just as untrue to winning the World Series when they offered the fans an opportunity to buy a ring to celebrate the win. I didn't buy one of those but I though the sentiment was really sweet. None of the fans ever picked up a bat or caught a pop-up but that's not why they made the offer. It looked kinda like a championship ring. It's not like fans are going to say "Yup, this is my World Series ring." Most of them probably wouldn't even wear it. But people like keepsakes of things that made them happy.

It's not a member championship ring. It's a ring celebrating the win. Maybe Regiment cared about the fans and wanted to show something for all that love they got during the summer. If you feel that strongly about it--about the show and maybe it meant a lot to you and all that--then maybe you should buy a ring and wear it all you want.

I visit DCP and read this topic and it's like people are committing "drum corps fraud" by buying a keepsake ring. Or random stuff about it being about money like they are going to sell tons of them at that price (which is kinda pricey, so that's highly unlikely). Is everybody really that jaded? I call BS on this. Outside our little hobby it's just a wonderful activity for young people that teaches about music and leadership, if people will even listen to you talk about it. People don't give a crap who won and when i've tried to explain the concept of judging it people are incredulous. It's a ring--the real ones are important to the members who wear them because of what they stand for--but this is not that. This is a keepsake. Maybe a way for some people to feel a little bit of that glory. Good for them...there's plenty to go around. And people were in tears about this show...there was an emotional connection for long time fans and new fans alike. It was rare and beautiful and worth remembering however people want to remember it.

It also doesn't cheapen anyone else's championship ring (how ridiculous). If it does cheapen "the ring" then I'd love to hear about people who go chasing "the ring" and forget things like loyalty and friendship and family in search of jewelry. People are more important than things. Of course, there are those that say they marched when they didn't, but they're going to say that anyway without the help of this commemorative ring, and they're going to keep doing it, so you might as well get used to it. Drum corps people are stars--and people want to be like you--or some of them are just pathetic and want attention. Can't fight human nature but you can try to understand it.

If anything is crappy, it's this activity being so jaded.

[PRAng]

I wonder if maybe PR's reason for the rings was for parents, support staff and alumni........................Finally, if I was an alumni of the corps from a non-title year, I might want to buy the ring to support my former corps. That, I think, might be a major reason for the ring being sold.

I can understand and appreciate that logic, but......... I'm an alumn who marched a lot of years with the organization and I am beyond thrilled that we won this year. (And yes, after 29 years of marching with or supporting the corps, I do believe its "we".) But I wouldn't buy or wear the ring. We didn't win when I marched, so I don't have a ring. Period. I would prefer that the corps explore other ways for fans to commemorate the historic win.

[juice]

What do the actual member rings look like?

It's not a member championship ring. It's a ring celebrating the win. Maybe Regiment cared about the fans and wanted to show something for all that love they got during the summer. If you feel that strongly about it--about the show and maybe it meant a lot to you and all that--then maybe you should buy a ring and wear it all you want.

I dont really mind the idea. The part I have a real issue with is the fact that they look almost identical to the member ring design. Only difference is the color of the stone (the fan one is black whereas our member ones are going to be red). Oh, and instead of saying "spartacus" it says our name.

I will cherish my memories, moments, medal, ring etc. for the rest of my life, but the fact that anyone can buy one (especially since it looks the same) does cheapen it. Its that one special thing that only THE top corps each year gets but now everyone can have one. I'm sorry I feel so strongly, and I'm sure some of my Phamily and members of past winning corps would disagree with me, but to me it just cheapens the idea of getting the ring.