natertater21000

Our friend Daniel Valdez already put out a pretty comprehensive review of the rule change. Sounds like they are making a conscious effort to not screw anyone over by equally spreading out likely finalists throughout the pre lims schedule.

You have to change the scoring system somewhat to add a caption. If the colorguard caption got added it would need to be like dci where it takes up a portion of the overall visual score. So it would visual individual, visual ensemble, and colorguard. In which case you'd start to see some bands immediately lose points or gain points depending on their guard programs strengths compared to the sheets. Looking at how guard is judged in dci, groups that don't have rifle lines or more advanced flag work would need to adapt and improve on that to earn those points. I'm not saying people would leave boa because of it. I'm just saying you'd see the colorguards of a lot of schools start to get way more intricate work, and the schools that can't wouldn't be winning the visual caption or possibly doing well enough in it to place where they want to.

And as a side note I personally do believe it would be positive, but that's my best guess as to why such a caption has not been installed.... Yet

When is the last time a military style band made finals at the San Antonio super regional? This is the same problem a guard caption would create, it would become a do it this way or find another circuit to compete in that rewards your style situation. Whether or not that's a positive thing for guards in general is a matter of opinion.

The biggest obstacle for a color guard caption is just how different guards can be from school to school. 99% of schools have the same basic set up for the band. High reeds, low reeds, high brass, low brass, field percussion, and front ensemble. The difficulty of what they play may change but the basic construction is the same. Because of this a judging rubric can be made to judge all bands. Guards however can be wildly different, take leander vs vandy. It would be really difficult to fairly judge a guard that uses primarily dance, dresses, swing flag and some six foot against a guard that uses everything from dance-Sabre.

Anyone know of any class changes to watch out for? I know vandy and Vista being 4A in 16 threw some of us for a loop.

Honestly I miss the days when the lisd festival of bands was the Monday before Austin. Always made for a lot of extra hype and speculation seeing the performances a little less than a week from the first show.

Sounds neat

One what if scenario I've thought a lot about is where leander might have ultimately landed in 2014 had one music effect judge not put them in 13th in finals. This particular what if is one that can be applied to a lot of performances over the years. "what if Hebron had gone on last at grand nats in 2015" "how would round rocks season have changed if they had not recieved the penalty that cost them the Austin regional" "what if blue springs had made grand national finals in 2013" (seriously how did that show not get in) band is so completely unpredictable sometimes.

After Saturday night's results I personally think it's time for Leander to find a new design style. This current one has produced some really great shows, the fourth dimension in particular was great. But even since color study (my personal favorite from a design standpoint) they have struggled with music effect and for the fourth year in a row this struggle reared its ugly head. Leander was 28th in music GE 2 in pre lims, and 14th from all 3 effect judges in finals. Personally I've enjoyed the minimalist music and electronics and weird ethereal designs, but it obviously is not doing them any favors anymore. I'm very curious to see what they come up with next year, whether they stick to their guns or find a new identity. New uniforms are coming next year so it may be a good time to reinvent themselves. Ps I'm not saying the designs are bad, they were tenth with a score a little above 91 in pre lims and an 89 is nothing to sneeze at, but if Leander wants to punch back in to the top 5 again I think a change is in order.

Gonna be hard to watch how far Leander will fall, still in complete shock at 14th.

I thought vandegrift was great, but personally seeing them at Conroe and region and now today I just haven't seen a major change. They were amazing then so they are now but the same issues they had then they still have now. I see some groups passing them tonight. Still incredible performance overall.

Bowie is in finals at least for me. They really turned that show into something cool and enjoyable.

I would honestly be shocked if Leander wasn't in the top half after a performance like that...but that's a completely believable outcome. What an incredible day of band. I honestly get more hyped for this than Christmas nowadays.

Absolutely completely impressed with their performance, I have them over cp and cr by just a hair.

I mean if someone would rather eat cardboard than fries who am I to judge....

Can't say I disagree with that last statement entirely. Marcus 12 isn't my favorite show from an entertainment perspective but I've yet to see anything cleaner.

I really doubt we'll pass that score, in fact I doubt it will ever be beaten and not because that performance was just so good no one will ever top it. Ever since marcus almost beating it again in 12 the scores have been much lower for the champion, almost purposefuly it seems.

I'm super curious to see if the trends we've seen in the past with predictions vs results stay the same. Hebron is predicted by nearly everyone to medal or win year to year but the only year it actually happened was 13 on the opposite side Leander has been predicted by most every year in the 6-9 range (I too have them there this year ) but they've medaled both times. Just goes to show that we are pretty bad at this most years . So with that in mind here are my purposefully probably completely incorrect predictions (though still slimly in the realm of possibility) 1 CTJ 2 Avon 3 Hebron 4 flowermound 5 Leander 6 the woodlands 7 vandegrift 8 marcus 9 reagan 10 ld bell 11 round rock 12 cedar park 13 Keller 14 Hendrickson

While I would love to see the program rise to that level I don't think this is the year.

This contest just has so many unknowns, Leander is often predicted in the 6-9 range year to year but they have medaled the last two times they have attended. I have no idea where to put them. Bowie made a massive leap at Conroe and who's to say they won't do it again. They were a silver medalist just 3 years ago at this event. Again no idea where to put them. The woodlands are in the exact same place as last season as far as predictions are concerned...and last year they jumped to second. NO IDEA WHERE TO PUT THEM. the list just goes on and on, reagan just got silver in 15 but then completely stalled out in 16, vandegrift despite their early season success has never placed higher than 7th in finals but I want to say they will this time. Marcus has been everywhere from 1st to 8th since 12. This is completely wild. I'm on pins and needles over here.

I don't discriminate, I dismiss nearly all area results because they rarely ever fit in the data of all other contests including state. Who wins isn't what is important. Its a qualifying round.

Seeing as cedar park 11 pointed dripping springs at Austin and area is known for rarely predicting the state championship (the winner of area D went on to not when state in the last three cycles) I don't think assuming cedar park will pass dripping springs is at all illogical.

Nah, but honestly area rankings rarely have any useful data when it comes to further predictions. They are always wack. Vista ridge won area D in 2013 and then things got set back to the correct order immediately the following week.

Cedar ridge must have had a rough time in visual and GE to win music and not place in class.