ATTN: People who run band

[PonyTime]

I'm sick of Turn Down For What and most every song played as well. Need variety at least

You might not want to watch the Highlights for the UCSB game then...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du4MTqLNkJI

[Pony147]

Also - Is the alumni band going to be performing at the games over the break?

Yes

[PonySnob]

Would be tempted to try DJ only during one or two of those games

[SMU1523]

I'm sick of Turn Down For What and most every song played as well. Need variety at least

You might not want to watch the Highlights for the UCSB game then...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du4MTqLNkJI

Haha just watched it on YouTube. Had the same exact thought.

[PonyTime]

Would be tempted to try DJ only during one or two of those games

I am hoping that the alumni DJ is going to be performing.

i.e. - Hopefully the alum who was the DJ last season is coming back...

[Oliver]

Please stop with the stupid [deleted] turn down for what instrumental on our highlights! Would so prefer to hear the radio or TV commentating over the highlights, or else just not that wildly overplayed piece of crap...

In regards to game presentation, it does seem like a big part of the problem is the Mob and the crowd to some extent. The DJ and crowd need to feed off each other. There just needs to be more rowdiness in general.

[Statler]

For those who have complaints call the directors, discuss your concerns, ask them questions.

The directors are quality people and both are Mustang Band Alumns (who really do get it but are required to work with the restraints game ops puts on them)

[JasonB]

One of the biggest differences we have this season is longer timeouts. Last season, we played great defense, which lead to fast breaks and huge runs. This forced the other team to actually call timeouts to stop momentum instead of waiting for a TV timeout. When a team calls timeout, it is a 1 minute break. TV timeout is a 3-4 minute break.

During the 1 minute break, we would play music the whole time, which kept the crowd intense.

This year, we don't go on runs and coaches wait for the TV timeout. which is a long break. During that long break, we either go straight to promo or the band plays a song, and none of the band songs really get people pumped up.

My thought is that for the longer breaks, you need to keep the momentum and let it drain a little naturally by letting the DJ play something exciting. Then you roll into either a promo or the band. And then you pump the music back in for the last 30 seconds to get everyone back into it. You can't keep momentum up for 3-4 minutes. But going straight to a promo or the band demolishes it right away. You have to play on the endorphins a little bit, then ease it back down, and then raise it back up again.

[bubba pony]

Also - Is the alumni band going to be performing at the games over the break?

Yes

my daughter and I are both SMU alumni. I have been encouraging her to participate with the Mustang Alumni band. That the alumni band will be needed when the students are on semester break. She recruited 3 more former Mustang Band members in an effort to have a social night out. We though this was a wanted and appreciated service. I had no idea that there was such disdain towards the Band. She doesn't even like basketball. I told her she is better off staying home.

[smupony94]

Love the alumni band

[SoCal_Pony]

Not one person, a committee of the complainers on ponyfans who have the expertise and know exactly how to run the game presentation need to control everything. Sorry, just interested in on-the-court play and don't really pay attention to all that other crap. I guess my need to be constantly "entertained" is non-existent. Pony Up.

Yes, you're representative of the SMU old. Just watch the game and avoid the crowd noise, standing and actual cheering. The people around me, mostly 50 to 65 years old, just sit there the entire game. They never clap, never yell a word or never stand up. The first couple of games I wasn't sure if they were for SMU or the other team, still not 100% sure. They only game any real noise came from our section is when our "fans" sold their tix to Hog fans. Now they were loud!

If you just want to watch the game without a true home court advantage then congrats. Continue to golf clap and whisper to your buddy next to you how swell our basketball team is playing.

Well said, LA

[SoCal_Pony]

It's all working in concert together. The game presentation is awful, the promos during the timeouts have a lot to do with it. They need to be packed in at halftime or eliminated, they kill energy. There is no debate there.

However, if those stupid things are going to run it would be nice to pull some energy back with some house music. The band just doesn't do it, regardless of what they are going to play. If you are going to suck energy out with crappy game presentation, only loud electronic noises are going to bring some energy back.

On top of that though, the band looks disinterested and their choices last night were especially awful. Maybe I didn't hear the standards they always play, but that is because I tuned them out after rolling my eyes in to the back of my head after one song that (as someone stated earlier) sounded like they were going for a "concerto" atmosphere or something. I don't recall people really ever cracking jokes about the band, and this year the jokes are starting to feel standard with the group I sit with at every game

Solid post, OMD,

Granted I have only been to 2 games this year, and I hate to pile on to the Mustang Band given that they have been the heart of the Moody spirit for so many years, but they really do seem to take the energy out of Moody, the band and the ads.

Understand the need to generate revenues, I know this sounds harsh, but business is business (as witnessed by the ticket pricing) so this is what I would propose.

a) remove ads (FT shooting / lay-ups), they zap energy.
b) remove band, they zap energy.
c) replace some of band seating with paying customers to make up for loss revenues from a).
d) replace remaining band seating with additional MOB to increase energy, make sure they are more rowdy.
e) replace current pom-pom squad with hotter dance girls who perform to piped-in music during TOs, greatly increasing energy.

[smusic 00]

Love the band and the alumni band especially. It's not their fault, they are at the whim of the production folks now. Now they could learn something from their elders and make a little more crowd noise when not playing.

[Bergermeister]

I haven't noticed a drop off in the game presentation. The intro is fine and my favorite part is watching the Memphis coach flip out when KF makes the 3.

Golf clap ^

[PonyTime]

Also - Is the alumni band going to be performing at the games over the break?

Yes

my daughter and I are both SMU alumni. I have been encouraging her to participate with the Mustang Alumni band. That the alumni band will be needed when the students are on semester break. She recruited 3 more former Mustang Band members in an effort to have a social night out. We though this was a wanted and appreciated service. I had no idea that there was such disdain towards the Band. She doesn't even like basketball. I told her she is better off staying home.

Where did you or she get the idea that the alumni band was not appreciated? I think it is absolutely fabulous that the alums show up to play over the break. That is why I asked the question...