Anteok

I wouldn't say Hebron had crazy props. Those instruments mostly served as quiet backdrop. And the gates Marcus used were certainly a step down in prop-iness from their last few years. Bell...yeah those props were a little bit crazy. Just remember that correlation is not causation.

I don't think it's an insult to anyone to say that there are more competitive contests out there than Westlake. That's just a statement of fact, and you don't need to be an LD Bell alum to recognize it. It is a wonderful competition, and it's certainly not easy to win, but it does not historically draw as deep a crowd as some of the BOA regionals.

Thanks!

I actually disagree with your sentiment. While I do feel that poor execution is punished more than high difficulty is rewarded, I feel that, when done well, difficult shows often find themselves at the top of the pack. I don't think anybody would accuse yesterday's medalists, for instance, of running easy shows.

Danpod is right, that I shouldn't let a specific interaction negatively color my opinion of the group. The alumni I spoke to after finals were wonderful, and I really shouldn't have critisized. I retract that portion of my statement, but maintain that the Flower Mound and LD Bell folks I spoke with during prelims were fantastic. EDIT: I don't need to explain an opinion that I'm retracting anyway.

The folks from Bell and Flower Mound were both quite friendly. I heard that the Woodlands kids were kind of dismissive.

And if they cut the eight-hour rule, or other states enacted one, Grand Nationals would be the Texas Super Regional of Indiana.

I haven't seen their show, so I can't give any significant commentary, but if what I have heard about their show holds true, I would be looking to them more on saturday than on tuesday. I've heard that they have fantastic sound, and really engaging design, but I haven't heard anybody calling them clean at the level that Marcus, Bowie, Woodlands, CTJ, or Hebron are likely to be this year. That said, it's certainly possible.

Does anybody have results?

I agree with every word of your statement except for the "boring core." The crazy musical requirements, and ability to execute such requirements with no regard to convenient staging gives me chills. Not to mention their core sound. Their visuals are usually a bit standard for a group of their calibur, but they're also pretty immaculate. The props do get a little old, however. The ferris wheels especially got a little bit obnoxious. I feel like the gates this year are more interesting. They seem to flow with the drill, where as all the other props just kind of sat around until it was time to open, or light up, or release smoke or something.

Actually, it seems fairly consistent. Less than half the judges put them in finals, and they didn't make finals. It's very possible that a different judging panel would have put Round Rock in finals, but just because luck is a part of the mix does not mean that it's a complete crapshoot. The better a band is, the more likely their chances of getting a second performance. If all a band cares about is where those five professionals happen to place them in comparison to others, they're bound to be dissappointed sometimes, and their only solution is to get better. If, on the other hand, they treat every performance as a chance to communicate on a level deeper than words with each other and a stadium full of people? They might treat finals more like a privelege than as a birthright, and they will probably score better too.

I would hesitate predict a spot higher than third for CTJ this year, though they're certainly not locked out. The Woodlands are really on fire this year and gunning for the top; they will be hard to unseat. Also, though early season results are not necessarily indicative of late season performance, especially in bad weather conditions, Marcus's caption sweep over CTJ at Denton would indicate a very strong year for the band gunning for a State Champion 4-peat. Bell may have been knocked out of that triumvirate, and with Bowie not competing at BOA SA, CTJ certainly has the best shot they've ever had for the gold. But I still think that those two powerhouses are going to push Johnson back to bronze. Hebron also has a pretty strong shot at jumping CTJ.

I would place Spring, Flower Mound, Plano East, and Cedar Park all higher than you have them listed. Spring came within a couple of points of taking the Woodlands at area F prelims, and is a pretty consistent finalist at SA. I can imagine them missing finals, but not easily. I'd bet on them in front of Vandegrift. Plano East had a phenomenal showing in Area B, taking 3rd ahead of Bell, (though the "ahead of Bell" part probably won't translate to BOA.) and Flower Mound has one of the most BOA-friendly shows I've ever seen. I don't know if I'd bet quite so highly on Cedar Ridge, though they're very good and I could be wrong. I can't place RR, because they seem to be a wild card; judges seem to either love them or hate them, sometimes both within the same contest.

Aren't The Woodlands and Spring both area F? Also Westfield, though they aren't as big a player nowadays.