DCI POLITICS @ it's Best!

[bradrick]

Look...I know the original poster really thought he was on to something. And I know this thread is only talking about finals night. But It would sure be a shame if it somehow contributed to a false impression that DCI was systematically favoring the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2005 (I guess the favoring was supposed to be coming from the judges).

The Vanguard members busted their tails all summer and apparently pulled out a very memorable and exciting finals show. Why does that need a conspiracy behind it to happen?

Without buying into any conspiracy theory at all, if we look at this season as a whole - objectively, one thing we can probably all agree on is the evidence that the judging in 2005 was probably not cutting the Santa Clara Vanguard any slack.

With that in perspective, please don't allow a thread like this to contribute needlessly to reconstructing this season.

Edited August 16, 2005 by bradrick

[GMichael1230]

I know everybody loves controversy so here it is. Wasn't SCV in good standings for 9th place and a more that 1 point away from Boston? Was SCV really that good to make a 1 point jump finals night. They haven't been that close to Boston all season than all of a sudden....BAM! 8th place.

Politics you ask?  Let a shining star like SCV drop so much in placing?

I don't know....smells funny!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Santa Clara Vanguard was on fire finals night and really should have placed even higher. After being delayed from starting due to a threat of lightning.....the Vanguard came out fired up by the wait time, the crowds anticipation, and probably some realy good practices......simply on fire.The guard was flawless, everything was tossed, caught and presented in complete unison, no drops, nothing.....the intensitiy in the musical presentation was so unbelieveable..you could feel the emotion. Drill sets clean, transitions clean...everything about this show clicked finals night and you could tell on Thursday that they were going to pass someone because what they gave out on the field was NOTHING like what the early reviews stated.....a truly memorable, underrated show.

It also didnt hurt that BAC gave their best performance on Thursday and dwindled in execution and emotion from that point on.

~G~

Edited August 16, 2005 by GMichael1230

[GMichael1230]

On Friday, Boston was CLEARLY better than SCV. On Saturday, it was almost as if it was another corps performing SCV's show...they were that good. It was obvious to everyone around me (bottom of the upper deck, side 2 45 yard line) that they should beat Boston at Finals.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Everyone in section 9 looked at each other with shock not even believing what they/we just wittnesed from SCV......a performance that rivaled 1987 and 2000 in intensity and emotion.

~G~

[Blue Devil Legend]

And after the "greatest show of the season", packed with emotion and "in the zone' (no pun intended) all the judges could muster was an anemic .6 increase from semi's to finals.

I was blown away when the scores were announced (although they did beat BAC). I actually thought they would break 90.00. [/noconspiracy :P ]

[victorcoly]

However, the Bluecoats really bolted past the Scouts on finals night, and that can seem fishy when they had been so close prior to finals. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Jonathan -- is it time for school to start again soon?? Your "theory" is almost like the Purple Raiders losing the Amos Alanzo Stagg Bowl, and the City of Alliance and Mt. Union crying "conspiracy!"

b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs b**bs

[RLamb]

2. The percussion judging in semi finals was a far cry from that of finals.  Regardless of which night you feel was more appropriately scored, the results are obvious.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually the percussion scoring during semi finals was NOT very far off from either

that of finals or quarter finals. If you take the average of quarters and finals and

compare them to the semi finals scores, the EVERY drumline's semi score is within

.3 of that average with the exception of Blue Devils (-.5) and Spirit (-.8).

The percussion scoring had no more variance than did the brass scores over the

3 nights.

The rankings of the drum lines in semis was almost the same every night:

1. Cadets - 1st all 3 nights

2. Phantom - 2nd all 3 nights

3. Cavs - 1 tie for 2nd, 2 3rds

4. Scouts - 1 3rd, 1 4th, 1 5th

5. Blue Devs - 1 4th, 2 6ths

6. Bluecoats - 2 5ths, 1 6th (and 6th was not the night Chuck King judged)

[yabetterbelieveit]

SCV's did "look like a 6th place show" ... unfortunately for them, so did Crown and Scouts, only even a little bit better.  B)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly, but if reference to BAC they looked like higher up.

[ChicagoFan]

I can add nothing to this discussion but will simply mention what others already have -- that Santa Clara had, perhaps, the show of the night on Saturday. There were some fine performances at finals but, to me and many in the surrounding seating area, SCV gave the most emotionally charged, intense, powerful performance of the evening.

[troopmello]

I'm going to agree with the majority here. SCV on finals night was so amazing that I have trouble finding the words to express it. At one point, tears began to form and they were the first corps that I have ever seen that has ever done it to me. I think SCV this year was underappreciated and I really have trouble understanding the low GE scores, especially BK beating them in GE, that made no sense.

*edited for grammatical mistakes*

Edited August 17, 2005 by troopmello

[JustSpin]

I had seen SCV multiple times throughout the season, including quarters and semis, and nothing could have prepared me for what I saw on Saturday night. While the weather delay could have easily hurt their focus, they came on the field and performed something fierce. I think their performance took everyone by surprise; there was even a large standing ovation following their opener (which I'd never seen get such a reaction). They were ON for finals night. Flawless.

After seeing Boston shortly after, I had a strong feeling that SCV had prevailed. SCV was the show of the night, in my opinion. I couldn't have imagined it.... they must be so proud!