Who Is Next?

[Bruckner8]

What makes a "DCI darling"? Does it have anything to do with being consistently solid for a number of years?

A DCI Darling is anything that is borne of the "NewStar" lineage: Star>>Crown>BlueStars>Madison. Furthermore, any corps where "tie goes to the runner." You know, where you leave a show thinking "Hmmm, I dunno about that placement [NewStar ahead of non-NewStar]. I guess it was pretty close. Maybe too close to call. I suppose I can see how the judges had a tough time choosing."

DCI Darlings get those calls, all part of the inner-workings of Competitive Inertia. And if you know the CI theory well, you'll know I was clear that I did not think judges were being unfair. CI also specifies consistency, yup. These corps are very, very good, and they deserve these close calls!

But let's not pretend it's not a factor.

[Michael Boo]

A DCI Darling is anything that is borne of the "NewStar" lineage: Star>>Crown>BlueStars>Madison. Furthermore, any corps where "tie goes to the runner." You know, where you leave a show thinking "Hmmm, I dunno about that placement [NewStar ahead of non-NewStar]. I guess it was pretty close. Maybe too close to call. I suppose I can see how the judges had a tough time choosing."

DCI Darlings get those calls, all part of the inner-workings of Competitive Inertia. And if you know the CI theory well, you'll know I was clear that I did not think judges were being unfair. CI also specifies consistency, yup. These corps are very, very good, and they deserve these close calls!

But let's not pretend it's not a factor.

If you subscribe to the theory of Competitive Inertia, wouldn't you think the judges were being unfair, considering everything else you've written.

And I'm not "pretending" it's not a factor. I plain don't believe it's a factor when it comes to the erroneous perception of "DCI Darlings."

[BozzlyB]

A DCI Darling is anything that is borne of the "NewStar" lineage: Star>>Crown>BlueStars>Madison. Furthermore, any corps where "tie goes to the runner." You know, where you leave a show thinking "Hmmm, I dunno about that placement [NewStar ahead of non-NewStar]. I guess it was pretty close. Maybe too close to call. I suppose I can see how the judges had a tough time choosing."

DCI Darlings get those calls, all part of the inner-workings of Competitive Inertia. And if you know the CI theory well, you'll know I was clear that I did not think judges were being unfair. CI also specifies consistency, yup. These corps are very, very good, and they deserve these close calls!

But let's not pretend it's not a factor.

Interesting take. Personally I would have guessed that what makes Blue Stars a DCI "darling" (your term not mine) would be the rarity of a DCI original stuck in what is typically a long slow death scenario but instead slowly building a base over 30 + years to finally build back into an undeniable DCI powerhouse, but everyone knows I'm just a Blue Stars honk. Personally I don't agree with the "darling" label at all. I think the Blue Stars are where they are because they've refused to be denied, and have made one smart decision after another.

[corpsband]

We're not talking "suck so bad." We're talking about a stumble, a window of opportunity for some other competitor to be merely as good as they were the year before.

It's just semantics I guess, because anyone(?) can surprise, be unconditionally superior, and knock someone out of finals (Madison 2010 did it to Troop).

It's equally as likely (IMO) for someone to surprise, be unconditionally inferior ("suck so bad"), and fall out of finals, and allow someone else in. (Madison's 2008 entry to 12th place was more a function of Spirit sucking, falling to 15th, after having been 12-13 slot all 2000s prior)

I suppose this is true.

I've always viewed finalists as a "pool" of superior corps. Sometimes that pool is smaller than 12 corps and some corps from the next tier down get pulled in. Sometimes the pool is larger than 12 corps and unfortunately one or more deserving corps gets pushed out.

So I guess what I was indicating was that (in my view) the pool will grow larger this season.

[Bruckner8]

If you subscribe to the theory of Competitive Inertia, wouldn't you think the judges were being unfair, considering everything else you've written.

And I'm not "pretending" it's not a factor. I plain don't believe it's a factor when it comes to the erroneous perception of "DCI Darlings."

I would expect you to put this in writing. Living in BooWorld, it's in your best interest to be perceived as impartial; to put on the happy face; to stand up for DCI; to assume everything in DCI competition is strictly defined within the confines of the sheets. Those of us living in RealWorld recognize the element of human nature, and even conclude that it's still fair!

Everything I've written about CI always implies excellence first. Assuming excellence is equal, how does one decide? ANS: Whoever has the most Competitive Inertia. I claim that NewStar-dom is a little piece of inertia. You disagree. All good.

[Callawyn]

"...up and rising contender."

