Finals

[wheelerand]

Academy did have a couple of drops during Finals - but honestly, for me this show was just so far above everything else I saw this year I can't even express it. I saw them in Michigan City, where they should have won by 4 points or so, just barely nip the Spartans. After talking to several people (not affiliated with The Academy), I found a general sentiment that the judges were keeping the scores close to keep things competitive. I'm no judge, but from what I saw and heard, I have to agree. Of course, personal preference as to show styles always enters what we think of as the best show...but honestly, for me, this was the best show I've seen in at least two years - any division. I took something like 40 pictures of them at Finals, and I don't think I have a single one with a line that's not straight, diagonals not lined up, or anything like that.

I am SO BUMMED that this corps won't be coming out of the West next year, with Finals in Pasadena. It's a great loss for the rest of the country.

I think that now that they've actually won the championship to cap off a third undefeated season (and an undefeated CAREER in Division 2 - can anyone tell me when that's been done?) they will begin to get more respect from the judges and be scored accordingly. I'm not saying this to knock the judging - it's a difficult job and I wouldn't want it - but I talked to a lot of fans in Michigan City and in Madison, and the sentiment I found was pretty universal among those I talked to.

[Malambo13]

Academy's drill design was that of a decent high school marching band. Their percussion was ok, their guard was mediocre, and their show was boring. Their brass line was clearly their strongpoint, but I would be a lot more impressed if it wasn't just the lead voices in their ensemble (usually just the lead trumpets) playing the difficult licks. If they expect to compete in Division 1 they need to rethink their design philosophy, because judges up there won't be so quick to forgive major flaws because they have a large hornline that plays well.

You do have one thing right, wheeler: the judges seemed to have an agenda. How they could possibly have Academy in first for Visual Effect Repertoire and Visual Ensemble Composition is beyond me.

[confused]

Congrats to the Raiders! You held your own, despite the loss of a Drum Major - and Impulse's drop to Div III.

I'm not willing to accept judge's agenda (conspiracy theory) , scores vary from one part of the country to another (regional provincialsim maybe/doubtful - judges are above that (I hope)). If not the future becomes murky.

[Hipposduck]

Academy's drill design was that of a decent high school marching band. Their percussion was ok, their guard was mediocre, and their show was boring. Their brass line was clearly their strongpoint, but I would be a lot more impressed if it wasn't just the lead voices in their ensemble (usually just the lead trumpets) playing the difficult licks. If they expect to compete in Division 1 they need to rethink their design philosophy, because judges up there won't be so quick to forgive major flaws because they have a large hornline that plays well.

You do have one thing right, wheeler: the judges seemed to have an agenda. How they could possibly have Academy in first for Visual Effect Repertoire and Visual Ensemble Composition is beyond me.

BWAHAHAHAHA

[DCI_Dadx2]

Academy did have a couple of drops during Finals - but honestly, for me this show was just so far above everything else I saw this year I can't even express it. I saw them in Michigan City, where they should have won by 4 points or so, just barely nip the Spartans. After talking to several people (not affiliated with The Academy), I found a general sentiment that the judges were keeping the scores close to keep things competitive. I'm no judge, but from what I saw and heard, I have to agree. Of course, personal preference as to show styles always enters what we think of as the best show...but honestly, for me, this was the best show I've seen in at least two years - any division. I took something like 40 pictures of them at Finals, and I don't think I have a single one with a line that's not straight, diagonals not lined up, or anything like that.

I am SO BUMMED that this corps won't be coming out of the West next year, with Finals in Pasadena. It's a great loss for the rest of the country.

I think that now that they've actually won the championship to cap off a third undefeated season (and an undefeated CAREER in Division 2 - can anyone tell me when that's been done?) they will begin to get more respect from the judges and be scored accordingly. I'm not saying this to knock the judging - it's a difficult job and I wouldn't want it - but I talked to a lot of fans in Michigan City and in Madison, and the sentiment I found was pretty universal among those I talked to.

