1980 DCI Finals

[piobari7980]

I hope this doesn't sound like a bunch of disparaging comments about Two-Seven, a corps I have great affection for, and who I miss with all my heart. The thing is, I really wanted Two-Seven to win. I wanted an East Coast corps to shake things up in DCI's competitive hierarchy. (And, ironically, that did happen a few years later.) But I think my own expectations for each corps, which were different, played a role in how I perceived their finals performances. I guess I believed that if Two-Seven had given a "knock 'em dead" performance (whatever that highly subjective phrase means), there would've been no question of them winning. But because they left the door open, Blue Devils were able to capitalize on that and do what they did best: seamless sophistication.

I am somewhat guilty here as well Sue...only I was pulling for Spirit and that

mind altering hornline. WOW!!! No doubt the most competitive finals I have personally witnessed.

[LancerFi]

I only have 1 problem with one of BDs best all around shows.

It's really nothing, and such a very very small thing but it was 4-6 tenths had a judge been there. I'm going to throw it out there for the guard people, and you be the judge, you may have already have seen this if not, watch the tape.

The rifle line puts down their rifles and picks up those very simple but beautiful short poles with white streamers. I believe it's a the end of the OTL maybe, and they are complimenting the soloist. As they show a single or double with these very lovely poles, (it doesn't matter with those, single-double revoutions, there is no top or bottom) so throw it and at least catch it without moving off your spot blatantly, 3 right in a row....kind of like what Malibu and I saw in the 02 Cavaliers flag line, just blatant mistakes that take you by surprise. 02 didn't matter no ticks. But for 80, very bad.

We had an M & M problem that was never fixed that you can see on the tape in the rifle line also very blatant, right in the OTL we're going thru the horns to turn around into an arc and do the "kick step" and we are NOT in arc, as a matter of fact it looks so bad I had to pause it the first time I saw it!

From the top to bottom I believe that show was seamless as people have said, but I got a little discouraged when I saw that for the first time. Also, when they show marching up close (corps wise) were we better marchers???

Just asking....and even though I'm asking, BD clearly was the winner, and was so much better than we were on that night and in prelimsl....no bout adout it!!

[john2780]

BUT.............I just spent sometime this afternoon watching a few Legacy DVD's and infact, while watching the 27th Lancers performance, I REALLY wished they had won that night in Birmingham.

This was a Corps that I admired since 1975, my 1st year in the Blue Devils, a Corps that ALWAYS exuded class and friendship to EVERYONE involved in the activity, one that could really get the crowd involved in a big way while they performed their show. "Fun" and "entertaining" were two words that always followed 27th around through their years in Drum Corps, and the same words will always apply to them for the duration.

They represented our country in the opening Olympic ceremonies in Lake Placid, NY in 1980, did the Drum Corps world, and our country proud with their performance that night.

Competition at it's highest certainly does some crazy stuff to one's rationale, and with that said, it's so different for me almost 24 years later from that night in Alabama. Back then, I COULD NOT like them, they were my "enemy", my "competition", 128 individuals that stood together against 128 of my comrades to take the very prize that we coveted.........the 1980 DCI Championship, and deny me the chance to age out of the activity a champion.

Maybe the scores told a different story that night , but I can tell you this, if I could change history, I would give the 27th Lancers the DCI Championship in 1980, they did one helluva show that night, and for all that they brought to the activity over their existence, August 16, 1980 should have been their crowning glory.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can make it up to me by sending me your DCI championship Ring..Size 7 3/8........Only Kidding I marched in 27th from 75 through 80 and sincerly appreciate what you wrote. It's funny that I always adored BD....Something to be said about that grass is always greener theory? Compared to the week before, Our performance at Nationals was not 1/2 as good. On the other hand you guys were H-O-T.

[ChicagoFan]

I was present at both 1979 and 1980 finals in Birmingham (I lived there at the time.) As a novice to drum corps in '79, I was nothing short of enthralled by the Lancers and they quickly became one of my favorite corps. Interestingly, I barely remember them from 1980. I have since watched the performance on the Legacy DVDs many times and my memory has been refreshed, but I still have no strong or distinct impressions of having seen the corps perform live in prelims and finals.

