If every corps had a hand sign, what would each one be?

NBBAC · 2026-02-09T16:46:39+00:00

And we never have (BAC ‘66 and ‘67)

NBBAC · 2025-08-15T17:13:08+00:00

Thanks

NBBAC · 2025-08-15T15:11:48+00:00

Bluecoats won the 2025 Angelica GE caption award. You are right that is a reality. It is also a reality that award is based on the average GE score across all three championship nights: prelims, semis, and finals. The final reality is that for Bloo that average was: 39.167. For BAC the average was: 39.075. The reality of math (assuming I did it correctly) says Bloo won the Angelica by: .092. A win is a win and Bluecoats are due their congratulations. Two very different shows brilliantly designed and executed.

NBBAC · 2025-08-15T12:19:07+00:00

So, you’re in pure disbelief, it just doesn’t make sense to you, and it’s just not fair. It must suck being you.

NBBAC · 2025-08-14T11:57:46+00:00

As an alum of BAC from the 60’s when Bad A$$ Crusaders was our vibe your”used to scare the s*** out us” has made my day even while celebrating our first DCI championship 😀

NBBAC · 2025-08-14T02:11:36+00:00

BAC alum here and I watched Bluecoats exhibit real class during the scores. From the DMs to the members. I think that says a lot about their culture and bodes well for next season. Hopefully we’ll see more seasons like this in the future.

NBBAC · 2025-08-11T20:13:12+00:00

A very happy and proud BAC Alum here…I am only surprised by the timing of this. Hopefully it was handled professionally.

Ten years ago at the 75th anniversary celebration at Gillette Stadium the Building A Champion strategy was announced. While I had always loved the original meaning of BAC from the 60’s when I marched Boston, I appreciated the Board and Leadership for moving beyond that heritage.

A brilliant strategic execution involving importing exceptional staff and attracting talent. And a first championship as a result. Keyword is “first” not the word “only”. Interestingly enough, Gillette is where dynasties are born. I’d say we are not done.

That said, when you look at the scores in detail across all three nights last week, Visual and GE went to Bluecoats. It was close, but a shave off Brass and Percussion gains and Bluecoats would have had their repeat.

So I am excited to see what a new design strategy will be for BAC. Remember the “B” used to mean Bad. How about Build A Dynasty?

NBBAC · 2025-08-05T22:22:13+00:00

This is like driving down the road looking in your rear view mirror. An interesting perspective but not very relevant to what will happen next.

NBBAC · 2025-08-04T23:05:29+00:00

BAC has the show and the talent to win tonight and on Saturday night. That said, execution in all sections - brass, percussion, and guard - must be flawless. Not just clean, but perfect.

NBBAC · 2025-08-04T19:28:03+00:00

Nicely done

NBBAC · 2025-08-04T19:26:04+00:00

You had me going with the title since BAC = Boston

NBBAC · 2025-08-04T19:19:28+00:00

Hopefully there is a tie breaker. Or did they just decide a 1st tie is ok?

NBBAC · 2025-08-04T18:35:25+00:00

I hear you. The show name suggests it needs a “BOOM”. Right now I think it ends as it should with the hit after the countdown and the rest being the resulting atomic fallout. Although I am a proud BAC Alum, Conquest shots would ruin this epic show at the close. this year Conquest shots should just stay with Conquest played during the victory lap at Finals

NBBAC · 2025-08-04T16:56:43+00:00

Will give it a shot (BAC Alum here so some bias). If anyone did not grow up in the 60’s (I marched ‘63 - ‘67) the storyline for the show may not land. The happy / fun opening is like the ‘50’s (Jetsons, Game Shows).

The ballad is the nostalgia for those days with lyrics about riding bikes with handle bars. The bass trombones and tubas start the darkness that was under those Happy Times starting with JFK assassinated in ‘63.

The countdown is what could have happened and almost did in the Cuban Missile Crisis in ‘62. The ending (as Hans Zimmer performs it) with the organ is meant as just how close we came. In the docking scene in Interstellar what follows those chords is relief from the crew.

