Predictions for G1 at The Scottish

Well everyone else is at it but surprisingly enough no one is thinking the Boggies will make it out the top 4 - here goes

1 Boghall
2 Strathclyde polis
3 FMM
4 SLOT
5 HOE
6 Power
7 Ballycoan
8 Fife
9 L&B

Interesting selection mate,

Here's mine,

1 FMM, I reckon they will dominate this year, perhaps even another clean sweep

2 SPPB. Good band, with a good PM, and may get a sympathetic hearing fron certain judges, that does not detract from how good they are.

3. Shotts, back on skin bags I believe, will always be there or thereabouts no matter how good/bad they get, drumming helps too.

4 Slot , a musical band, easy to listen to, but from the evidence of their last two concerts, there are a few cracks appearing. Can Tully use polyfilla? I think he can, but there are other good bands there too.

5/6 Boghall/ Ballycoan/ Power, 3 bands chasing 2 places, I reckon Boghall will be in the box seat, and are most likely to nip in 5th,, I have no idea how Power are going, but they are a good band.

As for ourselves, we are going very well, better now than at any time last season, so we have high hopes of breaking into the top 6, although, 3 Irish bands in the top 6 might be hard for some to sw/allow

we''l know in a couple of weeks

Oh, and shotts for the labourers title

1. FMM
2. SPPB
3.Boghal.
4, SLOT
5 Shotts
6.Power

Hmmm.

1st. Polis
2nd SLOT
3rd FMM
4th Boghall
5th Shotts
6th Power

I must admit when i first saw some of the predictions i thought Gordy was having a wind up of Fiona and Peter for a giggle, so I joined in but now I see that everyone is suggesting that despite Boghall beating the Polis oot the park last season, that it is going to be reversed this year? In some predictions that the Polis will actually win(rose tinted glasses come to mind Gillian) LMAO
From what I have seen and heard of the Boggies this Season, they are going to be pushing the likes Of FMM etc for top spot, whilst Don will have made his own changes, I cannot see them making that big a leap/ I may be wrong but doubt it.
I apologise for thinking you were being a wind up merchant Gordy As if you would??

I dont think anyone can predict what will happen on the day. I think it will take a big push from anyone to dismount FMM/SLOT from 1st/2nd spot.

As far as Boghall is concerned we will go out there and do the best that we can and if we get in the prizes then thats just feckin brilliant. If not then its back to the drawing board.

I think as far as SPPB are concerned people are giving them sympathy for what they are going through at the moment and saying that they will win the first major above the likes of FMM,SLOT,Shotts who they failed to beat once last year is possibly a bit over sympathetic and possibly a tad disrespectful to the "top 3".

As ever, time will tell. I hope it is a good competition and may the best band win.

orange_wings wrote:I dont think anyone can predict what will happen on the day. I think it will take a big push from anyone to dismount FMM/SLOT from 1st/2nd spot.


I think as far as SPPB are concerned people are giving them sympathy for what they are going through at the moment and saying that they will win the first major above the likes of FMM,SLOT,Shotts who they failed to beat once last year is possibly a bit over sympathetic and possibly a tad disrespectful to the "top 3".

As ever, time will tell. I hope it is a good competition and may the best band win.

Very fair and accurate points Peter, and to some extent alarming, especially with regard to SPPB.

In an ideal world, we, the people who spend a fortune in terms of time, effort and real money on the racket should expect to be judged without fear or favour.

It does happen, but often it does not. It is widely believed over here, that often a BT postcode can be a bigger hindrance than a bad intro, not as much as in yesteryear certainly, but believed nonetheless, in a similar vien, it is believed that foreign bands can 'cash in their air miles' aiding their result

As a matter of absolute fact, I stood having a pint in Cowal in 1985, and overheard a top judge stating to the assembled beer drinking party that he would never have a band from outside Scotland winning a G1 major. He has changed now of course, but the thought was definitely there.

What happens to SPPB will happen, if they are good enough to win a Major, they should be first, and I will gladly applaud them, if they are not good enough, then it is both wrong and unfair that other bands should suffer because of it.


If they have a howler, and get put in, it might cost Ballycoan their first ever top 6 finish, Or how would Peter and Fiona feel if Boghall were second, and everyone knew SPPB got the sympathy vote, robbing Boghall of their first major win in a while.

Thats why the players in the piping world want honesty from their judges.

Not much to assk for, is it?

