Fan Network 2013 Semi-Finals

[brichtimp]

You guys do realize that you aren't seeing or hearing at all what the percussion judge is, right? It's one thing to quibble with the scores that come from the box, but I wouldn't be so quick to correct the guys on the field.

I agree that Crown's percussion score is out of its normal position, but based on the rest of the judges' scores, it certainly seems like Crown had a great performance overall. And since the percussion score didn't actually change the outcome, I don't really see how it's all that relevant. It will likely go back to the usual one point spread tomorrow and you can all sleep soundly.

From my FN view of the stream, and listening through high quality Sennheiser cans, I think Crown's overall performance was easily their best this summer, especially the seamless brass and excellent guard work. I also think their battery played with high intensity...difficult to tell how dirty or clean, however. With the completely different judging panels each night, it is difficult to correlate scores from night to night; but it is not clear to me that Crown was approx 1.2 points stronger than prelims.

I thought BD had some minor flaws in a couple of exposed brass attacks, but jeez....tuning and balancing that book the way they do is a beast! And, the BD pit is flat out awesome!

Cadets are doomed by the boxes and imprecise guard work, although their percussion and brass work is for the ages, IMHO. For the sake of competition, I just hope each of the corps gives their best run tonight, and the judging panel pays no attention to what happened the previous two nights in tabulating their finals scores...just go with a clean sheet, and may the most deserving champion emerge.

Edited August 10, 2013 by brichtimp

[Shadowtron]

Fan network multicam was very well done!

[the lone ranger]

BD's program is almost as difficult, but the difficulty is way harder to appreciate? And it's cleaner anyway?

Well, according to some, the only reason was because a certain Debbie Torchia was at the helm judging tonight, but... it does match up with Prelims. Guard is an even more foreign concept to me than drums, so I'm nothing short of Joe the Plumber when it comes to judging it.

Crown should win guard tonight. But .2 each night will be a hard gap to overcome.

[mikekhs]

Am I the only one who thought BD's battery was dirty? I was side two 15 yard line 50 rows up, so I did not have Glenn's vantage point, but I thought the Devils Snare and Tenor line were dirty. Crown had dirt too for sure. Maybe it was the tuning, but there were lots of wide moments for me. Is the BD tenor kid okay? That was scary.

Mike

Bill, did you hear the same?

[Phan]

I find it really funny that some people are criticising crown fans for "gloating" and being on "a high horse." There is nothing wrong about being happy or proud of this corps' performance last night. I find it laughable that you are trying to tell me that Blue Devil's fans have never gloated/been on a high horse once in their 15 years of wins.

Both corps are great, Crown is just greater this year and the judges agreed last night. Whining about a dropped stick isn't going to change it. Just enjoy the show.

[Lincoln]

Is the BD tenor kid okay? That was scary.

What happened?

[mikekhs]

Early in the show, side two, last tenor toward the fifty went down. He did get back up and went on with life, but that could have been bad. I know he lost a stick in the process - lots of drops in semis. I thought their tom line had a bad show. Maybe he was hurt?

Mike

Bill, any idea?

[Tim K]

I have found some of the posts regarding semi's rather interesting. For one thing, I don't recall seeing a dropped drumstick by Crown or a tenor from BD going down, though a close-up shot from Fan Network could spot something so precise that would get lost when you're two levels up at Lucas Oil Stadium. As far as a BD tenor falling, with no disrespect to the show, it could have looked like part of the show which may be why I missed it. Also, I did not hear a crowd response and usually dropped equipment or certainly a person falling gets at least an "oooH." As one poster mentioned, BD's show was not quite what it was at prelims and they had a somewhat off night, but most corps would love an off night that yielded a score of 97.6.

I did not see too many overly smug Crown fans when the scores were announced and a block of Crown fans was sitting very close to me. I did not see angry Blue Devils fans either. The fact is the stadium was pretty much cleared out when scores were announced. I would say that easily more than half of the people were gone as soon as Blue Devils finished. There was more of a stir when a tie was announced between Phantom and Bluecoats. I do think there will be pandemonium if Crown wins this evening, similar to Phantom's "Spartacus." This will be due to a new champion being crowned (no pun intended, well maybe intended), a heated rivalry getting more heated, and an end to one of the most exciting seasons in years and one that has made many of us who predict find egg on our faces. If Blue Devils win, and yes they could win: they had in many people's opinion an off night, they know how to compete and I do not think the judges at finals have to support what happened at semi's as one poster suggested even if it seems that this is the case, I do think there will be rather vocal opposition to a BD win. I am no fan of "Rewrite of Spring." With "Cabaret Voltaire" I could at least be objective, but "Rewrite" seems a rehash of many of last year's elements and the jazz portions make me recall earlier Blue Devils shows with more appreciation than I expected. It's not a show that's worthy of the dumpster, and it can win, but to me, Crown's show feels like a winner and Crown has the confidence of a winner. I felt the same way last year, but as the season ended, Crown was getting more and more jittery, whereas I have not seen that this season.

