Rocketman Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 yea, I'm sure the 2nd place corps would rather be in the stands in Saturday night... The issue was, which place is worse. If you're in 13th, well, you obviously didn't have a shot. Unless you've lived through it, trust me, second sucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocketman Posted December 14, 2008 Share Posted December 14, 2008 (edited) True.....but when one is a corps rookie, your corps loses by 1/10th, AND you know at least one error you make (that you see every time you watch the vid), you can't help but blame yourself for awhile. By the time I got back to San Diego and started getting ready for 1984 WorldCon amd the Air Force, I had realized that with the scoring system that was used -- i.e. NOT the tic -- you couldn't point at one thing and say "that was it"...at the time, tho...Contrast that to your several years of experience before 78....you already had a better handle on that sort of thing. Sam, well, you may have a point. '76 was just us coming out of the blue (no pun intended) from 10th to 4th. Second in '77 was great (just didn't like the spread). However, as '78 went along, winning was an "expectation." Not so much reinforced by the staff mind you, but at the beginning of the season when we were cranking along pretty good, I believe it was the mindset of the corps. To not have it fullfilled that evening was certainly a great dissapointment. The result, '79 was all about winning. Did we have fun? Certainly. But after the previous two seasons, we felt it was necessary in order for the "corps" to be considered successful. The problem with BD or any of the corps that have had great success, i.e., winning championships is, it's too much of an expectation (winning). Perhaps BD and other corps need to be slapped down a little more in order to truely appreciate winning when it does happen, and not ##### or whine when it doesn't! Makes them all sound like spoiled brats who didn't get what they asked for for Christmas while they're surrounded by presents. Talk about ungrateful. Edited December 14, 2008 by Dave filter circumvention - ds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1STEN2311 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 been in 14th and in 2nd. 14th was much harder emotionally for me personally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 i would imagine just missing has to hurt worse than barely losing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1STEN2311 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 (edited) Sam, well, you may have a point. '76 was just us coming out of the blue (no pun intended) from 10th to 4th. Second in '77 was great (just didn't like the spread). However, as '78 went along, winning was an "expectation." Not so much reinforced by the staff mind you, but at the beginning of the season when we were cranking along pretty good, I believe it was the mindset of the corps. To not have it fullfilled that evening was certainly a great dissapointment. The result, '79 was all about winning. Did we have fun? Certainly. But after the previous two seasons, we felt it was necessary in order for the "corps" to be considered successful.The problem with BD or any of the corps that have had great success, i.e., winning championships is, it's too much of an expectation (winning). Perhaps BD and other corps need to be slapped down a little more in order to truely appreciate winning when it does happen, and not ##### or whine when it doesn't! Makes them all sound like spoiled brats who didn't get what they asked for for Christmas while they're surrounded by presents. Talk about ungrateful. maybe not in those exact words... but i kind of agree. sure it's disapointing to come in 2nd after such a successful season up to that point, but think of the other thousands of people in the activity who will never place as high as second. to achieve a second place in this activity is still an honor. through being in the activity for as long as i have i've noticed that people who start in the top 4 or 5 corps and stay there for multiple years have a totally different perception of the activity versus the people who started in much lower placing corps and even divisions and then moved to a more competively successful corps. don't get me wrong, i'm not saying that everyone who's first corps is the blue devils is an ########... i'm just saying that a lot of kids who start young at that level will grow up with a different idea of acceptable success. it's actually kind of disapointing Edited December 15, 2008 by L1STEN2311 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndzoneEric Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 ... i'm just saying that a lot of kids who start young at that level will grow up with a different idea of acceptable success. it's actually kind of disapointing In which direction is it disappointing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 (edited) The issue was, which place is worse. If you're in 13th, well, you obviously didn't have a shot. Unless you've lived through it, trust me, second sucks! you had a shot at one more show. I guarantee you that the corps in the 11-14 range want just as bad to get to Saturday night as the corps 1-3 want to win going into finals week. If you could choose going into the week, would you choose 2nd, or watching on Saturday? Edited December 15, 2008 by soccerguy315 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
