Criticisms of Carolina Crown

[Wadep66]

That was not vicious. It was a mild, constructive criticism of Crown's visual program. I disagree with it (for this year's show, at least) "Vicious" would sound something like "Crown's drill has all the grace and power of a cow patty. I hope the entire staff and membership spontaneously combust so that their shameful display of visual incompetence does not continue to debase our activity."

Here's a few more examples of the difference between vicious and non-vicious remarks:

Vicious: "I hate Crown with all of my heart, mind, body, and soul."

Not vicious: "I personally don't care for Crown's style. Just not my cup of tea."

Vicious: "I hate puppies so much that I sometimes break into the animal shelter just to bludgeon 10 or 12 of them to death."

Not vicious: "I'm not really a dog person."

As for my own criticisms of Crown, I have only one: Lose the green tentacles growing out of the uniforms. Other than that, you have a championship caliber show. And I hope you do win, because you're the South's best hope for a championship. It's been a painfully long wait since that's been a possibility!

Thanks. I needed to laugh out loud for real today. Good examples.

[RBarron10]

Ok, you asked; this is bothering me some too since Crown has done so well the last few years. It stems from an incident in a parking lot in 2002. I was driving Madison's food truck and Madison was pulling into the parking lot. Please remember this is 2002 and Madison is looking like they will not make finals for the first time since 1972 and it was a very emotional season for the Scouts and all that were involved. This incident may have been the icing on the cake for me.

Crown's drum guys saw where Madison's trucks/buses were parking and started to sit all their snares up right in the path of the trucks. Now I pulled up very slowly and finally the drummers saw that they needed to pick up their snares for about 10 secs so we could get through and then they could have put them right back down. Ok, that would have been the end of that until I looked in the rear view mirror and one of the snare drummers was flipping me off. YEA his right middle finger was in the air waving. I stopped the truck and got out and approached the drum line and told them I didn't appreciate being flipped off. The staff guy I was talking too assured me that his drummers were just stretching there hands, but you could see a cocky little smile from the entire drum line.

This has stuck in my craw ever since. I would like to be able to pull for Crown, but because of this incident I just can't.

YES, I have enjoyed a few of their shows (2007 especially). I'm sure the drummer has moved on etc, it's probably not the same corps as it was in 2002, but for some reason I see that drummer's actions as a direct reflection of that corps and it bothers me.

It looks like, and I'm going out on a limb here, that Crown will be the 2009 DCI Champ. They're going to be everyone's darling because only a few years ago they were in the bottom 1/3 of the Top 12 and now they're beating The Cavies and Cadets.

I know the drum staff guy apologized to me, but I felt like under his breath he and his drum line were snickering at the poor Madison truck driver and it still upsets me to this day.

I'm sure I'm going to get a few "get over it's", but is the type of corps we want to win DCI – all my years with Madison and the Cavies, I never saw that type of behavior out of kids or the staff. I feel like until someone from Crown contacts me and apologizes for the stupid acts of a very small few I will always hold those actions against them.

I do not mind a corps having a cocky attitude – that is confidence on the field, but to flip off a volunteer of another corps because your drum line was trying to make a statement in a parking lot by claiming a piece of asphalt is way overboard in the confidence department.

I guess all you Crown fans can now flame me.

[BRASSO]

OPEN LETTER TO CAROLINA CROWN PARENTS AND FANS:

In light of the "going's on" witnessed in these past days involving your "exceptional" corps and fans of other such exceptional corps...I offer you this advice. Embrace the Criticism! Give it a big, wet hug...(actually, I think that freightens it )! Afterall, we BD'ers got the T-shirt (in fact, the #### thing is so old and tattered, it looks like it's been in a Michael Jackson video!). Over the years, we've discovered that it serves no purpose to fight it, it's like being in an undertow (the only way out is to swim with the current). The truth is, in a very odd way it's a type of compliment. In the end, my fervent hope for you (and your corps) is that you continue to be the object of wide-spread bashing, maligning, hurtful comments and other such baseless tripe designed to dim your spirits and somehow make your accomplishments less than what they are. Just see it for what it is: a recognition that you have arrived! Welcome to the top of the pile (or at least "near" the top of the pile...I had to say that!) Chill out, pop a cold one and do your damnedest to stay here, afterall...that's really the hard part. Congrats!