How rose tinted glasses, Dai? lol. Look at Slot last season? How well they did. I have always thought very highly as the polis as a good playing band and the sympathy vote never really crossed my mind. FM i can see the same as last year - a 1st class pipecore and a not so good drumcore.

As far as I am concerned the ball could land in anyones court. As Peter says you never know what could happen till on the day, someone could make a major blooter, not get their pipes up, pipes falling to bits or an early E. Will see how the FM and Slot go at Dungannon on Saturday.

Heilan Mary wrote:How rose tinted glasses, Dai? lol. Look at Slot last season? How well they did. I have always thought very highly as the polis as a good playing band and the sympathy vote never really crossed my mind. FM i can see the same as last year - a 1st class pipecore and a not so good drumcore.

As far as I am concerned the ball could land in anyones court. As Peter says you never know what could happen till on the day, someone could make a major blooter, not get their pipes up, pipes falling to bits or an early E. Will see how the FM and Slot go at Dungannon on Saturday.

Major blooter?

Slot specialised in bad intros last season, didnt do them much harm.

RP's pipes fell apart in Birmingham, and a piping judge still had them first.

This is the crux of the matter, if that sort of thing happened to a midlle or lower grade 1 band, they'd be hammered for it, not so for the 'elite'

Have a listen to last years Worlds cd, how many good 'e's were there

It is getting to the stage were a few bands can get away with a hell of a lot before they get cut, others nothing at all. BUt once you get into that particular 'glee club' you're laughing

Must admit I agree with Dai. I think to say SPPB will win the first major of the year is looking at it through rose tinted glasses.

SPPB may well go out and win the competition, and, if they do then well done to them, as long as they deserve to win it then there is no problem.

However, to predict that they will win is a different thing all together.

I mean, What is you prediction based on? You cant base it on last year because if that was the case they would be no higher than 5th? They have played one concert this year and all of a sudden that makes them the best band in Britain?

I think G1 is a pretty open grade as far as places in the top 6 go. I think it will between FMM and SLOT for 1st & 2nd then from there on in it could be anyone.

It would certainly be nice to see other bands breaking the "top 3" and mixing things up a little.

I think Gordy has hit the nail on the head, terrible as it is, you could be the best Band on the field BUT if your face doesnt fit with certain Judges then forget it. I was at Birmingham and like Gordy was gobsmacked when that Judge totally ignored the faux pax(maybe he was blowing his nose at the time)
It is something that has been talked about, discussed, dissected, but until something(What? I dont know) is done you will always have the old school tie, handshake or whatever coming into the connotation

No offence guys but I thought this Prediction Game thing was just supposed to be a bit of fun and not a nit picking match.

Still a lot of fun? trouble is we have been there so many times before and will be there again no doubt again and again?
As someone said to me recently in a post it is called BANTER??

Well I regard my Prediction to be a bit of fun. lol. At the end of the day I don't really give a toss who wins. I didn't base my prediction on any of last year's performances as this is a new year and anything could happen this year that was different from last year. The best of luck to all the grade 1 lads and lassies and may the best band win.

anything?

..........even L & B Polis?

The whole point in predicting who will win is that you base it on something. Otherwise its just you saying what you would like to see, Which is fine.

It just gets me when people predict band x will win and then when asked to explain why they predict band x will win, they cant do it.

If you think a band will win then there must be a reason for you to think that. All too often people try to predict things but really all they are doing is telling everyone what they would like to see.

I dont predict anything because, like Gillian said, its a new year and anything can happen.......( @ true blue with in reason!!) lol

I predict I am going to live till I am a 100(I know I am nearly there already??)

Just a bit oh fun guys - didnt expect the frock to be blown oer the heed !!!!

the reason i went with Boghall was that they have been consistent for the past 2 seasons and as long as they dont change it too much they must be in with a shout - no disrespect to any of the bands - lot of hard work has gone into the winter and good luck to everyone

Especially members of this forum

Rich, its aw good man, Nout has "been blown oer the heed" Nothing wrong wi a bit of healthy debate surely?

Dai Robb wrote:I predict I am going to live till I am a 100(I know I am nearly there already??)

No if I have anything to do with it you'll no!!!

Sleep with one eye open loyal

Gillian,

You are quite right, it is a bit of fun, but when asked for a prediction, I'll always base it on something, not on what I would like, if that were the case, Shania Twain would be upstairs in my house right now!!

