FB: Northwest Conference

[Wildcat'64]

Tux,

Sums up the situation very nicely in your last two emails.

I think the News Register ought to send a photographer out and take a picture of your Bring Back The Band reader board....I'll bet the customers are flocking into your store asking about it....Do you have a petition for them to sign on the front counter  that we could turn into the Board of Trustees at the next meeting???

Bring Back A (Good) Band and A Stud Running Back in 2006

[LCLetters]

I worked with the pep band for both football and basketball seasons for a couple of years.  It was pretty hard for them to get together on a consistant basis because nothing about it was mandatory.  I only had to work with the band leader, who was a student, and she always said that it was difficult because it's completely student run, and let me tell you, they have busy schedules.  On top of classes, students in the music program have outside rehearsals, practice sessions and performances.  She never knew what community members would show up (let alone students) and they didn't get much respect from the crowd; overall it was pretty disorganized.  Someone mentioned that the band wouldn't have to practice because the songs are so simple, but everything requires a run through or two.  It's never fun to have a couple people "off" during the National Anthem etc.

I suspect that if there was a school sponsored club with a faculty advisor, then it would be much more successful.  Funding could come from ASLC, they can most definitely afford it.  One suggestion would be to have it solely be a club, some groups get cold shouldered pretty severely if they aren't considered a club or a sport, speaking from experience.  Even a one credit elective course would do the trick, maybe you should suggest that.

[Olinemom]

downtown 48:
"...If they can't do it right, they should wait until they get enough people to field a real band.  The pep band is lame.  UMHB's band at the Stagg was sweet..."


A marching band? Perish the thought. Why should Linfield try to become even more mainstream? If we are to have a band, let it be one that is unique, thought provoking, humorous and a credit to the First Amendment.

BRING BACK THE BAND!

BRING 'EM BACK AND TURN 'EM LOOSE!

When you have a great pep band that also believes in the first amendment, all of a sudden the school administration gets involved and shuts the pep band down.  Just ask the UVa pep band.   They'll be glad to tell you all about it.  But I say "BRING BACK THE PEP BAND"  Ours at Bridgewater is fantastic.  It includes students, alums and faculty and they have a wonderful sound and travel to away games as well!!  It does add to the football experience!!  Oh, 2 girls in my Interterm class are going to Hawaii to be first responders at the Hula Bowl.  The Athletic training squad from BC is going out to the Hula Bowl to work with the athletes.  I think it's a great opportunity for a D3 school.  Kudos to my twin, Barbara Long, for getting them this experience!!!  They are missing a week of my class.  I told them that they could go, but the price was Brett Elliott's autograph since Linfield didn't get back to Salem this year and while Brett was there on Thursday (ice storm) I believe he was graduating with his Mom on the Saturday of the Stagg Bowl game, where by the way, to those who were there last year, Stone Station won the Tailgating contest.  We only had 4 of us there but we served both sets of fans barbecued chicken and, you guessed it, brownies.  An island of Crimson and Vegas gold surrounded by purple and black.  

And I might add that as there wasn't anyone to lead the Pep Band at first in the Music Dept.  one of the History profs who plays alto sax lead it for 6-8 years until we got someone in instumental music willing and crazy enough to lead the Pep Band.  And yes, they do practice, they come in early to school.  and then they practice at least once a week , Wednesday evenings if I'm not mistaken.  They don't have a tremendous amount of different tunes, but that is not the point.  They are die-hard fans, they know the game.  They are ready for every first-down.  They lead cheers (so you don't have to worry about cheerleaders, who can be clueless when it comes to football)  I remember one of my former students who wore his lucky shorts and flipflops when we played at Lycoming because we always won when he came and wore those shorts and flipflops.  We did win that game.  It comes down to individuals who go out of their way to help get the band off the ground.  The administration and the student senate have to be on board to give some funding.  I think it's great that there are alums such as you all that are willing to put your $$ where your mouths are.  That should help.  In my experience, music dept. personnel are stretched even more thinly than coaches what with private lessons and all sorts of concerts, juries, you name it, they have to do it.  But where there is a will there is a way.  Keep working on it.  A premier act like the CatDome needs to have a decent Pep Band.  And don't you all have a dance team that can perform at half-time?  We're a "church-school" and we have a dance team that performs at half-time and they are crowd favorites!!  Think about that as well.


BRING BACK THE PEP BAND!

[pdawg]

Hey OLineMom:
Perhaps you could share the receipe for those infamous Bridgewater Brownies?? E-mail me. Thanks

[Tuxguy]

 Olinemom ME TOOOO........

Thanks LCLetters and Olinemom for the input.

O.K. Lets start a Pep band Club! LCLetters as Pres. Just kidding, but that does sound good, I like the credit/class part also. Now were getting into that can of worms.

It's  Been a slow day for me can you tell!!!! 
'64
If the News register will take a picture of my sign and put it in the paper I'll change it to read BRING BACK THE PEP BAND, even in this down pour!

