Paralda Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Well hey, I've been using it all season on my phone. I want it. ... and an iPhone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex M. Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I hope this is true. It seems like Troop has a tendency to take 2 steps forward and 10 steps back. I'm concerned that if they don't make finals the vets will use this year as training and move over to a perennial finalist like BK. And, it seems like they have had a revolving door of staff. I realize Amman was in the house for quite some time, but since then it has appeared inconsistent (please correct me if I'm wrong). How long will this killer staff stick around? If they (Troop) do make finals, I'd imagine BK would have to be a bit concerned. These corps compete from the same regional pool of musicians. If Troop gets better and better BK's pool may not be as strong in the future. My fingers are crossed that '09 Troop performs on Saturday this year. I really dig some of their shows and wish them all the success in the world. I have a feeling that my fellow Troop alumni will be coming down off our high from this weekend soon. We've had our moment of joy, and now it's back to the hard work.I always looked at this summer as something similar to 1993. That year we went out with a significantly harder show than usual with the goal of improving. We didn't improve in placement, but the level of the corps grew because of the higher demand. It paid off in spades in 94 and 95. 2009 is a year of getting the vets used to more difficult shows. If it pays off in Finals, then that's great. If not, then people are still going to be talking about this show in years to come just like they do about 1995 and the corps will be ready to make another giant leap in 2010. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acolli17 Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I hope this is true. It seems like Troop has a tendency to take 2 steps forward and 10 steps back. I'm concerned that if they don't make finals the vets will use this year as training and move over to a perennial finalist like BK. And, it seems like they have had a revolving door of staff. I realize Amman was in the house for quite some time, but since then it has appeared inconsistent (please correct me if I'm wrong). How long will this killer staff stick around?If they (Troop) do make finals, I'd imagine BK would have to be a bit concerned. These corps compete from the same regional pool of musicians. If Troop gets better and better BK's pool may not be as strong in the future. My fingers are crossed that '09 Troop performs on Saturday this year. I really dig some of their shows and wish them all the success in the world. There are many days that I go regretting that I did that. Not BK, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ULMusicMan Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Well hey, I've been using it all season on my phone. well hey, I'm willing to be a beta tester!! :) i'm sure many others are too though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchyTenor Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I hope this is true. It seems like Troop has a tendency to take 2 steps forward and 10 steps back. I'm concerned that if they don't make finals the vets will use this year as training and move over to a perennial finalist like BK. And, it seems like they have had a revolving door of staff. I realize Amman was in the house for quite some time, but since then it has appeared inconsistent (please correct me if I'm wrong). How long will this killer staff stick around? Since the reorganization in 2006, it's more like 10 steps forward, two back. There's an enthusiasm in the air about Troopers. Almost everyone seems to be pulling for them. It's part Cinderella story, but more about good old fashioned hard work. I think their retention is going to be tremendous, finals appearance or not. If they (Troop) do make finals, I'd imagine BK would have to be a bit concerned. These corps compete from the same regional pool of musicians. If Troop gets better and better BK's pool may not be as strong in the future. That's true, to a point. With so many members traveling it's become less of a problem than when their recruiting model was locally based. For instance, Denver to Casper is 278 miles. Chicago to Rockford is only 84 miles; Rockford to Madison 75 miles; LaCrosse to Madison 143 miles; LaCrosse to Rockford 210 miles; Chicago to Madison 147 miles; Chicago to LaCrosse 294 miles. All of these cities are closer to each other than Denver and Casper, except Chicago and LaCrosse, which is comparable. Yet they still supported 4 DCI finalists last year. I will stipulate that the population of those areas, and those around them, are larger than the Denver/Casper area. But the national recruiting model eliminates that as a factor. My fingers are crossed that '09 Troop performs on Saturday this year. I really dig some of their shows and wish them all the success in the world. See? you're rooting for them, too! Garry in Vegas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriTroop Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I have a feeling that my fellow Troop alumni will be coming down off our high from this weekend soon. We've had our moment of joy, and now it's back to the hard work.I always looked at this summer as something similar to 1993. That year we went out with a significantly harder show than usual with the goal of improving. We didn't improve in placement, but the level of the corps grew because of the higher demand. It paid off in spades in 94 and 95. 