Alan Irons: comparison BOA/WBA

[Wolfgang]

Alan, since you may be the only person with a basis of comparison, I have 2 questions for you:

1) Based on what you saw yesterday, how would you guesstimate Logan/Upland etc (the top 5) would have finished at BOA Grand Nationals?


2) Based on what you saw from Etiwanda last weekend, had they come to WBA, approximately where do you feel they would have finished?

[airons0678]

Alan, since you may be the only person with a basis of comparison, I have 2 questions for you:

I will give it my best, my friend.

1) Based on what you saw yesterday, how would you guesstimate Logan/Upland etc (the top 5) would have finished at BOA Grand Nationals?

This year? I think three (or more) may have made semi-finals. I think none of the top five would have made finals.

2) Based on what you saw from Etiwanda last weekend, had they come to WBA, approximately where do you feel they would have finished?

I think they would have finished in the top three. (Nothing less than third.)

Alan Irons
Fountain Valley High School Marching Band 1993-1996
Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar 1997
Nashua Spartans 1998-1999
UCSB Class of 2002

[Dizz89]

1) Based on what you saw yesterday, how would you guesstimate Logan/Upland etc (the top 5) would have finished at BOA Grand Nationals?

This year? I think three (or more) may have made semi-finals. I think none of the top five would have made finals.

Thousand Oaks made 13th place place in WBA... and made semi-finals in Indianapolis.

[airons0678]

1) Based on what you saw yesterday, how would you guesstimate Logan/Upland etc (the top 5) would have finished at BOA Grand Nationals?

This year? I think three (or more) may have made semi-finals. I think none of the top five would have made finals.

Thousand Oaks made 13th place place in WBA... and made semi-finals in Indianapolis.

So? You do not factor in the fact that some groups may or may not have made semi-finals if other groups were added into the mix. However, this is, as Wolfgang wrote, a "guesstimate." (Not fact.) Nevertheless, this is how I truly, honestly, and reasonably feel. It was not meant to put down your band or any other band.

Alan Irons
Fountain Valley High School Marching Band 1993-1996
Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar 1997
Nashua Spartans 1998-1999
UCSB Class of 2002

[Dizz89]

I understand you aren't putting anyone down... I just believe from what i saw of the bands that made semi-finals (note i only saw ONE minute from the BOA site) I believe more bands would have made semi-finals. Although... you were actually there, so it's a lot harder for me to "guesstimate" something like that, I respect your opinion, as always.

[Music Education]

Alan, since you may be the only person with a basis of comparison, I have 2 questions for you:

1) Based on what you saw yesterday, how would you guesstimate Logan/Upland etc (the top 5) would have finished at BOA Grand Nationals?


2) Based on what you saw from Etiwanda last weekend, had they come to WBA, approximately where do you feel they would have finished?

-Honestly, I thought Upland should have finished ahead of Logan yesterday--and had this been a BOA event, they more than likely would have. Upland had one of the best musical performances in 5A, and they weren't too bad visually either (it's no wonder they tied for the visual caption). Had Upland and Logan attended Grand National, they probably would have been locks for semi-finals no doubt, and probably would have placed in the lower half of finals (had they advanced). Logan is a bit iffy, but I would be confident in placing Upland in a finals performance.

Had Etiwanda come to WBA and competed, they probably would have finished 4th or 5th (maybe 3rd). I did not see Etiwanda live this season, but I have seen videos and heard their music; and in my opinion, they were right their with the rest of the top 5 WBA, but they lack something, and I cant put my finger on it. I was quite surprised to see Ayala in 5th, after watching their performance, I thought they would at least be 4th place.

3) Upland and Ayala, you have strong woodwind sections. Thank you for showing off their technique and musicality! One of my friends (Asst. Band Director where I staff) was agreeing with me the whole time during the performanecs, about how your bands played!

I told the students to watch Upland and Ayala, and that they wouldn't be dissapointed...You certainly were on their list of great bands after the night was over.

4) Alan, it would have been great to meet you this weekend! I was looking forward to it too! But at the last minute, we decided that it was best for the kids to see other groups--I think the staff also wanted to see other groups too. Oh well, we will have to meet at a BOA or WBA show next year.

[airons0678]

-Honestly, I thought Upland should have finished ahead of Logan yesterday--and had this been a BOA event, they more than likely would have. Upland had one of the best musical performances in 5A, and they weren't too bad visually either (it's no wonder they tied for the visual caption). Had Upland and Logan attended Grand National, they probably would have been locks for semi-finals no doubt, and probably would have placed in the lower half of finals (had they advanced). Logan is a bit iffy, but I would be confident in placing Upland in a finals performance.

Hmmm. Yeah, I thought Upland should have finished ahead of Logan in prelims. (I don't know about finals, since I attended Class A/AA/AAA finals). Logan's auxiliary, I think, no doubt played a large role in their win. I, too, think that, had this been a BOA event, Upland would have been over Logan.

