From: hall@cs.uidaho.edu (Kelly Hall)
Subject: Re: The Star of Indiana, HATE
Organization: University of Idaho CS Dept.
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 22:37:23 GMT
X-Posted-From: leopard.cs.uidaho.edu
X-Posted-Through: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

In article <1992Aug18.210249.12676@beaver.cs.washington.edu> dci@cs.washington.edu (Donald Chinn) writes:

   >>-        I'm just itting here reading all the hatred of them, and I heard all
   >>- the booing, etc, all season. WHY? Is it just because we have corporate
   >>- sponsorship, and will allow all types of people into our corp, based on their
   >>- abilities not their pocketbooks? (sorry, couldn't help but ask that question
   >>- since someone told me "The Star of Indiana" was filled with low-class people))

All corps that start up with a lot of $$$ their first year get resented by
other corps.  It makes it doubly resentful if the new corps does well.
Anyone remember Spirit's first year?  The ill-fated MB3?  Hmm?  Many people
see corps like this as being born with silver spoons in their mouths.
Resenting them for it is common but is petty.

   >>>I really didn't want to get into this subject but since
   >>>you asked.  Most corps, big and small, had (have) to work
   >>>to get started and to get new members and good instructors.
   >>>Star *stole* the best instructors all around the country
   >>>by flashing money.  And yes, Star is talented, but they
   >>>have the best instructors for the wrong reason.

Never have I thought of instructors as the property of a corps.  They can
quit a job and go elsewhere just like the rest of us (unless you're in the
DoD or something).  How much money would it take to ``steal'' Wayne Downey?
If an instructor leaves, he/she wasn't kidnapped.  As much as the members
of the corps like to think that *they* are the only kids that can have
instructor X, they are gonna get burned when he/she leaves for greener
pastures (either for more $$$ or a change of venue).

   >>I don't get this "underdog" mentality, where we (the generic "we") think
   >>that because some corps works twice as hard to get where they are that they
   >>deserve first place.  No one can take away the achievement of any of the
   >>corps, no matter what their final placement.  Judging and the final rankings
   >>are supposed to be about the performance, not about the behind the scenes
   >>stuff.  Now I realize that nowhere in the post is there mention that
   >>Star should not have won (all that was said was that you hated Star), but
   >>it does seem to be implied.

As much as those top 12 corps work, I can't help but have wonder if the
trophy was awarded on the basis of work alone, how many Div II/III and
lower Div I corps would be in the running.  How many bars did a generic
horn player for BD or Cav or Mad or xxx lay out to catch his/her breath
during the show?  How many did a generic Div III player?  In a 60+ horn
line you can rest and no one cares (or notices) - that doesn't cut the
mustard in a 20 (or 10) man line.

   >I agree with you, but that does not excuse it.  I actually did
   >find an exception to the statement that I made above.  One
   >girl that I met at Finals in '87 said that she was embarassed
   >to have marched with Star.  

That anyone can be embarassed by having marched with a corps boggles my
mind.  Either the organization had no esprit de corps or the person somehow
was off in the ozone layer.

   All I can say here is that negative impressions yield even more neagtive
   impressions.  I know it happens with me all the time.  Once I have decided
   X, then I look for evidence to confirm X.

Exactly!  Things in corps look a lot different after you've been out a few
years, and have had some time to reflect (and cool off) and put things into perspective.

   -- Donald

Kelly
--
Kelly Hall == hall@leopard.cs.uidaho.edu
no disclaimer, no cute quotes
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps