George Hopkins response to the critics

[2000Cadet]

He can keep a public diary of his bowel movements, it's a free country. Doesn't make it a good idea.

Half the stuff people put on Facebook, or on the internet for that matter, doesn't make it a good idea. But you still don't have to read it.

[Big Adam]

I don't know why I feel the need to comment, maybe it's cause my head is loopy from writing a thousand band shows right now. But Jeff Ream is right if it were any other corps there would never be nine pages about this.

Spin it any way you want to but when after that score is announced it's chaos, at 11:00 at night they are turning in instruments, uniforms, finally getting to hug their families, saying bye to their friends, cleaning their bus seat, running to the airport, it's insane. Many kids are starting their band camps Monday they get a day of rest or travel and then they are right back into the real world. So I would want to get out of there in a hurry too.

I feel like every person in drum corps knew that the Coats were going to beat the Cadets, everyone loves that underdog story especially in DCI. George has certainly been around enough to know that it was going to happen, he's had it happen to him and he's done it to others. I would have said the same things the members, in fact I have said those things to teams I've coached. I appreciate George's honesty and realism. I would bet a dollar that Gibbs maybe had the same talk with his team in 08.

As far as the Cadets professionalism on retreat, I loved it. They can grow beards, they can take selfies in uniforms, they can step of on the left foot for all I care as an alumnus but the one thing I love is how disciplined they are standing on retreat. Sure we didn't get to see the fireworks or the end of the year video but for me my favorite moment of all time in my drum corps career was when they announced with a score of 99.15.... The Cadets...... I wanted to jumped up and down and go nuts but it was so cool to just stand there and to hear the people around me fighting back their emotion too, our horn sergeant turns around to call us to attention and all I can see if the corners of his mouth crack the smallest smile ever because for me that moment summed up my entire time spent at the Cadets. Maybe you know what I mean maybe you don't. But that's the experience I joined that corps for.

Like I said I'm not sure why I'm posting this because I know it probably doesn't matter to most on here but I guess the George bashing just grows so old.... even when people try to compliment the guy it's always backhanded. He's done so much for so many in this activity and nobody ever cuts him some slack for thirty years he's inspired so many that came through those doors and helped so many people realize their potential. You want a fun fact there are atleast 12 people on the Bluecoats current staff that either marched Cadets or were designers/caption heads for them, so George must be doing a lot more right than most people think.

[barigirl78]

The Cadets did the exact same thing in 2013. The field was given to Crown and literally 2-3 minutes later, Cadets are on the move out never once breaking rank the whole time. People didn't notice because of the different circumstances this year.

I respect the Cadets so much because of traditions like this!

They also weren't right next to the winning corps and not as visible in the video coverage. As I said earlier in the thread, a lot of this bad PR happened because of an unfortunate camera angle.

[2000Cadet]

I'm going to take George H. at his word on this for a few reasons, one being he is nothing if not honest, and actually many criticize that he is too honest and speaks too much. This does not sound like made up PR. Second, his explanation does sound rather "Cadet-tish" and while Cadets may not want to steal the thunder of the corps that won, it did appear to be sour grapes last Saturday because it appeared to be abrupt. I do not recall it being that way in 2013. The truth and the appearance may be different, but in a non-profit appearance is extremely important and you never know what will hurt in the eyes of donors. It will not hurt recruitment, and it will not hurt as far as next year's show is concerned, but it does hurt as far as PR is concerned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rggbW2LJcg

Around 40:59...bottom left corner of the screen.

[garfield]

I'm convinced George Hopkins could turn water into wine and people would ##### that he did it during a drought.

Is this Stu?

Anyone seen him?

Is this the wolf in sheep's clothing?

[Rifuarian]

I totally understand the need to control the length of retreat, but this is one tradition that I always miss. I always found it very classy that the various groups saluted/played to the champion, and a good way for each corps to show some of identity as they left the field for the final time.

Personally I find the "<champion>, the field is yours" > mass chaos > 30 minutes of announcer pleading with kids to get off the field > staff members tossing lots of crap to the sidelines > champion's performance to be pretty lame as an audience member. I feel like DCI could do better, even with the time constraints at LOS.

Pretty much agree with this. I feel like all the milling around takes just as long as saluting the champion ever did. And instituting an abbreviated version could make things pretty fast (no more than a minute of playing from each saluting corps). No antics, no drama, no fuss, no muss. You can hug outside instead of slowing things down inside.

[Lincoln]

So what will next year's perceived crisis be? It seems that there are people who need to have a yearly crisis.

Edited August 12, 2014 by Lincoln

[Nachfolger Christi]

Excellent points and post, Big Adam.

[Tommeee]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skb81d8zo2U

Here's an oldie but a goody from 1987. First Blue Devils, then SCV, play to Garfield before exiting the field. Added bonuses include Tom Float wandering around in his own orbit talking smack to Garfield's drums, as well as SCV's center snare expressing his emotion after a long season.

You also can see several BD members walk over to shake hands, and a few Cadets step forward to do likewise. And for good reason. Standing in the center of BD's horn arc getting your face peeled off was a dream come true. We all clapped politely when they were done -- when what I really wanted to do was jump about ten feet in the air with my arms extended screaming "DEVILS!! F*** YEAH!!!"

That is so cool! I want more videos like this!

[whitedawn]

I can't believe (actually, given that this is DCP, I CAN believe) that this is a topic.

I personally was the person in charge of getting the Cadets off the field after Finals retreat in two different seasons. Here is the truth:

The Cadets have left the field immediately after scores were announced at every show, in every non-winning season since 1998, which is the last season that corps played themselves off.

It goes like this:

• Final score announced
• DM returns to block
• "Listen up, Cadets: CORPS TEN HUT!"
• Corps comes to attention
• "Listen up, Cadets: Turning to your right in four. One two ready move."
• Corps turns 180 degrees to its right
• DM walks to the back of the block and leads the corps off the back of the field, walking out of time.

This takes ~3 minutes. It has literally NOTHING to do with any other corps. It's the Cadets being the Cadets.

It's just like when corps used to leave things on the field after retreat -- notes, shoes, etc. The Cadets left nothing.

It's just like when corps wear medals from other seasons on retreat. The Cadets don't.

It's just like when corps wear championship rings over their gloves. The Cadets don't.

It isn't about George. It isn't good. It isn't bad. It's just the Cadets being the Cadets.