I couldn't have said it any better. Some examples of "arrival " :

Exhibit A..... in the 80's, Star of Indiana was a nice, cute, appealing, fast rising Drum Corps that most people loved..... until they became like that camel that got their nose under the tent and later became REALLY good and challenged the inner sanctum of the DCI Kingdom where they.... gulp...... might actually WIN the GD thing. Then all hell broke loose and they got all manner of flack from other fans of Corps that they had suddenly leapfrogged over.

Blue Devils and their fans know precisely what Crown is going up against. And remember,.... nobody is " hateing " on Pioneer.

Edited June 30, 2009 by BRASSO

[DcFr3aK]

Ok, you asked; this is bothering me some too since Crown has done so well the last few years. It stems from an incident in a parking lot in 2002. I was driving Madison's food truck and Madison was pulling into the parking lot. Please remember this is 2002 and Madison is looking like they will not make finals for the first time since 1972 and it was a very emotional season for the Scouts and all that were involved. This incident may have been the icing on the cake for me.

Crown's drum guys saw where Madison's trucks/buses were parking and started to sit all their snares up right in the path of the trucks. Now I pulled up very slowly and finally the drummers saw that they needed to pick up their snares for about 10 secs so we could get through and then they could have put them right back down. Ok, that would have been the end of that until I looked in the rear view mirror and one of the snare drummers was flipping me off. YEA his right middle finger was in the air waving. I stopped the truck and got out and approached the drum line and told them I didn't appreciate being flipped off. The staff guy I was talking too assured me that his drummers were just stretching there hands, but you could see a cocky little smile from the entire drum line.

This has stuck in my craw ever since. I would like to be able to pull for Crown, but because of this incident I just can't.

YES, I have enjoyed a few of their shows (2007 especially). I'm sure the drummer has moved on etc, it's probably not the same corps as it was in 2002, but for some reason I see that drummer's actions as a direct reflection of that corps and it bothers me.

It looks like, and I'm going out on a limb here, that Crown will be the 2009 DCI Champ. They're going to be everyone's darling because only a few years ago they were in the bottom 1/3 of the Top 12 and now they're beating The Cavies and Cadets.

I know the drum staff guy apologized to me, but I felt like under his breath he and his drum line were snickering at the poor Madison truck driver and it still upsets me to this day.

I'm sure I'm going to get a few "get over it's", but is the type of corps we want to win DCI – all my years with Madison and the Cavies, I never saw that type of behavior out of kids or the staff. I feel like until someone from Crown contacts me and apologizes for the stupid acts of a very small few I will always hold those actions against them.

I do not mind a corps having a cocky attitude – that is confidence on the field, but to flip off a volunteer of another corps because your drum line was trying to make a statement in a parking lot by claiming a piece of asphalt is way overboard in the confidence department.

I guess all you Crown fans can now flame me.

Well I can assure you, that those people (students and staff) are no longer apart of the drum corps today. I, having just aged out from the corps last summer, have had the privilege of being a part of the most professional organization I've ever seen. I for one am so very sorry that you have that to guide your vision of this outstanding organization. I hope that someone does seek you out and hopefully you can get some resolve from their words. I for one am so glad that you've brought it to peoples attention!

Are you still driving for the Scouts/Cavies?

[tigerwoods_2001]

I don't like their name. Too imperialistic.

Just to clarify their naming, the corps was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina (also known as the "Queen City"). In fact many road signs in Charlotte have crowns on them, so it actually makes a lot of sense for them to be called Carolina Crown.

[year1buick]

Ok, as if any of you really care....I thought I could read thru these comments with an open mind but for the most part you people are vicious!! Geez, I did read the title of the thread but I had no idea....and to think there is another thread going on right now entitled "crown fans pushing me away"

Passive aggressive much? If you feel this way, then why post? I also agree with some of the previous comments re what you quoted--IMO, it was far from vicious.

[audiodb]

Ok, you asked; this is bothering me some too since Crown has done so well the last few years.

So it wouldn't have bothered you if Crown wasn't doing so well?

I know the drum staff guy apologized to me, but I felt like under his breath he and his drum line were snickering at the poor Madison truck driver and it still upsets me to this day.

I'm sure I'm going to get a few "get over it's", but is the type of corps we want to win DCI – all my years with Madison and the Cavies, I never saw that type of behavior out of kids or the staff. I feel like until someone from Crown contacts me and apologizes for the stupid acts of a very small few I will always hold those actions against them.

