Best Rifle Line In History

[Hook'emCavies]

Here's how I would pick:

Late 70's / early 80's: 27th Lancers

Mid 80's /Late 80's : Cavaliers

Early 90's / late 90's : Cadets

00's to now : Cavaliers & Blue Devils

Rifle lines and demands have changed so much that you can't really pick one without the context of the decade surrounding it.

Later,

Mike

This I agree with... I have been watching a lot of shows from the 80's recently and their is no doubt in my mind that cavies in the 80's were top notch.

[GUARDLING]

Even though they were our arch rivals, (I was marching BAC in 1980) I have to say 27th's rifle line was stellar. Another which comes to mind was BAC's rifle line from 1977-1978. I will say that during this era, both of these Boston-based guards were very aggressive and viceral in their approach. Lots of sharp head moves (shakos and plumes in the case of BAC and tall busbies in the case of 27), and a real emphasis on equipment handling. IIRC, both lines used to tape pennies on their straps so you could hear the 16th note clicks on doubletime. While I love the artistry and integration of body in contemporary lines, the old-school precision of those past lines was an effect all their own.

And I do agree with the poster who mentioned contemporary guards who don't move well....I would amend that to note that at an athletic step or full jazz run, they are great. However, if they have to move anywhere near an 8 to 5 stride, many current guards are clueless as to how to achieve that. Watch a modern drum corps in a parade sometime...brass and percussion are bad###.....guard not so much.

Guards dont move around 8 to 5 for decades already.....the " marching " aspect has been gone for years with guards so why would they need to do this..........they dont..............back in the day the corps proper as well as the guard trained and marched the same..............not anymore nor has it been like I said for decades.

Edited March 16, 2012 by GUARDLING

[craiga]

Guards dont move around 8 to 5 for decades already.....the " marching " aspect has been gone for years with guards so why would they need to do this..........they dont..............back in the day the corps proper as well as the guard trained and marched the same..............not anymore nor has it been like I said for decades.

I agree..but it would be nice to see a guard be able to move in step in a parade situation or coming off the field while maintaining some semblence of poise and bearing. For some guards, it seems that they literally don't know how to move through space unless they are jazz running. You have to admit there is a disconnect when you see a drum corps moving in a precise and focused fashion while their very own guard is walking, smiling, chatting or waving to people. I LOVE what current guards do...just wish they could complement the rest of the ensemble in a "marching" situation instead of detracting from it.

[Jim Anello]

you are correct, although IF the activity had evolved to the pont it has now back then Im sure just as you learned what you did then you would learn the FAR ADVANCED product there is now with no problem......BAck then was good for what it was then, even great BUT YES you are right. There's things that are very subjective about our activity today and yesterday BUT then there are things that are very plainly objective..what was done back in the day was great but to compare today is like comparing........hmmm lets not get into comparing there will end up a debate for pages on what the comparision was....lol

I remember having this comverstaion With George Z. way back in the mid 80s and HE, who did many successful programs was actually laughing from year to year how advanced things were getting and that compared to past years and at that time was only a few, how novice it looked only a few years before. Cant deny the intensity of guards back then....just a way different ball game

I agree with you, Guardling, although I come at it from a slightly different angle. If the sheets back then demanded what they do now, I'm sure the instructors would have designed programs and taught them accordingly.

[GMichael1230]

1980 Madison. End of discussion.

Admin, kindly close this thread. :-P

PS - Those guys were so epic, I learned to spin a rifle before a clean double-stroke roll.

And I'm a former professional drummer, so there ya go. I'm just sayin.

1980 27th Lancers.....discussion over years ago.

G

[GMichael1230]

Lots of Scouts years to choose from...

THings they did were other-worldly.

G

[Volbroker]

27th Lancers of 1980, in my opinion, had a better rifle line than did the Madison Scouts of 1980. If you stop action with the pause button on Fan Network video of 1980 Madison's rifle line in the beginning of the show when the line comes out front for the first time in the show, as well as do the same thing with 27th rifle line, we can easily see the uniformity of equipment work between the marchers in 27th and between marchers in Madison. 27th's is better than Madison's rifle line. The 27th Lancers won Guard that year at DCI. This was an iconic Guard. They deserve their legacy as one of the best Guards in the history of DCI regarding equipment work. Madison '80 had a good Guard with a good rifle line too. I'm not taking anything away from how good thet were. But the 27th Lancers Guard was in a league by itself during that timeframe, imo. We can see the 27th Lancers greatness in their 1980 closer... " Danny Boy ".... where the rifle line comes thru the line spinning the rifles at top speeds, but in terrific uniformity, and then all the way to the end with 27th's lines signature ending that can only be seen to be fully appreciated. ( hint : spinning the rifles while moving backwards all the way to their backs on the ground, and spinning the rifles still while there on their backs, and all the spinning in perfect unison still. ) Just watch 1980's 27th Guard at Finals again on Fan Network from start to finish. Its all there. Once you see their Guard, or refresh your memory of them, it should be compelling that they had a phenomenal Guard and rifle line, imo.

End of discussion! Perfectly said. Thanks!

[flammaster]

Oh no doubt 1980 2-7 is legendary but what about 76 Blue Devils? go on there and stop the Tape/DVD and tell me that isn't one bad ### line!!!

I think ALL the 70's lines would smoke anything after 1982. It was all about precision back then. NO random drill. No "interpretation" It was pure execution back then!

[GUARDLING]

I agree..but it would be nice to see a guard be able to move in step in a parade situation or coming off the field while maintaining some semblence of poise and bearing. For some guards, it seems that they literally don't know how to move through space unless they are jazz running. You have to admit there is a disconnect when you see a drum corps moving in a precise and focused fashion while their very own guard is walking, smiling, chatting or waving to people. I LOVE what current guards do...just wish they could complement the rest of the ensemble in a "marching" situation instead of detracting from it.

as I said the MARCHING days are longggggg gone for guards BUT as far as the chatting, waving etc etc..I think its more of lack of professionalism than lack of training how to march..Personally I dont care if they could march BUT do care that they have a professionalism about themselves.

Guards just move through space differently now and have no need to move through it like the corps proper. Their requirements are so different from each other. BUT I get what you are saying about the other.

[1977Kingsmen]

My heart would have to vote for the Anaheim Kingsmen rifle line.