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Biggest Downer


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I was a member of the Royal Coachmen (NY) in the 70's. In 1976, we purchased uniforms from the Seneca Princemen, won a few shows for the first time, had a successful season, won "A" Class NT Open and then our director resigns the day we leave for Philly for our first DCI. We finished 16th or something and that was that. Director returns a week or two later then resigns in May 1977 and so we "merge" with this corps called the Frontiersmen. Not a good summer at all and most of the kids from the Royal Coachmen go on to 27th, Seneca Optimist, Oakland Crusaders. I went into the Army.

I always wondered what would've happened if we stuck it out. We had 32 horns, 20 perc and 20 in guard. I miss all the friends and the chance for my kids to march in that corps.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE A STORY?

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2001, Pioneer missing semis by .05.

2003, Cap Reg missing semis by .3

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1) Going from beating Sky Ryders, VK, Troopers and being right there with the Crossmen and Freelancers with Gary Meegan working our hornline for first tour in '83 to taking 18th in Miami after Meegan was "let go" (my common sense tells me to stop there).

Went from serious contenders for finals to a Vegas show act in half a season. But I'm not bitter. B)

2) Seeing The Bridgemen and VK leave the scene :(

Edited by skajerk
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For me it had to be 1979 when our corps missed finals by a very low margin. Yeah, I know you've heard the same kind of story, but what make's ours unique is it is still being talked about.

It hurts when many corps in the competition had not beaten you all summer long only to beat you when it really counted!

What else really sucks is DCI had for the first and last time, the DCA Championships......we won it of course and won the right to perform in exhibition on finals night.......BUT no ring, patch or NOTHING to declare or show we won that Championship!

Aaah! Now I've got to go take a pain pill!

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1) Going from beating Sky Ryders, VK, Troopers and being right there with the Crossmen and Freelancers with Gary Meegan working our hornline for first tour in '83 to taking 18th in Miami after Meegan was "let go" (my common sense tells me to stop there).

Hey Randy,

Is this the same Gary Meegan who's currently with the SCV Cadets? Just wanted to know since he wrote the horn book when I marched there. Great guy!

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Yes it is.

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Hey Chris, is that you from the TOR group? If so, I hope the other 1/2 is doing okay as that due date you told me about is getting closer! B)

I'm going to second Randy's comments regarding '83. GM was the heart & soul of that group and was the glue that held the hornline's nucleus together for the 3-4 years most of us marched together. A large number of us went our separate ways following GM's dismissal and the subsequent debacle that took place. It took a looong talk from my parents and a veiled threat from a former poobah at VF to make me reconsider leaving for "somewhere else" when an opportunity arose in July, as I saw the handwriting on the wall. About a week after our return from Miami I offered to housesit for a family friend while they went to Europe for two months, and I had lots of time alone to think about how I'd just wasted a precious whole season. '83 left behind a bunch of drum corps casualties (i.e., so disenchanted, exhausted or PO'd they never marched again), and I was very nearly one of them. Randy: If you can remember the HS we stayed at in Austin TX, Dennis and I got to revisit those ghosts when SCV's busses pulled into the same HS two years later. Dennis and I looked out the windows and said, "Oh no, not here...", as it was the same place where two years prior BH had taken the two of us out into the quad area to ask us how we really felt about how the season was going, and his, um, "creative approach". Unfortunately, it's what I remember most about that tour which is a shame, as I had completely forgotten how well we did prior to Meegan's departure until I read your post. To top it off, my wife marched '82-'83 VK, so I got to hear it from that end as well! :music:

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