Shuffle Off To Buffalo (TOC 8/2)

[George Dixon]

With all due respect to the Cadets guard members, and their hard work.....it is really hard to watch after being in the corps during the guard's glory years under April.

Just weird to me that they have become the weakness.

Please hire new designers.

it's important we remember this was NOT the plan

only a month before spring training Cadets unexpectedly lost their guard caption head (who last season led them to a #2 finish with a 9.7 substance and 9.8 achievement score)

the guard staff was an emergency back up plan

a few weeks before the season they were left scrambling and it was too late at that point to secure most folks as they were committed

So - that said

Cadets guard is marching a ton of vets -- now that they've stopped making rampant changes to their staging, drill and books - they do their best to make it clean and sell to the box on Thursday

A lot can get accomplished when you are vet-laden

They'll be fine.

[George Dixon]

Sadly it's really not a mystery. Just talk to any of the amazing guard foks who've been on that team and have all eventually left. It's a very, very long list.

you need to stop stirring the pot and making these vague allegations

Cadets have one of the top tenures / retention for staff in DCI

Higher than Crowns

Only slightly behind BD

It's not a "revolving door" as you seem to want to imply

In fact - guard is less a problem at Cadets than drums are at Crown

When Aungst was announced for Crown percussion I was thrilled. Now I'm wondering if he won't resign.

The staging and writing certainly isn't supporting the percussion. They are run all over the field while the brass basically parks behind the pit between the 30s for 10 minutes of a 12 minute program

So stop it - there isn't someone or something "running everyone off"

Edited August 3, 2015 by George Dixon

[jwillis35]

BD's balance is certainly their golden ticket right now. As you have mentioned - with Crown lagging in Percussion and Cadets struggling in Guard - BD's balance will mean everything!

For as long as I have been around the activity, this has been the case with BD, except for the 87 - 93 years where they did struggle with percussion and marching ex a little. But then Star of Indiana closed shop, BD brought in their marching guru (forget the name), and a new drum staff and since then it's been incredible.

You don't win 16 titles because you always have the most entertaining show, most liked show, even the best show (as judged by fans). You win 16 titles because you are in the top 2 or 3 in everything you do. Cadets and Cavaliers have had years where they could shine this way (especially 2002, 2005); but usually when Cadets, Cavaies, Star, Phantom, and Crown manage to pull out a win they have to do so with one slight weakness. I say slight because the Cadets guard does not stink. People can be over zealous and often times too critical on this board. I'd stand on my head if my college band's color guard was that good. Heck, Cadets are running 5th among some amazing guards. They are not running 25th or perhaps scoring below open class units.

Sometimes we just have to put on the breaks and take a snapshot at the bigger picture. Take a look at every corps out there aside from BD. They all have a weakness, or two, or three, or more. Very natural. The Blue Devils have been, for a long time, the model of what the best drum corps in DCI should look like. I'm not talking show style or sound or design concepts. I'm talking about the model for funding, operation, facilities, staff, admin, community and on and on. If you were to sit down and start a drum corps you would hope that at your peak you would attract the best talent, have money, volunteers, great facilities, a helpful community, the very best staff, an admin team with vision, etc. The Blue Devils are a kind of Utopia of drum corps. It's the perfect community. They do have advantages, all of which they have worked for, and they skillfully use those advantages and never take anything for granted.

When BD wins I do not count how many or reflect on an imbalance of their title number to the other corps. I simply say to myself "that is the best of DCI, and it's great to see the other competitors doing so well against them." Sometimes those competitors win a few, but even when they don't there is nothing to be ashamed of when losing to BD...whether it's by a tenth, a point, or more.

Having said all that, I still think Crown is going to pull this one out. (hehe).

[Plan9]

For as long as I have been around the activity, this has been the case with BD, except for the 87 - 93 years where they did struggle with percussion and marching ex a little. But then Star of Indiana closed shop, BD brought in their marching guru (forget the name), and a new drum staff and since then it's been incredible.

