1982 Dekalb Run Off

[uncle z]

I was there, but I don't remember the run-off.

(Must have been due to the fact that I had a girlfriend from Marquis and a girlfriend from Pioneer show up at the same show..... b**bs )

[George82]

Joe Bruno....I loved the way he introduced us....

The GARFEEEEEEELD CADETS!

When you heard his voice as well as Brandt Crocker's, you knew it was time to get it on!

Does Joe still announce for Div II/III???

[From The Pressbox]

The recaps for both the 82 DCM Finals and Runoff are here

(They are about 1/2 way down the page)

Penalties killed both corps chances of winning outright in Finals.

Before Penalties

1. Scouts 84.85 -0.3

2. Regiment 84.75 -0.2

After Penalties

1. Scouts 84.55

1. Regiment 84.55

Just wish I was there to witness it.

Go Penalties Suck,

Gregg

http://www.fromthepressbox.com

[Rocketman]

The recaps for both the 82 DCM Finals and Runoff are here

(They are about 1/2 way down the page)

Probably the most revealing thing was the fact that Scouts were 2 points up in brass, but Regiment took all the other captions, even at the first show.

Rocketman - Penalties DO suck!

ampssuck as well

[Rocketman]

I found this on RAMD posted by Stan Maddox

Back in the 1980s, the DCI Championship show director (named Briske? something like that-- a Chicago dude and friend of the Pesceones) said in the event of a tie, he thought they would have a playoff. In response to that public statement, the DCI board member corps directors voted in a rule that there would be no tie breakers. In the event of a tie in the score, the tie stands and co-champions are declared. Obviously, that rule is still in effect today, and any change in policy would have to start there... with the DCI member corps directors.

We were on the field at retreat, the end of a typical DeKalb show. Just as they started to announce the scores, we saw Madison at the opposite end of he field start to file off single-file in one helluva hurry. Huh? This is grand finale! No one EVER leaves grand finale single file, especially before their score is read. What gives?

As we (and every other corps) started to steal sideways glances and discreetly whisper to each other as to just what the heck was going on, Phantom (next to us on our left) started to do the same thing. Their staff members were running around with great haste, pointing, shouting and urging their people to get moving, QUICKLY. You could hear the crowd begin to murmur; the sound carried clearly to us on the field, fueling the edge in the air. What the heck was going on here???

Hey, it's grand finale. No one tells you anything out there. The rest of the scores were read, so we snapped to attention at the appropriate time, still very much aware of the naked, vacant spaces at either end of the field.

And then, after a lengthy pause, the deep, rolling voice of the announcer slowly said the immortal words that give me goosebumps to this day (read it slowly to get the proper effect): "In the entire history of Drum Corps Midwest Championship competition, there has never, EVER been a tie for first place..."

***WOW!*** TALK ABOUT A SEARING JOLT OF ELECTRICITY! Everyone in the place put the pieces together simultaneously, realized what was coming, and went absolutely, freaking, full-goose-bozo! I guarantee you that no one in that stadium was thing "co-champions". Sharing the title never crossed our minds.

Granted, the announcer was a true master at his craft, milking out the suspense. But when, in his rolling crescendo, he finally announced the tie scores of 84.55, all #### broke loose. By then Madison and Phantom had regrouped and could be heard warming up in the darkness, and that meant only one thing: the announcer confirmed that the two corps would perform their shows again in a "sudden-death playoff"!!!

The place went absolutely NUTS! It was INSANE!!! I have NEVER felt or seen anything like it. It was as if God had suddenly pressed the reset button. The night was starting all over again! Those of us standing there in hot, sweaty uniforms fully appreciated the magic that was about to happen. Every corps member dreams of the chance to get to do the show again, to fix that one little thing they could have done better, that thing that might have made the difference. In a few minutes, 256 lucky corps members were going to get the chance to step into the time machine, live that dream and make history. And this time, they weren't competing against "themselves".

This time, it was one-on-one against their closest competitor. This time, it was a 2-corps show, Madison versus Phantom. DeKalb became a battlefield, and there were two enemies to be defeated: your competitor, and fatigue. Of

such stuff are heroes made. For those of us still on the field, it was as if the artificial turf was suddenly electrified and we were wearing copper-soled shoes. We couldn't get off fast enough! Decorum amongst the remaining corps held up until we were behind the back stands and out of sight of the crowd. And then, it became organized chaos.

