OldSnareDrummer Posted February 18 Share Posted February 18 A little mystique used to be nice, i.e. not knowing with much if any certainty who was getting into Finals and/or winning. Now DCI is as predictable as a Kardashian failed relationship with any guy dumb enough to get involved with one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Guns Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 7 hours ago, OldSnareDrummer said: A little mystique used to be nice, i.e. not knowing with much if any certainty who was getting into Finals and/or winning. Now DCI is as predictable as a Kardashian failed relationship with any guy dumb enough to get involved with one. This time last year, if I told you the Mandarins would finish the 2023 season in 6th place, challenge Cadets for 5th all the way to finals night, and go unbeaten vs Phantom Regiment and Cavaliers, you probably would have laughed yourself to death, and any credibility I might have had with you would've been blown to bits. There was nothing predictable about the Mandarins historic rise in 2023. There is still plenty of shock and awe in DCI. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KVG_DC Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 I wouldn't have laughed in your face as I'd been watching the Mandarins rise. But I would have told you you're overselling the improvement. They took their chances and well... they took it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSnareDrummer Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 11 hours ago, Chief Guns said: This time last year, if I told you the Mandarins would finish the 2023 season in 6th place, challenge Cadets for 5th all the way to finals night, and go unbeaten vs Phantom Regiment and Cavaliers, you probably would have laughed yourself to death, and any credibility I might have had with you would've been blown to bits. There was nothing predictable about the Mandarins historic rise in 2023. There is still plenty of shock and awe in DCI. I dunno, Chief. Perhaps the degree of Mandarins improvement took some people by surprise, but I don't recall many being shocked by their trajectory over the last few years. A couple of dinos even talked similarly to BD's rise in the early 70's. Not saying they'll reach the top and dominate for years and years (assuming the activity stays alive that long), but the stories of year-to-year placing improvement has some merit. Someone on here commented at one time that the Mandarins would likely win a championship before SCV wins another one. I tend to buy into that myself. I'll give you this - the number of high-caliber corps has dwindled to the point where we likely won't see a lot of 1972 Bleu Raeders or 1978 North Star shake up the status quo and that has impact. It'd be nice to see a little shake up, though, perhaps Pacific Crest or Music City catching lightning in a bottle and disrupting the seemingly endless same top 12. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IllianaLancerContra Posted February 19 Share Posted February 19 15 hours ago, Chief Guns said: This time last year, if I told you the Mandarins would finish the 2023 season in 6th place, challenge Cadets for 5th all the way to finals night, and go unbeaten vs Phantom Regiment and Cavaliers, you probably would have laughed yourself to death, and any credibility I might have had with you would've been blown to bits. There was nothing predictable about the Mandarins historic rise in 2023. There is still plenty of shock and awe in DCI. 2023 Mandarins was one of the few times the hype resulted in an actual multi-spot jump in actual placement. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 On 2/18/2024 at 8:04 PM, Chief Guns said: This time last year, if I told you the Mandarins would finish the 2023 season in 6th place, challenge Cadets for 5th all the way to finals night, and go unbeaten vs Phantom Regiment and Cavaliers, you probably would have laughed yourself to death, and any credibility I might have had with you would've been blown to bits. There was nothing predictable about the Mandarins historic rise in 2023. There is still plenty of shock and awe in DCI. or Troop and Colts the year before....at SA they weren't exactly locks for Saturday night. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifer Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 What's worse, ending up in 11th or being the topic of a discussion and not being mentioned once in the last two pages of this now three page thread? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Tuma Posted February 20 Share Posted February 20 17 minutes ago, fifer said: What's worse, ending up in 11th or being the topic of a discussion and not being mentioned once in the last two pages of this now three page thread? Talent wise, Blue Stars were not an 11th place corps. I hope the members are given a product that’s able to come together over the course of the season. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vuitton Posted February 22 Share Posted February 22 On 2/18/2024 at 5:04 PM, Chief Guns said: This time last year, if I told you the Mandarins would finish the 2023 season in 6th place, challenge Cadets for 5th all the way to finals night, and go unbeaten vs Phantom Regiment and Cavaliers, you probably would have laughed yourself to death, and any credibility I might have had with you would've been blown to bits. There was nothing predictable about the Mandarins historic rise in 2023. There is still plenty of shock and awe in DCI. I really wouldn't have. That's JW for you. The guy knows what he's doing. I knew the instant he was placed at the helm it would bring great things to the Mandarins competitively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.