If Upland and Logan attended Grand Nationals, would they have been locks for semi-finals? I think very likely, YES. I think Upland would have been neck and neck with (if not slightly better than) Etiwanda. However, I am sticking by my guns when I write that I DO NOT think that any of the top WBA bands would have made it into finals this year.

Had Etiwanda come to WBA and competed, they probably would have finished 4th or 5th (maybe 3rd). I did not see Etiwanda live this season, but I have seen videos and heard their music; and in my opinion, they were right there with the rest of the top 5 WBA, but they lack something, and I cant put my finger on it. I was quite surprised to see Ayala in 5th, after watching their performance, I thought they would at least be 4th place.

I still think that they would have been top 3 (and no less than 3). But hey, that's just my thought. Count it as you please.

3) Upland and Ayala, you have strong woodwind sections. Thank you for showing off their technique and musicality! One of my friends (Asst. Band Director where I staff) was agreeing with me the whole time during the performanecs, about how your bands played.

I told the students to watch Upland and Ayala, and that they wouldn't be dissapointed...You certainly were on their list of great bands after the night was over.

Absolutely.

4) Alan, it would have been great to meet you this weekend! I was looking forward to it too! But at the last minute, we decided that it was best for the kids to see other groups--I think the staff also wanted to see other groups too. Oh well, we will have to meet at a BOA or WBA show next year.

Yeah, man, what was with the vanishing act? Heh heh. (Just giving you a hard time.) I figured you were off somewhere with your comrades. I am sorry you guys did not make finals. (I heard Class A/AA/AAA preliminary competition was cut-throat.) BUT, I hope you guys had fun watching Class AAAA/AAAAA finals, and maybe even learned a thing or two.

Alan Irons
Fountain Valley High School Marching Band 1993-1996
Pacific Crest of Diamond Bar 1997
Nashua Spartans 1998-1999
UCSB Class of 2002

[DigitalRonin]

Well the proof is in the pudding for WBA.

It's no secret that if you have a great guard you do great in WBA. I

When you look at it's main judges that control the "big points" captions of Visual and General Effect, they are about 90% based around the Winterguard / Colorguard realm in experience and judge for WGI during the winter season.

Take a look at the aux scores and you'll see it almost directly correlates year over year

[Hostrauser]

The Top 10 bands I've personally seen this fall:
1. Poway
2. James Logan
3. Upland
4. Etiwanda
5. Mission Viejo
6. El Dorado
7. Rancho Bernardo
8. Mt. Carmel
9. Rancho Buena Vista
10. Ayala

[Ryan H. Turner]

I haven't seen every band on SHJ's list but I will say that I whole heartedly agree with his assessment first, of Poway being in first place. Poway's show is the best Poway dare I say since the 86-89 era when you couldn't touch them with a 10 foot trombone slide. And secondly, that RBV is on that list. RBV had the distinction this year of being rather frustrated in their competitiveness this year, and I'm not sure why. I really enjoyed their show. This may have been a year of everyone else being that much better, not that RBV was "bad" by ANY stretch of the imagination.

And I'll just say it for the record. This is EXACTLY WHY it ticks me off personally that RBV, RB, MC, and Poway (to name a few) don't come out for championships. Can you imagine what 6A would be like at Veteran's Stadium? It's a shame. And yeah...I know...every director can run their program the way they want to. Yippee skippee. Doesn't mean I like it.

[corkie]

Psst.... Ryan... all those 6A bands just competed together last Saturday night. It was a GREAT show. Sorry you missed it.

[Ryan H. Turner]

Psst.... Ryan... all those 6A bands just competed together last Saturday night. It was a GREAT show. Sorry you missed it.

I know I know....but you know what I mean!

[Survivor]

I just think that...BOA and WBA all have different standards of judging....DO we all think that may be some of the top WBA Bands could make finals at BOA YES.....Upland I think would have the best luck with that....If Etiwanda would have gone to WBA champ this year with this show...I dont know if they would have edged out Upland or Logan, but Mission may be or even Clovis......I think that Etiwanda's show this year was not their strongest (as you saw at BOA)....if they would have had may be a differnt show they could have won...


I really would have loved to seen Poway agianst some WBA groups they were really really good this year...anyone agree with that?

[Music Education]

I really would have loved to seen Poway agianst some WBA groups they were really really good this year...anyone agree with that?

Poway was doing WBA just recently (as in last year, and maybe some the year or so before). They weren't "bad" but they were certainly getting obliterated by the other groups in their class--a bit much. Who knows, they may have stacked up well this year; I did not see them. It's hard to know how groups will do, if they come and go from the circuit like many groups have over the years.

[alvymr]

I would agree Upland did have a great prelim performance but i would not have placed them above Logan. The finals were another story, all the top bands had incredible shows, but Logan really turned it up a few notches: they were HOT.