Or perhaps even Nigella Lawson


A bit of debate is great, and is good for a couple of reasons, a lot of members on here are fairly well seasoned, and do know what they are talking about, and to an extent, will have the odd wee difference,

The other thing is, on this forum, we are allowed to have a debate, not follow the Orwellian party line, or risk being barred.

Good from both angles.

To be honest i have no idea who will win,,,,but good luck to all bands playing

I agree with you guys that it is a bit of fun but a prediction is far from just an informed guess or opinion that you can't back up. You need to have sound reasoning and accurade data to back why you predict that will happen. Also how can you predict what a band will do from hearing them in concert this year. Granted the work that is put in for the concert now pays off in the summer, but making predictions based on what was heard in a non-competitive idiom doesn't seem rational as it isn't the essence of what the bands strive for. It is a complete different environment in a concert than out on a competition field. If I was to predict what I would like to happen with no strong backing in my predictions I would have Boghall 1st, The Vale 2nd and the Power 3rd just to break the top 3 mold but I know that's it far from what will probably happen and how stupid would I look for predicting something that is radically wrong. I know anything can happen on the day but for a band to jump 4 positions is maybe a tad optimistic. I think it is going to be hard to deter away from the fact that FMM or SLOt will lift the trophy. FMM tone and playing are hard to beat. SLOT have strong piping, fair dos they play safe but that doesn't matter when evidently you can carry it off. As far as we are concern we have put in a lot of hard work over the winter and are going strong now all we need to do is bring what we have at practice onto the field. We are lucky to have two consistent sections who on the day can both play well and if we can break top three that would be fantastic, but may the best band win and good luck Gordy hope to see Ballycoan nipping into the prizes.

Gordy88 wrote:Gillian,

You are quite right, it is a bit of fun, but when asked for a prediction, I'll always base it on something, not on what I would like, if that were the case, Shania Twain would be upstairs in my house right now!!

Or perhaps even Nigella Lawson


A bit of debate is great, and is good for a couple of reasons, a lot of members on here are fairly well seasoned, and do know what they are talking about, and to an extent, will have the odd wee difference,

The other thing is, on this forum, we are allowed to have a debate, not follow the Orwellian party line, or risk being barred.

Good from both angles.

I agree with yae on this. But how would it be lets say the Grand National, who would win that each year. You can't go on who won it last year, everyone put bets on the top runners, who they thought would win and it was won by an outsider. It's stiff competition in Grade 1 but all the focus seems to be on Grade 1. What about the loads of other bands that are not playing in Grade 1.

Heilan Mary wrote:

Gordy88 wrote:Gillian,

You are quite right, it is a bit of fun, but when asked for a prediction, I'll always base it on something, not on what I would like, if that were the case, Shania Twain would be upstairs in my house right now!!

Or perhaps even Nigella Lawson


A bit of debate is great, and is good for a couple of reasons, a lot of members on here are fairly well seasoned, and do know what they are talking about, and to an extent, will have the odd wee difference,

The other thing is, on this forum, we are allowed to have a debate, not follow the Orwellian party line, or risk being barred.

Good from both angles.

I agree with yae on this. But how would it be lets say the Grand National, who would win that each year. You can't go on who won it last year, everyone put bets on the top runners, who they thought would win and it was won by an outsider. It's stiff competition in Grade 1 but all the focus seems to be on Grade 1. What about the loads of other bands that are not playing in Grade 1.

Gillian, your last statement doesn’t back what you are saying about the pipe bands at all. It actually supports the point we are trying to make.



When bookkeepers predict who will win the grand national they base it on facts. They look to see how often this horse has ran, its health, the state of the ground, the weather, the age of the horse, many facts contribute to whether a horse is 100 – 1 or 2-1. Therefore this year it was a huge surprise when a horse out the odds won which proves anything can happen but none of the professionals predicted that horse would win because they don’t have the facts and backing to put this horse first and if it never finished close they would be the ones who look silly.



It is the same as bands, take into account facts to back your prediction, for example, some bands are better medley players than MSR players, Bands do struggle with Strathspey playing, have bands recently got new chanters and reeds which are still settling etc, is there new leadership at the helm, as well as factors that make them stand out and edge it on the other bands such as tonal qualities, hitting intros, etc. all these factors come into play.



So when you predict a band will win be able to say why you think this band will win. It’s all well in saying you would like to see them win but predicting they will is completely different unless you have the factors there to prove your point.