Marvelous Minneapolis

[actucker]

I think the Scouts management understand more than any other corps that they have an obligation to their members first to provide an "experience" that is best described as "the Madison Scout experience" and this has almost nothing to do with competing. It has to do with learning how to be a better man. Then second most important is they have an obligation to their fans to "entertain." Again, this has nothing to do with competing.

It is like the line in Blazing Saddles . . . "We don't need no stinkin' badges!" Well, the Madison Scouts "Don't need no stinkin' judges!" They are not in it for the competition. They are in it first for the "experience" for their members and second for the "entertainment" for their fans. This in a nutshell is why they are the MOST POPULAR DRUM CORPS OF ALL TIME. They've got it right! Watch and learn.

This is all absolutely true, however then their fans should not be upset when the corps does not do as well as they had hoped competitively. It is a clear choice that they have made, and an admirable one. However, it is a choice that has certain consequences. I love Madison for what and who they are, so please don't take that as a bag on them. I always enjoy their shows, but at the same time I'm aware that those shows are not in the same realm competitively as much of the rest of the field.

[jjeffeory]

I think the Scouts management understand more than any other corps that they have an obligation to their members first to provide an "experience" that is best described as "the Madison Scout experience" and this has almost nothing to do with competing. It has to do with learning how to be a better man. Then second most important is they have an obligation to their fans to "entertain." Again, this has nothing to do with competing.

It is like the line in Blazing Saddles . . . "We don't need no stinkin' badges!" Well, the Madison Scouts "Don't need no stinkin' judges!" They are not in it for the competition. They are in it first for the "experience" for their members and second for the "entertainment" for their fans. This in a nutshell is why they are the MOST POPULAR DRUM CORPS OF ALL TIME. They've got it right! Watch and learn.

That's a good spirit to have, but I think that the "We don't need no stinkin' badges!" mentality is what got them in their decline. There's lots of drama associated with that posted on here already.

Needless to say, this is also a competitive activity and the Scouts are expected to be near the top; the staff are taking steps to make that happen AS WELL as to provide the behind the scenes experiences that you've described.

The Cavaliers are also trying to do this.

[Photographer Jim]

1342388054[/url]' post='3173759']

It is like the line in Blazing Saddles . . . "We don't need no stinkin' badges!"

Just for the record, although this version IS from "blazing Saddles", the original movie line, and the more famous ["I don't have to show you any stinking' badges!"] is from the classic 1947 movie "The Treasure of the Seirra Madre". While Mel Brooks' parody use of the line was certainly funny, it will always be second fiddle to the original.

[ Trivia: What character(s) and actor(s) said it and to whom in the original movie? ]

(Gold Hat [Alfonso Bedoya] to Fred C Hobbs [Humphrey Bogart])

[Martin I. Zing]

This is all absolutely true, however then their fans should not be upset when the corps does not do as well as they had hoped competitively. It is a clear choice that they have made, and an admirable one. However, it is a choice that has certain consequences. I love Madison for what and who they are, so please don't take that as a bag on them. I always enjoy their shows, but at the same time I'm aware that those shows are not in the same realm competitively as much of the rest of the field.

The 12 finalists have finished their performances at Lucas Oil Stadium and the scores are about to be announced. As the PA announcer I have them in my hand. I glance down and I see that Madison has finished in the middle of the pack. Suddenly, I'm handed another announcement that a meteor is heading towards the earth and will land on the 50-yard line and wipe out all the performers. I'm asked to tell those in the stands not to worry because they will all be safe because they can head upwards to the safety of the concourse. Unfortunately, all the performers on the field will perish EXCEPT there is enough room in the locker rooms to save one drum corps. To be fair, we can either award this to (A) the corps with the highest score --yet to be announced-- or (B) to the one who gets the loudest and most sustained applause. As the announcer, I ask the audience by their applause which method they want to use to determine which corps will survive.

Following the vote, Madison heads for the locker room but pauses, turns and plays "Walk On" from the tunnel one last time as the meteor hits all the George Hopkins influenced corps hardest. It's called justice.

[Dash Fieldpaint]

The 12 finalists have finished their performances at Lucas Oil Stadium and the scores are about to be announced. As the PA announcer I have them in my hand. I glance down and I see that Madison has finished in the middle of the pack. Suddenly, I'm handed another announcement that a meteor is heading towards the earth and will land on the 50-yard line and wipe out all the performers. I'm asked to tell those in the stands not to worry because they will all be safe because they can head upwards to the safety of the concourse. Unfortunately, all the performers on the field will perish EXCEPT there is enough room in the locker rooms to save one drum corps. To be fair, we can either award this to (A) the corps with the highest score --yet to be announced-- or (B) to the one who gets the loudest and most sustained applause. As the announcer, I ask the audience by their applause which method they want to use to determine which corps will survive.

Following the vote, Madison heads for the locker room but pauses, turns and plays "Walk On" from the tunnel one last time as the meteor hits all the George Hopkins influenced corps hardest. It's called justice.

[mobrien]

Slightly OT, but you guys DO know that the Mel Brooks reference to "we don't need no stinking badges" in Blazing Saddles is actually an homage to

, right?

[Martin I. Zing]

That's a good spirit to have, but I think that the "We don't need no stinkin' badges!" mentality is what got them in their decline. There's lots of drama associated with that posted on here already.

Needless to say, this is also a competitive activity and the Scouts are expected to be near the top; the staff are taking steps to make that happen AS WELL as to provide the behind the scenes experiences that you've described.

The Cavaliers are also trying to do this.

Please don't misunderstand me. I don't intend to use this forum about the great show in Minneapolis to start a debate about the value of competition in drum corps. I know this is a very touchy subject and gets everyone on edge. I merely meant to say that for the Madison Scouts it appears to mean less than it does to most of the other corps. This is not to say that they don't take it seriously nor that they don't attempt to compete. Merely that in terms of priority, it does not rank as high as EXPERIENCE and ENTERTAINMENT. And when you think about playing opera with a bugle while marching on a football field while wearing a shako for a tenth of a point, suddenly, IT ALL MAKES SENSE. I hope you agree.

[CLD]

Slightly OT, but you guys DO know that the Mel Brooks reference to "we don't need no stinking badges" in Blazing Saddles is actually an homage to

, right?

[Kevin.]

The 12 finalists have finished their performances at Lucas Oil Stadium and the scores are about to be announced. As the PA announcer I have them in my hand. I glance down and I see that Madison has finished in the middle of the pack. Suddenly, I'm handed another announcement that a meteor is heading towards the earth and will land on the 50-yard line and wipe out all the performers. I'm asked to tell those in the stands not to worry because they will all be safe because they can head upwards to the safety of the concourse. Unfortunately, all the performers on the field will perish EXCEPT there is enough room in the locker rooms to save one drum corps. To be fair, we can either award this to (A) the corps with the highest score --yet to be announced-- or (B) to the one who gets the loudest and most sustained applause. As the announcer, I ask the audience by their applause which method they want to use to determine which corps will survive.

Following the vote, Madison heads for the locker room but pauses, turns and plays "Walk On" from the tunnel one last time as the meteor hits all the George Hopkins influenced corps hardest. It's called justice.

...

Edited July 16, 2012 by Kevin.

[wvu80]

t Also, all the lower body stuff is just over the top... Everyone's putting it in because it's on the sheets or it's interpreted as on the sheets. Look at EVERY corps. They're all guilty of doing it. It's not effective most of the time and it's overdone... Whose fault is it? Which corps started these two things...

Star of Indiana?