Cascades...49.500?

[Ghost]

Looks like he worked on Xbox 360 and then Zune. Xbox 360 has been a success in the market, but hasn't made Microsoft any money. Zune was a complete failure...

That said, I don't think working as a mid-level exec in a huge corporation has any bearing one way or the other on his ability to run a drum corps successfully. Wildly different financial situations and skill set requirements. He may be great, he may not.

I believe that no matter what an organization/company does or makes, all the top dogs have to do is really know how to manage people.

[Randy Lamon]

This is just a thought. Would the Cascades be better off right now competing in Open Class until they are stronger? I don't know what effect the scores are having on the morale of the corps.

I have though this for the last two years. They would be a competitive corps in the open class. I really think that it is not in their best interests to remain in World Class, when they really can’t compete on that level. I’m not trying to knock them as a corps, I just think that they have clearly struggled, in the last few years, to get members on the field. I think it would be a better experience for the members to compete in a class that they can be successful in. Once they stabilize and get some numbers, they can return. The Oregon Crusaders have a tremendous recruiting advantage, since they have been getting better and better over the last few years, including winning the Open Class championships last year. Even while they had to completely start over, when, their director and majority of their staff, left for the Cascades a few years ago. They also had to deal with the members leaving, as well, to join their former instructors with the Cascades. Many people in Oregon were bitter with the Cascades, feeling that they took the Crusaders staff and members out from under them. I also believed that the former Crusaders staff, felt that I they could bring the Cascades back to be a DCI finalist corps. When they failed to crack the top 12, the members felt that they failed and did not return. Many felt that the, former Crusaders staff, wrecked the Crusaders and the Cascades. That is a lot of water under the bridge now and hopefully, people can let that go. Crusaders have since put together a strong team. The have a much better organization than they had when Mike Leone was in charge. Hopefully the Cascades will build in the coming years and emerge, once again as a Northwest powerhouse. The Crusaders and the Northwest could use some regional competition. We really have not had that since the seventies, when there was a couple dozen corps in the Pacific Northwest.

[ShortAndFast]

I have though this for the last two years. They would be a competitive corps in the open class. I really think that it is not in their best interests to remain in World Class, when they really can’t compete on that level. I’m not trying to knock them as a corps, I just think that they have clearly struggled, in the last few years, to get members on the field. I think it would be a better experience for the members to compete in a class that they can be successful in. Once they stabilize and get some numbers, they can return. The Oregon Crusaders have a tremendous recruiting advantage, since they have been getting better and better over the last few years, including winning the Open Class championships last year. Even while they had to completely start over, when, their director and majority of their staff, left for the Cascades a few years ago. They also had to deal with the members leaving, as well, to join their former instructors with the Cascades. Many people in Oregon were bitter with the Cascades, feeling that they took the Crusaders staff and members out from under them. I also believed that the former Crusaders staff, felt that I they could bring the Cascades back to be a DCI finalist corps. When they failed to crack the top 12, the members felt that they failed and did not return. Many felt that the, former Crusaders staff, wrecked the Crusaders and the Cascades. That is a lot of water under the bridge now and hopefully, people can let that go. Crusaders have since put together a strong team. The have a much better organization than they had when Mike Leone was in charge. Hopefully the Cascades will build in the coming years and emerge, once again as a Northwest powerhouse. The Crusaders and the Northwest could use some regional competition. We really have not had that since the seventies, when there was a couple dozen corps in the Pacific Northwest.

In terms of performance level, they're certainly better matched with open class. But there's a strong financial incentive (and probably some recruitment advantages) to stay in WC once you're there, regardless of your performance level.

I hope the Cascades will get things figured out. Oregon Crusaders are doing fantastic work right now, but I feel that the Northwest could probably support more than one strong corps.

[copyright]

No WC corps would ever choose to declare open class in order to be more competitive.

I see a lot of promise in Cascades program alone so they have the right vehicle.

[cixelsyd]

More important than any of our opinions - what do the members want? If for example, those 35 horn players all want to compete in open class and/or tour less, and there are 15 more brass ready to join in that event, then they should look into that option. But if most of the current members are there for the world class experience, then they should stay the course.

[Randy Lamon]

Honestly, with so few corps, I don’t see a need for two different divisions. It would work out better for the corps, like the Cascades that have to perform after corps that, may be in Open class, but are bigger and performing at a higher level. You would perform in the order of your current placement, and not divided by division. I think it would be easier for the judges as well, since that are not comparing apples to oranges. All on the same sheets and judged on the same scale.

[BOSMarcher]

Honestly, with so few corps, I don’t see a need for two different divisions. It would work out better for the corps, like the Cascades that have to perform after corps that, may be in Open class, but are bigger and performing at a higher level. You would perform in the order of your current placement, and not divided by division. I think it would be easier for the judges as well, since that are not comparing apples to oranges. All on the same sheets and judged on the same scale.

Yeah, but the classes give Open Class corps the chance to be competitive with groups who are on a much smaller touring model than their World Class counterparts. If you put them all together, there is only so long members can hadle hearing that they have come in 9th place (at local shows) and 30th place (if championships were together). It works the way it is because the Open Class groups get a chance to place in their "Top 5" before going and trying to make World Class semis.

[OC Euph]

If the kids joining were looking to be more competitive, They have plenty of options this year. They are in the Cascades because they want to be. Not too far away they have Thunder in Open class, who are doing pretty well this year, and obviously the Crusaders are doing pretty well respectfully. I am proud of the Cascades members who are marching. It's hard to stay positive with the numbers against you.

[DrumManTx]

All I have to say is that they're out there doing it this summer and I'm not. I don't really have any room to say anything about them. Regardless of where you march, it's better than staying home all summer. Have a good rest of 2013 Cascades!

[luv4corps]

There is not a lot of talent to go around in the NW, but Oregon having a solid 50 members more than Cascades is nuts. I do not know why they are unable to recruit. That's on the current staff. My jaw dropped when I saw how small they were last year, especially after seeing how Oregon had grown. They've had the advantage of being the NW's only World Class group for the last five years, now that's gone.

I have to chime in here, as I am a music educator in the NW. I don't think we have a lack of talent here. What the NW, and specifically, Oregon suffers from is lack of support for music education, which has a huge effect on drum corps, obviously. I work for one of the flagship marching/symphonic band school districts in the state and this past year, we lost almost half of our music FTE. In other words, full time band programs in LARGE schools went to half time. It was pitiful. Regional solo and ensemble contests had big empty slots on the schedule. With the passing of a levy, my district will be in slightly better shape next year, but only slightly. There is no shortage of untapped talent in the NW, but how are you going to get at it when music funding is so unstable? When you think of how poorly funded our music programs are in the state, it's a wonder we can field a WC corps at all! Good on OC and the Cascades! (I don't know much about Washington public school music funding, so am only speaking to Oregon's dearth of support for music in schools).

It should also be noted that in general, symphonic band is a bigger deal in this area than marching band.

My two cents.

Edited July 9, 2013 by luv4corps