Madison Scouts 2013

[adub]

Madison now solidly in 9th after Allentown. For those homers here who habitually wear the Madison garb while whistling past the cemetery with their green tinted glasses on...To those same green Kool-Aid drinkers who continue to hide behind the non-sense of ridiculous mantras such as "best-to-improve-slow"...Or..."no worries, we're on the right track"...Or…"hey, this is good, I trust the direction"...Question??...Why are your standards so pitifully low?...Why is mediocrity somehow spun in your minds as something good?

Improvement?...Where?

As a little comparison…For all of the Sal Salas haters out there when he was at the helm at Madison...You certainly can’t deny how quickly the man got the Scouts turned around and back up to top 6 (just talking placement...I.E, performance package...not his other short comings.)

Don't be a sore in the side of the current members of the corps. Who cares where they end up. The show they have busted their ### off to perform this year is fantastic. Stop giving life to the dci goons who say they aren't performing as well as they really are.

[FlamMan]

Darn...its getting old watching the Scouts slide near the end of the season again.

[BigBadMadMan]

Is anyone really surprised at this point? It's becoming par for the course, unfortunately. I don't deny anything the members have done. It's obvious they're maxing out the show.

[bobjective]

There has to be a legitimate reasoning why the visual staff is writing these less visually complex types of shows. But, what is it? Lack of talent, lack of money to field it, or just plain lack of creativity? I honestly don't think it's the latter. But, I do think however it is time to make a move to the next level.

[jwillis35]

The brass program has come "leaps and bounds" in the last 4 years. Same for percussion. I believe that Mason knows he needs the guard program to hit another level, and he needs a drill that is top 5 worthy. The later 2 things are what really separate them from the Cavaliers.

Rosemont had a much weaker brass line this year (younger, less DCI experience), and although their overall show is better than last year's it's still weak when compared to past productions. But where the Cavaliers have separated themselves from Madison is with drill, guard, and marching excellence. They have good percussion, but not a ton better than the Scouts; and Madison has better brass.

So to me I think they need a true top-5 drill, better guard design and technique, and they need to clean a more demanding show.

If we look at design alone, I'd say Spirit has a much better design and I would put them above the Scouts if we were ranking only on design. Sadly for Spirit, they have not been able to clean their show; but from top to bottom Spirit has the better product. This is not a rip at Madison, but simply a comparison and an example of why I feel they are struggling from a score standpoint.

Edited August 4, 2013 by jwillis35

[corps8294]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, The Madison Scouts have become a caricature of themselves; trying so hard to have the image and the show designs of the glorious Scouts of the past that it has become almost stale and comical.

I preach all the time about the lack of individual identity in modern drum corps; but the Scouts have taken that individual identity to the extreme and have not evolved. That's why they are where they are.

[vferrera]

Scouts are even or slightly ahead of Cavaliers in every performance subcaption (even percussion). But Cavaliers are well ahead in most of the content subs.

If you just take the raw differences (performance - content) and add them all up, Scouts are +7 (perf > cont), Cavaliers are -23.

If you compare Scouts v. Cavaliers, Scouts are -26 in content, but +4 in performance.

[scout9193]

The brass program has come "leaps and bounds" in the last 4 years. Same for percussion. I believe that Mason knows he needs the guard program to hit another level, and he needs a drill that is top 5 worthy. The later 2 things are what really separate them from the Cavaliers.

Rosemont had a much weaker brass line this year (younger, less DCI experience), and although their overall show is better than last year's it's still weak when compared to past productions. But where the Cavaliers have separated themselves from Madison is with drill, guard, and marching excellence. They have good percussion, but not a ton better than the Scouts; and Madison has better brass.

So to me I think they need a true top-5 drill, better guard design and technique, and they need to clean a more demanding show.

If we look at design alone, I'd say Spirit has a much better design and I would put them above the Scouts if we were ranking only on design. Sadly for Spirit, they have not been able to clean their show; but from top to bottom Spirit has the better product. This is not a rip at Madison, but simply a comparison and an example of why I feel they are struggling from a score standpoint.

This- in my opinion- is spot on. I do also think their percussion section is a bit underrated (even with the marked improvement in the last 4 years); however, I totally agree with you from a visual standpoint. Guard is much much improved and I believe that staff (at this juncture) is on the right path.

[GREENBLUE]

Scouts are even or slightly ahead of Cavaliers in every performance subcaption (even percussion). But Cavaliers are well ahead in most of the content subs.

If you just take the raw differences (performance - content) and add them all up, Scouts are +7 (perf > cont), Cavaliers are -23.

If you compare Scouts v. Cavaliers, Scouts are -26 in content, but +4 in performance.

At this point in the game you want your content scores to be higher than your achievement/performance scores. If your performance scores are higher or equal to content that means the members have basically "maxed" out the show according to the judges. The only time you really want performance to equal or exceed your content would be finals night.

And of course that brings us to the point a lot of posters are making...Madisons show design, both visual and music are holding them back.

I also agree with the post that says Madisons shows are relying too much on the tradition of the corps to carry them through the design process. While it may connect emotionally with the audience, its not connecting to the judges on the sheets. Until that balance can be found, Madison is going to stay in the 8-10 range.

Edited August 4, 2013 by GREENBLUE

[GREENBLUE]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, The Madison Scouts have become a caricature of themselves; trying so hard to have the image and the show designs of the glorious Scouts of the past that it has become almost stale and comical.

I preach all the time about the lack of individual identity in modern drum corps; but the Scouts have taken that individual identity to the extreme and have not evolved. That's why they are where they are.

Totally agree with this.

In 2010, with a new design staff it was great to see the corps back in finals and use their history/tradition to get there.

Since then I feel we've been seeing a "best of" show from them.

It would be great in 2014 to see the corps move In a new direction. A corps can retain its identity without using drill and music that made them popular in the past.

It would be great to see them go back to their jazz roots, but with a current modern twist.