2019 Madison Scouts!

[Jeff Ream]

Just now, tesmusic said:

It's the UW Madison band director who is retiring at the end of the year.

oh cool ok

[tesmusic]

24 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

oh cool ok

He's been there for years. It'll be interesting to see who fills the void.

[HockeyDad]

25 minutes ago, tesmusic said:

It's the UW Madison band director who is retiring at the end of the year.

Michael Leckrone. Now in his 50th (!!) and final year as director of the University of Wisconsin marching band

[Tim K]

3 hours ago, rpbobcat said:

The question I have is,procedurally ,is there even a mechanism  to force either the BoD or Director out ?

For years people wanted to get GH out,but couldn't get anywhere.

Even when the problems with GH surfaced,the BoD resisted.

If, what was posted here was correct,it was only when they were faced with the collapse of

YEA that  the BoD relented.

 

Most organizations should have some kind of charter or governing document that gives the director authority and the board authority. While a board having too much authority or a director having too much authority should be avoided and a checks and balances system should be in place, it’s not uncommon for one to be more powerful than another. In general it seems as if you have three major issues regarding directors: they get too powerful and their authority is expanded as times goes on, a second is the director has been in too long and becomes ineffective and perhaps even a danger, and a third is plain incompetence. With boards, the problems tend to be they are simply rubber stamps, they yield authority but have no idea what they are doing even if their intentions are good, or they have too much control of the purse strings high can lead to power issues. 

With drum corps, an observation I have made, especially in the past ten years or so when I’ve been watching and discussing governance and boards with all sorts of people in a variety of areas, each corps has its own way of governing. I think this is why board/director discussions come up so often, and why the arguments can get heated. How often do we hear “The board should fire the director of Corps X” but they might not have the authority where as at Corps Y the board has the authority. 

 

[HockeyDad]

You guys keep moving the goal posts on me. That's ok but Tes if you want me to stop responding, stop changing the argument (not referring to you specifically just explaining why I keep responding).  A comparison to Colts, PC, etc. I find to be, with all due respect, not what the Scouts organization should be aspiring to. They are two time DCI champions. They should be aiming higher.  But I guess you think not. That's ok, we all get to share opinions here. You won't change mine. I won't change yours. 

[swmstom]

If change in instructional/design staff is all the change we get, and it works for the better, then I'll be good.

 With that said, the new arranger and his jazz background is leading to a thought that The Men will do jazz this summer. I'm typically not a huge fan of jazz shows under one condition. If Scouts do jazz...please please please at least give us some raunchy, dirty, filthy-style big-band jazz. No happy toe-tappin stuff. I want to feel like I need a shower. Ha ha. Maynard, Connick, even some Buble stuff like "Feeling Good".  

 Just my two cents.

[Roark1]

1 hour ago, HockeyDad said:

Michael Leckrone. Now in his 50th (!!) and final year as director of the University of Wisconsin marching band

I marched for Mike! Eat A Rock!

[Jeff Ream]

32 minutes ago, HockeyDad said:

You guys keep moving the goal posts on me. That's ok but Tes if you want me to stop responding, stop changing the argument (not referring to you specifically just explaining why I keep responding).  A comparison to Colts, PC, etc. I find to be, with all due respect, not what the Scouts organization should be aspiring to. They are two time DCI champions. They should be aiming higher.  But I guess you think not. That's ok, we all get to share opinions here. You won't change mine. I won't change yours. 

You fail to take into consideration some other factors:

For years Madison was part of the big 6/7....and now others have upped their game and there's no guaranteed slot. So you want to use history but history changes, as Cadets can attest to. In fact, the only corps that can consistently lay claim to being top 3 in DCI's history is BD.

 

now has recent competitive success been a roll of the dice? yes. Part of it is the Madison culture itself......do we appease alumni, the current system, or walk that fine line of doing both? You cannot lay all of that on their feet. Several part of it yes, but not all of it. 

 

 

[Mad75]

4 hours ago, tesmusic said:

They're overhauling the design and instructional staff with strong individuals, as well as more to be named I'm sure, so changes are being made. Are CK and DP still in charge, yes, but things are being done. Must you keep calling for the same thing. The BOD has decided to keep these 2 great men in their positions, so any further talk on that matter is simply beating the horse that you have already done, have you got a new record to put on, or will each and every post you make for the next year simply call for their removal? You're clearly not happy with anything the corps is doing, so why even bother yourself with this thread? Is it an ego thing? I simply don't understand your constant comment.

Tesmusic, You're either being purposely misleading, disingenuous, or you simply do not have your facts in check.  As much as you continue to laud the praises and pull out the pom-poms for CK and DP and herald their "ruler-ship", It's been communicated that their roles have been changed/curtailed.  CK is NO LONGER in charge of the product on the field for the Scouts...And, this is hopefully the change that has been desperately required!  I realize this is probably a hard pill for you to swallow...But, the Scouts deserve success, not sub par leaders.

[cixelsyd]

52 minutes ago, HockeyDad said:

A comparison to Colts, PC, etc. I find to be, with all due respect, not what the Scouts organization should be aspiring to. They are two time DCI champions. They should be aiming higher.  

That is the problem when enough champions accumulate over time. 

In the current lineup, we have eight DCI champions, another two-time national champion (Troopers), two national/world runner-ups (Boston and Blue Stars), and three more corps with 20 or more finalist years each (Blue Knights, Crossmen, Spirit).  I imagine all 14 of those corps aim to make top 12.  But two will inevitably miss.  No one is so special that they are exempt from that possibility.  And IMO, therefore no one should be so rash as to move past firing entire design/instructional staffs and take out the entire administration/BOD too, just because today there are 12 momentarily higher-scoring corps than them.

Quote

But I guess you think not. That's ok, we all get to share opinions here. You won't change mine. I won't change yours. 

Probably not.  I can lead a dead horse to water, but I cannot stop you from beating it.