Madison Scouts 2018

[JAZZER]

3 hours ago, Rufus67 said:

Well, I expected this kind of reaction this morning from the Negative Nancies and got it. You all have a nice rest of the season as I'm done reading the vomitous bile you see fit to spew here on the DCP boards. I'll simply leave you with a couple of questions:

1. Has your complaining changed anything with the Scouts now or in the past?
2. Does complaining make you feel any better?
3. Do you think your complaining makes any reader feel better or more informed?

If you answered "No" to any of those questions I'd suggest you turn the mirror on yourself rather than the current administration, show designers, instructional staff, or marching members. I'm not talking about your "right" to complain, mind you, simply the efficacy of it.

Good day to you all and hope you find some peace.

“What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. Don’t complain.”  ― Maya Angelou

 

[Florida Sun]

10 minutes ago, Hrothgar15 said:

Predicting 15th or 16th place.

if there lucky .so many things going against them.

[Jeff Ream]

3 hours ago, Slingerland said:

I'm not a Madison alum,  just an interested observer, but yes, my point was that their alums have the power to make change, if they really want to do it. Their corps could be debt free and capable of making new investments in personnel if their alums really wanted to make them so.

It sounds simple because it is. 500 of their alums donating $1,000 in new support this summer, then re-committing to that level of support for a few more years would be a significant game changer.

But if they launched that type of call, they might find out that they don't really have 500 alums who are that invested in their competitive success, in which case, they do fall back on "it's about the experience", and maybe for them, as an organization, that IS what it's about now - and there's nothing inherently wrong about that. But the competitive elements of the drum corps activity are tied to ability to recruit top talent, on the field and on the staff roster, and staff, at least, involves spending money.

look at cadets. after the craziness this spring, one of their first acts to get alumni re-engaged. They raised $20k in 3 days, and continue to work programs to get alumni back involved and feel involved.

[Jeff Ream]

1 hour ago, xandandl said:

Flattery will get you everywhere.  Ha, ha.

 

 

 

(Actually, I too had the same feeling yesterday while reading this thread.)

hey i always rooted for maroon in spite of that person. I've always rooted for Madison, but starting to see more and more similarities every day ( before the april bomb dropped anyway)

Edited June 29, 2018 by Jeff Ream

[xandandl]

Just now, Jeff Ream said:

hey i always rotted for maroon in spite of that person. I've always rooted for Madison, but starting to see more and more similarities every day ( before the april bomb dropped anyway)

???

[Jeff Ream]

3 minutes ago, xandandl said:

???

i corrected the typo

[queenanne_1536]

10 hours ago, N.E. Brigand said:

Is this what the Madison fans sounded like in 1989 when the corps dropped from 1st to 7th?

I marched in 1989 and no. Not even close. Madison was close to Cavies, Star, BD and Cadets in quarterfinals. In a highly competitive year with a great top 7, they got 7th. FAR cry from "hoping" to place 12th.

[Mad75]

4 hours ago, Slingerland said:

Not being flip,  but bring money. A lot of money.

Boston's move from barely making finals in 2016 to being 6th in 2017 was presaged with a cash bomb that allowed them to go out and hire away some of the top staff and designers in the business. Scouts have some good folks behind the scenes, but are lacking a proven talent as Program Coordinator, someone who's played in the big leagues and knows how to win. With the organization's finances being 'constrained' (let's put it that way), it's not realistic that they have the resources to go out and spend what it takes get a top talent PC (or alternatively, spend big on top name instructors who'll be bringing their members from other corps), but that's what it takes these days.

To be fair to the board and admin, if they don't have the resources provided by their alums and supporters, there's not much they can do to fix the situation. Just being on the road in World Class costs $1m plus these days, I'm talking about money available above and outside the basic costs of being in business. So, to an extent, it goes back to their alums: if winning is important, what are they willing to do to make sure that their org is in a position to do it?

I'm not arguing with/against anyone, just laying out what the map really looks like. If Madison wants to upgrade the staff (which is the first step toward moving in a different direction), it starts with money, and that's something that is totally within their alum's control.

Why would you tell anyone to throw good money at bad?  It's the old, let's continue to do the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome...definition of insanity!  Remove the cancer...Replace with astounding leadership and THAN watch what your money will bring you!

[Slingerland]

1 hour ago, Mad75 said:

Why would you tell anyone to throw good money at bad?  It's the old, let's continue to do the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome...definition of insanity!  Remove the cancer...Replace with astounding leadership and THAN watch what your money will bring you!

Flip it around, and look at it like a business decision. Let's say the alums from the 70s and 80s and 90s want to turn the corps around; they essentially want a hostile takeover of the corps. If you're on the corps Board, the first thing you're going to ask is "ok, where's your money to support all these grand plans you have?" 
 

And if the answer it "we don't have it, but we will if you move out of the way", you can count on them ignoring you, since the world is filled with people who bluster and threaten and promise great things and turn out to be nothing MORE than bluster and threats.

Put together half a mil in a money bomb that can be deposited into the corps' account on the first day you take charge and show that you have a team together who can not just talk about the future but handle, from the get go, the daily and monthly management of the organization, and maybe they'll listen to you. You'd be surprised to find out how relieved the Board might be to hand it over to you, since being on the BOD of a cash-poor non-profit is about the least amount of fun a person can have.
 

 

Edited June 29, 2018 by Slingerland

[Tim K]

4 hours ago, Slingerland said:

Not being flip,  but bring money. A lot of money.

Boston's move from barely making finals in 2016 to being 6th in 2017 was presaged with a cash bomb that allowed them to go out and hire away some of the top staff and designers in the business. Scouts have some good folks behind the scenes, but are lacking a proven talent as Program Coordinator, someone who's played in the big leagues and knows how to win. With the organization's finances being 'constrained' (let's put it that way), it's not realistic that they have the resources to go out and spend what it takes get a top talent PC (or alternatively, spend big on top name instructors who'll be bringing their members from other corps), but that's what it takes these days.

To be fair to the board and admin, if they don't have the resources provided by their alums and supporters, there's not much they can do to fix the situation. Just being on the road in World Class costs $1m plus these days, I'm talking about money available above and outside the basic costs of being in business. So, to an extent, it goes back to their alums: if winning is important, what are they willing to do to make sure that their org is in a position to do it?

I'm not arguing with/against anyone, just laying out what the map really looks like. If Madison wants to upgrade the staff (which is the first step toward moving in a different direction), it starts with money, and that's something that is totally within their alum's control.

You have some valid points, but I would like to clarify a few things.

I said in an earlier post that Madison could learn lessons from Boston Crusaders, but BAC did not simply receive large donations that allowed them to hire staff. Yes, they received major contributions and yes they hired great staff people. However,  prior to major donations, lots of things happened.  Smaller donors were groomed. Alums were encouraged to get on board. There was a tightening of how the corps was managed. This goes back a number of years. It is my understanding that there are some well to do individuals who have given to Boston Crusaders and I have no idea of what motivated them to give. I know there are corporate donors too. Corporate donors in most cases will not give to a drum corps to win a title. They will give to a well run organization that will use the funds appropriately. 

If Madison wants to do what Boston Crusaders has done, it needs to start where they started, which means listen to people with vision, get a plan together, and work towards it.