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This Whole Bushwacker Thing


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Hi all.

This is going to be a bit long, so I beg your indulgence. (Not that I'm known at all for talking at length. :P )

1) Dumb mistake: Bushwackers trooping the stands at Finals. 'Nuff said. They got a penalty, it dropped 'em a spot, and it was over. They have completely explained their position, and that was the right thing to do.

2) Much DUMBER mistake: Me coming on this forum like some sort of avenging angel and bashing the corps for doing so.

Last night, I stayed up late (rare for this "in bed by 10" person) and watched the Letterman show. Newsman Sheppard Smith was one of the guests. Smith has spent a lot of time recently in New Orleans.

Last night, he talked about an almost unbelievable scene of human desperation in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He showed video of New Orleans residents literally emerging from the floodwaters, some people with only the clothes on their backs, and heading for the only higher ground available, which was the bridge that carries Interstate 10 through parts of the region.

Smith said those people spent days..... DAYS.... stranded on that bridge, with no food or water available, in the blazing sun, waiting for help.

Now, the discussion over whether or not government should have responded sooner is a topic for another thread altogether. And you're probably wondering why I even mentioned the New Orleans situation here. Here's why:

After hearing and watching what Smith had to say, I thought a bit, and then thought some more. And then I said to myself:

WTF am I doing, publicly trashing a drum corps over an incident that, in the grand scheme of things compared to what those poor folks in the Gulf region are going though, doesn't amount to even a blip on the radar screen??????

The answer I came up with was: I let my temporary anger at the Sunday night situation absolutely, positively get the best of me. And for that, I am truly sorry.

Without going into details that are between me and my therapist, that is something that I've worked VERY hard at trying not to do anymore.... letting the "dark side" of Fran come through in such a public way. Depression, even minor depression, can be an ugly thing. I much prefer the "brighter side" of myself. And I certainly know other people do, too. So I will continue to do my best to stay out of the darkness.

I also tend to forget (as I was reminded of by a friend of mine in the Bushwackers) that my words can carry greater weight at times than the words of some others who post regularly on DCP and other Internet forums. I tend to think of myself as just another schlub on the Internet, talking drum corps. (PLEASE, no e-mail from people offended by being called a schlub!!!!) I forget about me being a public "face" of DCA. That tendency is ANOTHER dumb mistake of mine, I should say!

So... now that I've told you more about me than you would probably care to know, I say this:

Bushwackers, I apologize. DCA, I apologize. My bad. My REAL bad.

Folks, I've long had a sort of "bond" with the Bushwackers, because they are the corps that gave me my first opportunity to announce a summer drum corps show, way back in 1983. As I say in a profile done about me in the upcoming issue of Drum Corps World, (shameless plug, I know) I have never forgotten them for that. (Even when they were kicking the butt of my old corps, the Sunrisers.)

Perhaps that why I was so angry Sunday night. Here was a corps that had finally gotten back into title contention after several years of lower finishes, a corps that quite frankly works as hard or harder than anyone in the business and is full of good, solid drum corps people, and I thought they could have blown it all with one move Sunday night. Turns out I blew it, instead.

Thanks for reading, everyone. And now back to our regularly-scheduled drum corps discussions.

Fran

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:)

It is nice to see a person realize they made a mistake and own up to it. We have all been there.

Sometimes when you read something and it gets you hot. Best to maybe type out your thoughts in note pad and read it over and over. After doing so you might cool down some and realize it would be a bad thing to say. Much easier to hit delete there.

SO many Lessons learned this weekend.

Glad Fran Did this. I like his posts and he is one of the best announcers.

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wow...classy mve...*smiles*... thats real cool Fran!!! takes alot to come out here and apologize like that....coolness

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Hi all.

This is going to be a bit long, so I beg your indulgence.  (Not that I'm known at all for talking at length.  :P )

1) Dumb mistake:  Bushwackers trooping the stands at Finals. 'Nuff said. They got a penalty, it dropped 'em a spot, and it was over.  They have completely explained their position, and that was the right thing to do.

2) Much DUMBER mistake:  Me coming on this forum like some sort of avenging angel and bashing the corps for doing so. 

Last night, I stayed up late  (rare for this "in bed by 10" person) and watched the Letterman show.  Newsman Sheppard Smith was one of the guests.  Smith has spent a lot of time recently in New Orleans. 

