Thank you from DCA.

[Fred Windish]

Jesse,

That whole I&E thing is pretty much DCA's gift to the fans. There is no requirement that any corps participate. I believe that's the correct way to go. The competing units are here on a mission. That's to prepare themselves best for Sunday night. They must always be allowed to do what they feel best in their quest of success. Would I like to see the Bucs' members at I&E? Yes, I am proud to have been one of them!

[OHS_Bucs53]

For future reference:

Buy more Hot Chocolate mix :) After getting off the field (we were in the worst of the storm @ Prelims) we were dying for hot chocolate....but it was all gone! haha but that tropical storm was fun to try and do guard work in!!

[ripper]

Where was Moe Knox and his instant pics the next day. There was no booth to get pics from other than Jolesch $$$ HEY MOE ARE YOU OK need some pics

[TchMuzk]

My only problem, and I'm not sure that anything can be done about it, is the lack of entrance to the stands from the field.

After setting up my front ensemble, there was no way I could get to the staff viewing section without going all the way around and missing most of our opener. The brass staff who warmed up the hornline and I had to watch the show from a bench on the 20 yard line. We could not even stand. We had to sit on the bench. Getting off the bench during the performance was a $1000 fine and a 1 point penalty! Of course the low stands meant that if we had stood, we would have blocked paying spectators and I would absolutley not have wanted to do THAT!

Its just that this is not an appropriate vantage point for corps staffs who have worked long and hard for ten months to put the program together.

While I know the emphasis is on the fans and on the performers, it just didn't seem right. I could have foregone helping my ensemble set up so I could go up top, but my kids were used to my help and "high-fives" before the performance. I wanted to make sure they felt as "normal" as possible and share in their excitement. I did, and they did an outstanding job, but it cost me the opportunity to watch them play from an appropriate vantage point.

[TomMoore]

Fred, congrats on the program book. It is a wonderful piece of history and really reflects well on DCA. A dramatic improvement! And I'm not just saying that because of your choice of cover photo! :P

Allen: It was a pleasure meeting you. Congratulations on doing yeoman's work under such trying circumstances, with Mother Nature and Frontier Field pyrotechnics. All of the DCA crew should be commended for their good spirits and good humor.

One suggestion -- can we require that corps feed their members at Dinosaur Barbecue, or at least have one huge picnic catered by them? b**bs It was a meal I'll never forget!

I for one had the pleasure of being inspired by watching 128 of my brothers and sisters in Blue work hard in awful weather conditions with humor, grace and a bit of moxie, as if to prove that the weather would not win this challenge. And to see them and several other fine corps perform in Saturday night -- well, it made me very proud. I'm sure my counterparts in other corps had the same reaction to seeing their members work through adverse conditions. That's a memory I'll always hold onto -- thanks DCA and Allen & Co. for making the most of adverse conditions!

I was in the drive through at Burger King in Medina getting coffee (yes, there are restaurants there!) and the cashier saw my corps jacket, and went on for a couple minutes about how much they loved drum corps coming to their town (they get some DCI corps staying there as well). Thanks to the entire Medina School District team for being such WONDERFUL hosts and to the residents of the Rochester area who welcomed all of us warmly.

Well done, everyone!

Edited September 5, 2006 by TomMoore

[Fred Windish]

ripper,

My good friend, Moe Knox, has health issues that limit his appearance at DCA events. As for photo sales, Jolesch Photography has extended itself to obtain exclusive rights to DCA Championship images. We appreciate that and will do everything possible to uphold those rights.

[Fred Windish]

TchMuzk,

The place was built for soccer, not for drum corps. Soccer fans are somewhat crazy, thus, the limited access. It is what it is. I can tell you, every corps director at the Friday meeting was told about the access to upper level problem. It was stressed, if you want to make your way up there for your corps, don't even enter the playing field.

As for the downstairs viewing area. That's what you get. The event is not about your staff, but about the comfort of your paying fans. Hope you understand.

[Vagabond Skyliner]

ripper,

My good friend, Moe Knox, has health issues that limit his appearance at DCA events. As for photo sales, Jolesch Photography has extended itself to obtain exclusive rights to DCA Championship images. We appreciate that and will do everything possible to uphold those rights.

Fred;

I think for a first time in a New Stadium. DCA - Empire did a great job. I see where others are giving you some good ideas for next year. I am sure things will be checked out, and an even better time will be had by all. (Just need to put a few more people in the Prayer line for better weather).

Thanks for a great weekend!.

[TchMuzk]

Oh, I absolutely understand. Not only do I understand, I also agree!

You asked for our thoughts, so I was just letting you know.

TchMuzk,

The place was built for soccer, not for drum corps. Soccer fans are somewhat crazy, thus, the limited access. It is what it is. I can tell you, every corps director at the Friday meeting was told about the access to upper level problem. It was stressed, if you want to make your way up there for your corps, don't even enter the playing field.

As for the downstairs viewing area. That's what you get. The event is not about your staff, but about the comfort of your paying fans. Hope you understand.

[Kamarag]

As for the downstairs viewing area. That's what you get. The event is not about your staff, but about the comfort of your paying fans. Hope you understand.

No, it's not. It's about EVERYONE.

It's about the performers, the fans and the staff members. I think it's fine to require the staffs stay outside the 30 yard lines (like most band circuits), but requiring that they stay seated (at the field level) and not yell or clap (at the box) are completely rediculous rules.

Sure, there may be some staffs that abuse this, but for DCA to limit thier access to the two most important shows of the year is horrible. DCA could easily have just made it clear that staff members need to stay in a certain area, but to threaten fines or penatlies is going too far.

This is something that needs to be addressed by DCA over the next year. One solution would be to build a temporary staircase that goes over the wall for field acccess. Set aside an area at or near the box for the staff, but do not require them to sit or stay quiet. It's insulting, and the whole thing could have been handled better. I hope DCA and the PAETEC folks will look at this issue closely.

The staff works just as hard as the performers, and they shouldn't be treated like second class citizens. If a staff from a certain corps is abusing the standards of "good taste", DCA can address them on an indivdual basis, rather than issuing blanket edicts.

Edited September 5, 2006 by Kamarag