Football's future upgrades

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Football's future upgrades

But they're just not on board with the athletic programs and haven't been for a while. I don't know why.

This really isn't meant to be a slam on JJ, but his quote seems to reflect the problem. Is the athletic department on board with the band? Does the athletic department make decisions based on what's best for the band or on what's best for the athletic department? This forum is primarily for athletic fans, but to borrow JackMD's bit, the Pride is not there to support the football team and that is a fact. Its mission has nothing to do with the football team, just like the football team's mission has nothing to do with the Pride. Get over it people. Rant done.

EDIT: Forgot to put this in, my brother-in-law was the site manager for remodel at Kinnick Stadium at the Univ of Iowa. I don't ever remember him talking about acoustics issues for the band but I will ask him tomorrow. He did talk about things they had to do for the sound system, but in our discussions it was about the P.A. system and some one singing the national anthem. His best story is about the day they took down the old press box. The demo team dropped within about 18 inches of where they had marked it. But the video of the demolition that made the news down there was not his, but of the ZIP feed mill that ended up a little bit farther off of the mark.

[Jack4Life]

Re: Football's future upgrades

Even if the Pride does not march, it would be nice if they could be in the stands playing during the game. I have season tickets in section E, just next to the band and have them there intentionally cause the band adds so much to the game we love to be close to them. They wouldn't even need to be in uniform, just get some of them to show up and play.

[JackFan96]

Re: Football's future upgrades

Just another word about the band as it relates to any future improvements. We have it good right now. The band sounds great. If you've ever been to a home game at Nebraska or Minnesota, you probably know that the stadiums are so big you don't get good sound. They could have a great band, but nobody would ever know it. Hopefully, we'll never have that problem. I will grant, though, the Cornhuskers have a better pre-game atmosphere ... even in these losing times. Shocking, I know. Anybody ever been to The Sidetrack?

[JimmyJack]

Re: Football's future upgrades

Let's change direction and just hit on a point we can all agree with: Our marching band is one of the best in the country and they're outstanding ambassadors for the university. The invitation to return to the Tournament of Roses Parade is ample evidence of that. The rest is just quibbling around the edges and will be dealt with by people other than us. I hope that, as someone said before, anyone who is frustrated that the band won't be playing at the final two games will simply express that to the administration and won't punish the kids in the band by withholding financial support.

On the topic of football upgrades: Terry V. has a little video of Aggie Stadium up on his blog.

http://blogs.argusleadermedia.com/sp...see-davis.html

Looks nice... and there are obviously a nice group of SDSU boosters on the trip.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Football's future upgrades

This really isn't meant to be a slam on JJ, but his quote seems to reflect the problem. Is the athletic department on board with the band? Does the athletic department make decisions based on what's best for the band or on what's best for the athletic department? This forum is primarily for athletic fans, but to borrow JackMD's bit, the Pride is not there to support the football team and that is a fact. Its mission has nothing to do with the football team, just like the football team's mission has nothing to do with the Pride. Get over it people. Rant done.

This isn't a slam on you either 1st row, but If there wasn't an athletic department/football program would there be a marching band? They wouldn't have the +/- 10,000 people to entertain five times a year and advocate for them the rest of the year, they wourldn't have a Hobo Day parade to march in without the football game, and they wouldn't have 350+members because a number of them wouldn't participate if they didn't have the opportunity to be seen. I don't know if they could survive on the 1000 or so spectators they get to watch the annual indoor concert. I was told they are only practicing a few times between now and Jan. 1, so I don't buy the we are too busy line. Cold weather is cold weather, but we don't know what it will be like Nov. 17th, so don't make that decision now.

I love the Pride. I get goosebumps everytime I here the cadence, I don't skip halftime to have beer, I have a number of pride members that work for me, heck, I am even going to be in Pasadena to proudly watch them in a few months. But for as long as I can remember priorities have been messed up. The Pride is part of our football atmosphere, not the other way around. THey need to be part of the game(which they do most of the time), not steal attention away from it while in the stands. Halftime is their show. There seems to be too many people on both sides that won't compromise and want the show to be about them. Until that changes, my feelings about our really great marching band won't be as positive as they should be.

