2019 Bloooooooooooooocoats

[Jurassic Lancer]

3 minutes ago, Ghost said:

Does “best designed and most polished” mean they might have less “layering and changes” to do compared to the other top corps jw?

There will be more layering and the end will definitely be changed / expanded. 

[queenanne_1536]

On 6/30/2019 at 7:52 AM, wvu80 said:

 

What???  You don't think that Bluecoats members and staff don't know they have the overall #1 score in DCI this year and that they sit atop the DCI rankings?  You don't think they will work their butts off to stay there?

You don't think the #2 corps Boston doesn't want to work harder to get to that #1 spot?

You don't think the defending champ Vanguard is content to sit in 3rd place and make excuses that they "haven't met head-to-head" yet?

You don't think that Phantom is relieved to now be sitting in 12th spot instead of 13th, and now they are working hard to stay there?

I think they all DO know. 

Scores may be meaningless to you, but in competition, scores and rankings is partly what motivates ALL the corps.

I don't think the Bluecoats members or staff think they are #1 overall, and I don't think they care. They have other things on their minds right now. And, besides, none of that matters. They had the overall number #1 score, at various points, during first tour in 2017 and 2018 and look what happened. I think their show this year is fantastic and they have a chance to win, but I doubt very much they themselves will think they are #1 until they beat BD, Crown and SCV head-to-head. (I know they've beaten Crown at the first show, but that was a while ago).

Boston also is not the #2 corps. They may be the #2 corps, but they may be the #5 or #6 corps. Until the beat Crown, SCV, BD and Cavies head-to-head, then you can't possibly say they are the #2 corps.

Vanguard doesn't think they are sitting in third. All they know is they are even with BD and there is work to be done.

How is Phantom now sitting in 12th place? I don't know how you can possibly make that assumption. A more correct assumption would be 13th - behind last years top 10 and Crossmen and Spirit (both whom have beaten Regiment head-to-head).

I think they don't care. It's a long season, and all they can all do is worry about themselves. They can't control what other corps or the judges do. Every single corps out there is going to work their butts off and try to do as well as they can. Every one of them. Whether you're in 1st or 20th place, that doesn't change.

The best thing any corps or fan can assume is that if you haven't beaten BD or SCV in head-to-head competition you are behind them. In 2017 and 2018 Bluecoats fans were excited because they were posting the highest scores and undefeated. In both years, as soon as BD and SCV headed west, Bloo was immediately dropped to 3rd. I can assure you, Bluecoats members and staff are not going around with their chests pumped out thinking they are #1, they are doing what everyone else is doing - working.

[Jurassic Lancer]

26 minutes ago, queenanne_1536 said:

I don't think the Bluecoats members or staff think they are #1 overall, and I don't think they care. They have other things on their minds right now. And, besides, none of that matters. They had the overall number #1 score, at various points, during first tour in 2017 and 2018 and look what happened. I think their show this year is fantastic and they have a chance to win, but I doubt very much they themselves will think they are #1 until they beat BD, Crown and SCV head-to-head. (I know they've beaten Crown at the first show, but that was a while ago).

Boston also is not the #2 corps. They may be the #2 corps, but they may be the #5 or #6 corps. Until the beat Crown, SCV, BD and Cavies head-to-head, then you can't possibly say they are the #2 corps.

Vanguard doesn't think they are sitting in third. All they know is they are even with BD and there is work to be done.

How is Phantom now sitting in 12th place? I don't know how you can possibly make that assumption. A more correct assumption would be 13th - behind last years top 10 and Crossmen and Spirit (both whom have beaten Regiment head-to-head).

I think they don't care. It's a long season, and all they can all do is worry about themselves. They can't control what other corps or the judges do. Every single corps out there is going to work their butts off and try to do as well as they can. Every one of them. Whether you're in 1st or 20th place, that doesn't change.

