11BandMan11

FACTS! The 8 Hour rule is truly a blessing for our kiddos involved in programs. Keeps the staff and kids accountable to get things done and not 'waste' time during rehearsals during an already massively time consuming part of the year. Most staff members and kids in programs, average somewhere around 60-70 hours a week at the MINIMUM throughout October (Bandtober) when you truly add it all up. School week - 40 hours After school rehearsals - 8 hours Football Game Days - 8 - 10 hours (Additional beyond the school day) Saturday Contest Days - 8 - 15 (or more) hours (Depending upon prelims finals contest, performance times, etc.) Total week hours - 64 - 75 hours / week Don't get me wrong, I love band, the staff members, and what it has done for the kids - but I also know speaking not just for my wife and I, but for other parents and I'm certain staff members as well, I know we all value that time with our own families as well and I can't imagine what it would be like if the hours increased from the 8 hour rule.

I'm just here to get my face figuratively and literally blown off and have to have reconstructive surgery due to the insane power it seems all State qualifiers are putting out these days! I would LOVE if anyone had this data / information - but man would it be interesting to do a DB level comparison of the Top 10 at State from back in the day with Marcus and others earning the State title back in the 2000's - early 2010's, versus what is being done now. It quite literally has turned into almost DCI level sound output from the top groups around the state, and I'm totally here for it! 🤣

Knowing how Area I goes each year with shenanigans, next year heres a couple options that can happen, and all seem very feasible 🤣 1) Even with turf fields, somehow a sprinkler system gets put in, turns on, and sprays through some performances 2) All the iPads and scoring systems simultaneously crash on CompSuite causing immediate spontaneous combustion of scoring systems 3) 29 groups who advance to Area, and then a group somehow petitions their region evaluation and gets added to make it 30 at Area, also adding a State spot 4) Just because why not make it blow up for more than Area I, all marching Area contests get cease and desist notifications because Tresona and other copyright groups fold and record label companies and artists demand no performances 5) A prop wheel damages the turf on the 50 revealing the entrance to the Looney Toon world, like the original Space Jam under the putting green

YES SEVEN LAKES!!! Way tor represent H-Town and earn that Finals slot!!! The new-ish addition to their staff of the former Woodlands director to their already stellar staff has definitely pushed them into hopefully being perennial BOA and State finalists!!! This years finalist grouping is STACKED! Can't wait to watch Finals in person! #WorthTakingTheDayOff

This was one of the highest, if not the highest, achieving and best SASR I've ever seen! "Texcellence" in the marching arts is very VERY much on display this year. Even though Leander didn't make finals, they'll still end up somewhere in the top 6-8 at BOA Grand Nats this year - just shows how insanely good the performances are, and the level of competition across the SASR. Favorite part of the SASR this year? Immediately after the results were announced, you could see all the kids who are friends across the different programs within Leander ISD and Lewisville ISD especially, but all the programs immediately hyping each other up. The future is bright with these kids leading the way!

Bravo to all the RIDICULOUSLY good performances for prelims and finals! I remember going to my first UIL State Marching contest a couple decades ago, and seeing where the activity and groups have gone since then. PURE! EXCELLENCE! Band kids, parents, and directors are truly amazing people! #TheFutureIsBright

I try and stay as positive as I can, but I have a problem when adults decisions make things an absolute dumpster fire like it was for this contest. Multiple groups having to 'redo' their performances (even though it was BLATANTLY obvious on every weather radar app I could find that there was going to be a lightning delay during the groups performance), groups having to make the ridiculously insane choice of annihilating their equipment (both school owned and students personal instruments) in the rain, groups who had to sit on buses for 4-5 or more hours (looking at you all in that last block), etc. There HAS to be a better way or access to domes locations for UIL Area Marching contests to be held in a way that keeps students safe, does not force students into terrible performance situations, directors to make horrendously difficult decisions on equipment with the rain, etc. I feel terrible about this entire contest. Don't get me wrong, it was fun to watch a few good performances, but man did that suck overall having to watch children be forced into not positive performances, and for most of them, finish their seasons that way. Good luck to the groups going to state and look forward to seeing Area I hopefully represented in State Finals too!

Today is the day! I'm bringing my umbrella just in case, and PRAYING it won't need to be used at all throughout the day and that there ware no extended lightning delays or anything. I'll be the guy cheering loud and proud for every group. Looking forward to attending a great contest today!

Preach! The situation is terrible for the kids, parents, directors, community, and more. I obviously can't guarantee this, but no director I've ever known would DELIBERATELY have an ineligible student march in performance - it's simply not worth it. Like what happened to a group years ago up north, if I were a betting man there was probably a student who was behind a prop on the field that was ineligible. The moment the clock starts for the start of the show, if that student was in the performance zone of the field, that's a DQ for the group. As people have already said, let's not intentionally or unintentionally add to the fire on the already terrible situation that is occurring.

Well - confirmed no chance of 30 groups at Area Online results are showing at least 3 groups already, Bellaire, Westside, and Lamar receiving 2's at Region Now the maximum number if EVERYONE else gets 1's will be 28 at Area

Absolutely not - 0% chance of happening There's 31 groups who can qualify for area, only 27 have CONSISTENTLY received 1's at region and advancement to Area, so unfortunately not gonna happen unless the judges decide to hand out 1's to everyone this year

As one of my friends who teaches in DFW said to me one time, "Having the show on the field, versus having it complete, produced, and fleshed out are very different things." I watched their Katy Marching performance again to make sure I wasnt crazy. Seems like they they made even more changes to the show with the choreo and staging compared to what they did at Katy Marching - makes me wonder if they took a hit this weekend and were a little dirtier, to have more time with no changes and just cleaning through the show to get ready for Area. This was the biggest 'shock' to me in the recaps and I was really curious about it - trolling through social media it seems like they had their homecoming game/dance this weekend too. I wonder if that played into the kids having a less than stellar run? Who knows 🤷‍♂️ Right now the biggest thing I'm ready to watch and see is what "The Number" is going to be for groups who qualify for Area this year. Some one please correct me if I'm wrong, but there are 32 groups who can qualify for area between the regions? Usually a few in that grouping from outside Katy and Cy Fair, don't get 1's at region. So that means there will be depending on the number of Area groups, either 4 or 5 state spots. I REALLY hope that there will be at least 25 that make it so Area I can send 5 groups to state this year!

Had to handle some business calls earlier today, so I am unfortunately a DNA on the sheet and can't perform in finals 🤣

With the latest contest results and videos I've seen online, here's my best prediction at the moment. This prediction is based on UIL sheets and judging. I know some people will scoff at Cinco in 7th behind JET, but based on the last videos I've watched from Cinco vs. JET - JET has gotten MUCH cleaner and better, Cinco still has timing issues in their show. I don't know if Cinco had a rough run in the KMF prelims and finals videos I saw, but there were so many timing issues it was hard to ignore. 1. Brideland - Crazy good and clean 2. Cy Woods - SOUND Wonderful and clean 3. Cy Fair - Sound great, thought provoking show 4. Jordan - SOUND great and clean 5. Seven Lakes - Sound great and has effective moments 6. JET - Gets better and better each week with clean performances 7. Cinco - Visual very effective, musically has cool moments but not very "UIL" clean 8. Tompkins - Personally not a fan of the show, but it's clean 9. Ranch / Paetow - Bubble mystery 10. Langham / Park / Katy - Bubble mystery Anyone else got thoughts?

That 8th ordinal and scores for Seven Lakes in Visual - ouch. Didn't think their show was the cleanest in finals from the video I watched, but definitely didn't think their show and performance earned that kind of a score for their visual