What was the term? Competitive Inertia?

[MikeN]

As a fan who came in right about that time, I honestly can't put a hair of separation in the top 3. If you'd told me that SCV was the champion that year, I'd be fine with that. Or Blue Devils - yup, they look like champions. Or Madison - with that closer, yup - looks like a 1st place corps to me All three pass the eyeball test, and I've got no beef with how the judges saw it.

And looking at Gregg's scores at http://www.fromthepressbox.com/ - Madison was steadily moving up in the late season, passing Phantom and closing the gap on SCV (they just didn't face BD in the late season - another reason why the regionals now are so cool!).

Mike

[perc2100]

bloo came out of the gates hot in 2007, too. peaked early.

odds of that happening again this year are pretty high.

LOVE their show, of course.

Could that then be REVERSE Competitive Inertia? If a corps has a recent reputation for peaking early and dropping by Finals week, if all things are equal Finals week (say Bluecoats, Phantom, SCV, and Cadets are all neck-in-neck), would Reverse CI work against BC? Add to the fact that the other competitors have CI on their side, does that give Bluecoats a competitive disadvantage?

Also, FWIW, I think CI works in all facets of WC drum corps: if you've never made Finals before, you have to "prove" you're worthy of Finalist by being substantially better than a 13th place corps that has been a Finalist for some time. Same with Semi's, I think. I believe that CI is slightly diminishing the further down the ladder you go (for example, East Coast Jazz making semi's doesn't have as much CI against them as, say, Glassmen winning DCI).

[gellio]

As a fan who came in right about that time, I honestly can't put a hair of separation in the top 3. If you'd told me that SCV was the champion that year, I'd be fine with that. Or Blue Devils - yup, they look like champions. Or Madison - with that closer, yup - looks like a 1st place corps to me All three pass the eyeball test, and I've got no beef with how the judges saw it.

And looking at Gregg's scores at http://www.fromthepressbox.com/ - Madison was steadily moving up in the late season, passing Phantom and closing the gap on SCV (they just didn't face BD in the late season - another reason why the regionals now are so cool!).

Mike

I agree. It was a great season. The top 3 were HOT. I have such fond memories of travelling with SCV that year. Such a class act they were/are. I still have so much respect for them. Was happy to be on the field with them when they took it in '89.

[gellio]

I can't change the reality of your ring. I wish I could, lol, but I acknowledge reality.

Well, I'm glad you won't be getting your wish LOL.