The best thing any corps or fan can assume is that if you haven't beaten BD or SCV in head-to-head competition you are behind them. In 2017 and 2018 Bluecoats fans were excited because they were posting the highest scores and undefeated. In both years, as soon as BD and SCV headed west, Bloo was immediately dropped to 3rd. I can assure you, Bluecoats members and staff are not going around with their chests pumped out thinking they are #1, they are doing what everyone else is doing - working.

This is all exactly right, other than (speaking personally) I wasn’t overly excited about Bloo scoring highest in the early going of 2017-18 or even now. I understand it is impossible to compare scores until corps meet head to head. I am excited that Bloo is doing well on their tour but I am not about to say they are better than those on the West or Midwest tours. We will all be getting a clearer picture as the tours meet up

[karuna]

4 hours ago, queenanne_1536 said:

The best thing any corps or fan can assume is that if you haven't beaten BD or SCV in head-to-head competition you are behind them. In 2017 and 2018 Bluecoats fans were excited because they were posting the highest scores and undefeated. In both years, as soon as BD and SCV headed west, Bloo was immediately dropped to 3rd. I can assure you, Bluecoats members and staff are not going around with their chests pumped out thinking they are #1, they are doing what everyone else is doing - working.

Preach!  I am particularly interested in where the Cavaliers fit into this puzzle.  Bloo "outscored" Crown by .25  opening night.  Where will Crown fit in at Memphis when they see Bloo and Vanguard?  It's going to be very interesting!

[Jurassic Lancer]

7 minutes ago, karuna said:

Preach!  I am particularly interested in where the Cavaliers fit into this puzzle.  Bloo "outscored" Crown by .25  opening night.  Where will Crown fit in at Memphis when they see Bloo and Vanguard?  It's going to be very interesting!

Totally agree.

[queenanne_1536]

2 hours ago, karuna said:

Preach!  I am particularly interested in where the Cavaliers fit into this puzzle.  Bloo "outscored" Crown by .25  opening night.  Where will Crown fit in at Memphis when they see Bloo and Vanguard?  It's going to be very interesting!

I know. I don't know. For all we know, Crown is the leader right now. I am the biggest Vanguard homer, but I 100% want Crown to win, because I don't like the direction corps like Bluecoats, BD and Vanguard are taking the activity, if I'm honest. Vanguard's hornline literally never plays while moving at more than a moderate walking place. I just can't get behind that. Bluecoats have way too much crap on the field for my liking, and I think it detracts from the fact that they aren't doing much at all in the way of difficult drill and are parking for the difficult horn passages (although their show is by far my favorite musical show this year and I am sweet on their guard). I actually like BD's show and they do interesting stuff with their props. But what's the one thing these three have in common with each other that the don't with Crown? Doing difficult drill while playing. Crown does it, the other three don't. So I hope it goes to Crown this year, and I hope the Blue Stars somehow manage to climb into 7th, because they too do the difficult drill while playing. That's the direction I want the activity to go in.

If you call rubbish on what I'm saying about Vanguard, Bluecoats and BD - next time you see them, focus your whole attention on who's playing and who's moving. BD is less guilty of this than Vanguard and Bluecoats.

I'm only picking on the top 4 here. There are plenty beneath them that are guilty, but no one moves less while playing this year than Vanguard. No one.

Edited July 4, 2019 by queenanne_1536

[cfirwin3]

57 minutes ago, queenanne_1536 said:

I know. I don't know. For all we know, Crown is the leader right now. I am the biggest Vanguard homer, but I 100% want Crown to win, because I don't like the direction corps like Bluecoats, BD and Vanguard are taking the activity, if I'm honest. Vanguard's hornline literally never plays while moving at more than a moderate walking place. I just can't get behind that. Bluecoats have way too much crap on the field for my liking, and I think it detracts from the fact that they aren't doing much at all in the way of difficult drill and are parking for the difficult horn passages (although their show is by far my favorite musical show this year and I am sweet on their guard). I actually like BD's show and they do interesting stuff with their props. But what's the one thing these three have in common with each other that the don't with Crown? Doing difficult drill while playing. Crown does it, the other three don't. So I hope it goes to Crown this year, and I hope the Blue Stars somehow manage to climb into 7th, because they too do the difficult drill while playing. That's the direction I want the activity to go in.

