lovindrumcorps Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 I always struggle with the whole "it's politics" thing. I'd like to think that the judging community, regardless of circuit, is filled with people of integrity...people who will not consider anything beyond the show of the day. Is that realistic? I don't know. I do think the "it's politics" argument gets bandied around a lot more than it probably should, and usually only by members/staff/fans of a corps that didn't do well, for whatever reason. Do I think some corps get the benefit of the doubt sometimes? Yes, I do. I think it happened at Wildwood, at least by a couple of judges. Is it right? No. If DCA does find politically motivated judges, I'd like to think they'd be sent packing post haste. This reminds me of a story from a critique a few band seasons ago (Jeff and I were on the same panel that night). A band director comes into the critique and starts laying into me and another music judge. Irate director: "You guys must really hate me. You slammed us, and it's all politics!" Me: "Who are you again?" I think with the low number of corps in DCA, I'm pretty sure this guy knows the people who will be slamming him at the critique. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Keep in mind the DCA adjudicators are kept on at the pleasure of the member corps. They're voted on. Anyone who would be suspected of being a 'homer' or have 'an agenda' would pretty likely get voted out. Something that I would guess was started back in 1964 from reading discussions about things like this at DCA's beginning and talking to those who were around at the time. It was a pretty big deal back then, and also now that the DCA member corps felt comfortable as to who was judging them and that they were fair. Also, DCA has tried pretty hard over the decades to find good people from all over regionally from my observation, and retain very good people from many different judging associations in part to try and get the best people and to make sure that member corps aren't worried about being overwhelmed by a certain slant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VOReason Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 And of course, leave it up to the Cab homers...who after having their heads handed to them for the better part of a decade, FINALLY hand the Bucs their first regular season loss since 2005, and all the homers can do is ##### about how Cabs got hosed in percussion. It's politics I tell you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Ok, yea, two different things. Your snare example isn't a tear, it's just a small section timing error, and obviously within the percussion judge's preview. But when you have the percussion section spread out, he cannot talk about timing issues across the battery (there are some exceptions, based on form and stage) or ever discuss pit to battery timing or balance. When the brass judge was on the field, the same rules applied. Frankly, I'm glad DCA took the brass judge off the field last year. No, he won't hear the down and dirty stuff, but the trade off is that he's able to hear and consider brass balance and brass ensemble timing. And credit things happening in orchestration that he'd never hear from the field. Ironically, "Field Brass" was judged up in the box in the early-mid 90's in DCA. No brass people were ever on the field back then. Good thing it's come full circle. Given DCA's philosophy emphasizing the whole "intrigue and engagement" issue, you wont get "intrigued and engaged" in that kind of way trying to keep from getting clocked in the head by the corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Keep in mind the DCA adjudicators are kept on at the pleasure of the member corps. They're voted on. Anyone who would be suspected of being a 'homer' or have 'an agenda' would pretty likely get voted out. Something that I would guess was started back in 1964 from reading discussions about things like this at DCA's beginning and talking to those who were around at the time. It was a pretty big deal back then, and also now that the DCA member corps felt comfortable as to who was judging them and that they were fair. Also, DCA has tried pretty hard over the decades to find good people from all over regionally from my observation, and retain very good people from many different judging associations in part to try and get the best people and to make sure that member corps aren't worried about being overwhelmed by a certain slant. the big thing at the beginning and through all of my time was you had to be separated from any " senior " corps for at least a year. but i will say there were a lot of ex cabs and sky judging. things happened. 1972 DCA was a big cluster ####. it was the worst judging in all my years. it was so political. and people were thrown out after that. then things started to get a little better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyDCyanks Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 (edited) And of course, leave it up to the Cab homers...who after having their heads handed to them for the better part of a decade, FINALLY hand the Bucs their first regular season loss since 2005, and all the homers can do is ##### about how Cabs got hosed in percussion. It's politics I tell you!! Actually im pretty sure the percussion caption was brought up only after an obvious Bucs homer questioned the Music Ensemble scores... And leave it to people on the board to complain about actual discussion and intrigue during a drum corps season. I for one love the excitement for this season. You could tell at the Grand Prix that there was much more enthusiastic crowd than years past. Edited July 16, 2014 by JerseyDCyanks 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Reference to Don's comment about separation from being a corps staff or member, I think now it's at least 2 years away from a DCA corps involvement. Been that way I think since at least the '90's. I can't really think of anyone offhand on a DCA panel of late who's really been working with anyone within the past 5 years let alone 2, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grenadasmoothie Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 And of course, leave it up to the Cab homers...who after having their heads handed to them for the better part of a decade, FINALLY hand the Bucs their first regular season loss since 2005, and all the homers can do is ##### about how Cabs got hosed in percussion. It's politics I tell you!!You DO realize all the discussion about the judging began with someone suggesting that Bucs got hosed in ME, right? Nevermind, that would take away much of your justification for getting in a dig at Cabs fans. Anyway, maybe BOTH judges in question simply scored it as they saw it. Is it Secaucus show day yet :-) ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 Reference to Don's comment about separation from being a corps staff or member, I think now it's at least 2 years away from a DCA corps involvement. Been that way I think since at least the '90's. I can't really think of anyone offhand on a DCA panel of late who's really been working with anyone within the past 5 years let alone 2, though. 2 years is even better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donincardona Posted July 16, 2014 Share Posted July 16, 2014 You DO realize all the discussion about the judging began with someone suggesting that Bucs got hosed in ME, right? Nevermind, that would take away much of your justification for getting in a dig at Cabs fans. Anyway, maybe BOTH judges in question simply scored it as they saw it. Is it Secaucus show day yet :-) ? things happen. judges make mistakes. it all comes out in the wash. if somebody hosed a corps in this era , trust me it ain't gonna happen again. let" see what happens this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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