Judging Poll

[Kevin.]

I say slotting! Also, the eating thing.

[The Other Mike]

I say slotting! Also, the eating thing.

Me too

[BozzlyB]

Something to consider. Never before have the judges had to judge all of the previous years top 8 at the first two shows. Typically they only have to deal with evaluating 2 or 3 top 12 corps and then a typically lower ranking group or groups, which typically sees the 2-3 higher placing corps scoring higher due to the spread between them and the second tier group. But what happens at the first regional where there are a lot of corps in the same relative tier? Scoring drops and gets a bit wacky to try and fit everyone in. I don't know if this has anything to do with what we've seen so far, just a thought.

[Kevin.]

Something to consider. Never before have the judges had to judge all of the previous years top 8 at the first two shows. Typically they only have to deal with evaluating 2 or 3 top 12 corps and then a typically lower ranking group or groups, which typically sees the 2-3 higher placing corps scoring higher due to the spread between them and the second tier group. But what happens at the first regional where there are a lot of corps in the same relative tier? Scoring drops and gets a bit wacky to try and fit everyone in. I don't know if this has anything to do with what we've seen so far, just a thought.

And an interesting one! I hadn't considered that. You know, I don't envy the position that the judges were in. It has to be a tough thing to come into a new event format, knowing you are setting a scoring precedent for the start of the season, while in the back of your mind you're wondering if the next judge is going to see what you saw or score how you scored.

[Tez]

To me, this is how the scores from night to night should always look, at least in the first half of the season when performances are more inconsistent. At the last several shows I have been to with friends and family, (who are not as big of drum corps fanatics as I am) I have written down the scores I think the corps will receive before the performances..... just based on the last scores they received. I show everyone in our party this, and then they are amazed how close I was when scores are announced. Almost every time I can nail each corps score within a point, often within a few tenths.

You can literally set your watch by drum corps scoring it is so consistent. Waayyyy too consistent. When factoring in performance issues, judging tastes, and even performance venue differences, even with excellent, well trained judges, I still don't see how they are that consistent. This weekend's scores seem about right.

What I hope for this season, is that since we already have two different panels of esteemed judges rating these top corps so differently, that judges the rest of the season will feel more free to score them as they see them. The scoring "window" for corps is as wide as it has ever been. We may be in for the most unpredictable competitive season of drum corps since the tick system. One can only hope!

[MikeN]

I vote slotting - it is absolutely incredible that scores would follow the same arc year to year, corps to corps, place to place without it. Every other judged activity outside of WGI/BOA/DCI shows *huge* variation from contest to contest, or even judge to judge (check out the World Pipe Band Championship recap sheets sometimes - it's not unusual to get 1st on one sheet and 6th on another).

Please please please let this be the year they get to more accurately call it as they see it.

Mike

[brians]

now that the next several show seem to be going to a 5 member judge pannel, I bet the scores go up. I believe one reason for the lower scores the first 2 shows was because they had full pannels. Usually, we dont have full pannels until the first regional. Speaking of slotting, BS were probably put in the last slot because all things considered that was a very safe place for the judges to place them.

[DITD]

Something to consider. Never before have the judges had to judge all of the previous years top 8 at the first two shows. Typically they only have to deal with evaluating 2 or 3 top 12 corps and then a typically lower ranking group or groups, which typically sees the 2-3 higher placing corps scoring higher due to the spread between them and the second tier group. But what happens at the first regional where there are a lot of corps in the same relative tier? Scoring drops and gets a bit wacky to try and fit everyone in. I don't know if this has anything to do with what we've seen so far, just a thought.

This. IMHO, exactly this.

[contrajedi8]

I voted for all 4.