Fran Haring Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 In my 50+ years in the activity, I never recall corps getting 50's in the finals of any major competitions -prelims perhaps. DCA Finals... several years, several corps. The top corps from pretty much any DCA Championship were wonderful back in the day.... heck, that top five in 1972 is still easily one of the best top fives ever, if not THE best, in DCA history....... but to be honest, there were some, shall we say, less-than-spectacular corps in those lower-echelon finalist spots, any number of years. I think the quality of the lower-placing corps, overall, is much better today than back in our day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 DCA Finals... several years, several corps. The top corps from pretty much any DCA Championship were wonderful back in the day.... heck, that top five in 1972 is still easily one of the best top fives ever, if not THE best, in DCA history....... but to be honest, there were some, shall we say, less-than-spectacular corps in those lower-echelon finalist spots, any number of years. I think the quality of the lower-placing corps, overall, is much better today than back in our day. now. i completly agree with you fran. putting it that way i can agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted August 25, 2010 Author Share Posted August 25, 2010 I went and checked the DCA score archive. I knew there were some fairly low scores at some finals. I figured- lets look it up and get some information on the ground. Knowledge and information is power, right? 1969: 9. Hamburg Kingsmen 58.625 10. Rockets 50.275 (winner scored a 79, all the numbers were a quart low...) 1972 Finals, (winner with a 90- one HECK of a spread!) 12. Matadors 58.950 1973, (the winner just short of a 90 again...) 11. Thunderbirds 59.900 12. Royalaires 57.000 1974, winner with an 83... nearly half the finalists were below 60... 8. Sunrisers 59.700 9. Royalaires 56.150 10. Thunderbirds 54.650 11. Hanover Lancers 45.100 12. Emmaus Sentinels 43.050 So yes, there were some sub-60 numbers at finals, partly due to the system in place in part would be my guess. It should be noted there were a fair amount of corps competing and that these finalists did beat a fair number of people to earn their slots. Maybe they weren't "great"... but they were more than good enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereese Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 (edited) Maybe it's what my ear is used to, but I really can't listen to the old stuff. The sound, the tone, and quite frankly the boringness of it just makes it crindeworthy TO ME.Tell me how wrong, disrespectful, etc. etc. ad infinitum I am. It won't change what I feel when i hear it. That's the honest truth guys. jeez Liz you're freakin' me out. Sky 71, 72 boring, or as a matter of fact anyone in the top 5 of DCA any year...boring???!?? '74 Anaheim, '75 Muchachos, Scouts, SCV, Concord. '91 Star, Garfied the first time they opened with Rocky Point Holiday, Hawthorne when they were on their game, Balto with Requiem, 27th, boring????? Risers playing The Joker, Procession, Gates. How about evolving corps like '77,'78 Crossmen. My next question is, did you actually SEE these corps BITD, or are you just going from recordings? Because I gotta' tell ya' I still get goose bumps just thinking of some of these shows. Give us a time frame so we can understand. Edited August 25, 2010 by ereese Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegalEagle50 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Recordings. Summer of '71 I was 3.... I had no idea what drum corps was until technically 1984. My first flag instructor was from Garfield Cadets in the fall of 1981 and I had no clue that it wasn't a marching band from Garfield, New Jersey. Drum corps wasn't explained as anything that was a big difference to be honest. She did what we were learning to do, just a heck of a lot better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 Recordings. Summer of '71 I was 3....I had no idea what drum corps was until technically 1984. My first flag instructor was from Garfield Cadets in the fall of 1981 and I had no clue that it wasn't a marching band from Garfield, New Jersey. Drum corps wasn't explained as anything that was a big difference to be honest. She did what we were learning to do, just a heck of a lot better. that explains a lot liz. so you really have no idea what old drum corps was and that's fine. like i said at least your honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coloradocorp Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 (edited) DCA Finals... several years, several corps. The top corps from pretty much any DCA Championship were wonderful back in the day.... heck, that top five in 1972 is still easily one of the best top fives ever, if not THE best, in DCA history....... but to be honest, there were some, shall we say, less-than-spectacular corps in those lower-echelon finalist spots, any number of years. I think the quality of the lower-placing corps, overall, is much better today than back in our day. Agreed Fran - the years 1968-1974 were mostly a blur for me - too busy flying jets for the Air Force during which I had no news on DCA stuff though I did catch a few Jr shows when home on leave. Edited August 25, 2010 by coloradocorp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegalEagle50 Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 that explains a lot liz. so you really have no idea what old drum corps was and that's fine. like i said at least your honest. And continuing that honesty, the old recordings I have heard and some of the old old videos I've seen haven't jumped to make me think the words "good" or "cool" or "I'd have wanted to do that". That's the truth. I realize you guys love what you did. I get that. I just see it as not my cup of tea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coloradocorp Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 I love it when colorado and don write "get off my lawn" posts. For the record, I love that you guys think I'm so young. Gives me a warm fuzzy :) Kam Hey we're all young' LOL..or so I wish at times. Sorry if you took the posts to be "get off my lawn" which was not the intent. Maybe I came across wrong - if so - my apologies. I have seen far too many showing no respect for the greatness that preceded them. I respect corps from the then and the now though I will say that I prefer the entertainment package from the then. The activity is challenged today both at DCA and DCI for a variety of reasons. Hopefully it will continue to sustain itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coloradocorp Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 (edited) And continuing that honesty, the old recordings I have heard and some of the old old videos I've seen haven't jumped to make me think the words "good" or "cool" or "I'd have wanted to do that". That's the truth. I realize you guys love what you did. I get that. I just see it as not my cup of tea. Absolutely - we all like what we like - if we all liked exactly the same - life would be ultra bland would it not. Hey - there were some back when who objected to the stuff Bridgemen would pull on the field - they broke the mold. I loved it. Many forget that the evolution of the activity to what we now see just didn't happen - poof. It is the culmination of many decades of progress and those who came before. Hey - I flew in the Air Force and when I talk with current pilots - they think I'm nuts for saying I prefer the old fly by the seat of your pants versus relying a lot on today's onboard advanced instrumentation. Performance of today's aircraft is certainly a step up - but flying is/was still a thrill then and now - yet the pilots of today still have respect for the skills we older pilots had back then and vice versa. No different with corps. With that - going on vacation to the Jersey Shore tomorrow. Edited August 25, 2010 by coloradocorp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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