Observations from the game

[jtstang]

Please bandies, put away your dueling oboes and focus on the sports. This team was favored and gave away an insurmountable lead in a conference game. We've got much bigger fish to fry than whether your solo on Chattanooga Choo Choo is long enough.

[friarwolf]

I couldn't understand what Rhonda was saying, plus I was mesmerized by the fact that she looked like she had a pink tan and yellow teeth.................

By the way, did you notice how the new jumbo tron introduction of our players sucked the life force out of the gym - not to mention our players? The guys get in their circle and start chanting and swaying when the intro began. They started their chanting and swaying and then finally stopped as the intro droned on and on before the starters finally got introduced. Orsini was there last night. I hope he was mortified.................

[MustangIcon]

I guess since you weren't a playing band alum, you didn't have any reason to be embarrassed and mortified, and since you weren't playing you didn't have to think about walking off the bleachers. And since you don't participate in playing at the games, your opinion doesn't count didly squat unless you're a member of the Diamond M Club or contribute to the band partnership.

Don't go get your panties in a wad okay? Everyone loves the band and is very greatfull for what they do for the university. Ya'll are just so d*mn sensitive and touchy anytime someone has some sort of negative thing to say about something as small as SONG SELECTION for goodness sakes.

I would love to see every SMU athlete come on here and b*tch and moan everytime a poster questioned something they did in the course of the game. But then the band might get their feelings hurt, I forgot.

[DiamondM]

That was actually "Lollipops and Roses", a Herb Alpert classic. And as a band alum, I was mortified and embarrassed that song was played there. Had I been a playing alum tonight, I'd have walked off the bleachers at that moment.

I guess since you weren't a playing band alum, you didn't have any reason to be embarrassed and mortified, and since you weren't playing you didn't have to think about walking off the bleachers. And since you don't participate in playing at the games, your opinion doesn't count didly squat unless you're a member of the Diamond M Club or contribute to the band partnership.

Cindy,

Regis is a loyal member of the DiamondM Club and has played in the alumni band this season. He has every right to be embarrassed about Lollipops and Roses, and I was too. I intended to write a private letter to Don about song selection, but since ex-band members weren't the only ones who noticed, I will post here.

Look, I like the song fine, it makes an fine PRE-GAME song. It works on the Boulevard in a set, but it is not a time out song in basketball, and it is most definitely absolutely positively not a song to play in the first time out after SMU has just chipped away significantly at a huge deficit. It was exactly what DickerJames said it was: a buzzkill. In basketball, the band's job during timeouts is to keep the crowd's energy up so when the time out is over, people have not gone back into a catatonic state. Don has to have a better game sense and be able to call audibles. That is just a plain fact.

Many of the songs in the alumni band book are not appropriate for basketball. The tempo is too slow and it does not get the crowd involved. Even Dr. Who last night was played at the tempo of a dirge -- it should have been nearly twice as fast to get the crowd more pumped. You KNOW I am a loyal and huge supporter (who was running late last night and so I sat with my husband instead), so this is coming from love and I understand as well as anyone what the band is about and loves tradition (and Regis does too). But we have got to have a better sense of what is appropriate for a basketball game. And tradition for the sake of tradition is a waste. Tradition has to be geared to helping the team, and to helping the crowd help the team. Western Peruna also did not work in the place that it was -- even if it has the title Peruna in it, there are right times to play it and wrong times.

I hope that this is just because it was the alumni band, and Lollipops and the other selections are there because Don knows that the alumni band is familiar with them, but I haven't seen anything to indicate the kids are going to break out some up-tempo, rockin' tunes when they get back. I get the sense that some of the band/alumni band member and Don have never watched another college basketball game (not a tourney game -- a home game) and really listened to what and when the really quality bands play. I suggest we all sit down and watch a few games at Allen Field House or a Michigan State game or (from experience in my days back at Duke) Maryland games, all of which have excellent basketball bands. There are things we can learn from others -- we don't have to be so prideful that we refuse to take lessons from others.

