Scores..."where everything is made up and the points don't mat

[seniorcoolio]

Staff members always tell the corps at the beginning of the season to not pay attention or even look at the scores from the performance. If it's one thing I have found in the years that I marched, after the show, nearly all corps members are on their phones constantly updating dci.org/scores to view what they received regardless if they were told not to. The score is then yelled out throughout the bus echoing itself down and up the aisles to either the members' dismay or satisfaction.

Granted, everyone will remember their finals/semifinals/prelims score. It is the cap-off of the season and probably some of the more enjoyable parts of the summer. I remember my finals scores well and can recall how well the performance went. On the flip side, scores during midseason are, from my experience and others alike, completely forgotten in the grand scheme of things. At the time they are announced, they possess a superficial monumental importance to each member regardless of the stance on the matter.: a) 'I don't care about the scores' (but secretly does) or b) I care about the scores and try to better myself from each judgment.

Again, in the long run these midseason scores are typically forgotten This constant bashing of oneself during the season because of what a gentlemen (or woman) says in a green shirt is unhealthy to the psyche to not only the individual marcher but to the corps. Allowing the scores to sway how a performer acts on and off the field is against one of the most repeated statements ingrained in the brain of anyone who has marched a competitive DCI corps which is "don't change your approach."

My point is to not get wrapped up in scores during the season as a performing member. Most of the things that are remembered are centered around the people you were with. There are far too many speculations about where a drum corps should be or shouldn't be placement wise and this should not have any influence on the actual marching student.

To you who are embarking on the journey starting in November in marching with a corps, remember why you wanted to be in DCI in the first place.

-seniorcoolio

[Stu]

Staff members always tell the corps at the beginning of the season to not pay attention or even look at the scores from the performance.

Regiment rehearsal this past summer; staff members were telling the performers over the loud speaker system during full ensemble, rather curtly I might add, about the need to get the recent change executed correctly so that they could punch into the 90’s and jump ahead of some other corps. Is that what you are referring to about how staff does ‘not’ want performers to know the scores?

This constant bashing of oneself during the season because of what a gentlemen (or woman) says in a green shirt is unhealthy to the psyche to not only the individual marcher but to the corps.

As it applies to ‘bashing’ oneself I agree that is unhealthy; however as it applies to utilizing scores after every show to evaluate performance standards and motivate oneself to get better through competition I say that is extremely healthy to the psyche.

scores during midseason are, from my experience and others alike, completely forgotten in the grand scheme of things. At the time they are announced, they possess a superficial monumental importance to each member regardless of the stance on the matter.:

Midseason Scores are far from being superficial. For example, while the Boston Red Sox players more than likely do not remember the score from a specific game played in June, the result from that game was not superficial but helped propel them into the World Series in October.

Allowing the scores to sway how a performer acts on and off the field is against one of the most repeated statements ingrained in the brain of anyone who has marched a competitive DCI corps which is "don't change your approach."

a) This statement of yours is rather oxymoronic. You claim DCI is a ‘competition’ yet you do not want the scores to influence the performance aspects of the competitors. Take scoring and competition out of the equation and I will agree with you; otherwise DCI 'is a competitive activity' and scoring does, and should, influence performance. and b) Drum Corps members, at the direction of the staff, change their approach to a plethora of things after every performance in a constant battle to improve scoring so I whole heartily disagree about ‘do not change your approach’.

My point is to not get wrapped up in scores during the season as a performing member. Most of the things that are remembered are centered around the people you were with. There are far too many speculations about where a drum corps should be or shouldn't be placement wise and this should not have any influence on the actual marching student.

If competition is not important then why keep score? While I agree that you will remember and cherish the people you spend your time with (well not some, but most ha, ha) I promise you that those who have went undefeated throughout an entire season also cherish that extraordinary feat in a very deep manner.

To you who are embarking on the journey starting in November in marching with a corps, remember why you wanted to be in DCI in the first place.

And to anyone reading this who desires the thrill of competition along with the possibility of winning the ring, and that is why you wanted to be a part of DCI in the first place, 'that' is ok too!!!!

Edited October 24, 2013 by Stu

[Daave]

I believe that the scores have a direct consequence in placement payouts too. As it has been explained to me, the performance payouts for next year are based on the placements from this year. The difference between Blue Stars and Troopers is a chunk of change based on competitive placement and scores.

The boards of directors and management of these two corps (as an example) might beg to differ with the OP not to pay attention to scores. While it might be ok to have that frame of mind with the performers, one should remember those other consequences... intended or not.

[Michael Boo]

The most important score any corps will ever receive is the most recent one, until the next one is announced.