2009 is a year of getting the vets used to more difficult shows. If it pays off in Finals, then that's great. If not, then people are still going to be talking about this show in years to come just like they do about 1995 and the corps will be ready to make another giant leap in 2010. You said it well. While there was and is great enthusiasm for our current rankings, I'm not one to sit blithely by thinking that we're just going to cruise into Saturday night at Finals. Not that anyone else is doing that, either, especially the kids and the staff. They know they're going to have to be lean, mean and hungry all the way through Finals week. As for me, I know two things: 1. Fred Morris and the team he has assembled to carry this corps into the future know the history and are determined to not let that history come anywhere close to repeating itself. Having lived part of that history myself, I will do whatever I can as an alum and volunteer to keep it front and center if I see anything at all remotely suggesting the tiniest hint of a repeat of the negative issues. (Trust me, ask any Trooper alum or fan who knows me well enough, I am nothing if not extremely persistent. ) 2. The design team are highly involved in the progress of this corps. There's no computer chair quarterbacking. This is a hands on team. Someone asked elsewhere in this thread who is drinking the Kool-Aid. There is no Kool-Aid. There is a vision, a purpose, and a dedication shared from top to bottom in this organization. The road is going to be hard sometimes, but the driving load is much easier to bear when everyone is willing to follow the map and take the wheel when needed. ACK! Time flies! Have to get back on the road to Hutch. See you in about 6 more hours, Troop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan9 Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 In addition to just having a great show this year, Troopers are touching a nerve in us fans. Troopers are sending a message to the lower tier corps (and I say "lower" only in terms of position on the rankings) that "if you bring a good show design and perform it well, you'll have a definite shot at finals.... nothing is preconceived." That is an important message! Go Troopers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acolli17 Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I don't think the staff is going anywhere. The people working to make them better understand how much impact it will have if they can get the Troopers back to finals, and even higher. A lot of the staff was there at the beginning to push them and they want to be there to be a part of history. How big of history is yet to be decided, but with the team they have working now, I wouldn't put it past them to push even farther in the years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmroth1 Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 You said it well. While there was and is great enthusiasm for our current rankings, I'm not one to sit blithely by thinking that we're just going to cruise into Saturday night at Finals. Not that anyone else is doing that, either, especially the kids and the staff. They know they're going to have to be lean, mean and hungry all the way through Finals week.As for me, I know two things: 1. Fred Morris and the team he has assembled to carry this corps into the future know the history and are determined to not let that history come anywhere close to repeating itself. Having lived part of that history myself, I will do whatever I can as an alum and volunteer to keep it front and center if I see anything at all remotely suggesting the tiniest hint of a repeat of the negative issues. (Trust me, ask any Trooper alum or fan who knows me well enough, I am nothing if not extremely persistent. ) 2. The design team are highly involved in the progress of this corps. There's no computer chair quarterbacking. This is a hands on team. Someone asked elsewhere in this thread who is drinking the Kool-Aid. There is no Kool-Aid. There is a vision, a purpose, and a dedication shared from top to bottom in this organization. The road is going to be hard sometimes, but the driving load is much easier to bear when everyone is willing to follow the map and take the wheel when needed. ACK! Time flies! Have to get back on the road to Hutch. See you in about 6 more hours, Troop! No Terri I asked who spiked the Kool-Aid because I found the phone thing to be very funny. When I say Kool-Aid I'm refering to the enthusiasm of the fans and is in no way a slap at the troop. I think they're having a great season and should be proud of everything they're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fan of the Arts Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 I am so happy about how Troopers are doing this year. A few observations:It is amazing how much they have improved in just one year. Their guard is triple the size and really good. When was the last time, if ever, they beat the Madison Scouts? And finally, a big thank you to the entire organization who was able to bring the corps back and do so well. This is such a wonderful story. We hear so many stories about corps folding or in financial trouble but here we have an incredible success story. I'm pulling for Troopers to make finals!!!! Irving Fan of the Arts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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