However, the focus does not have to be just on Crown and BD. The tie breaking show for Phantom and Bluecoats will be interesting to watch and I still think there could be a SCV medaling show though Cadets will not be giving anything away. Has Madison had its best show already or do they have more fire? Will Cavies return to the top 7? It was expected last year but BAC had a much stringer show at finals than most people predicted and the same could happen again.. Blue Knights are closer to BAC and Madison than I thought they'd be and if last night's show had been in an open stadium rather than a dome, the results could have been different (echoing did not help them, at least in my opinion). Then their is Spirit, who has a fan favorite show and Blue Stars who want to prove they belong in finals, especially since the hearts of many were broken when Troopers came so close to returning and Crossmen who fell after returning, who I thought did an outstanding job at semi's, although if any of the 13-16th place corps had placed 12th, I would not have objected, and as far as Blue Stars are concerned, they were a class act last year when they did not place in finals, so it's great they have a spot this year.

[MikeZ]

I find it really funny that some people are criticising crown fans for "gloating" and being on "a high horse." There is nothing wrong about being happy or proud of this corps' performance last night. I find it laughable that you are trying to tell me that Blue Devil's fans have never gloated/been on a high horse once in their 15 years of wins.

Both corps are great, Crown is just greater this year and the judges agreed last night. Whining about a dropped stick isn't going to change it. Just enjoy the show.

Crown was greater last night. Who is better this year has yet to be determined.

Z

[KC4Bloo]

I have found some of the posts regarding semi's rather interesting. For one thing, I don't recall seeing a dropped drumstick by Crown or a tenor from BD going down, though a close-up shot from Fan Network could spot something so precise that would get lost when you're two levels up at Lucas Oil Stadium. As far as a BD tenor falling, with no disrespect to the show, it could have looked like part of the show which may be why I missed it. Also, I did not hear a crowd response and usually dropped equipment or certainly a person falling gets at least an "oooH." As one poster mentioned, BD's show was not quite what it was at prelims and they had a somewhat off night, but most corps would love an off night that yielded a score of 97.6.

I did not see too many overly smug Crown fans when the scores were announced and a block of Crown fans was sitting very close to me. I did not see angry Blue Devils fans either. The fact is the stadium was pretty much cleared out when scores were announced. I would say that easily more than half of the people were gone as soon as Blue Devils finished. There was more of a stir when a tie was announced between Phantom and Bluecoats. I do think there will be pandemonium if Crown wins this evening, similar to Phantom's "Spartacus." This will be due to a new champion being crowned (no pun intended, well maybe intended), a heated rivalry getting more heated, and an end to one of the most exciting seasons in years and one that has made many of us who predict find egg on our faces. If Blue Devils win, and yes they could win: they had in many people's opinion an off night, they know how to compete and I do not think the judges at finals have to support what happened at semi's as one poster suggested even if it seems that this is the case, I do think there will be rather vocal opposition to a BD win. I am no fan of "Rewrite of Spring." With "Cabaret Voltaire" I could at least be objective, but "Rewrite" seems a rehash of many of last year's elements and the jazz portions make me recall earlier Blue Devils shows with more appreciation than I expected. It's not a show that's worthy of the dumpster, and it can win, but to me, Crown's show feels like a winner and Crown has the confidence of a winner. I felt the same way last year, but as the season ended, Crown was getting more and more jittery, whereas I have not seen that this season.

However, the focus does not have to be just on Crown and BD. The tie breaking show for Phantom and Bluecoats will be interesting to watch and I still think there could be a SCV medaling show though Cadets will not be giving anything away. Has Madison had its best show already or do they have more fire? Will Cavies return to the top 7? It was expected last year but BAC had a much stringer show at finals than most people predicted and the same could happen again.. Blue Knights are closer to BAC and Madison than I thought they'd be and if last night's show had been in an open stadium rather than a dome, the results could have been different (echoing did not help them, at least in my opinion). Then their is Spirit, who has a fan favorite show and Blue Stars who want to prove they belong in finals, especially since the hearts of many were broken when Troopers came so close to returning and Crossmen who fell after returning, who I thought did an outstanding job at semi's, although if any of the 13-16th place corps had placed 12th, I would not have objected, and as far as Blue Stars are concerned, they were a class act last year when they did not place in finals, so it's great they have a spot this year.

THANK YOU! I was very close to suggesting we send out a "calling all OTHER corps fans" message (to fans of Cadets, SCV, Bluecoats, Phantom, Cavies, Scouts, BAC and anyone else who would want in)—to let Crown and Blue Devils fans just keep duking it out here while the rest of us sneak our corps past them to take the top spots. They'd never know what hit them and the timing couldn't be better. They wouldn't see us coming because they're not looking at us. They're not even thinking about anybody else. And you know our corps have the chops to do this. They don't call us all World Class for nothing. That'll show them that there are more than two corps in this thing. They are so lost in their respective testosterone-like fogs that by the time they catch on the rest of us will have aged out and left them in the dust—still going all Hatfields and McCoys on each other for eternity. You know, there might be a show design in that somewhere. Hmmm....

Edited August 10, 2013 by KC4Bloo