Crossmen will definitely be much improved this year over last. This will be a result of several factors, including a lot of new staff (experienced people with proven track records), good numbers of returning vets and big attendance numbers at winter camps. There's a big difference between competing half the summer with blanks in the hornline and having plenty of talent to choose from that then goes through a full winter program.

Will they break into the top 12 this year? Odds are long but certainly not impossible. My prediction for them would be 13 or 14 this year and a push to try to break into finals next year if all goes well.

Granted, I have several biases here, but I had the same biases last year and really never had much hope for them. They've really gotten off to a great start so far this year.

[rayfallon]

"...up and rising contender."

Crossmen will definitely be much improved this year over last. This will be a result of several factors, including a lot of new staff (experienced people with proven track records), good numbers of returning vets and big attendance numbers at winter camps. There's a big difference between competing half the summer with blanks in the hornline and having plenty of talent to choose from that then goes through a full winter program.

Will they break into the top 12 this year? Odds are long but certainly not impossible. My prediction for them would be 13 or 14 this year and a push to try to break into finals next year if all goes well.

Granted, I have several biases here, but I had the same biases last year and really never had much hope for them. They've really gotten off to a great start so far this year.

Crossmen and/or Academy

[JGuy1288]

I can't decide on one, so I'll give some reasons for a few. The first that came to mind was Crossmen. Their new brass staff is amazing, but it often takes time for great staff to make the results happen. Academy also seems likely. They've been moving up over the last two years, and after narrowly missing 13th this past summer, they may be able to make a move. Colts has the great staff, and there was little to no turnover in visual and brass staff at all for this coming season. Staff consistency, at a high level of staff skill, makes good results happen. Now, will their design finally fall into place? Also, will the new percussion staff take the caption in a good direction?

[MetalTones2012]

Here is how I've described this very phenomenon in other venues:

In order to break into finals, stay there and keep moving up, a corps - any corps - is going to have to be the 500 lb. gorilla in the room. It's not good enough to just be close and hope for the best. You've got to make a move and make it big, and that is a monster of a feat because in the modern drum corps era you need a magic mix of design, talent, instruction and management in order to become that undeniable entity in the mix.

So, to address your particular question, it's not who is going to stumble but who is going to come into the room and force an answer to the placement question. Madison's move last year might have been a gorilla - we'll see if it sticks. On the other hand, it could be that a stumble will happen and placements might shift a little, but that's less likely to create a completely new dynamic in the top 12 for the long term, IMO.

If that's the case my vote goes to The Academy. This wouldn't be the first time they've been a "gorilla", and they've been close to finals for three out of the four years they've been in World Class.

[Michael Boo]

I would expect you to put this in writing. Living in BooWorld, it's in your best interest to be perceived as impartial; to put on the happy face; to stand up for DCI; to assume everything in DCI competition is strictly defined within the confines of the sheets. Those of us living in RealWorld recognize the element of human nature, and even conclude that it's still fair!

Everything I've written about CI always implies excellence first. Assuming excellence is equal, how does one decide? ANS: Whoever has the most Competitive Inertia. I claim that NewStar-dom is a little piece of inertia. You disagree. All good.

Thanks for clarifying the fair/unfair conundrum that seemed to be in your previous post.

I believe in the fairness and equity I see in DCI competition because I've been around it for so long and have known so many of the judges for decades, personally and professionally, that I just can't have what I perceive to be a jaundiced attitude about placements. I also believe it's not that I believe in the impartiality of the system because I contribute to DCI, but rather that I contribute to DCI because I believe in the impartiality of the system. I have enough dignity and self-respect that I couldn't be involved with any organization I believed was inherently unfair to kids.

What you view as BooWorld, I view as reality, but with more cheese. (That's a reference to the General Off-Topic forum, for those that don't venture there.) Part of what you view as "RealWorld" I view as CynicWorld. But as you already presented, we disagree. All good.

As for "assuming excellence is equal, how does one decide," I would offer that excellence is not equal. When it comes down to the numbers, some corps are just better in what they do than others in any particular year. And it's that realization of unequal quality that results in some corps getting higher scores than others.

Being a judge is not easy work. To delve so deeply into a production and its performance qualities in order to present an appropriate score is not only an extreme challenge requiring much training, it can also be terrifying. I prefer to sit in "BooWorld" and enjoy each show for its entertainment and awe value...It would be a major challenge for me to focus on one particular caption and give it a specific score and then wait until I saw the recordings of the show to see what I missed by having such a forced, limited focus all season. I salute the judges for their sacrifice in doing so. While they get paid to do what they do, the only ones working harder at the shows are the corps members themselves.