On the other hand, I do remember the Blue Devils, if for no other reason that I didn't particularly like their smooth, "cool" style and couldn't understand why they were ranked so highly. I much prefered Phantom's intensity, Bridgemen's fun approach and, of course, as a southerner was drawn to Spirit of Atlanta. Now, years later, I watch the performances and I certainly see why BD won. The show is seamless, effortless, and beautifully executed. The demand is high but the performers are so confident and comfrotable they make everything look amazingly easy. There was a suave sophistication about the Blue Devils that no othercorps could -- or ever has -- matched. On that night, back in 1980, I might have prefered another winner and I think I would have been happy with just about anybody but BD. But the older and ,hopefully, wiser me of 2005 now appreciates and recognizes the talent of that corps. A well deserved victory.

Edited May 5, 2005 by ChicagoFan

[ChicagoFan]

While we're on the subject of the 1980 Lancers, I have a question for LancerFi :

On the DVD of the finals performance there is a shot of the guard immediately after the drum solo and the famous file and exchange. The camera catches one of the guard members (still on the ground in the semi-splits position) and it is obvious she is yelling something to those around her. I've always wondered who that is and what she is yelling -- a command, words of encouragement? Any ideas?

[Malibu]

While we're on the subject of the 1980 Lancers, I have a question for LancerFi :

On the DVD of the finals performance there is a shot of the guard immediately after the drum solo and the famous file and exchange.  The camera catches one of the guard members (still on the ground in the semi-splits position) and it is obvious she is yelling something to those around her.  I've always wondered who that is and what she is yelling -- a command, words of encouragement?  Any ideas?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sure Nancy will answer you with more detail.....but I believe she said that was her yelling commands/counting to the guard due to the crowd being so loud they couldn't hear the DM. True, no one was supposed to talk on the field, but she was giving commands or counting.....so that to me, would be an exception.

[LancerFi]

While we're on the subject of the 1980 Lancers, I have a question for LancerFi :

On the DVD of the finals performance there is a shot of the guard immediately after the drum solo and the famous file and exchange.  The camera catches one of the guard members (still on the ground in the semi-splits position) and it is obvious she is yelling something to those around her.  I've always wondered who that is and what she is yelling -- a command, words of encouragement?  Any ideas?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Malibu is correct. I was declared as a person that could speak/give commands on the field.

In 79 our captain marched and conducted where needed and she was there to count, but we had 2 rifles leave late in the season, and I went back into the line after begining to learn how to direct Zingali's 10 to 10 drills and when going backfield. In 79 right up until finals the crowd would go wild at the end of the drum solo, at finals even moreso.

In 80 the staff worried that at big venues and at finals the guard wound't hear the command. The unfortunate thing is that at 80 finals it wasn't needed, in 1980 the crowd was luke warm at best as was our performance, and me saying 1-2-3-4 ready move or whatever was not needed.

You know that would have been fabulous to yell something to the guard, we were all in that one spot, although members were behind me, I would have enjoyed some yelling of kick butt in Danny Boy or something like that! :P

It was difficult to give commands in that position 1/2 split position though.

Edited May 6, 2005 by LancerFi

[Blue Devil Legend]

I was present at both 1979 and 1980 finals in Birmingham (I lived there at the time.)  As a novice to drum corps in '79, I was nothing short of enthralled by the Lancers and they quickly became one of my favorite corps.  Interestingly, I barely remember them from 1980.  I have since watched the performance on the Legacy DVDs many times and my memory has been refreshed, but I still have no strong or distinct impressions of having seen the corps perform live in prelims and finals. 