[wildcat 3]

Bringing back a good band is a great idea.  Not only will it be great for the supporters and fans, but also the players.  As a guy who just got done playing I can tell you that ALL players would love to bring back the band.  Imagine after a score striking up the band..both parties would benefit.  Just thought you guys would like an opinion from a guy who just got done on the field.
Thanks for all the support the last 5 years and I look foward to meeting some of you next fall.
Don't underestimate the CATS' in 06, they have plenty of talent to get it done.

[RedandPurple]

Bringing back a good band is a great idea.  Not only will it be great for the supporters and fans, but also the players.  As a guy who just got done playing I can tell you that ALL players would love to bring back the band.  Imagine after a score striking up the band..both parties would benefit.  Just thought you guys would like an opinion from a guy who just got done on the field.
Thanks for all the support the last 5 years and I look foward to meeting some of you next fall.
Don't underestimate the CATS' in 06, they have plenty of talent to get it done.

wildcat3;
Welcome to the board and THANK YOU for your contribution to Linfield football. We ALL enjoyed watching you play. Thanks for supporting the BRING BACK THE BAND movement. I agree with everything you wrote. GO 'CATS!

BRING BACK THE BAND!
BRING'EM BACK AND TURN 'EM LOOSE!

[csnarnia]

Okay, I confess complete ignorance on this subject when it comes to the money factors....but I vote for....Bring Back The Band.
aka criswyly

[bluenote]

Wow...the last few posts by onlinemom, LCLetters, Wildcat 3 and others really made my day! You all made great points and I was especially excited to here from Wildcat 3 and his opinion, being an actual football player who we all respect. I think his words speak volumes for the importance of a good pep band and what it could mean for the team. If it's who I think it is, we will miss him dearly next year on the field!!!

I think the naysayers and negative minded troll people are outnumbered on this matter and the positive majestic band supporters are to be commended. I really think the band should be under the covered area to be realistic and I think there may need to be some fences mended after they were "kicked out" of their longstanding place in the stands. I guess if we had to we could build a covered tent over one  of the bleachers, maybe like a Hobbit Hut. The idea of inviting high school area marching bands to perform at halftime is a brilliant idea by TuxGuy, just genious, they'ed love to perform anywhere they are iinvited and all their parents would show up to watch them...MORE MONEY! I really like what LCletters said about the credits and making it a club for funding under the ASLA Charter. Great ideas...to all.

[Wildcat'64]

Wildcat3,

Welcome to the Board----glad to have you join the BANDwagon---being a recent player (and one we  will miss watching in the future)---your contributions will be valuable to this forum....Again, glad to have your support for the Bring Back The Band Campaign....

Onlinemom----good to have you on here once again as well.  We sure missed being with you in Salem but maybe next year!  Thanks for your input as well.  Keep those cards, letters (and of course the brownies) coming!!

BRING BACK A (GOOD) BAND

[RedandPurple]

"... But I say "BRING BACK THE PEP BAND"  Ours at Bridgewater is fantastic.  It includes students, alums and faculty and they have a wonderful sound and travel to away games as well!!  It does add to the football experience!!"

olinemom:
Thanks. That's what I'm talking about. The COMPLETE Saturday afternoon college football day experience!
How would people feel if tailgating was eliminated? Imagine no parking lot BBQ. No brownies! The Pep Band is a part of the whole atmosphere of college sports.


BRING BACK THE BAND!
BRING 'EM BACK AND TURN 'EM LOOSE!

[D O.C.]

 Wildcat3?
as in  Wildcat3?!

Wildcat3
Wow. Good health to you and many thanks.

I enjoy a quick first step as much as a slam dunk.

Thanks again. Oh...do not get used to 2 positive karma for every post.

Any takers on Las Vegas? Free room Sat/Sun.

[pdawg]

Hey 3
Welcome...I need to talk to KC. Email me. Thanks.

[swede]

Wildcat 3
Wecome to the board. I missed you last week when you came in to see the kids. Glad to see you sighned the K.O.B.
poster. Think we should call that wall the "Wall of Fame".

As for the pep band I can't beleive the college is against it. However, do we really care to listen to the last few versions of the pep band.
   
You all know I am for bringing back a band, a good band but is e-mailing people going to do it? The college indeed maybe facing more difficulties than we think. I'd say the best way to get something done would be to sit down with the right people and do some brainstorming 'cause there's sure plenty of ideas here.

We could have bluenote and tuxguy represent us with #3
explaining what the pep band meant to him. Being employed by the college Pdawg could help facilitate the brainstorming meetings.

In case anyone cares, Centennial High School marching band may be available.

                 BRING BACK A (GOOD) BAND

[Pat Coleman]

I've been watching the band discussion with some amusement.

Like any student-run organization, a pep band is likely to have ebbs and flows from year to year, as committed students graduate and are replaced. Someone earlier mentioned some undefined acronym as a possible funding source for the pep band and if that is your undergraduate student government then yes, that's a good place to start. When I was in college that's how the band was funded. Didn't take a lot of money to get t-shirts, buy sheet music for a couple new songs a year, maybe travel to one big game. And it doesn't have to be music majors -- I bet there are people on campus who played in their high school band but didn't want to spend their lives in the music school would still be interested in coming out a few hours a week to play.

The key, as always, is leadership. You need a bandleader and a faculty advisor for a student club like that.

Just my $.02.