Last night, he talked about an almost unbelievable scene of human desperation in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  He showed video of New Orleans residents literally emerging from the floodwaters, some people with only the clothes on their backs, and heading for the only higher ground available, which was the bridge that carries Interstate 10 through parts of the region.

Smith said those people spent days..... DAYS.... stranded on that bridge, with no food or water available, in the blazing sun, waiting for help.

Now, the discussion over whether or not government should have responded sooner is a topic for another thread altogether.  And you're probably wondering why I even mentioned the New Orleans situation here.    Here's why:

After hearing and watching what Smith had to say,  I thought a bit, and then thought some more.  And then I said to myself:

WTF am I doing, publicly trashing a drum corps over an incident that, in the grand scheme of things compared to what those poor folks in the Gulf region are going though, doesn't amount to even a blip on the radar screen??????

The answer I came up with was: I let my temporary anger at the Sunday night situation absolutely, positively get the best of me.  And for that, I am truly sorry.

Without going into details that are between me and my therapist, that is something that I've worked VERY hard at trying not to do anymore.... letting the "dark side" of Fran come through in such a public way.  Depression, even minor depression, can be an ugly thing. I much prefer the "brighter side" of myself.  And I certainly know other people do, too.  So I will continue to do my best to stay out of the darkness.

I also tend to forget  (as I was reminded of by a friend of mine in the Bushwackers)  that my words can carry greater weight at times than the words of some others who post regularly on DCP and other Internet forums. I  tend to think of myself as just another schlub on the Internet, talking drum corps.  (PLEASE, no e-mail from people offended by being called a schlub!!!!)  I forget about me being a public "face" of DCA. That tendency is ANOTHER dumb mistake of mine, I should say!

So... now that I've told you more about me than you would probably care to know, I say this:

Bushwackers, I apologize.  DCA, I apologize.  My bad. My REAL bad.

Folks, I've long had a sort of "bond" with the Bushwackers, because they are the corps that gave me my first opportunity to announce a summer drum corps show, way back in 1983.  As I say in a profile done about me in the upcoming issue of Drum Corps World, (shameless plug, I know) I have never forgotten them for that.  (Even when they were kicking the butt of my old corps, the Sunrisers.)

Perhaps that why I was so angry Sunday night.  Here was a corps that had finally gotten back into title contention after several years of lower finishes, a corps that quite frankly works as hard or harder than anyone in the business and is full of good, solid drum corps people, and I thought they could have blown it all with one move Sunday night. Turns out I blew it, instead.

Thanks for reading, everyone. And now back to our regularly-scheduled drum corps discussions.

Fran

.......WE all post (and no...........I didn't read the whole thread......maybe tomorrow

when I (faBurp) get straight.......I will..............

How 'Bout this..............(faBurp!!) Ahem...........!!!!!!!!!!

POST DCA COMMENT RETRACTION THREAD

(You know.....the thread that gives you a second chance.......like #### wish I wouldn't have said THAT.....!!!!)

Maybe should be called the "Absolution Thread".........Dunno.......

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:)

Thanks, Fran.

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Thank you very much, Fran.

For me, apology accepted.

You're a good man.

"Three cheers for the red, white, and blue....Francis' shirt makes him look like a #######...."

:lolhit:

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Wow, very classy move Fran. I was hurt when I read your comments because I consider you the voice of DCA. While I am not affiliated in anyway with the Bushwackers or any corps in the circuit, it just seemed like a blow to this corps who had a ton of momentum going into the offseason. The last thing any corps needs is to be bad mouthed and you stepped up and apologized. That was a very cool thing. Now, if only you would apologize for that shirt you were wearing the other day (sorry, I know someone else mentioned it, but I had to get a jab in there). :) Again, thanks Fran for being a class act. Again, to the Bushwackers, great job this weekend and season. You guys are back on the map in a big way. 2nd place after an 8th place finish the year before is one of the biggest stories in DCA this year. Good luck in 2006

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  Now, if only you would apologize for that shirt you were wearing the other day (sorry, I know someone else mentioned it, but I had to get a jab in there).  :) 

OK.... sorry for that, too. b**bs

Fran

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"Three cheers for the red, white, and blue....Francis' shirt makes him look like a #######...."

:huh:

Fran

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