On the other hand, I do remember the Blue Devils, if for no other reason that I didn't particularly like their smooth, "cool" style and couldn't understand why they were ranked so highly.  I much prefered Phantom's intensity, Bridgemen's fun approach and, of course, as a southerner was drawn to Spirit of Atlanta.  Now, years later, I watch the performances and I certainly see why BD won.  The show is seamless, effortless, and beautifully executed.  The demand is high but the performers are so confident and comfrotable they make everything look amazingly easy.  There was a suave sophistication about the Blue Devils that no othercorps could -- or ever has -- matched.  On that night, back in 1980, I might have prefered another winner and I think I would have been happy with just about anybody but BD.  But the older and ,hopefully, wiser me of 2005 now appreciates and recognizes the talent of that corps.  A well deserved victory.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your last sentence saved me from going "Rick James" on you. :P

Edited May 6, 2005 by Blue Devil Legend

[ChicagoFan]

Nancy -- if I may be so bold as to call you that -- you mentioned something in your reply to my post that raises another point: the guard captain functioning as a "conductor." In 79 it's obvious that the captain served as something of an assistant DM and didn't really perform as part of the guard. (You can see this in several other corps that year -- Santa Clara and Troopers come to mind.) I'm sure being appointed captain was a great honor and was a position of responsibility, but it must have been tough not to actually be "in the line," as you say. How did you, or the captains before you, feel about it?

Edited May 6, 2005 by ChicagoFan

[LancerFi]

Nancy -- if I may be so bold as to call you that -- you mentioned something in your reply to my post that raises another point: the guard captain functioning as a "conductor."  In 79 it's obvious that the captain served as something of an assistant DM and didn't really perform as part of the guard.  (You can see this in several other corps that year -- Santa Clara and Troopers come to mind.)  I'm sure being appointed captain was a great honor and was a position of responsibility, but it must have been tough not to actually be "in the line," as you say.  How did you, or the captains before you, feel about it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very interesting question. I'm going to answer it as truthfully as possible as gently as possible. When I was announced as captain, we were in our basic block, marching, well, doing basics inside the field house in Revere High School in maybe October of 1979. The director stopped the commands, made the announcement, I went up to him he hugged and kissed me, and I went right back into my spot. At that point I had no idea if I'd be directing or staying in the rifle line.

I believe that of all of the captains I had seen, I was the only one that went back into my spot to continue marching as the member that I was. Others felt that once they were announced, some under similar circumstances, and others different, they should go outside of the block and teach or point out mistakes, etc. That is a personal choice, and it was not my choice.

I was not that way, nor did I want to be. I went back in the line and believed I was still a member of the corps. Unlike others, maybe the drum major should step out (and did!) but I didn't feel that that much had changed from the 5 minutes prior to the announcement, I still wanted to be a member and not a teacher which I was----a member. I also still wanted to be the best I could be.

I was never more thrilled when I found out that I would go back in the line. It was only about 3 weeks to a month in the winter of 1980 where there were 10 rifles and our DM began teaching me (behind closed doors) where and when I would be directing, and how he thought I should do it. Also I would be sleeping with a metronome, I never had to go that far.

In my case, I believe I would have gone absolutely crazy not being able to be in the rifle line, I did not want to be singled out in that way at rehearsal and especially on the field, my little red tassel was enough for me, and retreats and parades I did march outside of the guard without equipment. I was one of those picked that did not feel comfortable in my own skin for a long time.

Maybe not stepping out hurt me when I was asked at the end of the 81 season to take over the rifle line. I hadn't given myself a chance, and wasn't asked to help the line for the 81 season, and I felt like it was almost like OK the big guns are gone, you can now take over the line. They were also looking for a flag instructor. Of course I felt honored and all of that, but at the same time....nope...and the more I thought about it, and it wasn't long, about 2 weeks, I had to change my yes to a no.

I hope you understood the part about going back into the block, and during sectionals always doing my work, not sitting out, or not looking for ticks. It was just my way, and it was the way I wanted it and thought it should be.

Does this make any sense? I'm not really sure that it answered your question! Sorry if I missed the mark on the answer!

OH, P.S. It's not bold at all, it's my name! :)

Edited May 6, 2005 by LancerFi