To #### with the equipment trucks, they were too far away! Like most of the rest of the corps, our drum majors reigned us in long enough to get our gear safely grounded in place in a very impromptu manner as soon as we hit the grass. With horns and drums and flags left to be guarded by one or two unlucky adults per corps, we formed a blurred river of uniforms of every type and color, running back towards the stands at full-speed. The clattering sound of hundreds of marching shoes that were never designed for running echoed off the cavernous maze of steel and concrete ramps in the bowels of the main stands, as we all raced up and around to get a good seat for the playoff.

It was a priceless moment, and two performances I will never forget. Regiment was first up. The first power chord of Spartacus absolutely, physically rocked all of us back. It was the first time I ever felt concrete bleachers hum. Madison also cranked it up, but fatigue caught up with them later in the show, thought they did pour every ounce of their remaining energy into their closer. I was utterly amazed that they made it off the field under their own power. Phantom won the show with a score of 85.40, besting Madison's 85.00 by only 4/10ths of a point. But both corps truly earned the title of "champions" that night, and it should be noted that they both raised their scores in the playoff despite the fatigue.

The debate raged for the rest of the year... "Regiment's show was better and they rose to the occasion" vs. Madison's show was more demanding and they poured everything they had into the first performance". Both were valid arguments that have not been settled to this day, much to the delight of those of us who were there. Rather than becoming a dismal, unsatisfying cop-out, the DeKalb tiebreaker was an inspirational event that showcased the best of what this activity has to offer.

Stan Maddox

[Fiedler]

Wow, am I losing it or was the run-off in 1981...NOT 1982. My sister was in the Regiment and it was the Spartacus show (not sure if it was the first one or second)...she performed in the run-off and taught in 1982.....it was 1981 right?

I remember sitting in the stands (soaked - it had rained) with Ralph Pace and a few other members of our visual team.....1981 right?

jeff

Edited August 27, 2004 by Fiedler

[LaSqueegee]

Wow, am I losing it or was the run-off in 1981...NOT 1982.  My sister was in the Regiment and it was the Spartacus show (not sure if it was the first one or second)...she performed in the run-off and taught in 1982.....it was 1981 right?

I remember sitting in the stands (soaked - it had rained) with Ralph Pace and a few other members of our visual team.....1981 right?

jeff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The www.fromthepressbox.com website says it was 1982...but what do I know, I was only like 3 years old!! :)

[Fiedler]

Wow, am I losing it or was the run-off in 1981...NOT 1982.  My sister was in the Regiment and it was the Spartacus show (not sure if it was the first one or second)...she performed in the run-off and taught in 1982.....it was 1981 right?

I remember sitting in the stands (soaked - it had rained) with Ralph Pace and a few other members of our visual team.....1981 right?

jeff

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The www.fromthepressbox.com website says it was 1982...but what do I know, I was only like 3 years old!! :)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey Mike,

I'm sure it says that but I'm pretty sure it was 1981....we were a better drum corps in 1981 than we were in 1982, we wouldn't have been as close to either Phantom or Scouts in 1982...and Ralph Pace didn't do our drill in 1982 so why would he have been there sitting with the rest of the visual staff from that same year....and my sister taught in 1982, and marched in 1981...she remembers the run-off as a performer, not an instructor...we must all be caught in a time warp....not complaining to you...just trying to reason this out....I'll stick to my story and claim that it was 1981.....

jeff

[84BDsop]

Sounds like one of our favorite announcers when I marched.  Who knows, could be him.

At the Stillwater Minn show, the announcer would announce us as:

"From Concord California.....Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee  BAAAAAAAALLUUUUUUU DEVILS"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The way you've desrcibed the pronunciation of Blue, I'm sure it was Joe Bruno you're describing.

By the way, he was a heck of a good drum major also for those late '60s Mariner corps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My fave Bruno announcement...1981 midwest...

"The Spirit....of AtlaaAAAAAAAaannnnnntttaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....."

[bd5times]

I'm sure it says that but I'm pretty sure it was 1981....

Sorry Jeff.

In my scrap book, I have the headline from the story that year....1982.