2017 PREDICTIONS!

[xandandl]

Adolph resigned after 2014.

https://cavaliers.org/news/cavaliers-announce-ackerson-lugo-new-leadership-team

Michael Gaines resigned as drill writer after 2011.

Did Gaines have problems with the visual design of the 2011 DCI winning A&D WC champion?

Edited September 22, 2016 by xandandl

[jpaul]

Did Gaines have problems with the visual design of the 2011 DCI winning A&D WC champion?

Not to my knowledge. From my conversations with him, it just seemed like a personal choice to focus his energy on other things than drum corps.

[cixelsyd]

Why wouldn't Bluecoats win again? Nobody is doing what they're doing. They, alone, have mastered integration of synthesized sound. Listen to their 2015 and 2016 shows, nobody is doing that. All other corps using synths are using them for stand-alone "cool" effects, or, to layer that goo under the bottom, or they are over amplified and the balance is way wrong Only Bluecoats have truly mastered the use of the synths.....for better or worse....

Additionally, they showed how soloists can be placed anywhere on the field. And, their visual explored the "Z" axis with the use of ramps. Where the other corps were living in the X and Y axes, Bluecoats used X, Y AND Z.

Bluecoats are not the only corps using the Z axis. Blue Devils, Carolina Crown, Cavaliers, Cadets, Phantom Regiment, Academy, Boston Crusaders, Madison Scouts, Troopers, Colts all had people climbing props or scaffolds.

Likewise, there are other corps placing soloists in a variety of field positions. That has been going on for nearly a century, frankly. But even the soloist-with-mic has been placed in various field positions by Blue Devils, Crown, Cavaliers, Cadets, Phantom Regiment, Boston. Additionally, Crown had theirs in motion.

[Tobias]

I'm not necessarily expecting them to drop, but I am not anticipating them in the top five. They have changed so many key leadership people who have "been" the Cadets corps approach for so long. Just hard to imagine that sort of transition happening in one offseason, especially given how competitive and innovative BD, BD, CC, SCV and perhaps now Cavaliers have been. It wouldn't shock me, given their history, to see them be back in the mix, but the huge unknown is show coordination and direction day to day, and in the age of GE, that's a big one.

Disagree. CC has lost as many key people as Cadets, in fact with the emphasis on visual, perhaps more. I see Cadets 2016 more of a blip as they attempt to modernize their concept. They assembled a very good guard staff and I think they will be mich more focused this winter on design, student preparation and technique. As far as Cavies and SCV strength, if Cadets didn't have an uncharacteristic drop, SCV and Cavies would have been 5 & 6 which has been a consistent area for them.. Edited September 23, 2016 by Tobias

[Tobias]

Not to my knowledge. From my conversations with him, it just seemed like a personal choice to focus his energy on other things than drum corps.

I read somewhere that he stated he wanted his summers back. At some point, as successful as some are, they start to look at quality of life issues. Riding around even part of the summer sleeping in staff vans can take its toll.

[skevinp]

Bluecoats are not the only corps using the Z axis. Blue Devils, Carolina Crown, Cavaliers, Cadets, Phantom Regiment, Academy, Boston Crusaders, Madison Scouts, Troopers, Colts all had people climbing props or scaffolds.

Likewise, there are other corps placing soloists in a variety of field positions. That has been going on for nearly a century, frankly. But even the soloist-with-mic has been placed in various field positions by Blue Devils, Crown, Cavaliers, Cadets, Phantom Regiment, Boston. Additionally, Crown had theirs in motion.

Yeah, but the Bluecoats didn't just place people in elevated positions. They incorporated the up and down movement into the art form itself.

[HockeyDad]

Bluecoats are not the only corps using the Z axis. Blue Devils, Carolina Crown, Cavaliers, Cadets, Phantom Regiment, Academy, Boston Crusaders, Madison Scouts, Troopers, Colts all had people climbing props or scaffolds.

Likewise, there are other corps placing soloists in a variety of field positions. That has been going on for nearly a century, frankly. But even the soloist-with-mic has been placed in various field positions by Blue Devils, Crown, Cavaliers, Cadets, Phantom Regiment, Boston. Additionally, Crown had theirs in motion.

Trying to equate these other corps to Bluecoats use of vertical is silly. They were not in the same league in terms of integration into the show, which was my point.

[cixelsyd]

Yeah, but the Bluecoats didn't just place people in elevated positions. They incorporated the up and down movement into the art form itself.

Trying to equate these other corps to Bluecoats use of vertical is silly. They were not in the same league in terms of integration into the show, which was my point.

Trying to claim that the Bluecoats own the Z axis, or that this matters in determining future DCI champions, is what I find silly.

Much of what we saw in Tilt was done by two open class corps years earlier. Blue Devils exploited vertical movement with the chairs years ago, and supporters of the corps made a huge deal over how innovative and demanding that was. Yet, BD did not retain or expand upon this idea. And is everyone else buying lawn furniture and playground equipment to join the Z axis craze? No.

Consider from where these effects are being judged. GE judges sit in the skybox. From there, marching straight forward/backward is far more of an effective movement than anything vertical. If you sit in the front row, vertical design grabs your attention. But unless the GE judges join you down there, they are not likely to experience it the same way you do.

[PamahoNow]

Trying to claim that the Bluecoats own the Z axis, or that this matters in determining future DCI champions, is what I find silly.

Much of what we saw in Tilt was done by two open class corps years earlier. Blue Devils exploited vertical movement with the chairs years ago, and supporters of the corps made a huge deal over how innovative and demanding that was. Yet, BD did not retain or expand upon this idea. And is everyone else buying lawn furniture and playground equipment to join the Z axis craze? No.

Consider from where these effects are being judged. GE judges sit in the skybox. From there, marching straight forward/backward is far more of an effective movement than anything vertical. If you sit in the front row, vertical design grabs your attention. But unless the GE judges join you down there, they are not likely to experience it the same way you do.

But it was the GE judges who "accounted for" BC's victory. What was it that they saw and how do you account for it? Maybe (just maybe) they could understand the multiple uses of the Z-axis and rewarded them. Or do you have a different theory why the GE judges rewarded the BCs consistently over the summer?

[jjeffeory]

Consider from where these effects are being judged. GE judges sit in the skybox. From there, marching straight forward/backward is far more of an effective movement than anything vertical. If you sit in the front row, vertical design grabs your attention. But unless the GE judges join you down there, they are not likely to experience it the same way you do.

I'm going to have to disagree with you. A Bunch of the marching up and down the slide sequentially was extremely effective from multiple elevations. In fact, being a little higher made it more effective.