84BDsop Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 maybe not in those exact words... but i kind of agree. sure it's disapointing to come in 2nd after such a successful season up to that point, but think of the other thousands of people in the activity who will never place as high as second. to achieve a second place in this activity is still an honor. Oh yeah...absolutely. I take complete pride in placing as high as we did...a lot of people counted us out early, especially with SCV spanking us a lot until after Whitewater...I mean, that was the only time I remember taking 3rd....every other show was 2nd or 1st. I CAN say with complete honestly that we beat everyone out there at least once....we just beat Garfield a week too early! As for those who would never place as high as 2nd....a little story. Sada Jacobsen was the world #1 in women's sabre going into the 2004 Olympics in Athens....fully expecting and being expected to not on bring home the gold in the first place, but to break the US' 20 year drought in fencing medals at the Games. So what happens? She loses her semifinal bout and ends up taking a bronze, watching teammate Mariel Zagunis take the gold in convincing fashion (same thing happened in Beijing....but this time Sada lost to Mariel in the gold medla bout) So now Sada has an Olympic bronze and silver invididually, and bronze in team....but keeps tham at the back of her sock drawer because they aren't the gold she expected, trained for, was the big hope for. #### near every fencer I know -- including myself -- would love to just be ON the team and get their head handed to them....coming in DFL at the Olympics is still AT THE OLYMPICS...an actual Olympic medal of any color is a staggering achievement (never mind Michael Phelps....he's on a totally different plane than us mere mortals!) considering the number of competitors and the pressure of the event. I've got nothing to be ashamed of for 2nd place...I understand the pain at the time -- GOD do I understand it -- but you can't define your life and worth by a particular score on a particular night....if I did that, I could never listen or watch either 84 BD or 84 Cadets....and denying myself that pleasure -- seeing the people I spent the best 9 months of my life with, the best musicians it's EVER been my priviledge to be associated with, the masterfulmellophone work of Barbara Maroney, George Zingali's drill, the baby-throwing crowd reactions for BOTH shows -- to deny myself that (or to those who happen tp pull up next to my car ) because of the transitory pain of one night in August would be to deny everything I went through and learned about myself at that time...and that would be a crime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1STEN2311 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Oh yeah...absolutely. I take complete pride in placing as high as we did...a lot of people counted us out early, especially with SCV spanking us a lot until after Whitewater...I mean, that was the only time I remember taking 3rd....every other show was 2nd or 1st.I CAN say with complete honestly that we beat everyone out there at least once....we just beat Garfield a week too early! As for those who would never place as high as 2nd....a little story. Sada Jacobsen was the world #1 in women's sabre going into the 2004 Olympics in Athens....fully expecting and being expected to not on bring home the gold in the first place, but to break the US' 20 year drought in fencing medals at the Games. So what happens? She loses her semifinal bout and ends up taking a bronze, watching teammate Mariel Zagunis take the gold in convincing fashion (same thing happened in Beijing....but this time Sada lost to Mariel in the gold medla bout) So now Sada has an Olympic bronze and silver invididually, and bronze in team....but keeps tham at the back of her sock drawer because they aren't the gold she expected, trained for, was the big hope for. #### near every fencer I know -- including myself -- would love to just be ON the team and get their head handed to them....coming in DFL at the Olympics is still AT THE OLYMPICS...an actual Olympic medal of any color is a staggering achievement (never mind Michael Phelps....he's on a totally different plane than us mere mortals!) considering the number of competitors and the pressure of the event. I've got nothing to be ashamed of for 2nd place...I understand the pain at the time -- GOD do I understand it -- but you can't define your life and worth by a particular score on a particular night....if I did that, I could never listen or watch either 84 BD or 84 Cadets....and denying myself that pleasure -- seeing the people I spent the best 9 months of my life with, the best musicians it's EVER been my priviledge to be associated with, the masterfulmellophone work of Barbara Maroney, George Zingali's drill, the baby-throwing crowd reactions for BOTH shows -- to deny myself that (or to those who happen tp pull up next to my car ) because of the transitory pain of one night in August would be to deny everything I went through and learned about myself at that time...and that would be a crime. absolutely good words. Don't get me wrong, there is a definate understandable feeling of disapointment. i can't say that i know exactly what the members of bd 08 and 84 went through, i wasn't there. I definately am not saying they shouldn't be upset or aren't appreciative of a 2nd place finish. And i'm sure that even the members that acted the "least classy" on finals can look back at their season as a great achievement and with respect for the show that recieved 1st... just might take a little while to do so in a "classy" way. (in quotes due to the subjective nature of the intended meaning) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L1STEN2311 Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 In which direction is it disappointing? almost the idea of people taking for granted that they get to march in finals let alone semi finals or even a div one corps, excuse me, world class corps. again though, certainly not every member, or even most who start in a top 4 or 5 corps will act that way, but i've seen it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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