From: ck10322@china.medtronic.com (Cameron Kaszas)
Subject: DCI Finals
Organization: Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 16:22:23 GMT

Well, I made it to my first DCI Finals in 5 years!  What a 
blast.  We drove in just for the Saturday night show, arriving
in Madison around 5, and rushing right to the stadium.  My wife
who is not a drum corps fan (as in fanatic, but she's getting
there - she even told me she is watching the tape this morning!)
was a real trooper and didn't complain that we put drum corps 
ahead of eating, freshening up, etc. :)

Our seats were as high as you could get, and in the endzone, 
stage left, so I really only saw the drills. I did sit in
the aisle on the 50 for the Bluecoats (don't know why I picked
them), and the difference was amazing.  Since I live for the
horns, I was really disappointed in our seats, but the rest in
my party enjoyed the HIGH view. 

I don't feel qualified to give too many opinions, since this was
my first time seeing most of the corps, but here goes:

Cavaliers - well, they won didn't they!  The top 5 were too
    close to call as far as I was concerned :)

Garfield - I was surprised they did so well. From up high,
    their drill had several noticeable flaws. But that is 
    only one aspect.  I guess the difficulty of it balanced out
    what appeared to be a few minor breakdowns (arcs with
    flat spots, "wiggly" lines, etc). 
    
Blue Devils - I "didn't get" the dice thing.  Really looked
    cluttered to me.  I personally liked their closer, 
    it was very entertaining, but I have to agree
    with those who wonder about its appropriateness
    for a youth activity.  I guess you have to have kids of
    your own before you can understand what I and a previous
    poster are trying to say.  I hope rewarding them with best
    guard (and I really don't understand that one!) doesn't
    send the wrong message to everyone else.
     
Madison - Surprisingly CLEAN drill, (some of the best
    arcs), and great horn sound!  I really thought they'd 
    move up. (well, they are my alma mater!)

Phantom - "Amazing Grace" at retreat was my personal highlight 
    of the night.

Retreat: Loved the old corps review - just seeing uniforms of 
    Kilts, 27th, Oakland Crusaders, old Phantom, Madison, etc.
    was worth the trip (well, almost..)  Kilts "Auld Lang Syne"
    sounded just like always.  

Scores came so quickly, and were 
over just as fast.  I think this was appropriate, as that is
how important they really are.  Think about it - how hard     
corps have worked all year, the friendships, the learning, 
memories, etc.  Life goes on.  You feel so sorry for those
that didn't achieve the place that they hoped for, and only
hope that they realize how unimportant that will be 5, 10 years, 
maybe even a month from now, compared to what all really happened.
 
Cavaliers thanked the audience for their support all year, that
was class.  

I wished that the crowd would have kept off the 
field more - this is the corps member's celebration.  I was 
disappointed that some corps faced each other to play their
final number, but I can understand it and know how much it 
means.  

Reliable Rondo hung around till the Cavalier's had played their
last note.  No sign of Curt, though :)

Funniest thing heard all night - during Blue Knights performance,
a couple of ambulances pulled up to the corps entrance gate (when
you are up as high and near the end as we were, you can see most
activity for several blocks around the end of the stadium :) 
and everyone was speculating what was going on.  Finally, a 5-year
old boy figures it out:  that shark bit that fat lady!

The IHOP on Johnson St. was jumpin with corps people after the
show, and they didn't appear ready - our order took too long
and wasn't cooked right (well, what did we expect at 3 am!)

OK, since this has degraded into a restaurant review, that should
be my que that I'v gone on too long :) :) :)

Cam