And it will be really damn embarrassing on November 17th if NDSU brings their Gold Star Band and 6000 fans and shows us up.

[propar80]

Re: Football's future upgrades

This isn't a slam on you either 1st row, but If there wasn't an athletic department/football program would there be a marching band? They wouldn't have the +/- 10,000 people to entertain five times a year and advocate for them the rest of the year, they wourldn't have a Hobo Day parade to march in without the football game, and they wouldn't have 350+members because a number of them wouldn't participate if they didn't have the opportunity to be seen. I don't know if they could survive on the 1000 or so spectators they get to watch the annual indoor concert. I was told they are only practicing a few times between now and Jan. 1, so I don't buy the we are too busy line. Cold weather is cold weather, but we don't know what it will be like Nov. 17th, so don't make that decision now.

I love the Pride. I get goosebumps everytime I here the cadence, I don't skip halftime to have beer, I have a number of pride members that work for me, heck, I am even going to be in Pasadena to proudly watch them in a few months. But for as long as I can remember priorities have been messed up. The Pride is part of our football atmosphere, not the other way around. THey need to be part of the game(which they do most of the time), not steal attention away from it while in the stands. Halftime is their show. There seems to be too many people on both sides that won't compromise and want the show to be about them. Until that changes, my feelings about our really great marching band won't be as positive as they should be.

And it will be really damn embarrassing on November 17th if NDSU brings their Gold Star Band and 6000 fans and shows us up.

I absolutely agree with your post 1979. I will be spending tomorrow writing two letters. One to Dr. McKinney and the other to President Chicone. Anyone else I should send one to? I think it would be wise of all of us who support SDSU athletics and The Pride to be writing letters also, ADVISING the new President to "get involved".
This in NO way is the right decision not to have The Pride attend this game. The power trips have gone far enough and it is time to let the administration know how SDSU fans feel...in MASSES.

Go Jacks!!

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Football's future upgrades

79,
I get what you are saying but I would say that yes there still would be a marching band without the athletic department. The argument that the number of people that come out to an event is determinative of whether a program would continue to exist means that very few of the athletic teams would be there. I've been to soccer, volleyball, equestrian, and wrestling matches with very few people in the stands. I've been to plays that had more and less. I've been to concerts that had more and less. However I don't think the value of the program should be determined by how many people watch its performances, although that may be one factor.

Guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this. It is has often been said on this board that we should give the athletic department the benefit of the doubt on decisions because of their track record and the fact that we don't know everything. I'm giving the leadership of the Pride the same benefit.

[RabbitinTea]

Re: Football's future upgrades

79,
I get what you are saying but I would say that yes there still would be a marching band without the athletic department. The argument that the number of people that come out to an event is determinative of whether a program would continue to exist means that very few of the athletic teams would be there. I've been to soccer, volleyball, equestrian, and wrestling matches with very few people in the stands. I've been to plays that had more and less. I've been to concerts that had more and less. However I don't think the value of the program should be determined by how many people watch its performances, although that may be one factor.

Guess we will just have to agree to disagree on this. It is has often been said on this board that we should give the athletic department the benefit of the doubt on decisions because of their track record and the fact that we don't know everything. I'm giving the leadership of the Pride the same benefit.

I can't speak for 79, but I think the main point was how many people would hold the Pride in such high regard if they didn't see them in parades and at football games? I would say the majority of people that follow the Pride wouldn't exist if they didn't play at events like football games. IMO the Pride shouldn't be biting the hand that feeds them. If they decide they're too good for football games, I dare say they may no longer be able to raise enough money to attend events like the Rose Bowl because people aren't going to be as willing to support them financially. The bottom line is that the Pride depends on athletic events to get recognition. Oh yeah and they also depend on the Hobo Day parade for lots of recognition....which exists BECAUSE they play a football game.

[valleyrabbit]

Re: Football's future upgrades

Please keep on the topic of Football Future Upgrades. Thank-you.