Rivalries in DCI.

[MikeZ]

I would think the end of retreats would stop most rivalries from gaining traction today. It seems when corps scoring close to each other had to stand quite close to each other on the field things could get a little testy. Today you may be scoring close to someone but you only see them in the lot...out of uniform. Heck, you could be standing in line at the gas station behind a guy in a corps you are going back and forth with and you wouldn't even know it.

Going back a few years (and way off anyones radar), Pioneer and Nite Express had quite a few tense moments during the 1996 season. There were quite a few elbows thrown and horns dinged up when we were lined up next to each other at some II/III focus shows. I remember being pretty angry with NE at the time, but would give anything to have them back on the field today. There were a few other corps who were a little nasty at retreat...but they are all big corps who are still competing, so I will keep those stories to myself.

Z

Edited November 14, 2010 by MikeZ

[HornsUp]

The numeral 27 is not allowed in the Boston Crusaders' vocabulary.

[thirdcoast]

Your question, "Do rivalries between corps still exist" has an entirely different meaning today then compared to the era in which I marched and especially for those that preceded me. Back in the 70's and maybe even the early 80's, the concept of "rivalry" was often times something much more personal then today's meaning. At times, it meant down right hostility and personal retribution. Sometimes, if things weren't cleared up on the field, issues were dealt with off the field. Back in the time when drum corps and shows were predominately local, there was no love lost between us (Madison) and the Cavies, Kilties, PR and Blue Star with a close second being Santa Clara and maybe the Bridgemen. I personally recall several situations that resulted in off field extra curricular activities....a little rumble anyone? One of the most memorable occasions was when a group of guys from Santa Clara and the Blue Devils decided to collectively join forces and do something about us stealing their girlfriends away from them while on tour. Their attempted "smack down" occurred after one of the Drums Along the Rockies shows somewhere in Colorado (something ____Hot Springs???). All I can say is, BIG MISTAKE! It was ugly and fast. Lets just say that after that evening, we seemed to have an abundance of California girls gracing our Madison confines. But this was nothing compared to the stories I've heard from "old timers" that marched in the 50's and 60's. I've listened to first hand accounts of those particularly from East Coast corps that would regularly "take it to the streets"! Yes, the good old days of a friendly rivalry!

Classic! Great read.

[shostahoosier]

Well I already said that I heard of Phantom vs Cavies. This is all just from a Phantom alum though. He implied both corps hated each other equally to the extent that he would never say green. He said the rivalry was longstanding.

This is the truth...the 4 midwestern corps that have won championships used to not be very fond of eachother on or off the field...though the Scouts were always pretty friendly regardless.

These rivalries have died down considerably since Phantom Regiment and the Madison Scouts competitively dropped the ball in the late 90s. The Cavaliers havent really taken either corps too seriously since then.

It will be great to have both corps back at the top, along with the Blue Stars and Bluecoats. It looks like the Scouts are fixing their deficiencies, I hope Regiment can do the same.

The Mid-West is the best west you know

[thirdcoast]

Boston and Blue Stars

Edited November 15, 2010 by thirdcoast

[mckdan]

Currently, Troop v. Colts. In the day, at least for a few years, Troopers vs. Crossmen (1979 - mid 80's).

[thirdcoast]

Star of Indiana and Garfield

Edited November 15, 2010 by thirdcoast

[thirdcoast]

I look through the posts here and see that all is the same in all areas of the world. I love how the BD and PR rivalry started in 2008! LOLOLOLOL

In 1981 the PR beat US the BD ONE time. It was at the Rockford show. Look at the recaps. There was no time that season where they were even close except for then. We disliked them from before I got there in 1981 with "Scrubbing Bubbles" being our name of choice for them.

In 1981 the SCV beat us for the championship. Not many know this but the Blue Devils FULL FIELD CORPS was put together by a few disgruntled members/staff from SCV... It was their goal to beat SCV and beat them badly. So the rivalry there started before the corps ever competed! Bringing us back to 1982 there were 4 isolated horn and drum attacks that ended the tune T.O. At ALL BD rehearsals while singing and marching those isolated hits became F%$^ The Vanguard... So please do know that Drum Corps rivalry is alive and well and many of your rivalries that you think you have... Were ours before we pased them down to you!

Edited to add this last part: I recently spoke with a young gentleman about marching in the Renegades... He is giving it consideration but has a hard time marching with BD ageouts as he was in SCV... In his words, "I know there are some really great people that come out of the Concord Corps but I have been trained to hate them..." This was in the past few months...

Nice read and so true.

[wcmello09]

Currently, Troop v. Colts. In the day, at least for a few years, Troopers vs. Crossmen (1979 - mid 80's).

I dont believe you. Whats the reason people keep bringing this up? Especially after its been said in this thread that the Colts sent the Troopers a congratulations card.

I still think that many rivalries of today spawn from the staff having old grudges they had against corps they marched against rubbing off on the members.

[Stryfe]

From my experience, I think the constant, careful, and appropriate enforcement of staff behavior by administrators in the activity recently is leading to a much healthier competitive atmosphere than in the decades in the 20th century. The administrators at my corps were always very clear that other corps are our friends and disrespecting them in rehearsal and especially in public was a disgrace to our personal corps image and made us appear petty and classless. I think it's a good direction.

In practice, we still sometimes implicitly and low-key-ly make fun of certain specific practices of other corps - more specific philosophies of performance than "oh they're dumb." But it's the type of thing you could tell someone to their face as long as you were having pleasant conversation up to that point. Also, on the bus, anything goes when we're getting ready/hyped for a show, but this past year it almost took a tone of self-aware absurd satire than actual competitive insults.

I can actually name more instances of positive relationships between Madison [okay, sacrificing anonymity, but who can't figure that out by now?] and other corps than rivalries - the Cavies and Madison always seem to get along fairly well, Madison and SCV seem to hype eachother (nowadays anyway) quite a bit, especially around Allentown (huge shame there was no corps song sharing this year), Boston and Madison had a social food-sharing this year, and Madison and Crown share a lot of staff and so there's a positive relationship there as well. Our pit has in the recent years hung out with, shared staff with, borrowed gongs from, and generally hyped Crown, Blue Stars, Spirit, Teal Sound, and a few others -- corps from all over the competitive map.

I think the last two years were bad for forming any specfic rivalries because we moved placement so much, and that's really all it boils down to anymore -- who's immediately around us in placement? Why are we more deserving of them for their title? Basic competitive thinking like that. In short, the most basic formula for who rivalries are formed with are corps who are seen as a "threat," and the most basic formula for who friendships are formed with are other corps with whom any corps shares staff (past and present), philosophies, and gender exclusiveness rules, or simply has a pleasant, beneficial relationship with.

Edited November 15, 2010 by Stryfe