Blue Knights 2016

[DrumManTx]

I think they're on a serious trend upwards, and are getting pretty hot, but top 3 is pretty ambitious, especially considering that score wise, all of them were pretty close to winning in 2015. BD pulled their win on finals night, Crown led, and Bluecoats seriously sneaked up on finals night. If they're really good again and keep improving, I could see them pulling 5th only if one of the corps above them falters some or BK out improves someones growth, which we won't know until we see the shows. 4th is a long shot.

To me, this is where it gets hard to keep moving up in placement, there have been a lot of corps that will get to about 5th - 8th after trending upwards, and that's about as far as they get. Glassmen in 1998 - 2001, Boston in 2000 and again in 2002 - 2003, Blue Knights in 1999 - 2000, Blue Stars in 2008 - 2010, Boston again in 2009 - 2012, and the list goes on. I'm definitely not saying it's impossible, and like I've said in the past, their past two shows are incredibly distinct and have characteristics that indicate they could not just fizzle out like a lot of corps do in this range, but it's going to be a lot harder to break into that upper echlon than it should be.

Also, you've got a few things going on below them. I'd argue that Phantom had about the same level of performance/show as 2014 in 2015, Cavaliers had a pretty down year, Boston a little bit of a down year, Blue Stars a down year, and Madison the only one below them in the top 12 that I'd say had an improved year in 2015. I seriously doubt that that'll happen again, pretty much all of them made huge staff changes in areas that hurt them the most in 2015 and maintained what was working. I'm thinking of 2 - 3 three I'm predicting will be back in the game to seriously move up.

So you have 5 incredible corps above them, and then a lot that had an ok season in 2015. Unless something big happens, I don't see anyone above them falling a lot, and I sure don't see the ones below them having a bit of a slow year again. There is a lot going on around them. However, ALL of that is out of their control.

So in short, it's going to be really hard to break into that top 5, though they were starting to snip at SCV in GE and get close in music. To me they need to seriously up their visual game and guard, both solid, but both the obvious caption weakness in 2014 and 2015. All it takes though, is the right show, a dedicated membership, and the stars aligning for something pretty magical to happen. I'd seriously welcome and enjoy BK breaking into that upper tier, and kinda want it to! There needs to be a new face up there. I'll put it this way, if anyone can do it, it's BK and their totally unorthodox approach to show pacing, understated but powerful arranging, LUSH brass, amazing percussion, and just overall show vibe that can do it. I'm not saying they can't do it, it'd just be pretty unprecedented and shake things up which can be a good thing.

Edited April 24, 2016 by DrumManTx

[wesleyrp]

I will say nothing more than this- they have no weakness in any section. All are an upgrade from a year ago. Likely to be a special year for them. We'll see, lots of corps upping their games I'm sure.

[BRASSO]

Its April. I've yet to ever meet anyone in any previous year that thinks their favorite Corps in April won't be better than the previous season. Sometimes they are better in MM talent, but the adults gave them a dud of a visual design, so they actually suffer placement slide. Other times, the MM talent overall is not as experienced or as good as the previous year, but the adults gave them a better Visual design, and so surprise, surprise, they actually rise in score and placements the following season.

[phd-student-TTU]

I'm looking forward to them taking it up a notch this year. Great design team. Noticed last year and the year before that guard book/performance didn't match that of the rest of the corps. Would like to seem them bring it more.

[drumcorpsfever]

Its April. I've yet to ever meet anyone in any previous year that thinks their favorite Corps in April won't be better than the previous season. Sometimes they are better in MM talent, but the adults gave them a dud of a visual design, so they actually suffer placement slide. Other times, the MM talent overall is not as experienced or as good as the previous year, but the adults gave them a better Visual design, and so surprise, surprise, they actually rise in score and placements the following season.

That may be true. But it also speaks volumes to the passion that most of us feel for our chosen corps(s). And, overall, one could make the argument that the performance levels continue to grow - as hard as it may be to achieve, they continue to do it. That's one of the reasons we love this activity so much.

[BRASSO]

Bruckner ( long time DCP poster.. not on here of late however ) several years ago had a theory called " Competitive Inertia" that initially I poo pooed. However, as a follow up, I looked at his data research in more detail that he utilized and lo and behold it became quite evident then to me that he had compelling evidence, backed up with solid historical data from 1975 onward, that his theory had considerable validity, imo.

