ATXGUY Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Last night as the Drum Majors were marching out to set up for the announcing of scores, the Troopers Drum Major was doing a really slow walk, holding up all of the other Drum Majors from other corps behind him. At one point the drum major for Pacific Crest (I think) actually passed him up and other corps having to halt repeatedly behind him. While it may be to achieve some sort of effect, to me it was a little obnoxious and rude. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Does anyone know the meaning behind this or significance? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skajerk Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 (edited) The Trooper DMs have been doing that for years. No biggie, IMO. If I recall correctly, they've also been taught not to leave the field before the colors leave if they're present. There's a video out there somewhere of a show a few years back when the DMs from the competition that night were asked to leave the field so the corps that was on the field could start their encore. The Trooper DM refused to budge. After the announcement was made a few times, the crowd and announcer realized why he was still there. The colors were still on the field. He also carries a side arm and a saber so I don't think I'd mess with him. Edited July 22, 2012 by skajerk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Last night as the Drum Majors were marching out to set up for the announcing of scores, the Troopers Drum Major was doing a really slow walk, holding up all of the other Drum Majors from other corps behind him. At one point the drum major for Pacific Crest (I think) actually passed him up and other corps having to halt repeatedly behind him. While it may be to achieve some sort of effect, to me it was a little obnoxious and rude. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. Does anyone know the meaning behind this or significance? tradition......just like others have I suppose......i saw their drum major last year walk through the park near LOS like that....took him forever to get to his corps BUT he certainly attracted attention Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jplattSCV Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 When I marched, there were nearly always full corps retreats. Corps would enter the field. And after this was complete, the drum majors would assemble up front. There was always an unspoken effort to be the last one to show up on the front line. As far as I am concerned it was and is nothing more than a power play and an attempt to be cool. But, it was kinda cool to watch. Drump majrs would get super slow as they got to the last few steps. At that time, one drum majpr moving slowly was not going to slow another one down as each drum major was coming from a different place on the field. I have not seen this slow walk thing this year yet, but it has happened at both regionals accoring to DCP so far. So at this point it is looking like a trend. Everyone, including me, loves and roots for the Troopers. However, this is not what I would call classy behavior as their long tradition would dictate. Someone needs to say something to him, in my opinion. Otherwise, it might turn into a joke. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weedyweidenthal Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I think last year, some of the Troopers staff told the DM to speed it up a little bit... Before going on the field for scores, we would always joke with him and tell him he needed to get in the back. Some show coordinators were really strict about order, and some just left it up to the drum majors to get in a line and they left it up to us to decide how we would stand... We all tried to make sure we weren't behind him, but it was more of a funny thing for us. Not a real annoyance. I think in 2010 we had a show where all the DM's had a competition to see who could go the slowest. Usually going off the field, we all just went our separate ways, so it wasn't a rude thing to just go around. I know that as a drum major of another corps, I never ACTUALLY minded that the Troopers moved so slow, but we did joke like we cared. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post weedyweidenthal Posted July 22, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted July 22, 2012 It is a tradition for them and I would hope that they continue to do it. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I have high respect for the Troopers, and have enjoyed the "disciplined" stride the DM has always taken to and from the retreat. The point, I think, that ATXGUY was wondering about was why can't the Troopers DM just be last in line for that stride pace so that he is not holding up the other DM's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wvu80 Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 (edited) This is not ONLY a "Troopers" tradition. BITD (in the 70's) all the corps DM's used to have was was colloquially called the "slow race." Every drum major wanted to be the last into line. At some unknown point someone figured out not all traditions were good and the slow race for DM's went the way of valveless bugles. The problem is, Troopers never got the memo. It needs to stop, as Troopers don't gain any new fans over this annoying "tradition" which only slows up the works. We love you Troopers, and I promise you, that you won't lose any of us older fans if your DM arrives for retreat like everyone else. Edited July 22, 2012 by wvu80 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skajerk Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 (edited) Thank God there isn't full retreat at every show anymore or we'd still be waiting for 2011 BD's contra line to get into formation. Edited July 23, 2012 by skajerk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mckdan Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 When I marched, there were nearly always full corps retreats. Corps would enter the field. And after this was complete, the drum majors would assemble up front. There was always an unspoken effort to be the last one to show up on the front line. As far as I am concerned it was and is nothing more than a power play and an attempt to be cool. But, it was kinda cool to watch. Drump majrs would get super slow as they got to the last few steps. At that time, one drum majpr moving slowly was not going to slow another one down as each drum major was coming from a different place on the field. I have not seen this slow walk thing this year yet, but it has happened at both regionals accoring to DCP so far. So at this point it is looking like a trend. Everyone, including me, loves and roots for the Troopers. However, this is not what I would call classy behavior as their long tradition would dictate. Someone needs to say something to him, in my opinion. Otherwise, it might turn into a joke. [/quot This is a tradition and has been going on for longer than most that write on this site have been alive. It is nice to see that some parts of Trooper tradition aren't being dumped for stupid political correctness! Almost everyone who watches the "race" loves to see the Trooper DM win! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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