Academy won and that is great. This comes purely from the point of view of comparing them to a semi's or finalist D1. Their visual design would have to come a long ways. Having the guard use their skirts as a prop for most of a number wouldn't have gotten them the same marks in D1 as it did this season in D2. The big move the Corps makes with two groups marching through each other would also have to be worked on to get the same reaction from a D1 crowd. The jazz run is made while they aren't playing. The hornline is smoking, but in order for them to be a semis or finalist D1 visual/design will have to come a long ways.

[dudes]

I have to agree with DCI dad on this one. Brass line hands down the best in div II. I Have to sya their hornline impressed me more than all the Div I hornline with an exception to the top three. But if they are to go div I their visual program needs to change a little bit. Its clean because it was achievable. General effect and brass got them where they are next year. Drums and colorguard need a lot of work though. I am sure they can handle it and will fix it none the less next year.

Are you serious...lead sops holding all the licks...i would like you to intriduce me to a corps that has baritone players that can triple tongue that clean. they all play a lot of notes. Maybe you should listen to the APD more closely. Everyone in that coprs contributes a FAIR amount.

[DCI_Dadx2]

........ I am sure they can handle it and will fix it none the less next year.

Obviously, within D2 they'd have nothing to "fix". Not that they will get pass in D2 (no one does), but they are clearly ready to compete there.

[ECJGuard4L]

academy was freakin amazing

Edited August 16, 2006 by ECJGuard4L

[XxDrumCorpsFanxX]

Academy's drill design was that of a decent high school marching band. Their percussion was ok, their guard was mediocre, and their show was boring. Their brass line was clearly their strongpoint, but I would be a lot more impressed if it wasn't just the lead voices in their ensemble (usually just the lead trumpets) playing the difficult licks. If they expect to compete in Division 1 they need to rethink their design philosophy, because judges up there won't be so quick to forgive major flaws because they have a large hornline that plays well.

You do have one thing right, wheeler: the judges seemed to have an agenda. How they could possibly have Academy in first for Visual Effect Repertoire and Visual Ensemble Composition is beyond me.

how could you actually say their percussion was ok? from what i've heard they got 1st on the field... Does that mean that they are ok? Or do you say they were "ok" because they weren't playing a book with tons of notes in it every second they were playing. Whats wrong with being musical?

And i could have sworn that the entire brass line was double/triple tonguing and playing difficult licks, but i could be wrong? *shrugs* But yes Academys drill wasn't as clean maybe as spartans and ECJ and maybe OC but they were moving A LOT. From what i saw on the season pass, the other corps seemed to be doing a lot of 8 to 5 stuff. And if you don't call that high school marching band, what do you call it?

This just bugs me that people have the nerve to start bashing on the corps saying stuff about how they aren't that good, and what not. Obviously they are...otherwise they wouldn't have won right?

[leadsop97]

just to clear some stuff up, I'm pretty sure most people aren't bagging on their performance quality. They are obviously great performers. From what I've read, and I may have misinterpreted it (and spelled that word wrong, hah) most people have just found flaws in their design. Nothing wrong with that, every corps has flaws. Everyone knows Academy's guard was weak. Was it what they were given or how they performed it or both? I don't know, I didn't see the show. But scores are scores. Spartans 19.6, ECJ 19.2, Academy 18.1. That's quite a large difference. and for those who think that their entire hornline was double tonguing, I'd like you to find me a group of 60 kids under the age of 21 who can all double tongue. I'm sure not everyone was doing it. They pulled it off, and well so kudos to them.

my only problem on here is when people go to extremes and say that they should have won by 3-4 points but the judges just won't do it. Magic won by 3 points in 02, and that's who many people were comparing Academy to this year. It can happen, it has, but it didn't this year. When all corps are competitive, the scores tend to be lower. They were in division 1 this year. Saying Academy should have won by 3-4 points is like me saying Phantom should have won division 1 hands down because they had by far the most emotional performance I've ever seen live.

that is all I guess, and don't bash me for trying to make some sense. Instead of complaining about this and that, and putting down corps A or corps B, we should all try to remember that we just got back from a very draining season, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Try to congratulate corps for putting forth their best efforts instead of diminishing them by sounding like you know everything about drum corps and are smarter than thee judges so you should have been out therre making the call. I love you all.