Our band was absolutely terrible

[Bergermeister]

C'mon band, you're better than that.

I have never made ONE derogatory comment about the Mustang Band. Ever. But something was terribly wrong. Uniform choice was not good. Those peppermint blazers were cool when they were real jackets... the K-Mart version just looks plain ugly.Where was the entrance with "from high on the Hilltop in Big D"? Maybe they just had so little time to put a show together, it just fizzled. Those halftime songs were a beating... like the game. And the twirler... she found the "freshman fifteen" pretty quick. Those sequins were fixin' to pop plum off her tutu. Okay, I'll never say anything bad about the Mustang Band again.

[SMUPhil]

The Mustang Band probably won't ever really get into the "movie theme" halftime shows anytime soon, and you could argue that those are popular, but they are so overplayed. And honestly do you think South Pacific would have reached Saturday's audience any better than Fiddler on the Roof? "Bali Hai" and "I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair"? Only West Side Story is decent enough to pull off and that's like the most overplayed halftime show in the history of mankind.

For me, I think bands should play rock songs, and with the Mustang Band, plug in some old fun songs every now and then like "Sing Sing Sing". That leaves you open to 70 years of radio hits, with everything from Glenn Miller, to The Rolling Stones, to Green Day. The band already plays the Beach Boys, Ozzy Osbourne, and Christina Aguilera, so it's not like they're strictly playing Big Band hits.

For what it's worth, listening at home, I thought the band sounded better in the stands than they have in a decade. I'm not talking about song selection, but just how they sound, ie drums playing together, you can hear all the different horn parts, etc.

[George S. Patton]

My suggestions weren't the best. And I realize that some of that stuff could be overplayed. But they're not overplayed here.

[D1Football]

I can't believe this blog has two pages of what songs to play at half time. Here is my two cents--get a masculine uniform for the band, get rid of that stupid "Third Down Thunder" and instead of putting money into marketing, invest in a coach who will win Conference Championships. That will bring in the crowd.

[SMU Football Blog]

I think you are blaming the band for sucking the life out of the stadium after the first half. I don't think that did it. It was a combination of things, but mostly, it was giving up a touchdown with two seconds left in the half.

[Bergermeister]

Here is my two cents--get a masculine uniform for the band, get rid of that stupid "Third Down Thunder" and instead of putting money into marketing, invest in a coach who will win Conference Championships. That will bring in the crowd.

Really? We've never heard that before. Pure genius!

[Dr Jeske friend]

I knew there was something i could agree with the General on. The music was fit for a girlly band like TCU. You've got the Horns use them and get back to the quick highstepping.

Had 3 students with me who played in their HS bands. One had 3 friends in the band. No interest in joining. Don't like the music or the dress.

[SMUtrojanFAN]

PS, USC's amazing band did a halftime show with the music from "Snakes on a Plane". Do fans just LOVE that theme music so damn much or do they clap for their band because they are performing in between 4 quarters of top 5 caliber football.

Comparing the Trojan Marching Band to the Mustang Band is a complete joke. The TMB is fun, exciting, and plays uninhibited to upbeat music. The Mustang Band plays like a high school band - quiet, timid and boring. That's all there is to it.

[SMUPhil]

NOT comparing at all, I fully realize that the TMB is probably the most entertaining college band in the nation. I have 6 TMB albums, so I'm well aware of what they do.

I guess I meant that if you're good, and your fans are happy, it doesn't matter what you play (Snakes on a Plane would get booed of the field if the Mband had tried playing that yesterday).

USC doesn't do a "traditional" marching band approach at all, it's just that they have had 30 years of being awesome to stand on, and 250 members, and a top 5 football team. The Mustang Band is trying to not just be another "traditional" band, but it obviously needs some kinks worked out (and school size/BCS football doesn't hurt).

[Diamond Girl]

An SMU Mustang Band alumnus was the most recent USC band director - he's now professor of composition and really well known nationally.

[Statler]

Actually the band needs a jazz arrangement of "Nearer My God to Thee" as the Good Ship Mustang slowly sinks below the icy waters of oblivion.

(Where are those deck chairs?)

[SMUPhil]

Ticheli? He was never the USC marching band director. Art Bartner has been there since 1970 and he came from a UMichigan background. Ticheli is just a composer and a professor at the music school there. No connection to the Trojan Marching Band.

[George S. Patton]

All I can tell you is my wife said while watching that performance -- and she went to a school with a big marching band -- "that band needs to join the 21st century''

BTW, I think by not having the Goin' Band from Raider Land there kind of took some of the fire out of the Tech fans. Without a doubt when your band is there and playing its stuff, it gets your fans really into the game -- even halftime.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Cover the Cherry Poppin Daddies stuff at least that's sort of the Mustang Jazz sound.

Yeah, Zoot Suit Riot will really get the crowd going.

[Statler]

All I can tell you is my wife said while watching that performance -- and she went to a school with a big marching band -- "that band needs to join the 21st century''

BTW, I think by not having the Goin' Band from Raider Land there kind of took some of the fire out of the Tech fans. Without a doubt when your band is there and playing its stuff, it gets your fans really into the game -- even halftime.

Using the powers of the dark side I am channeling someone you know --

"Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning."

-- Erwin Rommel