Troopers 2014

[MikeD]

Here's one big thing that happened: Propserie thinks Troopers have a 19th-place drum line. He had a lot of lines to arrange on the sheets yesterday, to be sure, but he dropped their percussion content and achievement scores to a number they haven't seen since San Antonio. If "content" is supposed to mean anything -- if there is any objective basis to it at all -- then it defies reason that the compositional elements of the music Troopers are playing would have actually regressed. Hey, if their cont/ach scores of 80/77 at prelims are legit, then don't give them 80/78 at the first regional of the year.

Yes, it's about the placements and spreads, not the interior points. But if the interior numbers are meaningless, why go through the trouble of creating them at all? Why subject the members to the insult of a prelims score that's lower than the scores they were getting weeks ago?

Maybe it was a bad run last night. The members know when they're on and when they're off, and the reports from the front are that the drum line had their best performance of the season Thursday. So they look at the sheets and find out that no, actually, they were worse than they were in San Antonio. No matter how large the grain of salt you take with the scores, that is a gut-punch.

If they're just supposed to ignore that and shrug it all off and worry instead about placements, then fine, the judges should simply announce placements after the shows, not scores.

Maybe the percussion did have a bad run...JP had them over a bunch of the lines at Allentown that they ended up below at prelims.

[Tone Quality Matters]

Stepping into the Troopers thread to say that I love your show TROOP! Keep doing what you are doing. One of the finest shows on the field this summer, period.

Thanks to each member for a great show!

[MisterA]

For those of you following this thread I'd welcome your opinion:

As I watched the show last night I honestly felt (and I realize I'm a bit biased) that the Troopers simply sounded bigger and more mature than both the Colts or the Crossmen.

At the show last night, I feel like the top 12 are set. Crossmen should be at least 2 points ahead of anyone below them at this point. There is a huge gap in perormance level between 12th and 13th at this point. On that next level you have about 4-5 corps that should probably be within about a point of each other. Very nice shows, but each one has major weaknesses. Colts in 13th hide their beautiful hornline behind way too much narration. Spirit started out very rough this year, but have turned it into a very nice show. Judges seem to have a hard time forgiving early season issues with lower placing corps. Troopers have another bland show, but performed failry well. Oregon Crusaders got a very late start, but have really come on strong with a great show, and Academy has bounced back well after last year. I would also have to say Crest is extremely underrated at this point. It is easy to see why each of these corps is having caption placements between 12th and 21st place. Depending on the runs this afternoon I could see Troopers placing anywhere from 13th to 17th. Given their record of being overscored 4 out of the last 5 seasons, my guess is the will end up in 13th this year. In fact I would almost be money on it. Put me down for Troopers in 13th with Colts, Spirit, Oregon and Academy rounding out the top 17 in that order.

[2muchcoffeeman]

Troopers have another bland show, but performed failry well.

Hey, to each his own. But I wonder how "bland" a show is when the crowd is on its feet before the show is even over.

[GUARDLING]

Hey, to each his own. But I wonder how "bland" a show is when the crowd is on its feet before the show is even over.

and this is why an audience should never decide an outcome. People stand for many reasons, that a corps was that good, that they want them in and not out, that they have alot of fans, that an older corps or tradition was performing , that they may have or should have been in a previous year, that they were better than last year, That they performed their heart out. that their butts hurt and need to stand..lol

All good reasons BUT the only good one for scoring was the 1st I mentioned ( that they were just that good ) but were others? Just because one corps improves people think the others were just sitting around. I know it sucks BUT thats the nature of competition. Many of todays non finalist might have been in the top 10 other years.

[Wadep66]

Or that they stood up because they were playing "America the beautiful" and many feel they should stand out of respect?

I love the Troopers show this year. I'm hopeful they make it back into the top 10.

[2muchcoffeeman]

and this is why an audience should never decide an outcome.

No argument here, and I never suggested as much. Of course all corps are getting better; no one stands still. Yet the fact that the Troop Perc 1 score (as an example) is not merely lower than Allentown but lower than San Antonio while all other corps in the same neighborhood received higher scores just doesn't stand to reason. Maybe Troop's drum run yesterday was off (though the report from the corps says otherwise), there's no way it was that off.

[jbeatty89]

Hey, to each his own. But I wonder how "bland" a show is when the crowd is on its feet before the show is even over.

To be fair the moment where the crowd stands is particularly effective. It's without a doubt the most exciting part of the show. I think their cologuard is really fun to watch as well. I just find parts of the show especially the start just a bit slow. I don't think the design or perfomance is ahead of Crossmen, However I fully expect them to beat Colts tonight.

[GUARDLING]

No argument here, and I never suggested as much. Of course all corps are getting better; no one stands still. Yet the fact that the Troop Perc 1 score (as an example) is not merely lower than Allentown but lower than San Antonio while all other corps in the same neighborhood received higher scores just doesn't stand to reason. Maybe Troop's drum run yesterday was off (though the report from the corps says otherwise), there's no way it was that off.

I wont begin to understand the percussion side, I could for visual, guard and Brass but NEVER percussion...lol...and I agree with you but could it be the rate of improvement of others? Great scores drive the top #s up could it possibly be on the other side of the spectrum could there be a way to drive a number down. Although we all think everyone does improve ( or like to think so ) BUT sometimes , especially in lower spots corps can sore ahead, stall or even drop. I'm not saying it's the case with troopers BUT it really isn't unusual that sometimes a corps or a section stalls and they reached their personal peak and then start to drop a bit. Who knows, BUT I will tell you I have enjoyed some of the troopers shows more than the show that sent them to finals and IMO better shows , better excellence. Unfortunately so are other corps that may or may not have been part of the game before.

[troopers1]

We were down nearly a combined point to Colts in GE last night. So, bad drum score aside, I have to ask why the differential in GE scores? It's a serious question, because i haven't seen Colts this season.