Someone from Crown did apologize already - the "drum staff guy" - and you still hold it against them. Why would we expect a different result from a second apology?

[Lance]

I don't like their name. Too imperialistic.

Just to clarify their naming, the corps was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina (also known as the "Queen City"). In fact many road signs in Charlotte have crowns on them, so it actually makes a lot of sense for them to be called Carolina Crown.

It was just a tiny little harmless joke.

Georgia and Virginia were both named after monarchs, so we'd probably get a similar joke if either ever had a corps named after them.

[luvs me sum mello!]

So it wouldn't have bothered you if Crown wasn't doing so well?

Someone from Crown did apologize already - the "drum staff guy" - and you still hold it against them. Why would we expect a different result from a second apology?

Maybe because the first "apology" wasn't one. Does it really take that much to figure that out?

I really hope this isn't how things are going now. From how I saw them behave in the lots after shows all last summer, I wold say that they are a respectable group.

[crown fan]

Ok, you asked; this is bothering me some too since Crown has done so well the last few years. It stems from an incident in a parking lot in 2002. I was driving Madison's food truck and Madison was pulling into the parking lot. Please remember this is 2002 and Madison is looking like they will not make finals for the first time since 1972 and it was a very emotional season for the Scouts and all that were involved. This incident may have been the icing on the cake for me.

Crown's drum guys saw where Madison's trucks/buses were parking and started to sit all their snares up right in the path of the trucks. Now I pulled up very slowly and finally the drummers saw that they needed to pick up their snares for about 10 secs so we could get through and then they could have put them right back down. Ok, that would have been the end of that until I looked in the rear view mirror and one of the snare drummers was flipping me off. YEA his right middle finger was in the air waving. I stopped the truck and got out and approached the drum line and told them I didn't appreciate being flipped off. The staff guy I was talking too assured me that his drummers were just stretching there hands, but you could see a cocky little smile from the entire drum line.

This has stuck in my craw ever since. I would like to be able to pull for Crown, but because of this incident I just can't.

YES, I have enjoyed a few of their shows (2007 especially). I'm sure the drummer has moved on etc, it's probably not the same corps as it was in 2002, but for some reason I see that drummer's actions as a direct reflection of that corps and it bothers me.

It looks like, and I'm going out on a limb here, that Crown will be the 2009 DCI Champ. They're going to be everyone's darling because only a few years ago they were in the bottom 1/3 of the Top 12 and now they're beating The Cavies and Cadets.

I know the drum staff guy apologized to me, but I felt like under his breath he and his drum line were snickering at the poor Madison truck driver and it still upsets me to this day.

I'm sure I'm going to get a few "get over it's", but is the type of corps we want to win DCI – all my years with Madison and the Cavies, I never saw that type of behavior out of kids or the staff. I feel like until someone from Crown contacts me and apologizes for the stupid acts of a very small few I will always hold those actions against them.

I do not mind a corps having a cocky attitude – that is confidence on the field, but to flip off a volunteer of another corps because your drum line was trying to make a statement in a parking lot by claiming a piece of asphalt is way overboard in the confidence department.

I guess all you Crown fans can now flame me.

Dear RBarron – I too would like to apologize to you for the inappropriate behavior of an adolescent drummer. My son has been a MM of CC since 2005, and I can assure you that this is not and I repeat not the typical behavior of the members of this corps or the staff or the volunteers. I have volunteered with this corps doing everything from food truck to sewing flags, sizing uniforms, etc over the last four years, and I could give you example after example of the respect they (the kids) have for volunteers. I had horn players thanking me for working on the show flags; not the smug attitude you describe in your post, ever. These kids put a t-shirts on to eat, say ‘thank you’ everyday to all of the people who help them get down the road. They appreciate that other corps also have a boat-load of people helping them get down the road as well. I respect you for putting your experience out for all to see. I’m sorry your opinion of our corps has been soured. Hopefully, you will have a positive experience with them sometime in the future. I suggest if you have the time next year attending the Crown Club Week-end, usually held during the April camp. It’s an opportunity to see inside the organization and there is usually an exciting key-note speaker. This year Dan Atchesen spoke at the Crown Club Weekend. It’s very informative, and get’s you up close and personal with key people from within the organization.