A Plea to the Phantom Regiment Organization

[tommytimp]

Coaching carousel. It happens. PR is solid as an organization. Their brand is as durable and popular as any, with maybe one exception.

[DrillmanSop06]

Okay, I admit I am bitter. I hate to see talent like Rennick resign from a corps I follow. I will say, I am not part of the corps beyond following and supporting Regiment...and I have not discredited Rennick's ability to teach and recruit.

But at the same time, the self promotion efforts through online media have just turned my sights away from respecting his talent and puts a bad perspective on the whole situation for his leaving. The impression that PR is a lesser corps...or insane...and thus why talent leaves is defunct by the statistics illustrated above about the calliber of this great corps' storied history of success. If this point of view is immature, then I beg to differ!

I have been following this activity since the 80s, and it has become too acceptable for some of the key players to use their corps employment and members for self promotion. When all this propaganda was coming from Rennick before the season started, I had a sick feeling that he was using this to move on. If he would have put a facebook page titled "Rennick Drumlines" I would prefer to "Like" this type of page clearly before I would click a self indulgent "Paul Rennick" fb page. Announcing his move to another organization, then posting several self promotion along with the catalog of videos with close ups of him is a dissappointing discredit to his character and shows a lack of respect of the PR organization, his talented team of techs, and the talent of the performers upon moving on to another organization. Combining his level of talent with a lower tierd corps would have not afforded him the same vehicle of success as he has had with the Regiment as well as teaming up with the stellar brass arranger in Shaw. If you look at my comments in this perspective, this should not seem immature. If you disagree, then PM me and we can talk more specifics on my point of view.

I don't think you understand how Facebook works.

[stockman365]

I don't think you understand how Facebook works.

Yep, sure do! You don't understand what I was saying...sorry about that.

[DrillmanSop06]

Yep, sure do! You don't understand what I was saying...sorry about that.

I understand. I think it's ridiculous and so misinformed that the only logical conclusion I could draw was that you don't understand Facebook. I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt since you're apparently being serious and actually believe what you're saying, sorry about that opinion you've got going on there.

[kdaddy]

It's always great to see how much my favorite corps stirs emotions in so many people. So many interesting things to comment on in this thread, wow.

2. To say that Phantom is a 5-8 place corps that just overachieved is wildly inaccurate.

As the person who made the statement you're referring to here, I guess I'll comment. I used the word "perhaps," as in "this is a possible theory." I said it without saying it. And it's not a bad theory, for what it's worth.

And my assessment was not based on some historical assessment, it was based on the current state of the system. I feel that Phantom Regiment is a very design team-driven corps with respect to its placement. You can look at their history and point to the effects of when designers/corps directors left the corps. I've been personally following drum corps since 1993 and understand history prior to that. But let's look at some more recent milestones.

1996 - new perc arranger, return of David St. Angel as corps director, DCI title

1997 - I'm guessing a lot of the same staff, not sure who corps director is but it doesn't last long, still competitive

1998-2002 - turnover in director position several times, several (poor) drill designers, change in brass arrangers, mostly uninspired perc writing by Mason, a 5-8 place corps

2003-2004 - JD Shaw continues to install his brass program that he started in 2002, corps director solid since 2002, perc improves - design slowly improving from 5-8 status

2005-2007 - AMAZING design team of Shaw, Rennick, Thompson, and Sage, designing shows that can compete with the upper groups

2008 - noticeable change in drill design with departure of Thompson, but everything else solid enough with a well-design product

2009 - departure of Sage and the even more noticeable lack in drill design spell doom - returning to 5-8 place status with design staff departures

2010 - significant improvement with new drill writer, but still a 5-8 place design as Bluecoats and Crown further cement top five status

My point, I guess, with the 5-8 place corps theory is that PR can't sit back and relax as being a corps that's "placed in the top 6 80% of the time" and assume things will continue down that path. If, for example, Rennick wanted more input in design elements, let him have it. If, for example, Sage was difficult to work with, suck it up and work with him. PR can't just plug in new faces and expect to be top 3, 4, 5. Turnover in design staff doomed PR to 5-8 status from 98 to 02 in many respects.

Just a theory... :)

Edited September 1, 2010 by kdaddy

[zeke99]

Okay, I admit I am bitter. I hate to see talent like Rennick resign from a corps I follow. I will say, I am not part of the corps beyond following and supporting Regiment...and I have not discredited Rennick's ability to teach and recruit.

But at the same time, the self promotion efforts through online media have just turned my sights away from respecting his talent and puts a bad perspective on the whole situation for his leaving. The impression that PR is a lesser corps...or insane...and thus why talent leaves is defunct by the statistics illustrated above about the calliber of this great corps' storied history of success. If this point of view is immature, then I beg to differ!

I have been following this activity since the 80s, and it has become too acceptable for some of the key players to use their corps employment and members for self promotion. When all this propaganda was coming from Rennick before the season started, I had a sick feeling that he was using this to move on. If he would have put a facebook page titled "Rennick Drumlines" I would prefer to "Like" this type of page clearly before I would click a self indulgent "Paul Rennick" fb page. Announcing his move to another organization, then posting several self promotion along with the catalog of videos with close ups of him is a dissappointing discredit to his character and shows a lack of respect of the PR organization, his talented team of techs, and the talent of the performers upon moving on to another organization. Combining his level of talent with a lower tierd corps would have not afforded him the same vehicle of success as he has had with the Regiment as well as teaming up with the stellar brass arranger in Shaw. If you look at my comments in this perspective, this should not seem immature. If you disagree, then PM me and we can talk more specifics on my point of view.

As an independent contractor and percussion instructor, I don't see what the problem is in promoting your business. Posting clips of his lines and himself gives fans a chance to see the faces behind the product. Take a look at his FB site again, it's all about praising his students and staff, as well as giving the fans a chance to see/hear his lines play. If you don't like the fact that he talks about them in front of the camera, or hits his sticks together, well...that's probably just too bad. Their success is proof enough in his methods. I doubt very highly that his staff, students, or even the Regiment organization feels disrespected at all by any of his online ventures.

Your immaturity is being measured in your attack on his character, which is something you obviously have no first-hand knowledge of. He has shown no disrespect for the Regiment organization and gave them 8 great drumlines, not to mention 3 drum trophies and was key in their only outright DCI Championship.