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An observation of Drum Corps fans


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My guess it depends on the show and people in attendance as to how friendly the other fans are. I go to shows on my own as well as with others and usually have conversations with other fans I do not know. Usually the conversation starts when someone who has never attended a show has a question and I have a pretty good working knowledge of drum corps as well as a wealth of trivial information. There are some who are somewhat snobby and elitists, but that's life. I do find concession stands to be the best place for random conversations.

Now at souvenir booths, some are far more outgoing than others. If the Boston Crusaders souvie booth is at a show, stop by, they love talking drum corps if they are not busy. Bluecoats often have very friendly people who take customer service seriously. Troopers love chatting too. A few that will remain nameless need to remember they are not doing you a favor by letting you buy their goods and the proper response to a compliment about the corps' performance is thank-you.

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I have noticed more of those who think they will march the next season, or the next, or the next, acting as if they have some supreme insight, or are better than others. My experiences have been positive, and I always enjoy talking to people as well, especially at Prelims night Finals week.

Side note: Yes it does help if you are an alumni of a corps, and are lucky enough to sit next to an alumni that you did, or didn't, march with in said corps.

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Splooie - a member/alum of that corps would have to fill you in. Mostly corps keep that stuff internal...some of it is for public consumption, most isn't. I don't know, and have several Cavie alums that are friends and I never asked.

Also, from the Urban Dictionary:

"Splooie" was the name of Jim Jones’ (Troopers) pet goat which Don Warren accidentally burned with his cigar after a show in Casper, Wyoming in 1971. The goat reacted by relieving its bladder on Don’s shoes, and Jim Jones made a comment something like “That’s the end of the Cavaliers, Warren!” It appeared that either Jones or the goat hexed the Corps, and this led to several years of wandering in the drum corps wilderness in the 70’s and through the mid 80’s. The Cavaliers started hollering Splooie to try to break the hex, but it was unsuccessful until the Trooper’s home show in July 1986 when the Troopers finally felt some pangs of regret and treated Don W. to a hamburger for lunch. Unbeknownst to Don the burger was made of goat meat. (Not Splooie; she had passed on in ’73) That seemed to break the hex and the Cavaliers slowly climbed out of their double digit DCI placements. The tradition of yelling Splooie lives on as a tribute to the men who kept the corps going with sometimes entertaining (but not high scoring) shows in those intervening years.

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Why do I feel like I just had a brew in Cheers with Cliff???

Sorry, Kevin. I couldn't resist...it was WAAAYYYY too easy. :silly:

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Why do I feel like I just had a brew in Cheers with Cliff???

Sorry, Kevin. I couldn't resist...it was WAAAYYYY too easy. :silly:

Whille Cliff did march a corps BITD...... forget the name but in the northeast IIRC

And going back a bit more so did Chuck (The Rifleman) Connors (RIP). Channel on my cable system keeps showing old westerns and wonder if ol Chuck spun his Bari like he did the rifle in the show (freakin' Bari players :tounge2: )

Edited by JimF-LowBari
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I hope he was as accurate with the spit valve.

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Lowenbrau or Sam Adams would be my choice. You can have the stogies!

Ah Lowenbrau.... Haven't seen that in eons.... Me, Shiner, Shiner Black or New Castle Brown Ale.... The only good thing about Guiness is all the World Records
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The only good thing about Guiness is all the World Records

I've had a few Guinness over the years, ( 'love it, if its quality ) but regrettably was never in serious contention for setting a World Record for it. Theres been lots better in the World than me. In my travels to the Old Sod, I've sadly found that I'm pretty much a rank amateur re. the Guinness as a matter of fact. As for the other world records that Guinness records, they pale to the Ale records, by comparison, imo.

Edited by BRASSO
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You might wish to skip the friendly discourse in the bathroom line (and most certainly in the lavatorial setting itself). For some, that is simply wayyyy too much an infringement of their personal space.

Heh. Last night I actually told a corps director, while in the restroom, that I enjoyed his corps' show. But he was already talking to someone else, so it didn't feel like a breach of decorum.

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