From: dci@cs.washington.edu (Donald Chinn)
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps
Subject: Re: The Star of Indiana
Keywords: The Star of Indiana, why do they hate them?
Date: 18 Aug 92 18:14:29 GMT
Organization: Computer Science & Engineering, U. of Washington, Seattle

In article <Aug.18.11.55.58.1992.12118@andromeda.rutgers.edu> dowzycki@andromeda.rutgers.edu (Ken Dowzycki) writes:
>cehagen@banana.ucs.indiana.edu (Christopher E. Hagen) 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))
>
>    I only saw the PBS Broadcast of the top 6 but a few things were very
>clear of the minute they came on the air:
>
>   1)  When Curt Gowdy proclaimed that everyone was "hoping for a
>falling Star" it was evident to me right then and there that no matter
>who did what, performance wise, that Star was not going to win.
>
>      When I received the semi-finals scores I thought that they were
>just trying to make it interesting by having Cavies beat Star.  I 
>would just have to wait and see how each corps performed.

It's probably just me, but this does not seem like compelling evidence
to me that the thing was fixed. (The most compelling evidence to me
would be a situation where Star rather clearly outperformed the Cavies
(and everyone else) and yet did not win.)

>
>   2) Star's performance was more inspired than it was in Allentown
>and I thought they should have won the title.
>

Again, this is not compelling evidence.  While Star may have improved
since Allentown, I bet Cadets and Cavaliers did too.

>   3)  The Cadets and Cavies drill take such an inordinate amount
>of time to come to a conclusion.  Star's drill hits you in the face,
>WHAM, there's a distinct conclusion!  BAM, there's another one! WOW!
>did you see how they got into that so quickly, Amazing.
>
>       The Cadets take forever to reach a set and when they do it
>was perfection, but their drill reminds me of an army of ants carrying
>off leaves, etc. until they reach a destination.  (I'm not suggesting
>that it is any less difficult).  I simply was not as impressed as with
>Star's drill. 
>
>       The Cavies drill was not as good as Star or Cadets.  Yes,
>they had some brilliant moves like the 3 collapsing boxes, or 
>what ever you would call them, but the rest was not as impressive.
>The hornline was NOT good at all!  But when did the Cavies ever
>have a great hornline?  Drums are another story.
>

These are matters of taste, so I do not disagree with you on anything you
say here, but the real question is: what are the judges looking for?  I have
no idea.  I don't do judging; I only know what I like.

>    4)  I have never seen such a hostile crowd response in the form
>of applause as was portrayed by this audience when Star was announced
>in third.  At that moment I wanted the Cadets to win so that their 
>precious Cavies would be denied!  (I like the Cavies although I do
>not think they deserved the title in '91 or '92?  Last year Star
>blew them away with their horline and drill.  Yes, '91 Cavies closer
>was excellent, but did you ever LISTEN to it on the CD's, cracks galore).
>You know, Star is not the evil incarnate.  They won one time.

I found the crowd response to be rather hostile too.  No doubt it was
because of all the reasons already mentioned in alt.drumcorps.  I personally
was cheering (no more than usual) because I felt that it was the right
placement.

>
>    5)   The announcer either had an orgasm or a coronary as he 
>announced the C-A-V-AAAA--LLLLLLLLLIIIIIRRRSSSSSS!.  Another example
>of a FIX.    They were not going to deny them.  People probably
>would have rioted (just kidding) if they lost.  Maybe just torn
>down a goal post or something.

Again, not very compelling evidence of a fix.

-- Donald
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps