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Now see, I don't ever remember getting that kind of yelling in BD. Downey, Moxley, and the rest were very good at getting to the point in a conversational tone and normal language...but with all the disapproval of screaming their lungs out and swearing.

Absolutely. I remember watching BD for years on tour and noting how level headed and professional their staff was, always. They also had the cream of the crop in member talent which I'm sure helped keep things a little more sane.

But, it seems to be part of the culture. I once quit a staff because one of the instructors kept going off on members like a marine corps drill sergeant and the kids were really quite young and it was just totally inappropriate. I asked the BOD and the director to do something about it and when they wouldn't, I made it clear that it was "he goes or I go." I went.

It still goes on today. I was watching a fairly prominent corps rehearse a few years ago and the staff was so condescending that I just had to leave. The corps director is a great friend I've known for 30+ years and I was shocked to see that he let that go on. It just made me sick to think that kids were spending thousands of dollars to be abused in that way. Every one of those kids was putting out everything they had and the staff treated them like meat. It's no wonder some corps can never quite get over the hump competitively. They would all do well to watch a BD rehearsal and learn how it's done.

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The Rutgers coach took lessons from my 1970's drum corps instructors.

Some of the older posters on here that follow college football will recall this event :

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Some of the older posters on here that follow college football will recall this event :

Was at college then and lot of "Oh give him another chance" columns and letters going out. Forgetting how many "other chances" WH had. Been a few decades and thought I saw another incident like this with WH on New Years Eve 1975(?). Kicker was the network carrying the game didn't have instant replay on the camera that caught almost a carbon copy of this clip. Except WH threw a quick punch and the opposing player kinda shook his head and walked away before anyone realized what happened. I think..... But can still see a friend looking at me and asking "Did you see what I saw".

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Was at college then and lot of "Oh give him another chance" columns and letters going out. Forgetting how many "other chances" WH had. Been a few decades and thought I saw another incident like this with WH on New Years Eve 1975(?). Kicker was the network carrying the game didn't have instant replay on the camera that caught almost a carbon copy of this clip. Except WH threw a quick punch and the opposing player kinda shook his head and walked away before anyone realized what happened. I think..... But can still see a friend looking at me and asking "Did you see what I saw".

It was so surreal to see a college coach go and punch an opposing star linebacker player in the face as we saw in this clip. It would be like an Executive Director of a DCI World Class corps punching an opposing Corps brass soloist in the face along the sidelines as the Corps finished their show and were off the field and moving toward the stadium tunnel. That'd be weirder than weird.

After Woody Hayes clocked the Clemson player, Hayes was finished as Coach with that impulsive move. The look on Hayes face immediately after he threw the punch tells us he knew it was curtains for him after that sucker punch of his too. Hayes was older than dirt when he did this... but thats still no excuse for something as out of control violent as that.

Edited by BRASSO
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When I saw the Rutgers tape, I quickly remembered a very, very famous drill designer who was let go from one now defunct World Class contender because he swore and hit a kid in practice. Wrong then, wrong now. But another world class corps gave him a second chance and they went on to win several championships and change drum corps drill history forever before the designer moved to a third World Class medalist. He learned, he repented, he grew.

My hope is that the same happens for the dismissed coach. My other hope is that the new AD and administration of Rutgers will allow a drum corps contest and marching band competition in their great stadium. Like Syracuse U who prohibits summer drum corps from the Dome, Rutgers isn't nice to drum corps most years.

This year USBands is holding the NJ State Champs at Rutgers 10/19 and 10/20. Maybe they listened to you already! :smile:/>

You are right...they have been historically...or is it hysterically...marching/music UNfriendly.

As for the thread...

I do not recall our staffs ever going over the top on us, in any of the three corps I belonged to when I marched, from 64-72. As well, when I was teaching two GSC corps in the mid-70's, none of our staff was verbally or physically violent either.

Edited by MikeD
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I was a marching instructor for drum corps 71-79 and a winter guard instructor (most years) 72-88. I was tough; but the kids kept coming back to the next rehearsal!

Asked a few former marching members a few years ago. 'Was I too tough on you?' Some said 'Are you kidding me Linda, Drum Corps and Winter Guard was the best!'

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Now see, I don't ever remember getting that kind of yelling in BD. Downey, Moxley, and the rest were very good at getting to the point in a conversational tone and normal language...but with all the disapproval of screaming their lungs out and swearing.

Yea when Float arrived. I'll tell you about getting hit a few times and yelled at by some of the instructors back in the 70's. Then Float showed up and taught them group dynamics. he changed the face of drum corps in many ways!

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Isn't that the truth! Screamed at,yelled at, and kicked in the butt.

Discipline at it's finest. LOL

You know, you're right. Hate to admit it, as I may not always have been the most sanguine of instructors.Good thing for me you couldn't abuse the Hurricanes because they would simply shoot you and bury your body.

If they liked you.

Otherwise they'd leave it for the gulls.

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You know, you're right. Hate to admit it, as I may not always have been the most sanguine of instructors.Good thing for me you couldn't abuse the Hurricanes because they would simply shoot you and bury your body.

If they liked you.

Otherwise they'd leave it for the gulls.

LOL, and my first thought was Sky....

Westshore had a lot of youngin's, nothing physical but yelling with obscenities back and forth was the norm when things got tense. But... that's the way we handled it so by the end of the day no hard feelings as long as the corps got better.

"What the #### are you doing? That looks like ####"

"What the #### am I doing wrong?"

"You should be doing....."

"Oh... #####... sorry".

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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I feel fortunate for having good instructors, although I do remember one chewing us out (probably deservedly) in a parkinglot post show. He was a HS principal so he was good at yelling. :) Pepe yelled a bit too, but everyone ended up laughing because he was so funny.

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