New SMU fan here

[MrMustang1965]

I'm studying business... the cox school of business is a pretty impressive place. I need to sign up for my classes pretty soon though. I'm going to this mustang corral or whatever in a month or so to meet incoming freshman... You guys have any tips and pointers for me over the next four years at SMU??? (I am from the Bayarea, in a small town called LosAltos, it is about 30 min from SF, 10 min from Sanjose, and 5 min from Stanford)

Tips & pointers: BE A MUSTANG! Don't just 'pretend' to be a Mustang. Live & breathe what SMU is all about. Learn all about its history and traditions. Soak it all up. Do you know who Doak Walker was? Do you know who Kyle Rote was? Do you know who Jerry LeVias is? Do you know who Jon Koncak is? Do you know who Jerry Heindenrich was? Do you know who Matty Bell was? What was Mustang Mania? Who were the members of the Pony Express? (I could go on and on with this...!) Learn the words to the SMU Fight Song. Learn where our mascot Peruna got its name. Learn how SMU got the nickname "The Hilltop". Learn the history of the SMU band and how it got it labeled '99 Guys and a Doll' (a long time ago). Don't just say you go to SMU...BE SMU! Attend the football, basketball and soccer games with dedication. Be a LEADER, not a follower. Stay until the very end of the game. Don't leave your seat until after you've sung "Varsity" with the Mustang Band (both at the beginning and end of games). Sing "Varsity" like it's the most beautiful alma mater EVER!...Because we all know it is! In other words, BE A MUSTANG! Give it all you've got...and then some more. Just remember: Being a Mustang isn't easy...but it'll make you a better person in the long run.

[jtstang]

All that suger...I think I'm gonna puke...

[DiamondM75]

Learn the history of the SMU band and how it got it labeled '99 Guys and a Doll' (a long time ago).

It was labeled 96 guys and a doll, not 99. Also, don't forget it was and is still called "The Best Dressed Band in the Land". Do you know why?

If you want to learn the history of the Mustang Band, call the bandhall at 214-SMU-BAND and ask for a copy of the history. I am sure they will provide.


THANK YOU mm65 for posting what every SMU student, alum and entering freshman should feel. I just wish more people associated with SMU and even Dallas had half of your vision.

[regis]

there's also an abbreviated history posted on http://people.smu.edu/band/History.htm...

do you play an instrument? one of the best ways to learn about the history, traditions, and spirit of SMU is to be a member of Mustang Band.

welcome to the hilltop!

[NavyCrimson]

i remember going to the games in the 60's -

they were really a class-act back then -

my uncle, who was an aggie & our friends who were big razorback fans (from texarkana) loved our band & talked about the '96 guys and a doll' whenever football was the topic -

this act and popularity lasted for more than a generation or so -

i remember they like our band & their music more than their own!!!!! truthfull!!!

they were truly incredible back then!!!

so much for the mediocrity of political correctness of today

[DiamondM75]

96 GUYS AND A DOLL


NOT 99

[NavyCrimson]

whoops - thx / i changed it

[Water Pony]

All that suger...I think I'm gonna puke...

But as least you are consistent.

[jtstang]

But as least you are consistent.

Hey this is a football board. You guys can blow all the sunshine up this newbie's skirt you want, but it's only gonna make him more disappionted when he witnesses the current disarray firsthand.

As for the new guy, look you have made a great chioce of college, in a great town, with a great cirriculum for the major you seek. Now live college life the way you want to. Go to the Boulevard, go to the games, join a frat, do whatever you like to do. If you want to know about the history of the band, more power to you. If not, so be it. And who knows, maybe by the time you're done, the football team may actually put a few wins together. We can always hope.

[SouthernMustang]

If they want students to get excited, they should teach them stuff at orientation. I know coming from of high school everyone wants to be "cool," but if the orientation people would make it "cool" to go to the games and have school spirit- we wouldn't have this problem.

My friend's little sister said that last year, at Mustang Corral, they called on some random student leader to lead them in the school song, fight song, chants, etc and called that "Spirit & Traditions." Even worse, the girl leading the freshmen didn't know the words to anything so she just read them off of a power-point screen once, and that was it. So basically, the 200 kids at that camp didn't learn any of it ... but she said they did make sure to spend 2-hours talking about the alcohol policies and what not. Holy Hell, it's Mustang Corral - the only thing I remember about that freshmen year was meeting people and learning all the school tradition stuff... they really need to get the band involved in that.

[Dooby]

This is the most cynical thing I have ever posted on this forum, but it is true:

Nick is gonna come to campus in the fall excited about SMU. He is going to buy an SMU hat and wear it to the first home game. By Spring, Nick will be wearing a well-worn USC baseball cap to class everyday, just like half the student population is wearing well-worn UT and OU caps today.

[DiamondM75]

Holy Hell, it's Mustang Corral - the only thing I remember about that freshmen year was meeting people and learning all the school tradition stuff... they really need to get the band involved in that.

Did anybody bother to ask the band to participate?

I know it is right before school starts and the band is busy putting together their first half time show and teaching their freshmen school spirit and history, but if somebody would ask the band to participate, I bet they would be more than happy to accomodate.

It just amazes me how many times the people at SMU just don't ask. While working on The Mustang Band Partnership project, we were asked how we got Jerry Levias involved, and our reponse was simply - "We asked him."

True story.

[Dooby]

It just amazes me how many times the people at SMU just don't ask.

So true. No one ever thinks to bring up simple ideas or ask the most obvious questions.

I know when I graduated in 1995, after a terrible commencement speaker in 1994, the students in charge of "senior type stuff" organized to ensure we had a better commencement speaker. My understanding is we were giving an honorary degree to Bill Cosby that year. And finally somebody thought to say, "Has anybody asked Bill Cosby if he would be the commencement speaker?" I think that person was met with blank stares from the administration. So, he was asked and he agreed. It probably ended up being one of the best commencements ever. At least that is my understanding of how it happened.

[jtstang]

I know when I graduated in 1995, after a terrible commencement speaker in 1994, the students in charge of "senior type stuff" organized to ensure we had a better commencement speaker. My understanding is we were giving an honorary degree to Bill Cosby that year. And finally somebody thought to say, "Has anybody asked Bill Cosby if he would be the commencement speaker?" I think that person was met with blank stares from the administration. So, he was asked and he agreed. It probably ended up being one of the best commencements ever. At least that is my understanding of how it happened.

I graduated law school in 1995, and Cosby's commencement address for the overall university was hilarious. At law school commencement, Judge Creuzot spoke on the merits of affirmative action, an idea which I happen to subscribe to, and in that right wing crowd you could've heard a freaking pin drop. Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum.

[Stallion]

Jerry LeVias probabaly has some special memories of the Mustang Band----as far as I can recall he is the only SMU Football player ever to have his own fight song/chant. Remember "Go Jerry-Umm-Ahh"?