If you want to discuss further, I'm happy to do so. But you don't have to play in the band to have a right to expect the band to be there for the crowd and the team, not just for it's own sake.

[Mexmustang]

I don't think anyone on this board doesn't appreciate the band. I wish it was twice as big. The band has been the only consistent organization in these deplorable years of SMU athletics--sometimes I wonder how members have had the patience to even attend some of the events. SMU former band members also seem to be the most dedicated alumni group in terms of loyalty to our sports programs. I would love for the band to continue to re invent itself and evolve, maybe they would find more students interested in particpating. We might even get some alumni $$$'s redirected to the program.

[DiamondM]

I don't think anyone on this board doesn't appreciate the band. I wish it was twice as big.

It doesn't need to be twice as big in basketball. In fact, many good basketball bands are even smaller -- they require auditions, and limited instrumentation. This is especially because for tournaments, you can often only bring maybe 30 people. The problem is not the size.

[tmustangp]

You want my credentials? I was five year member of Mustang Band. I played a basketball season as an alum because they needed help and asked me. This year, I played in many games over the break, as many as I could. I have been a member of the Diamond M Club for more than 10 years running. I think my opinion counts a little more than didly squat.

More importantly, I'm a season ticket holder for SMU basketball. So, when those of you who only come when there are alumni band games (and thanks for doing that) go "see you next fall" status after Friday's game, I'll still be there listening to "Lollipops and Roses" at the most important time of the game.

The Mustangs were finally showing signs of life and on a 5-0 run going into that timeout. The crowd was finally into the game. Timeout on the floor. We hear "Lollopops and Roses". By the end of the timeout, every single person in the arena had taken a seat and any crowd buzz had turned into crickets.

DIAMONDM, want to chime in?

Can't the band play the star wars theme when bamba blocks a shot.. why does the sound system have to play it.. that would be really cool..

[DiamondM75]

Before you start bashing what the band is playing, you need to understand the behind scenes facts that went into last nights selections. The S. Miss game was the first attempt by the Athletic Department to "script" a complete basketball experience. The band was instructed to play certain songs at cetain times during the game. Since we had an adhoc band of current students (by the way, thanks for your participation) and alumni, the band is limited to songs that are known by both groups. Therefore, a very limited book was available for this game.

I like the idea of a scripted game, because everyone involved will know exactly what the others are doing. In the past, whenever there was a time out, the band directors would look to the scoring table to find out if they wanted the band to play or were they doing some advertisment. Talk about buzzkill, can you imagine after our Mustangs made that comeback last night, the announcer had read a Pluckers ad? I remember this happening at the Rice game last year.

As for my personal choice, the band should play at pregame, halftime and postgame. This is the perfect time to show off the band's musical talent, but, during the actual game, entertainment should be limited to the spirit songs (Peruna, Pony Battle and audience participation songs) and cheerleaders running onto the floor to perform (and teach) cheers. That way there will be no buzzkill selections by anyone.

Last night was a first attempt at creating the SMU Basketball experience and yes, it had some rough edges. Give it a few games to work out the kinks. The athletic department is starting to create an atmosphere that is consistent and entertaining. The marketing group in the AD understand what is needed, it is just going to take a few games for everyone to learn how this system works and who does what and when.

[indianmustang]

good crowd, but bad first half ,very good second half untill last 2 minutes
couple of easy baskets underneath RIM missed ,orelse we would have won the game

[Ponymon]

Derrick came home!!!! He attacked the basket - missed a bunch of shots - but he attacked the basket. We look like a different team when he does that. Please don't stop - the shots will start falling. Rack is painful to watch with his one handed rebounding. Please Rack, use both hands. Could we please learn how to get to the backside for rebounding position?????? Time out to rant about the jumbo tron : Nice to see we have pretty pink horsies on our jumbo tron to go with our cute pink jerseys. We are bush league - could we please get someone to adjust the color on the damn wide screens. Cheerleaders in Aggie Maroon up on the screens is pretty embarrassing, too. Free throws guys, free throws......Killen looked pretty good - the guy is a gamer. Our big guys just don't have very good hands..................Man we played good defense that second half. Doherty was coaching his [deleted] off in the second half. He was fun to watch.

