Here's hoping Blue Stars and BAC

[Jeff Ream]

I respect your idea of trying to find a "fair" way of coming up with a way to figure this mess out, but if you were to go back

10 years.... Blue Stars were in div2/3...... Troopers were not in top 12..... Carolina MAY have just clamed Div 1 status..

(not sure on that .. please dont blast me if Im wrong...) Crossmen were in and out ....

I applaud your efforts to try to find a "reason" of making this work.... but IMHO.... I just dont think this whole

ordeal has a chance, since DCI has changed so much over the years...I've been told anyway.....

just some thoughts...

John

10 years ago the Crossmen were a consistent finalist and Crown was usually in the top 12 by that point since they broke thru in 95

[BigPapiBass5]

Which begs the question, How are judges going to be influenced by all the goings on?

Like always by slotting.

[gcurrier]

Like always by slotting.

i think they may be more heavily influenced then that--though id like to think they stay impartial LOL

[JayM]

1977.....you?

I hope nobody is going to suggest with a straight face that the G7 corps have had to endure any measure of tough times in the last 30 years or so. Did any of the G7 have, say, 19 horns like BAC did in 1983? Get reborn in Div 3 like Blue Stars? Actually not even field one year like Troopers? Almost fold like Madison?

My point was the THESE are the corps who have proven themselves as survivors, even WITHOUT the perenial Top 7 status.

And BRASSO, you are correct. Based on several of the G7 personalities, I predict the cannibalistic feeding frenzy is about to begin in that group. And, just you wait for the fingerpointing to start......

I think that the 16 remaining WC corps and the 20 or so OC corps should tell the G7 if you leave, it is for good. Let's call their hand. Wanna bet the G7 morphs into the G3 by August?

1977, so you probably remember when the Cavaliers almost folded in 1981.

[craiga]

There's a big difference between Phantom defaulting on a loan and Cavies having a bad year compared with corps like BS, BAC, and Troopers actually dropping down to 50 members. I don't believe PR and Cavies even dropped out of the top 12 in those years, did they?

You gotta love it when someone says, "Corps X had to struggle last year to pay for their 3rd set of uniforms in three years, or their loan for their 2nd 18 wheeler is in arrears......etc"

PLEASE!

In 1983 the Boston Crusaders competed in the World Class with 51 total members, traveled in one bus, and slept on the lawn behind J. Birney Crum stadium in Allentown because they had no housing. Troop and Blue Stars have been through similar times.

Do NOT insult me by even suggesting that ANY of the G7 corps had to endure struggles such as this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the very definition of "survive".......not which color horns you which to use each night.

Edited May 26, 2010 by craiga

[2000Cadet]

There's a big difference between Phantom defaulting on a loan and Cavies having a bad year compared with corps like BS, BAC, and Troopers actually dropping down to 50 members. I don't believe PR and Cavies even dropped out of the top 12 in those years, did they?

You gotta love it when someone says, "Corps X had to struggle last year to pay for their 3rd set of uniforms in three years, or their loan for their 2nd 18 wheeler is in arrears......etc"

PLEASE!

In 1983 the Boston Crusaders competed in the World Class with 51 total members, traveled in one bus, and slept on the lawn behind J. Birney Crum stadium in Allentown because they had no housing. Troop and Blue Stars have been through similar times.

Do NOT insult me by even suggesting that ANY of the G7 corps had to endure struggles such as this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That sucks that happened to them What were the circumstances behind all that?

[craiga]

The corps pretty much folded at the end of the 1982 season.....they were financially victimized by a former manager and the resulting debts were huge. But, one line in the corps song says "This corps will never die..." and some of the members, alumni, and staff weren't going to let that happen, so the they scraped up some old equipment and uniforms and competed as "BOSTON"......with full (128 member) corps all around them, they brought audiences to their feet at every show. Not even being attacked by a street gang in Miami the day before prelims keep them from the field....all 19 horns.

In fact, one of the drum corps of the current G7 proudly wore BAC shirts under their uniforms at a couple shows that year...

as a sign of respect.

That's what I meant when I spoke of "survival".

[2000Cadet]

The corps pretty much folded at the end of the 1982 season.....they were financially victimized by a former manager and the resulting debts were huge. But, one line in the corps song says "This corps will never die..." and some of the members, alumni, and staff weren't going to let that happen, so the they scraped up some old equipment and uniforms and competed as "BOSTON"......with full (128 member) corps all around them, they brought audiences to their feet at every show. Not even being attacked by a street gang in Miami the day before prelims keep them from the field....all 19 horns.

In fact, one of the drum corps of the current G7 proudly wore BAC shirts under their uniforms at a couple shows that year...

as a sign of respect.

That's what I meant when I spoke of "survival".

Wow, I can see why a lot of people are so passionate with their arguments.

[D-Cex]

The corps pretty much folded at the end of the 1982 season.....they were financially victimized by a former manager and the resulting debts were huge. But, one line in the corps song says "This corps will never die..." and some of the members, alumni, and staff weren't going to let that happen, so the they scraped up some old equipment and uniforms and competed as "BOSTON"......with full (128 member) corps all around them, they brought audiences to their feet at every show. Not even being attacked by a street gang in Miami the day before prelims keep them from the field....all 19 horns.

In fact, one of the drum corps of the current G7 proudly wore BAC shirts under their uniforms at a couple shows that year...

as a sign of respect.

That's what I meant when I spoke of "survival".

Happy Seventieth, Boston!

Good Luck, BAC, Troop, Stars, Madison, et al.

Burt Lancaster, in a 1991 Variety interview (Variety Magazine, 12/9/91, p. E7*)

"Before he lost it, (the director... Sam) Peckinpah made me go see this

drum and bugle corps from Boston, the Boston Crusaders. Sam thought I would only really understand the power beneath despair by watching these guys. Yeah, he was right. In '73 and '83, the corps went out with just handfuls of guys on the horns and, ######, those man-gods could melt the gates of hell. Every single film I made after 'Valdez is Coming' is an allegory on the Boston Crusaders."

edited for article reference*

Edited May 26, 2010 by D-Cex

[Matt_S]

Heh, D-Cex it looks like you hit 'send' too soon, and posted only craiga's comments in the quote block... which is ironic when you consider your signature. I got a good chuckle out of that one.