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2019 Madison Scouts!


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I haven't enjoyed a Scouts show this much since '97. This year's Scouts are a definite throwback to the early - mid '80s and I love it. You don't hear a lot of corps using jazz chords anymore, including the Blue Devils; the Scouts have them aplenty. My favorite show, this year, is the Blue Stars; but the Madison Scouts are a very close second. 

 

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12 hours ago, DTrooper77 said:

I know the scores by themselves are disappointing, but I want to emphatically say, #### the scores. 

 

I appreciate your enthusiasm about the show and the performance, but scores matter. They matter in the financial support that a corps will receive. They matter who will see them perform since there are shows where Madison is the second corps on while people are arriving late. They matters in suvie sales because most kids in the audience will buy a shirt from a top tier corps. They matter when kids are deciding where to march next year and where to audition. Unless a kid is really talented and wants to march in Madison specifically, Scouts may draw lower tiered talent, which inhibits the level of difficulty the design team can build into a show. Which immediately slots them lower because the content is blasé. And they matter on a daily basis as the staff has to cram in as much rehearsal time as they can before getting ready for a 

I respect what you are saying about scores, but we can't kid ourselves by thinking that any corps can continue to exist if they aren't competitive. I've been a MS fan since 1975 and seeing them scheduled for a 7:27 pm step-off. Other corps will have as many as 2 1/2 additional hours of rehearsal time everyday! You can't get the corps together to rehearse after the show so the hours are very limited. There is a lot of cleaning that can be accomplished in 2 1/2 hours X # show days.

Scores matter a ton.

Edited by Gantang
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I don’t have a dog in this fight but I’ve been following along on this thread. Sorry if I missed it, but I don’t think that the podcast Dan Potter did regarding the new inclusion policy has been mentioned? Some of the topics covered are things I’ve seen people ask about, such as why the announcement was made at this odd time, issues regarding being competitive now, and benefits of this change.

 I went in very skeptical based on what I’ve read here about thoughts on the current admin and BOD but I came out of it with the sense that they are very self aware of where they are currently as an organization while trying to move forward.

Here is the link if anyone is interested. :https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-madison-scouts-new-inclusive-membership-policy/id1124069893?i=1000444235990

Or

https://www.dci.org/news/behind-madison-scouts-new-inclusive-membership-policy-field-pass

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I will say that I do love this year's uniforms.  One of the best in recent years, if not the last decade for sure.  Much better than the circa-2010 olive green boy scout uniform.

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9 hours ago, ndkbass said:

What I said was to take a step back and sit down (i.e., pass the torch and watch).  That does not prevent folks from voicing their concerns (here, at Board meetings, at alumni get togethers, into the void, wherever), but it does imply that they open up seats on the Board of Directors and upper-administrative roles for new and younger folk to take charge of the organization.  It also implies, as I explicitly stated, that they are welcome as motivational speakers and to pass on institutional knowledge from their time with the corps.  However, that is a big difference than actually running the day-to-day activities of the corps.  Elvord came and spoke while I was there in 2007-2009.  It was great.  He was not in charge.  One of the best alumni, who has now passed, donated a steak dinner every year and would come, watch rehearsal, say hello, and eat with us.  That was about it (he was also usually more interested in talking about his time flying P-51's in WWII than his days in the corps as I recall).  He did not need to do more, that was more than enough.  Another great alumni family runs a Piggly Wiggly, and whenever the corps was in their hometown (usually for a 4th of July parade and show) they would host the corps for a bbq.  Those are great things, but they did not involve themselves in actively running the day-to-day of the corps.  Some may also have been on the Board at different times and or donated various sums of money over the years.  That is what I am suggesting.  Continue supporting the organization, or do not, but it is time for folks to allow for a transfer of power to the younger, newer generations that are more in tune with the activity as it currently exists.  Dann marched in the mid to late nineties, over 20 years ago now.  Chris marched in the mid 80s, even further back.  Folk who marched in the early 2000s are in the prime of their careers and should be given the opportunity to direct the organization.  I could list a whole bunch who I think would be great at it (but many may have no interest, or, like myself, are in areas of employment outside of or removed from the activity/music education/music as a whole).  I also do not think it needs to be limited to people who are alumni of the organization.  The real issue it seems is getting people who want to do so, and making it worth their while.

Maybe those leadership camps the organization has been running lately could identify/train future admin personnel for the corps.

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10 hours ago, ndkbass said:

I will say that I do love this year's uniforms.  One of the best in recent years, if not the last decade for sure.  Much better than the circa-2010 olive green boy scout uniform.

I like the unis too. Change the hat...and spats, I WANT SPATS!

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13 hours ago, Gantang said:

I appreciate your enthusiasm about the show and the performance, but scores matter. They matter in the financial support that a corps will receive. They matter who will see them perform since there are shows where Madison is the second corps on while people are arriving late. They matters in suvie sales because most kids in the audience will buy a shirt from a top tier corps. They matter when kids are deciding where to march next year and where to audition. Unless a kid is really talented and wants to march in Madison specifically, Scouts may draw lower tiered talent, which inhibits the level of difficulty the design team can build into a show. Which immediately slots them lower because the content is blasé. And they matter on a daily basis as the staff has to cram in as much rehearsal time as they can before getting ready for a 

I respect what you are saying about scores, but we can't kid ourselves by thinking that any corps can continue to exist if they aren't competitive. I've been a MS fan since 1975 and seeing them scheduled for a 7:27 pm step-off. Other corps will have as many as 2 1/2 additional hours of rehearsal time everyday! You can't get the corps together to rehearse after the show so the hours are very limited. There is a lot of cleaning that can be accomplished in 2 1/2 hours X # show days.

Scores matter a ton.

Couldn't they just start practicing 2&1/2 hours earlier?   They do get to leave 2&1/2 hrs earlier for the next show than those Corps on later.  The day is 24 hrs long for every Corps

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13 hours ago, The Observer said:

I don’t have a dog in this fight but I’ve been following along on this thread. Sorry if I missed it, but I don’t think that the podcast Dan Potter did regarding the new inclusion policy has been mentioned? Some of the topics covered are things I’ve seen people ask about, such as why the announcement was made at this odd time, issues regarding being competitive now, and benefits of this change.

 I went in very skeptical based on what I’ve read here about thoughts on the current admin and BOD but I came out of it with the sense that they are very self aware of where they are currently as an organization while trying to move forward.

Here is the link if anyone is interested. :https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/behind-madison-scouts-new-inclusive-membership-policy/id1124069893?i=1000444235990

Or

https://www.dci.org/news/behind-madison-scouts-new-inclusive-membership-policy-field-pass

I agree. And, the most important issue to resolving the fact of not being able to put a top designed show or to hire top staff is the fact of needing to generate more income based on my understanding of the interview. For any corps to compete as a finalist now takes an enormous amount of money as compared to even a few years ago. Honestly, I really am concerned about the sustainability of the activity at this rate something has to change.

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3 hours ago, ftwdrummer said:

Your thoughts on 2017, then?

Worst uni ever.

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