Organization: Penn State University
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 00:48:57 EDT
From: <DER107@psuvm.psu.edu>
Newsgroups: alt.drumcorps
Subject: Re: Bridgemen
 <1992Jul23.194112.29683@hubcap.clemson.edu>
 <1992Jul24.144645.26044@porthos.cc.bellcore.com>
 <1992Jul24.222353.19202@stortek.com>

In article <1992Jul24.222353.19202@stortek.com>, pae@blackcat.stortek.com (Phil
Earnhardt-x8236) says:
>
>In article <1992Jul24.144645.26044@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> tmv@blitzen.uucp
>(26129-vandewater) writes:
>>Well, I can continue to bash Phantom once again but the above statement
>>says it all for me....can someone defend this corps?  Then again, in
>>Phantom's defense, they did come in second in 89, and without SCV
>>they would have won...but is that the way you want to win finals?
>>Sorry about all the Phantom bashing, but THEY DESERVE IT!!  I'm concerned
>>that they are not educating their members on the value of competition...
>
>I don't know if there's really anything worthwhile to pursue with this thread.
>My interpretation of the law or Drum Corps Karma says:
>
>        If a corps is obsessed with winning, they will destroy
>        themselves in the process.
>
>I don't see Phantom doing that. Last year, they really had fun presenting
>their program. Winning was important, but it wasn't everything.
>
[Stuff about Florida Wave deleted]
>Contrast this with the Blue Knights in 1990 -- I talked with several kids
>after their 13th place performance. They said that they thought that they
>could have made finals, but that they had improved over their 1989 placement
>and were eventually going to make it. No bitterness. Extreme politeness. And a
>sense of *purpose* in what they had accomplished in 1990. Casey Smith is doing
>some great stuff in Denver.

Much as I hate to disagree with a fellow Cadet, I think the Phantom bashing is
somewhat overdone. Last summer the Cadets and Phantom had the opportunity
to share some meals with each other when they came to the east coast at the
beginning of the season. We were all a little wary of it, but George Hopkins
told us to just talk to  them and figure out that they weren't the over-
competative monsters that we thought they were (and to let them figure out
that we weren't the escaped criminals they probably pictured us as). It worked
out pretty well: we all made some friends and the two corps were pretty
friendly for the rest of tour.

I can't say that they were any more "win-at-any-cost" than the other corps
in the activity. Certainly, their staff wasn't brainwashing them that they
were worthless unless they could win. A friend of mine who marched lead sop
with Phantom before coming to the Cadets told me that the attitude of the corp
was more focused on scores and placements than at CBC, but he didn't feel it
was excessive. Every program in DCI emphasizes winning to a different extent
and that's one of the factors kids consider when choosing a corps to march
with.

The staff and management at every corps sometimes let the competition in
the activity cloud their better judgement. I can certainly sympathize if
Phantom's directors lost their cool during the '89 championships: it has
happened to almost every director in DCI at one time or another, and when
a world championship is on the line, the temptation is definitely there.

Sometimes the competitiveness does ruin the members experience of corps,
but most of the corps seem to be making a better effort than in the past to
respect the other corps programs. Regardless of what might have been true in
1983, it's not accuracte today to single Phantom out as a bad example in the
activity.

I also have to agree that the Blue Knights kind of set the standard for
a good attitude in DCI today. It's also worth noting that very few people
seem to hate that corps, and everyone watches their programs with an open
mind. The ultimate test of a corps' program is not whether it can win
championships but whether its members leave with a sense of accomplishment,
and can take pride in an awesome show.

So cut Phantom a break. Just because one *ass* wore a '92 championship
jacket, the whole program is not at fault.

Just my opinion, of course.
-Doug Rank
1991 Cadets of Bergen County