7567BC Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 This thread epitomizes how so many "old school" drum corps folks talk about modern drum corps. Respect is earned not given away. Posters like Kdoh , Cordog, and 7567BC summarily dismiss today's guards as 'window dressing' without having an inkling of a sniff of a semblance of a clue about the talent level and abilities of today's performers. And yet they're the first to complain about modern performers having no respect for the history of the activity (which in my experience isn't true -- corps have a lot of respect for their heritage.) Is it really so surprising that they're ignored like so much hot air? Yes yes I know. There *are* folks that 'get it' as well. But I think too often we like to overlook the impact of those who don't. </soapbox> Hey CorpsBAND, I didn't summarily dismiss anything at all. I don't believe guards are window dressing and I never said so or alluded to that. I don't know where you got that from. And I certainly understand about today's performer's abilities. What I was objecting to was kdoh's dismissing perfomers abilities from year past and their being unable to march a difficult show or to even comprehend what a difficult show is since everything from years past was so inordinately "easy" and could be taught in an hour. How far back are you thinking that you believ me to be "old school" since I'm so devoid of modern performer's responsibilities. To the 80's when Zingali was teaching and was one of my contemporaries? Or is it the 90's when performers I had taight were now teaching? I've never complained about anyone now days having no respect for the activity. Beleieve me I came from a corps well aware of its history and of the history of DC in the DCI era. If you are going to categorize me please do so with a little better understanding of my DC history. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Hey CorpsBAND, I didn't summarily dismiss anything at all. I don't believe guards are window dressing and I never said so or alluded to that. I don't know where you got that from. And I certainly understand about today's performer's abilities. What I was objecting to was kdoh's dismissing perfomers abilities from year past and their being unable to march a difficult show or to even comprehend what a difficult show is since everything from years past was so inordinately "easy" and could be taught in an hour. How far back are you thinking that you believ me to be "old school" since I'm so devoid of modern performer's responsibilities. To the 80's when Zingali was teaching and was one of my contemporaries? Or is it the 90's when performers I had taight were now teaching? I've never complained about anyone now days having no respect for the activity. Beleieve me I came from a corps well aware of its history and of the history of DC in the DCI era. If you are going to categorize me please do so with a little better understanding of my DC history. Sorry to mistakenly include you in the list. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 (edited) Agree...the tick system was totally a subjective system.... The current judging system is no less subjective in my view. I start from the standpoint that asking judges to compare, contrast, and assign points based upon completely dissimilar things is pretty much an impossible task. At one time, when Corps were of smaller size in competition, it might have been a tad easier... but still I agree very subjective even then.. Today however, not only are the Corps in competition much larger, but the instrumentation used in performance varies from Corps to Corps much more now as well. I always admired the respect we have given for the difficulty that a ( for just one example ) brass judge has up in the booth on Finals Night, trying to hear the final passages of brass playing in the Finale on the field way down below when the noise of the crowd in the front of him or her makes such an enterprise really difficult, if not impossible, to evaluate properly. We ask our fine judges with their excellent training, experience, skills, to perform an almost impossible task... compare and contrast dissimilar things. Its a tough job. Probably much tougher these days too. I wouldn't want the heavy responsibilty that comes with it. But somebody's got to do it, and its the best system good minds can come up with, so I'm ok with it all. But this is a HIGHLY subjective enterprise this judging of Corps in competition is. Even today. Edited March 20, 2012 by BRASSO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoln Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 This thread compels me to quote Dieter from SNL (Sprockets): "You have disturbed me almost to the point of insanity...There. I am insane now." 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navillus WP Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Attendance was up both of the last two years according to data posted here on DCP. And Sugarbush and Stowe ski areas reported a foot of new powder snow every Thursday morning ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccerguy315 Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 And Sugarbush and Stowe ski areas reported a foot of new powder snow every Thursday morning ... judging by your signature, perhaps you would find more happiness in the historical forum. No reason to come here if you are just angry... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drumno5 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 but the [modern day] judging is subjective and not based on precision. The part I emphasized above is the core of the issue. DCI has eliminated what used to set Drum Corps apart from other marching musical generas [sic]. But I think you're giving it the rose-colored goggle treatment again, as are any number of old-school partisans on this thread: cherry-picking the best rifle lines of the past and comparing them to the modern activity in its totality. Madison and Lancers 1980, for example, have been cited several times. I suppose it could legitimately be argued that those lines performed with greater precision and accuracy than anyone on the modern scene. But those guys/ladies were top shelf, acknowledged then and now as master practitioners of the art. Was anyone else back in the day spinning and tossing with that same level of perfection? No problem if you don't care for electronics, dancing auxiliaries and horn players hanging from eight foot scaffolds. But don't make it seem like everyone in the golden age was 100% nailing it, and everyone today is stumbling around hitting themselves in the head. Peace, Fred O. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Best rifle line in history? The SEAL Team 6 line that took out Osama bin Laden. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 (edited) but the [modern day] judging is subjective and not based on precision. But I think you're giving it the rose-colored goggle treatment again, as are any number of old-school partisans on this thread: cherry-picking the best rifle lines of the past and comparing them to the modern activity in its totality. Madison and Lancers 1980, for example, have been cited several times. I suppose it could legitimately be argued that those lines performed with greater precision and accuracy than anyone on the modern scene. But those guys/ladies were top shelf, acknowledged then and now as master practitioners of the art. Was anyone else back in the day spinning and tossing with that same level of perfection? No problem if you don't care for electronics, dancing auxiliaries and horn players hanging from eight foot scaffolds. But don't make it seem like everyone in the golden age was 100% nailing it, and everyone today is stumbling around hitting themselves in the head. Peace, Fred O. you are 100% right and there's just as many videos and pics to prove it...even from those best of the best. Doesnt mean they weren't great ( for their time )just human as well with flaw as all decades. Edited March 21, 2012 by GUARDLING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIS Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 "Was anyone else back in the day spinning and tossing with that same level of perfection? " Yes 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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