In essence, his principal theory is that a Corps that has not medaled yet in DCI, can not win a DCI Title until medaling before in some previous year. it would not be unprecedented from a Corps that has never mnedaled before to to go from 7th or 6th to medal a following season also, but its only been done twice in 40 years of DCI scoring and placements... so it is rare. But its the quest that counts. So I applaud all the Corps that up to now have not done so, to continue to pursue that quest. Besides, records are made to be broken.

Edited April 26, 2016 by BRASSO

[Tobias]

I will say nothing more than this- they have no weakness in any section. All are an upgrade from a year ago. Likely to be a special year for them. We'll see, lots of corps upping their games I'm sure.

Nothing is impossible and they were my third favorite last season BUT it gets very very competitive at the top. Look at the 4th place corps last year winning brass, almost winning percussion and in 4th. I do think BK needs to come out and be very strong and then the following year anything is possible. I wish then the best. 2015 was so great for them. Loved loved loved them!!

[BRASSO]

Prior to the 1950's, just about every medical scientist, Medical Research University, and established Physicians at that time in the world believed that it would be impossible for any human being to run a sub 4 minute mile. The world wide medical community believed almost universally that such a runner's heart could not take such a strain, nor could their heart, lungs, legs, etc permit a human to run this fast.

But a 20'ish student in medical school in the early 50's... a brilliant fellow.. looked at the medical studies on this, and saw a challenge. He was an accomplished short distance runner, did well in college track meets, so he set out to prove the so called other " medical experts " about what a human is capable of to be wrong. So this medical student trained long and hard, and ran. And ran some more. Then on May 6th, 1956, he did what most all considered " impossible " for a human being. He ran a competitive race with others.. won it... and broke the 4 minute mile barrier in the process. After becoming the 1st human to ever run a mile in under 4 minutes, when reporters asked him why the medical community said that what he just did would be impossible.. he simply replied " They do not know me, nor do they know what I am capable of. Only God and I know what I am capable of ". Dr. Roger Bannister later became a highly successful skilled Surgeon in the UK. I share this short story not only for BK, but for all the DCI Corps where us " experts " are telling them of what they are" capable of", and not "capable of".

Edited April 26, 2016 by BRASSO

[Tobias]

In the 20's, 30's, 40's and early 50's, just about every medical scientist and established physician at that time in the world believed that it would be impossible for any human to run a sub 4 minute mile. The medical community believed almost universally that such a runner's heart could not take such a strain, nor could their heart, lungs, legs, etc permit a human to run this fast.

But a 20'ish student in medical school at the time... a brilliant fellow.. looked at the medical studies on this, and saw a challenge. He was an accomplished short distance runner, so he set out to prove the so called other " medical experts " about what a human is capable of to be wrong. So this medical student trained ong and hard, and ran. And ran some more. He then broke the 4 minute mile record. After doing so, when reporters asked him why the medical community said that what he just did would be impossible.. he simply replied " They do not know me, nor do they know what I am capable of. Only God and I know what I am capable of ". Dr. Roger Bannister later became a highly successful surgeon in the UK. I share this short story not only for BK, but for all the DCI Corps where us " experts " are telling them of what they are capable of.

Agreed but I think the process of climbing the DCI ladder doesn't come after one strong season. If you look at the rise of Crown, (7, 4, 2, 4, 4, 2, 1) it was a process braking into that top 3 and staying. Bluecoats last two seasons (2,3) were more successful since they didn't have a caption weakness like Crown did with percussion but this was after many seasons in the 5-6 place rankings and they always had pretty solid captions

[wesleyrp]

Nothing is impossible and they were my third favorite last season BUT it gets very very competitive at the top. Look at the 4th place corps last year winning brass, almost winning percussion and in 4th. I do think BK needs to come out and be very strong and then the following year anything is possible. I wish then the best. 2015 was so great for them. Loved loved loved them!!

Interesting. Not being snarky but I'm not picking them top 3, just that this year could be special. The Bluecoats in 07-08 were special in my mind even though they placed 7th. I'm not sure BK has to have a certain placement to have a special year. A second top 6 year would be special, and a top 4-5 placement would be awesome. But I think their talent and show design production skyrocketing upward make for a truly special season in the making :) Sorry, me saying special could be taken a lot of ways. Just wanted to clarify and make things clear as mud.