Most important stat of the night: our last six posessions of the game - zero good offensive possessions and zero points...................................

Friarwolf, Do you want to edit the name of this thread to the "Pomp and Circumstance of Last Night's Game" thread

[friarwolf]

Derrick came home!!!! He attacked the basket - missed a bunch of shots - but he attacked the basket. We look like a different team when he does that. Please don't stop - the shots will start falling. Rack is painful to watch with his one handed rebounding. Please Rack, use both hands. Could we please learn how to get to the backside for rebounding position?????? Time out to rant about the jumbo tron : Nice to see we have pretty pink horsies on our jumbo tron to go with our cute pink jerseys. We are bush league - could we please get someone to adjust the color on the damn wide screens. Cheerleaders in Aggie Maroon up on the screens is pretty embarrassing, too. Free throws guys, free throws......Killen looked pretty good - the guy is a gamer. Our big guys just don't have very good hands..................Man we played good defense that second half. Doherty was coaching his [deleted] off in the second half. He was fun to watch.

Most important stat of the night: our last six posessions of the game - zero good offensive possessions and zero points...................................

Friarwolf, Do you want tor edit the name of this thread to the "Pomp and Circumstance of Last Night's Game" thread

I think I'll change it to "How to Hijack a Thread in One Easy Step"

[DickerJames]

Derrick came home!!!! He attacked the basket - missed a bunch of shots - but he attacked the basket. We look like a different team when he does that. Please don't stop - the shots will start falling. Rack is painful to watch with his one handed rebounding. Please Rack, use both hands. Could we please learn how to get to the backside for rebounding position?????? Time out to rant about the jumbo tron : Nice to see we have pretty pink horsies on our jumbo tron to go with our cute pink jerseys. We are bush league - could we please get someone to adjust the color on the damn wide screens. Cheerleaders in Aggie Maroon up on the screens is pretty embarrassing, too. Free throws guys, free throws......Killen looked pretty good - the guy is a gamer. Our big guys just don't have very good hands..................Man we played good defense that second half. Doherty was coaching his [deleted] off in the second half. He was fun to watch.

Most important stat of the night: our last six posessions of the game - zero good offensive possessions and zero points...................................

Friarwolf, Do you want tor edit the name of this thread to the "Pomp and Circumstance of Last Night's Game" thread

I think I'll change it to "How to Hijack a Thread in One Easy Step"

Hey now, you are the one that started the complaing about the jumbotron, but I do take full responsibility for the band complaints.

[friarwolf]

I can hijack my own thread.......

[Longtime]

We're lucky the band is allowed to play at all during timeouts now that we have a new vehicle for showing commercials.

And by the way, haven't we learned from the football video board that a coach or athlete holding a microphone and talking into the camera like a zombie is probably the biggest buzzkill of all? Please, let's end this practice. If you want to promote upcoming games, use game action video, a graphic, some music, a voiceover. Anything but handing someone a microphone and having them drone on and on.

If you're going to use people, get a real hypster who can catch the crowd's attention. Or maybe a couple of fetching, spirited cheerleaders who will at least smile and giggle their way through it. Just because someone is an athlete or a coach doesn't make them good promoters.

Now, back to the original intention of this thread: Dang, if we just played in the first half like we did the second. I hope people appreciate the coaching job Doherty is doing, because talent-wise we had no business being close to USM. We have a lot of good role-players, but hardly anyone with real offensive skills, either as a pure scorer or finisher. When Doherty gets some offensive talent in here, some guys who can penetrate and create shots, the program is going to take off like a rocket.

[MustangStealth]

The band was instructed to play certain songs at cetain times during the game.

So Orsini said "Hey, play that snappy Herb Alpert tune in the middle of the second half!"?