Let's Talk About the Blue Devils...

[LabMaster]

Isn’t there already a BD thread?

[DrumManTx]

4 minutes ago, LabMaster said:

Isn’t there already a BD thread?

My thought exactly.  

[ContraFart]

19 minutes ago, Cappybara said:

The bolded section is why i will not longer be engaging. Opinion is opinion, you are entitled to have it, but don’t present it as a fact. 

So since you agree with the outcome, Prosperie is infallible. It doesn't matter that his scores were outliers compared to the rest of the week or that a corps can go to a 9.65 to a 10.0 in achievement in a single night. Have you ever considered a judge could be wrong? 

But then again you still haven't read the rest of the post, you just fixate on this 

[Lance]

one of my favorite bd shows musically was when they did a bunch of bernard herrmann stuff in 00.  not a very jazzy show other than the short opener, and a bit of a departure for them.  but i wore out my early season recordings of that one.

so i think they can do well taking some risks outside of jazz and pop ballads.  yes, i know they got 3rd that year, but the corps that tied for 1st were just spectacular that year.  

[ContraFart]

12 minutes ago, resipsaloquitur said:

Are you attempting to put words in my mouth where none exist? 

No but the implication that most people make is that BD wins because of talent and staff cohesion as if no other corps has that.

I have said many times that the top 4 or 5 corps are essentially equal when it comes to talent and staff, so that's why I have an issue with a single corps winning 60% of the time.

[ContraFart]

14 minutes ago, resipsaloquitur said:

Not if the top group has the highest score, per @Jeff Ream's mantra

Go back and read what I said about the Oscars. If the heady art film is going to win best picture every year, that is not going to inspire people to go to the movies. 

[jaylogan]

9 minutes ago, ContraFart said:

Go back and read what I said about the Oscars. If the heady art film is going to win best picture every year, that is not going to inspire people to go to the movies. 

The alleged goal of the Oscars is to reward what the judges think are the highest achievement in the given categories, not to kowtow to the masses who return in droves to see “Fast and the Furious 38: This Time They’re Even Quicker and Whoah Boy Are They Ticked Off!”

[resipsaloquitur]

36 minutes ago, Sh0uldN0t said:

I think your second point is important and not discussed nearly enough. Variations in the judging panel on any given night can be decisive as each judge brings his/her own lens to the performances on different nights. That to me is a great weakness in the judging process. 

Or its strength

[GraysonHarris]

17 minutes ago, ContraFart said:

Go back and read what I said about the Oscars. If the heady art film is going to win best picture every year, that is not going to inspire people to go to the movies. 

Listen pal. While I appreciate the fact that you know your cocktails and such (I work at very well-known cocktail bar in the US), it seems to me that you are trying to impose your opinion of Blue Devils on those who have a different opinion. 

We get it. You don't like Blue Devils. 

Fine. 

No problem. 

However, I think you are getting to the point of being overconfident of your opinion and thinking that the vast majority of drum corps land has the same opinion as you. 

You are more than welcome to opine on why you think the judges got the past X DCI champions wrong, but the reality is that your opinion...is just your opinion. It's neither right or wrong. 

With that being said, the opinions of others (including @Cappybara) are their own opinions and they are entitled to it. I happen to be a fan of Blue Devils (mostly by default, as my father is a FMM from the mid-80s), but I don't presume to think that everyone else SHOULD hold the same viewpoints on Blue Devils or anyone for that matter. In fact, I don't really care if people agree or disagree with  my viewpoints! Yes, I am snarky. Yes, I call it like I see it. Yes, I sometimes don't have a filter. But what I do almost obsessively is respect the opinions of others. 

You seem to be obsessed with pointing out how the opinions of others are wrong. You seem like a well-adjusted, educated and decent human being. However in this case, and throughout the duration of this thread, you are making it clear about your disdain for the Blue Devils in a way that is not a good look. 

So, continue on with your mantra if you want! I just wanted to take a few minutes and call you out on your disrespect to others for having an opinion different than yours. 

Here's to a great Manhattan in your future! Prost!

Edited July 27, 2023 by GraysonHarris

[resipsaloquitur]

32 minutes ago, ContraFart said:

No but the implication that most people make is that BD wins because of talent and staff cohesion as if no other corps has that.

I have said many times that the top 4 or 5 corps are essentially equal when it comes to talent and staff, so that's why I have an issue with a single corps winning 60% of the time.

I wasn't implying anything. But since you chose to make an issue of it, I'll play your little game.

Staff longevity may be equal, but teaching ability certainly isn't across the board. Have you ever had a great coach that brought you to another level? I have. I've also had others who meant well but weren't up to the task. As for BD staff, they could get more out of a 12 year old who couldn't read music (and they do, in case of BDC) than most could get out of seasoned musicians. And before you go off reading any unwonted "implication" in what I said, I said "most."

As for longevity, let me ask you this, what other corps have had the same core staff for over 30+ years? I almost flipped when I saw they're still training with Scojo the hall o' famer who's got 45+ years of coaching experience who's carried the DCI percussion torch through 19 championships (ahem, it'd be a stretch to accuse judges being biased 19 times over 19 separate years). I hear they also get coaching from Brandon Olander himself. Clearly a staff to be reckoned with. Because, as with last year, they could take a very young, green drumline and get 19+ points out of them.