If you call rubbish on what I'm saying about Vanguard, Bluecoats and BD - next time you see them, focus your whole attention on who's playing and who's moving. BD is less guilty of this than Vanguard and Bluecoats.

I'm only picking on the top 4 here. There are plenty beneath them that are guilty, but no one moves less while playing this year than Vanguard. No one.

I just have to say, I love hearing about this standing and playing stuff (which usually focuses on the blistering runs that nobody has ever played on the move, in any era) or it focuses on the ballad impacts (that appropriately don't get covered in drill movement... because... ballad impact, and stuff).

Anyway, I love hearing about this and then going back to the old, old school stuff where they stood around and played while the judges ticked off points for foot placement at a standstill, or inconsistent highstep on the mark time.  It's a riot to make the comparison.

I just can't go to any time period and make comparisons where corps were handling the music and movement differently.  Likewise, when you get the focus off of the impact moments and complex passages, you find that these kids are moving a ton while playing (Vanguard included).

A show like Vanguard '89, where I think many would reguard as one of the very best presentations... For as good as the music is, there's nothing really in there that can't easily be played on the move.  And when the soloists or small ensemble features come up, those kids are planted firm.  When the drum features come up, they park it while the horns do visual stuff.  That's how it's done.

Soloists are the best examples on this issue.  If playing on the move is a lost art, then why do soloist presentations look the same now as they did in the 70's?

These multi camera productions that we see much more frequently these days (there used to be only one, and it was on PBS once a year) are deceptive.  They always frame in the easy target and avoid the broad picture.  And that bolsters the argument.  I've seen some wide angle SCV stuff this year (and Bloo)... They are playing and hoofing it plenty and parking when any other corps before them would do the same.

Edited July 4, 2019 by cfirwin3

[wvu80]

3 hours ago, queenanne_1536 said:

If you call rubbish on what I'm saying about Vanguard, Bluecoats and BD - next time you see them, focus your whole attention on who's playing and who's moving. BD is less guilty of this than Vanguard and Bluecoats.

 

First of all, your opinions are well thought out and you express them well.  Your opinion is as good as anybody else, in my opinion.  👍

As far as the rankings nobody here knows what the collective staff and MM's think.  However, there are facts and the numbers are the numbers.  Right now Bloo is #1 and Vanguard is #2.  It doesn't have to prove anything, it's interesting to compare which many people here do.  I can accept that many people do not, we are all different.

To be honest I really don't care about the scores like a lot of people here do, and that's OK.  What I care about is sitting in the stands and getting my face melted by the fantastic horn lines and enjoying the different shows at a particular contest.  That's my fun.

Some people like horn lines, others like guard or percussion.  To some scores and winning is important. 

THAT is OK, it's all OK, everybody doesn't have to agree.  THAT is what diversity is all about.  😎

Edited July 4, 2019 by wvu80

[superOOk]

True Bloo: Hikari Nitta Edition

[queenanne_1536]

10 hours ago, wvu80 said:

Right now Bloo is #1 and Vanguard is #2. 

Thanks for the kind reply, but right now Bloo is #1 in the east and Vanguard is #2 in the west (BD beat them last Sunday).

Yes, it is fun to compare and guess and rank based on ones own criteria, but you can't rank based on scores. You can only rank on head-to-head and common opponents. Bluecoats and Vanguard/BD haven't faced any common opponents yet, so all we can say is Bloo is undefeated and Vanguard and Devils are even. We'll have a bigger idea tomorrow when Vanguard and Bluecoats go head-to-head. Bluecoats win, then they are indeed likely #1. Vanguard wins, then Bluecoats are likely #3 or #4.