You don't win 16 titles because you always have the most entertaining show, most liked show, even the best show (as judged by fans). You win 16 titles because you are in the top 2 or 3 in everything you do. Cadets and Cavaliers have had years where they could shine this way (especially 2002, 2005); but usually when Cadets, Cavaies, Star, Phantom, and Crown manage to pull out a win they have to do so with one slight weakness. I say slight because the Cadets guard does not stink. People can be over zealous and often times too critical on this board. I'd stand on my head if my college band's color guard was that good. Heck, Cadets are running 5th among some amazing guards. They are not running 25th or perhaps scoring below open class units.

Sometimes we just have to put on the breaks and take a snapshot at the bigger picture. Take a look at every corps out there aside from BD. They all have a weakness, or two, or three, or more. Very natural. The Blue Devils have been, for a long time, the model of what the best drum corps in DCI should look like. I'm not talking show style or sound or design concepts. I'm talking about the model for funding, operation, facilities, staff, admin, community and on and on. If you were to sit down and start a drum corps you would hope that at your peak you would attract the best talent, have money, volunteers, great facilities, a helpful community, the very best staff, an admin team with vision, etc. The Blue Devils are a kind of Utopia of drum corps. It's the perfect community. They do have advantages, all of which they have worked for, and they skillfully use those advantages and never take anything for granted.

When BD wins I do not count how many or reflect on an imbalance of their title number to the other corps. I simply say to myself "that is the best of DCI, and it's great to see the other competitors doing so well against them." Sometimes those competitors win a few, but even when they don't there is nothing to be ashamed of when losing to BD...whether it's by a tenth, a point, or more.

Having said all that, I still think Crown is going to pull this one out. (hehe).

Bravo Zulu!

Edited August 3, 2015 by Plan9

[corpsband]

you need to stop stirring the pot and making these vague allegations

Cadets have one of the top tenures / retention for staff in DCI

Higher than Crowns

Only slightly behind BD

It's not a "revolving door" as you seem to want to imply

In fact - guard is less a problem at Cadets than drums are at Crown

When Aungst was announced for Crown percussion I was thrilled. Now I'm wondering if he won't resign.

The staging and writing certainly isn't supporting the percussion. They are run all over the field while the brass basically parks behind the pit between the 30s for 10 minutes of a 12 minute program

So stop it - there isn't someone or something "running everyone off"

I stand by my assertion. It was probably the best guard staff in all of DCI. And with a single exception (Greg -- and he only writes the flag book now) they are entirely gone. That's all I said. Not sure why you bring up Crown or any of the rest of your message. Just looks to me like you're trying to start an argument. No thanks. I've had my fill of your duplicity for the season. Maybe next year.

Edited August 3, 2015 by corpsband

[George Dixon]

I stand by my assertion. It was probably the best guard staff in all of DCI. And with a single exception (Greg -- and he only writes the flag book now) they are entirely gone. That's all I said. Not sure why you bring up Crown or any of the rest of your message. Just looks to me like you're trying to start an argument. No thanks. I've had my fill of your duplicity for the season. Maybe next year.

you can stand by it - but you're wrong

I brought up Crown as an example of your hypocrisy. It is what it is

Cadets don't "churn" through staff. Never had. It's a fact. You suggesting otherwise is just wrong.

[corpsband]

you can stand by it - but you're wrong

I brought up Crown as an example of your hypocrisy. It is what it is

Cadets don't "churn" through staff. Never had. It's a fact. You suggesting otherwise is just wrong.

I only mentioned the guard staff. Didn't say anything at all about the rest of the captions. Why are you trying to put words in my mouth? And it's perfectly clear why you brought up Crown. I'm out.

[DrumManTx]

I think we all just need to...........hug. Cmon.

:big hug:

End of the season, getting tense. It's close. Let's not be salty and play nice.

[corpsband]

I think we all just need to...........hug. Cmon.

:big hug:

End of the season, getting tense. It's close. Let's not be salty and play nice.

Sorry. I kill-filed him. I shouldn't have read his post. And now I won't have to :-)

[Everyfan]

For as long as I have been around the activity, this has been the case with BD, except for the 87 - 93 years where they did struggle with percussion and marching ex a little. But then Star of Indiana closed shop, BD brought in their marching guru (forget the name), and a new drum staff and since then it's been incredible.

You're thinking of Todd Ryan. He is a genius with regards to visual execution.