corpsband Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 1 minute ago, DrumManTx said: Since Blue Stars once again seem to be a favorite to drop out of finals, I'll say why I think they'll maintain or move up in placement. - Consistency and Improvement in Most Areas Outside of a shotty visual program in 2015 (which was fast corrected and well improved in 2016) they're either improving or maintaining in everything else every year since they missed finals in 2012. Percussion has been IMO the best and most consistent in the sub 6th grouping for a few years and despite their writers (not caption head) leaving I don't see that changing much at all, doesn't seem to have effected their vets in that section too much. Color Guard consistently has the most challenging book in their range every year, just a matter of if it gets clean enough (2014, 2016) or not (2015) to get credit. Brass has been improving leaps and bounds since Dr. Miller arrived in 2015 and I don't see that stopping. They've transformed their approach to their brass sound in two years without a hiccup. - Design Team has a Well Proven Track Record in Recent Years Normally new arrangers/designers and the departure of someone like Richard Saucedo would have me cautious/scared but Sullivan/Ford/Shapiro have been working together for years, and not just since their Blue Stars shows from the late 2000s to 2011, they're still working together VERY well at Tarpon Springs creating some of the most difficult and complex things you'll see from a high school. They'll work together fantastically I'm sure. - Best Season in Years in 2016 Yes they placed the same as they did in 2014, but as a whole their season in 2016 was much stronger. In 2014 they spent pretty much all year outside of finals week where they moved past Boston Crusaders into 9th at 10th or so. 2016 they were fighting Phantom Regiment and Blue Knights for 7th pretty much all season up until finals week when those two finally pulled away some. They just as easily could have placed their highest in a VERY long time as they did 9th. That said it's not impossible for them to miss finals, but baring an absolute melt down in design which I do not see happening I think they'll be just fine in 2017. I think pushing them out is the only way some people can get Madison in 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Just now, corpsband said: I think pushing them out is the only way some people can get Madison in Last time I checked George isn't a Madison Scouts guy but you said it not me... I'm not upset/offended/mad/saying it's impossible for them to be left out but I'm just on the opposite end of that. The Academy has the most to prove in 2017 IMO, they were probably my favorite show last year but there is lots of stuff going on down in that range including them. It's gonna be a dogfight of fantastic shows once again. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Just now, DrumManTx said: Last time I checked George isn't a Madison Scouts guy but you said it not me... I'm not upset/offended/mad/saying it's impossible for them to be left out but I'm just on the opposite end of that. The Academy has the most to prove in 2017 IMO, they were probably my favorite show last year but there is lots of stuff going on down in that range including them. It's gonna be a dogfight of fantastic shows once again. I don't see Academy or Xmen dropping out. In fact I think Xmen will advance. It's going to be a tough year to break into finals. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Just now, corpsband said: I don't see Academy or Xmen dropping out. In fact I think Xmen will advance. It's going to be a tough year to break into finals. Neither do I, my top 12 for 2017 right now is exactly the same as it was for 2016. Not same order of course but I haven't seen anything that makes me think otherwise yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 I'm all for Madison Scouts breaking in and taking finals back by storm, I absolutely loved them in 2015. I listen to that show all the time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 1 minute ago, DrumManTx said: Neither do I, my top 12 for 2017 right now is exactly the same as it was for 2016. Not same order of course but I haven't seen anything that makes me think otherwise yet. Maybe 12th place is volatile. But I suspect that 10,11,12,13 is going to be a grouping - NOT 12,13,14,15. Finalists are all getting so good it makes your head spin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrumManTx Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 Just now, corpsband said: Maybe 12th place is volatile. But I suspect that 10,11,12,13 is going to be a grouping - NOT 12,13,14,15. Finalists are all getting so good it makes your head spin. I have a feeling too that'll be about right. I don't see Madison Scouts dropping anymore, visual team they hired absolutely knows their stuff. Troopers are a big question mark for me right now, I hate that Snyder had to leave (though I am VERY excited for Oregon Crusaders!) and I'm still not sold on what they're doing visually. I'm not sold on the direction Colts went last year. I think performance wise they're fine but not sure about the direction they took design wise. I think Mandarins and Oregon Crusaders are poised to make a jump up but I don't think it's to fighting for finals just yet. Should be fun. An even bigger cluster f.....ight is 17 or so down. I have absolutely no idea what to do down there especially now with Genesis thrown in the mix. I have good feelings about the Cascades, Pacific Crest, and Genesis though in particular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 9 minutes ago, DrumManTx said: I'm all for Madison Scouts breaking in and taking finals back by storm, I absolutely loved them in 2015. I listen to that show all the time. Me too. I think my prediction post had them squeaking in. Of course you never know what you're gonna hear in the static. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirdcoast Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 I predict it is going to be Epic Per usual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 (edited) If I had to look beyond 2017 and predict a couple of currently lower placing Corps that are perhaps positioned right now to possibly move up beyond 4 placement positions in 2-3 years, I would guess A) the Boston Crusaders and B) Genesis. Boston, because of its current organizational know how and the recent addition of top tier instructional staff, show design staff...... and Genesis, because it has moved up to World Class status now and is slap dab in the middle of a state ( Texas ) that is chock full of Scholastic Marching Band staff and Texas home based future marcher talent that it can future draw upon. Edited February 18, 2017 by BRASSO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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