The problem with the past two Cadets shows...

[saxfreq1128]

Here I thought judges were rewarding performance, cleanliness, and perfection.

Who knew it was the ideas on the field being judged?

*raises hand*

[kdaddy]

West Side Story and Toy Souldier are no Constantly Risking Absurdity and Through a Glass Darkly in terms of pushing the limits

of what is possible in Drum Corps today.

Until they come up with new ideas and think outside the box, they will never return to the top.

*saying short prayer that Cadets stick with West Side Story and Toy Souldier even if it means never returning to the top*

[general_tsos_chicken2]

I respectively very much disagree with the original poster

[Jeff Ream]

I wouldn't call 09 easy. but they have been stuck in this niche of storytelling shows that have produced mixed results and mixed reactions.

if they really want to break out, IMO, stop telling stories...because in the end, they over tell the story and it distracts people from the corps

[Schickmeister]

2009.

was.

hard.

[atlvalet]

Is it me or have The Cadets shows the past two years been somewhat anti-Cadets and what one would call “safe” in terms of difficulty? Here is what I am getting at, yes they are entertaining and yes they are difficult, but innovative and pushing the members to their max they really have not been.

Here is what I mean, the past two years they have not had that in your face fanatical closer of say 2008, 2007 etc. I mean didn’t there closer seem just a bit short of your typical Cadets closer? It used to be that the show was so difficult that it was almost a flip of a coin if it would even be remotely clean on Finals night (1989, 1991, 1996) come to mind as all those were a bit dirty, but you felt like “wow these were such difficult shows that you appreciated them for what they were”

I mean they have always been entertaining and I have liked every Hopkins show except maybe 1994 and 2004, but man they used to be the drill and the drum line people paid to see. Has Hopkins lost his competitive and innovative fire? Is he settling for entertainment value first and foremost? 2007 was maybe cheesy, but I thought very difficult nonetheless, hell I would have been fine had they won in 2007. I am not bashing The Cadets, but like Cavaliers 2005 and 2007, you felt shortchanged.

Cadets, do me a favor, give me a in your face show like 1998, simple in theory but so hard it may not be clean in August, yet like 1998, it was and was to me one of the best Cadets shows ever.

I am not sure what you're talking about in regards to clean for the '89 show, but that drumline was squeaky clean at the end of freakin' July.

[behold888]

Innovation. The judges are rewarding it and the Cadets are ignoring it.

West Side Story and Toy Souldier are no Constantly Risking Absurdity and Through a Glass Darkly in terms of pushing the limits

of what is possible in Drum Corps today.

Until they come up with new ideas and think outside the box, they will never return to the top.

(now watch them come back next season and prove me wrong )

just my opinion.

Cali.

this

[flyingkadet]

Wow, really? I know a ton of people (myself included) who think the 1998 show was perhaps the worst Championship show ever. Talk about dirty.

If you think 98 was dirty then you need to clean you glasses and take another look.

[Abbevillekid26]

Sorry but I completely disagree, I love these last two shows and they have restored the Cadets to being one of my favorite corps.

[Abbevillekid26]

Innovation. The judges are rewarding it and the Cadets are ignoring it.

West Side Story and Toy Souldier are no Constantly Risking Absurdity and Through a Glass Darkly in terms of pushing the limits

of what is possible in Drum Corps today.

Until they come up with new ideas and think outside the box, they will never return to the top.

(now watch them come back next season and prove me wrong )

just my opinion.

Cali.

Can someone tell me what was so innovative about Constantly Risking Absurdity? It's one of my favorite BD shows post-2000 but I see it called innovative sooo often on here and I would like to see what is so innovative. Not being a smartass or challenging anyone here.