Thank You Texas

[year1buick]

As I watched BD through Fan Network at semi's, and yes I believe I could not get much perspective over the internet, I just found it hard to believe that a corps that moved between so many measured chairs, sat down, and had so much scatter drill ad random movement could beat two pretty solid shows that had much more demand and captured my interest.

I started this analysis for two things:

1. I was wondering if there was another week until finals this year, would the results be different? I believed Cadets and Crown both had much more interesting, emotional, and demanding shows than BD this year. BD's design (I look forward to the day the designers truly challenge their members) and extreme talent (they get the absolute best year in and year out) always give them a huge head start on everyone. BD was very clean pretty much all year. Neither Cadets nor Crown could clean up their show enough to pass BD in the end. Through hard work, more demanding shows and the availability of time, other corps in the past had caught and sometimes passed BD. For example: Undefeated BD placed 3rd in 88, passed by two corps in the final week. BD was also not the only front runner to get caught the last week. SCV beat Cadets by more than a point the week before 87 finals, but Cadets won by .1 at finals. Many more times than not, BD is the front runner and they get passed in the end, if at all. Now there was some history introduced into my question, so I wanted to get some historical perspective and see what years an undefeated corps was passed in the last week or two if the season and which ones were getting closed on, but the pursuer simply ran out of time. I was gong to analyze the rate of close and a projected pass date for every year, but that would simply take more time than I was willing to put into it. You could also apply this analysis to every tier (maybe 6-9 for 1997, etc.), but I was only concerned with the feasibility of BD taking third this year had the season ran until August 22. For the historical perspective, I was going to draw upon my personal opinion and experience gathered by being a fan and participant since 1982.

2. DCI has been losing marching members or not attracting new members for several years and they've had to make significant changes to attract new blood. I know one reason the season was shortened by a week was to accommodate Texans because Texans simply did not significant participate in DCI until the last decade or so. When I marched, I knew of one Texan in one corps, SCV had a guy named Larry. That was it. Now several corps are hosting auditions in Texas and someone has responded than Boston has a significant number of Texans. I also remember Sky Ryders moved from Kansas to Texas, I just don't remember the year. If you know anything about Texas, you know it's the band capital of the US. There are two things to do in Texas, play football or be in the band. Before I joined corps, I spent every summer in Texas. Based on my own experience, schools in Texas started well before schools started in CA, usually by two weeks. Thy started school in mid to late August while CA went back to school in early September. When I marched we knew there were few Texans involved in drum corps due to the DCI finals taking place after Texans were already back in school. I just looked it up and UT students must register by August 21, a day before the old DCI finals weekend. On the other hand, UCLA enrollment begins September, 14th (but UCLA generally gets a later start than most colleges). I accepted the idea that Texas student begin school earlier than most states because that's how it was when I went to school. Clearly, while there may be variances from school district and it's not a law that Texas students go back to school before the rest of the country, it was a viable assumption. Therefore, blaming Texas for the shortened season is not unreasonable. Tour costs are also a significant reason, but I believe getting Texans involved took precedent.

I had to post my thoughts very early because I had to take my family to a birthday party. Sometimes life outside drum corps is more important than drum corps.

Anyone interested in pursuing the historical analysis?

LMAO. So, the few CA schools you were familiar count as "the rest of the country?" I think you need to do a little more research.

[crazymello]

I start school in GA... tomorrow. O_o

[skajerk]

I start school in GA... tomorrow. O_o

Hmmm... that's well before the schools start here! I guess GA is still not part of the Union!

[crazymello]

Hmmm... that's well before the schools start here! I guess GA is still not part of the Union!

Crown and spirit are both secret confederate organizations. Watch out, troopers!

[eightyonepointthree]

Why is your 2002 Finals date on a Wednesday?

[BD2Rings]

Back when I marched, the California schools I attended did not start until the Wednesday after Labor Day. That doesn't exist anymore. California schools, as I now know it, all start in mid August. Factor in the universities, which have schedules unto themselves, and this entire thread becomes meaningless.

If DCI used the old schedule, conflicts would increase by geometrical proportions.

[oldschooldbc]

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, DCI Championships were always held around August 20th (between 15 and 22). If they held DCI to this schedule, there would be two more weeks of drum corps this year. Two more weeks to clean shows. Two more weeks to tweak things. Two more weeks to fall from the peak.

Way way way back then, states actually help fund school music programs instead of allocating so many resources in the direction they do these days. Music was important throughout the country and DCI lived, actually thrived, without much Texas participation. If you did not know, Texas traditionally begins their school year a week or two earlier than the rest of the country. For this reason, Texans did not participate in drum corps in significant numbers since the inception of DCI.

Here's a list of finals dates through the years:

Year - Championship's date

1972 - Aug 18

skip forward because it doesn't change

1993 - Aug 22

1994 - Aug 20

1995 - Aug 12 (one less week of DCI compared to previous years, but this was an anomaly)

1996 - Aug 17

1997 - Aug 16

1998 - Aug 15

1999 - Aug 14 (a week earlier than the past)

2000 - Aug 12

2001 - Aug 11

2002 - Aug 7 (two weeks)

2003 - Aug 9 (one week)

2004 - Aug 7 (two weeks-one week due to Denver a stadium schedule conflict)

2005 - Aug 13 (one week)

2006 - Aug 12 (one week)

2006 - Aug 11 (one week)

2007 - Aug 11 (one week)

2008 - Aug 9 (one week)

2009 - Aug 8 (two weeks)

2010 - Aug 7? - I have no idea

As you can see, DCI has moved championships forward one week on a permanent basis since 2002 and two weeks forward in some cases. While Texas is probably not the only reason for the move forward, one less week on tour lowers corps' operation costs, participation in DCI by Texans has significantly increased over the past decade. I've heard Blue Devils, Vanguard, Cadets, and Boston now hold auditions in Texas.

So thank you Texas for bringing DCI to a close a week or two earlier than normal. Since Bush is from Texas, let's blame him as well.

I am an ignoramus....and I voted for George. W. Bush 7 times...... But let me set the record straight on this one. Because I know the facts. I live in the Lone Star state.

Texas no longer starts school during the second week in August. School now starts in the 4th week in August. The Texas state legislatute made this change during its last session. School in our district starts August 27th. This is the same as much of the rest of the country.

So if DCI is decreasing the length of the schedule, it is not to benefit Texas schools or schoolchildren. I am sure that itis for financial or organizational issues - those issues drive all the decisionmaking around that place nowadays.

Edited August 9, 2009 by oldschooldbc

[BD92]

Shocking. Yet another creative way to dis BD.

[Quadman1]

Shocking. Yet another creative way to dis BD.

Well, what do you expect from a Bruin? UCLA's fall 2009 quarter starts September 21. They have three football games (including two home games) before classes start.

(Disclaimer - I marched with Harrison (original poster) in the Freelancers, but I went to USC.)

[silvertrombone]

So thank you Texas for bringing DCI to a close a week or two earlier than normal. Since Bush is from Texas, let's blame him as well.

You know, sometimes all you can do in replying to a moron is to say thank you politely for expressing their 1st Amendment right to free speech then seek out intelligent dialogue or a good book and a cold beer by the pool. I think I'll settle for the latter.

Oh...and it sure is nice to have our kids back in state now. Hope you all enjoyed them in all of the corps. How many Texans marched in YOUR favorite corps this year??