From: owens@cyclops.cambridge.ibm.com ()
Subject: Re: Boston Crusaders Open House & staff info
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 16:13:19 GMT
Organization: IBM T. J. Watson Research

In article <DRAPEAU.92Nov18130453@oglala.Stanford.EDU>, drapeau@oglala.Stanford.EDU (George Drapeau) writes:
|> In article <1992Nov17.183413.37579@watson.ibm.com> owens@cyclops.cambridge.ibm.com () writes:
|> 
|>    ...Got a good story about 
|>    intimidating judges at critique if you want to hear it... :)
|>    In 90 Boston spent all year beating top-twelve bound corps, won 
|>    prelims, but got squeezed out in the only show that counted.
|> 
|> Yes, please tell the story.  I would love to hear it myself.
|> 
|> This newsgroup needs more folklore!  Let's hear those war stories!

|> George D. Drapeau			Internet: drapeau@sioux.stanford.edu

It's not quite a war story (those I don't tell :) )...  But there
was recently a discussion about how/why corps use critique these
days, and this fits in there.

Boston only practices nights before going on tour so kids don't 
have to give up their lives/education/jobs/first born just to 
march drum corps.  We tend to slowly pass people once we get on 
tour (anyone remember Les Eclipes? :) ).  We started 12 points 
behind Spirit and ended 4 points ahead of em this year.  Some 
staffs get irritated when a corps passes em.  :)

At the Indiana show we tied the Freelancers, and beat them by a 
point in horns.  Critique was in the side bleachers and the staffs
were wandering around waiting for their turn.  Some of the Freelancer's
horn staff were fuming nearby and planned to give one judge some 
hell... which they did.  I thought at the time that it would probably 
hurt their cause (I wouldn't like it if I were a judge).

Well, that same judge was at finals a week (or less?) later.  He 
gave Boston the exact same score he had in Indiana.  He gave the 
Freelancers two more points exactly switching the relationship.

Don't get me wrong... I am saying nothing about how we should have
placed, what we should have gotten, what they should have gotten.  I
generally pay very little attention to judging and placement.  I like
the Freelancers and look forward to seeing them every year.  Perhaps
the judge honestly thought our line had gotten no better and theirs
had gotten 2 pts better, or had realized he had made a mistake in 
Indiana, or whatever.  It's just a story of what happened... make 
of it what you will.  (in other words don't everyone flame me about 
who's line they thought was better... it doesn't matter for this 
story. :) )


Btw... anyone out there ever march Freelancers?  We always heard
that the Freelancers were allowed to wear either their own, or a
Boston tee shirt under their uniform.  I was never sure if I beleived
the story or not.  The big bearded biker-looking guy who works with
their horn line (can't think of his name :) ) DOES often wear a Boston
shirt... including at finals this year.  Just curious.

Here's a tidbit for people who like to stump people with odd drum 
corps trivia... Boston's drum line wore Freelancer uniform tops in 85.

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   David Owens                    VMID:        ODAVID at YKTVMH
   SVS Multiplatform Development  Internet:    odavid@watson.ibm.com
   IBM Research                   
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   You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.
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