[garfield]

I appreciate the sentimentality of "scores don't matter" or, to paraphrase George: Scores don't matter because after every season of trying to attain high scores, we start off at zero the following year. (I, personally, don't get his rationale) But, in real life, the sentiment runs up against plain human nature that isn't squelched by de-emphasizing scores.

In the Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA) contest results are awared as names, such as "Outstanding" or "Superior". The kids are always happy to get the highest "score" of Superior, but the moment they get off the field until the last competitor has finished, they are waiting for their actual, numerical score, when it's announced on the bus. They're happy to get a "Superior", but they're exstatic to know they "beat" their competitor.

It's the same as human nature: "You can turn the stripes on a zebra horizontal, but it's still a zebra."

Kids want to know who the winner is. Of every show. Every time.

Edited October 24, 2013 by garfield

[vanguard87]

Scores are a proxy for excellence. In the end, excellence is what everybody really cares about--not the score. The score is like the MacGuffin in a movie. The heroes and villains are obsessed with the microfilm (or letters of transit, or the ark of the covenant, or whatever) but actually that object of desire doesn't matter at all. However, take away the MacGuffin and you have no movie. In addition, when you're baking in the sun in hour 5 of ensemble, it's much easier to be motivated by the score than by the desire for excellence.

All of this is fine so long as the score is an accurate indicator of excellence. When it's not, it's a huge problem, and underscores a flaw in drum corps and other types of art competition. Since there is no truly objective way of measuring the outcome (objective in the sense of a finish line to cross or a home plate to get to ahead of the throw, not objective in the sense of the "objective" tick system, which was hardly objective), there's room for dispute. Exacerbating this is the fact that corps in the same tier are more tightly bunched in excellence than ever before (IMO). And thus you get endless dispute on DCP.

[Stu]

Scores are a proxy for excellence. In the end, excellence is what everybody really cares about--not the score. The score is like the MacGuffin in a movie. The heroes and villains are obsessed with the microfilm (or letters of transit, or the ark of the covenant, or whatever) but actually that object of desire doesn't matter at all. However, take away the MacGuffin and you have no movie. In addition, when you're baking in the sun in hour 5 of ensemble, it's much easier to be motivated by the score than by the desire for excellence.

All of this is fine so long as the score is an accurate indicator of excellence. When it's not, it's a huge problem, and underscores a flaw in drum corps and other types of art competition. Since there is no truly objective way of measuring the outcome (objective in the sense of a finish line to cross or a home plate to get to ahead of the throw, not objective in the sense of the "objective" tick system, which was hardly objective), there's room for dispute. Exacerbating this is the fact that corps in the same tier are more tightly bunched in excellence than ever before (IMO). And thus you get endless dispute on DCP.

The tick system was not objective but still subjective, it was still a person's opinion on what constituted as a tickable offense. But even though DCI scoring is subjective no mater ther system it is still a compitition, just like Olympic Ice Dancing is a competition, and in competition scoring and rankings do matter; winning the gold does matter. Unless...... since you claim it is all about ‘excellence’, not scores, it would therefore have been fine, great, and fabulous for you, the Vanguard members, the Vanguard staff, and the Vanguard Alum in 1989 at the DCI Finals for the announcement to have been “Here are the corps which were deemed Excellent, in no particular order: Bluecoats; Madison Scouts; Freelancers; Velvet Knights; Suncoast Sound; Crossmen; Santa Clara Vanguard; Star of Indiana; Cadets; Blue Devils; Phantom Regiment; and The Cavaliers”.

[Pete Freedman]

"You can turn the stripes on a zebra horizontal, but it's still a zebra."

I defy you to turn a zebra's stripes horizontal.

By the time you're done, it won't a zebra anymore because it will be hamburger.

[Plan9]

I appreciate the sentimentality of "scores don't matter" or, to paraphrase George: Scores don't matter because after every season of trying to attain high scores, we start off at zero the following year. (I, personally, don't get his rationale) But, in real life, the sentiment runs up against plain human nature that isn't squelched by de-emphasizing scores.

In the Ohio Music Educators Association (OMEA) contest results are awared as names, such as "Outstanding" or "Superior". The kids are always happy to get the highest "score" of Superior, but the moment they get off the field until the last competitor has finished, they are waiting for their actual, numerical score, when it's announced on the bus. They're happy to get a "Superior", but they're exstatic to know they "beat" their competitor.

It's the same as human nature: "You can turn the stripes on a zebra horizontal, but it's still a zebra."

Kids want to know who the winner is. Of every show. Every time.

How judgemental of you!

And technically speaking ....if you turn the stripes on a Zebra horizontal....you would have an Okapi!

[skevinp]

Couldn't you just rotate the whole zebra?