From: ddm@wpi.WPI.EDU (David D Marshall)
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps
Subject: Re: Madison music
Date: 21 Nov 1992 06:47:42 GMT
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
NNTP-Posting-Host: wpi.wpi.edu

In article <92325.130158MHUGHES@MIAMIU.BITNET> <MHUGHES@MIAMIU.BITNET> writes:
>2. Politics.
> 
> No one has mentioned the *mystery-finals* of 1988.  This was the only year
> in the history of DCI (before OR since) where the relative placements of
> the top 5 remained anonymous until the announcement of scores Saturday
> night.  It was a highly questionable practice, and I don't remember hearing
> that finals were going to be run this way in advance (anyone who could shed
> some light on this, please do so).

I believe that I remember the staff talking about this sometime before Finals. 
I can't remember the exact period, but it wasn't like the day of Finals.
> 
> The group of friends who I was with that night at Arrowhead (including a die-
> hard Madison fan) was unanimous in feeling that SCV deserved the title.  When
> Madison was announced the winner, all our jaws dropped.  So did most of the
> jaws of people sitting around us.  The *hysteria* that Reliable Rondo said
> immediately erupted from the crowd was nowhere in evidence from where we
> were sitting.  Of course, there wasn't wholesale booing in poor taste like
> Star has received recently, but it SURE as hell was a surprise to all of us,
> all drum corps fans since the late 1970s.  I applauded the Scouts for their
> fine corps and wonderful performance, but strongly felt that SCV and BD had
> the proverbial sand kicked in their faces.

Every time I here someone say they were there, and they thought this way, I
have to ask that person if they can tell how well the corps did _on_the_field_
or what happened in 2, 3, or 4 different categories at the same time.  Maybe
you are right.  I'm just saying that you as an audience member are not getting
the same picture that 9 judges are getting (or was it 6 then?).

> 
> This, coupled with the fact that Rondo kept dropping hints all night (i.e.,
> *there's a dark horse out there*, even though the scores were SUPPOSEDLY
> unknown to all but the judges and tabulators) as well as the fact that it
> was Madison's 50th anniversary (coincidence?) has to lead me to quote Jim
> Garrison:
> 
>  "If it looks like it, smells like it, and acts like it, you call it
>   what it is." .... politics.
> 

I think that you already proved your dark horse comments.  If it seemed that
Madison was out of the picture 2 weeks before finals, then for them to be in
the top 5, they would have to be the dark horse to win.

>a high placement at DCI.  My congratulations to the members of the 1988 BD and
>SCV for all the work they did and acheivements they accomplished which, IMHO,
>deserved more fair consideration.

I agree.  I think that the corps with the worst luck at Finals has to be SCV.
Their shows in '86, '87, and '88 were all championship performances, but they
didn't win.

> 
>(Here they come...(flame shield: on :))
> 
>-Mike Hughes

--David


-- 
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