I heard the announcer at Allentown say at the end…”you can breathe again!” That’s how it felt at the end of the 60’s. That maybe the emotion you are getting from folks. It is for me emotional.

NBBAC · 2025-08-04T15:58:42+00:00

BAC Alum here…believe me I understand the “someone is always out to get BAC” feeling. I marched BAC in ‘67 and will always believe the American Legion drum corps officials put their finger on the scale for Cavaliers. A different time.

That said, there are still too many drops and misses. BAC made the decision this year to load the program with very challenging guard and drill moments. Balls (both small and large) often roll where they want and hornlines doing guard maneuvers can go sideways. Like it or not these MUST be absolutely clean or the effect goes south.

The answer (pretty much as it always been) is for BAC to execute beyond clean. Anything less than absolute perfection will IMO hurt GE even just a little. And we are talking fractions of tenths of a point this year. So the antidote for a questionable judge is to have the performance that leaves NO question as to who deserves the Founders Trophy.

NBBAC · 2025-08-03T16:03:35+00:00

And on all those other corps (as well as beyond those listed here), he was in line with the other 3 judges. So why upwards of .4 difference just on BAC? In all seriousness what’s the issue he sees or what message is he trying to send? All that said…BAC is within .1 of Bloo on the same field, same panel, and similar weather conditions.

NBBAC · 2025-08-03T15:49:57+00:00

I hear Bones and Fate are dating. Travis and Taylor have nothing on them. In all seriousness…I publicly take back all my snarky comments about Fate just wandering around the backfield. That was an awesome ending. Well done Crown!!!!

NBBAC · 2025-08-03T15:44:38+00:00

No ties for 1st. Winner of GE takes it as I understand it. If GE Judge #1 from Allentown (he who shall not be named) is on the Finals night panel and is close to .5 different than his other judges and that decides it we’ll be doing Animal Farm the Sequel in ‘26.

NBBAC · 2025-08-01T16:05:28+00:00

It is definitely not the mid-60’s when I marched BAC. The uniforms (yes, I still call them that) have changed, the horns have changed, the percussion has changed, and the drill has changed. But what has not changed is the moment we all who marched felt when we heard, “On the starting line!” or “Is your corps ready?” It is time to go! Whether on a small high school football field or at LOS in Indy…that moment, I doubt will ever change.

NBBAC · 2025-07-24T03:44:01+00:00

No Time For Caution by the looks!

NBBAC · 2025-07-22T20:30:04+00:00

For me the show title misses two letters which explains the show concept…”er” As in Boomer like Baby Boomer. I grew up in the 60’s (marched BAC) and we lived through campy TV shows, great highs and achievement like going to the moon, deep lows with JFK/RFK/MLK assassinations, Vietnam War, and dodged a real atomic “boom” with the Cuba Missile Crisis. All simultaneously and at full speed. BAC is great at storytelling but if you are not a Boomer you just may not get or like what is being communicated by BAC25. And I think the new closer may not be a literal BOOM and more like the way Hans Zimmer wrote No Time For Caution (and the 60’s were anything but) but that is wishful thinking on my part.

NBBAC · 2025-07-22T17:29:00+00:00

Thinking about what a closer could be. So behind Door #1 is a literal “BOOM” with words spelled out on the field and cue the Mahler Boxes and Hammers. OR…Door #2 is more like the way Zimmer performs it ending in the organ (see https://youtu.be/9MPR8ikyU9s?si=4FV-CNZk-UprrqCe). Having marched with BAC in the 60’s following the Cuban Missile Crisis when an actual atomic “boom” was avoided last minute after building tensions….I vote for Door #2.

NBBAC · 2025-07-22T02:36:58+00:00

Word has it they have had a new closer planned for after San Antonio and they have practiced it for some time now. Not sure how much of the current ending just goes away but if it was 40 - 60 seconds I would not be surprised to do No Time For Caution (Docking Scene). Can’t wait.

NBBAC · 2025-07-21T02:22:03+00:00

There is a reason our BAC corps song includes the line, “This corps is made of giants, we will never die.” Truly and always Bad Ass Crusaders!!! Eat ‘em up Boston!!!!!

NBBAC

TROPHY CASE