principalagent

I think it may not be totally purposeful. Part of it is that you don't have the tiers that you used to have in finals. It isn't Marcus and LD Bell popping a huge margin over each other, then popping another margin over TWHS/SFA/Bowie/the flavor of the day, then that/those group(s) popping another margin, on down the line. All the bands from 1-14 (and down to like 25ish in prelims) are tons more evenly matched. So now, judges don't have to give larger margins to more clearly and accurately delineate bands. I think the top and bottom split will only exacerbate this going forward - while there will likely be a split of even a few points between 7 and 8, both bands of bands above and below the gap will probably have a tighter score range as judges can manage their numbers over time a little more efficiently. (But low key, Marcus 2007 and 2012 were that good, to be honest).

Here's to not letting this happen ever again!

Top score in BOA Regional history is 96.2 by Marcus in 2007. We'll see if we cross that in about 65 hours.

I strongly believe Hendrickson’s first BOA Super Regional finals would have occurred a year earlier if they had been able to perform. This show was clearly better than at least two or three bands that performed that night, and them being the pre-finals exhibition really showed that.

If flight prices come back down for Thursday, I very well may!

I’ll be there in person too! Fell in love last year at my first time. All day both days for BOA SA, 5A state finals, and all day Saturday GN.

Here’s my one piece of advice to FloMarching: HIGH

I think Haltom will end up probably right where Cedar Ridge currently is. Perhaps a slight bit higher.

Idk, I was at 2013 finals, and while I started having serious problems with the results at 4th place, I thought 1-2-3 was the correct order *that night*.

There are some judges who make regular appearances at 5A and 6A Area D but there’s usually appreciably different panels between years.

For what it’s worth, Dripping Springs beat Cedar Park at Area D in 2011 by A LOT in both rounds and then Cedar Park won state easily - even getting straight first place votes in prelims!

Dripping Springs!!!! Just when we thought 5A state would be a runaway!

Seems as if Fort Mill said “what’s a Texas band?” Medal hunt may be a little harder than anticipated.

All aboard the hype train!!

I think Carmel will 3 point at Downey. Ayala in a normal year is about equivalent to Union or just a little under, and Vista Murrieta, if they build off last year, is at about a Homestead level, or a little lower.

Three won’t happen, but I personally think two can happen if TWHS pulls off the same type of growth they had last year.

The difference this year is that the bubble doesn’t so much consist of bands that could sneak in or out in any given year - the bubble consists of bands that we’re very used to seeing in finals (or as relative newcomers, seem to be mainstays). It makes the bubble smaller since Vista Ridge, Coppell, Oak Ridge, Martin, Wakeland and similarly situated bands aren’t so much in the finals discussion, but the idea that we’re talking about five recent GN finalists (since 2013) and a couple more former finalists potentially missing finals, it’s a much tougher bubble to break. Assuming that Marcus, FloMo, Hebron, Leander, Vandegrift, Reagan, Avon, CTJ and TWHS are assured their spots, we’re left with: Cedar Park (5th place GN 2016) Cedar Ridge (11th place GN 2013) James Bowie (Semi-Finalist GN 2016, 6th place GN 2012) Keller (11th place GN 2015) LD Bell (10th place GN 2013) Round Rock (7th place GN 2015, 4th GN 2013, 2017 attendee) Winston Churchill (Semi-Finalist GN 2010, 2017 attendee) And Hendrickson, who is now probably the best band in the state after Vandegrift to have never made the trip. The idea that any of these could miss is a testament to the depth of the contest. But for three of them, they will. I don’t see any band breaking past these eight and into a finals spot, which makes this a tighter bubble, but there are a couple that would pleasantly surprise me if they did. It used to be that there were about 10-12 solids and the rest of the spots were ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Now, there are about 17 solids but we only have 14 spots for them. Tougher situation.

Oh my god this is amazing. 10/10

He means this conversation got a little out of control. Basically, put up or shut up on Saturday ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You’re behind the times, my friend!

They’re currently deconstructing their opener and changing it. Might be a little late in the game. They could make it in, but I’m not so sure.

I think they’ll be on the outs at both.

For what it’s worth, there are 6 schools in LISD and three are among the best in the nation, let alone state. And then the fourth is no slouch. So it’s a definite 2/3, with one potentially becoming a state finalist in a couple of weeks and another growing. Your overall point is well taken, however.

If only it were this easy every time someone asked this question.

Which one?!