THE MUSTANG BAND

[MrMustang1965]

I was glad to have the Mustang Band at Saturday's game. Hearing "Varsity", "Hail to the Red & the Blue" and the classic tunes of the Mustang Band at an 'away' game was nice. Hope the band gets to travel to more 'away' games this year.

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[couch 'em]

Why thank you. We'll be at Baylor, and maybe at La Tech.

[BornRed&Blue]

We stayed until the bitter end, as my parents taught me, "the game is not over until the band sings Varsity" and the band won the game ! I must say, it helped so very much to have the band there, the spirit is so much better, and I am proud of the showing we made at the game. Even my Texas Tech daughter, who had a hard time NOT singing along with the fight song, was impressed with how many Mustangs were at the game.
Go Red, Go Blue, Go Mustangs, SMU !

[Nacho]

Security must be tightened around the MB. It is ridiculous to allow fans from other teams to come into the stands, verbally and physically abusing the Band. Someone is going to get seriously hurt. Security personnel need to be just behind the Band and at least 3 rows need to be clear. The Police need to be in the immediate vicinity. Mustang fans should be very quick to notify the Police or security if any untoward behavior directed at the Band occurs. I hope the fans anywhere else the Band plays this year or in the future have the class to leave what is in effect a defensless organization alone. If they are such big men they should try picking on the football team. The cowards won't do that because they are just that--cowards. If anyone does try anything I hope they enjoy their time in jail. Believe me I'll be watching and I'll have your butt sent to jail before you know what hit you.

[This message has been edited by Nacho (edited 09-02-2003).]

[MrMustang1965]

Nacho: I agree. (Were you sitting near 'Pegasus', 'BornRed&Blue' and me? )

The TT fans that came down into our 'visiting team' section and who taunted and harassed the MB during the game were exactly what you described - classless. They were drunk and/or stoned. Twice I went up to the security personnel at the stadium to have something done. The first time the Lubbock police officers who were working security at Jones SBC came down and escorted several of them away.

However, there were some SMU students who were in the bunch as well...I think they were friends of either Mustang Band members and/or of the TT students who had been escorted away. What disturbed me - besides the unruly attitude - was that there were MB members who were DEFENDING the actions and attitude of the SMU and TT students who were down there acting like idiots!

I was disappointed in the image that several SMU students presented to the SMU alumni and fans who were sitting around the MB. (Yes, I was a college student once and I acted crazy at football games, too...but not like what these students were doing!) I realize that the actions of several do not necessarily reflect the image of the entire student body. But I would hope that the rational students would 'police' those who are not and try to get them out of the stadium by contacting the authorities in charge. I hope that this doesn't happen again at future away games or home games. I hold SMU in high esteem as an institution of higher learning with class. Sadly, there were some students this past weekend who acted like they should never have graduated from high school much less been accepted into SMU.

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[Nacho]

I have been to a lot of away games but I have never before seen what the so-called TT fans did. I usually love going to the away games because it is a chance to sit with the Band, die-hards and students all in a very tight-knit group. It is typically a great experience. TT for some reason has a huge chip on its shoulder which I think comes from their inferiority complex regarding UT and A&M. They have had big problems there in the past with their fans. You would think they would have laearned by now that their idea of crowd contril is not working.

[Hoofbeat83]

having the SMU band at the game was GREAT! it really made a difference to me as a fan and i'm sure the players appreciated the support. THANKS TO THE BAND FOR GOING!

as far as the unruly fans, i doubt we'll encounter that at the baylor game. odd, but if anyone had reason to let out frustrations, it would be baylor, but they are typically a very nice crowd and i'm looking forward to the game, and maybe even a win by the ponies (please allow me my optimism).

[EastStang]

Maybe we need a sabre team like the Aggies have. Or better yet, a couple of guys in Alladin suits like the Shriners have with a big jewel in their navels and a huge curved sword, that would keep the rowdies away. In all seriousness, I think a letter from the band director to the TT A.D. would be an appropriate response, letting him know that security seemed a bit lax in that part of the stadium so that when they have other games later in the year, no untoward incidents occur. If their AD doesn't know, he can't fix it.

[WreckEm16]

The SMU band was chanting "Tech sucks" before the game. That's where the hostility was coming from.

Thoughts? Comments?

[hpfan]

The band was responding to the TT chanting that occured beforehand. The band was great as usual..

[Fingers]

Gee, WreckEm, thanks for the encouragement. The fact that it only takes 70 Mustang Band members to chant loud enough to rile up 30,000 other people makes me proud. Two things, though: 1) You can hear that particular chant at any college game you wish to attend, it's nothing new; and 2) I won't repeat what some - I said some - of the Tech students were yelling at me as I strolled the sidelines minding my own business. But here again, I've heard it all before and take it as part of the game, whether I like it or not.

[WreckEm16]

You certainly can hear that chant at any game. But not from band members representing their school. I marched in the Goin' Band for 2 years, and we had members who were kicked out for much less than that.

And besides, they "riled up" about 100 people (I was right behind them) who responded in kind. Again, what did you think would happen?

Other than that, a very good band for their size with excellent sound quality.

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And when I die
You can bury me
In Lubbock, Texas,
In my jeans.

-Mac Davis

[This message has been edited by WreckEm16 (edited 09-03-2003).]

[couch 'em]

Well, if you were right behind us, then you must have noticed at least one guy attempt to start a physical confrontation, completely unprovoked. Also, you must have seen the several tech fans drunkenly plotting to steal a horn or a beanie. Kinda funny that you would come on here to complain about someone saying "sucks" in an atmosphere like at Tech.

[gpony]

I am the parent of a football player. I wanted to say that the SMU band is much appreciated by the players and their parents for its enthusiam and support. I would like to see the band at every game. As for the drunks who were harassing the band, they should have been immediately thrown out of the stadium, as should the drunks who kept throwing tortillas (or whatever they were) at the cheerleaders.

[MustangSally]

You are absolutely correct, WreckEm. Here is exactly what happened:

A Tech student, who has NEVER heard Tech Sucks or worse before, goes to the SMU game. He is minding his own business, when all of a sudden *GASP* the SMU band yells some cheer that has Tech Sucks in it. Surely he must be hearing things because the band is representative of the University! So, this nice young chap decides to take matters into his own hands. He downs a fifth of whiskey and heads over to the SMU section where he proceeds to verbally assault about 100 people. In the process, he manages to knock over about a gallon of coke, which gets all over the uniforms and horns of the entire low-brass section. After stumbling into the band's seats, he decides that anyone that tells him to move must be wrong. Besides, wasn't this the same band that was just chanting Tech Sucks? If the band yells Tech Sucks, then clearly the floodgates of drunken assault must be opened. That poor guy, he had only grabbed 3 or 4 people by the shoulders and yelled in their faces by the time he was escorted off. That damn Mustang Band...
Oh and the same thing happened after haltime, but with about 5 new Tech students getting in on it.

Well, I will be the first to admit that the Mustang Band is a little edgy. But that was is what makes us who we are. We are known as "the Hub of SMU Spirit", and so what if a few people yell sucks. The point is we were up on our feet yelling for our team. This also shows in our playing. Great music, and loud, really loud. We don't half-ass anything and this gives us kind of an attitude. But that's what I love about it. I love knowing that any given Saturday, our little troop of 65 players can be louder and more clear than most bands of 200-400 people. I am rambling now. By the way, Tech Sucks.