Old Band Guy Speaks (Warning - A Very Long Post)

[SmooBoy]

As an MBand alum, the sentiment is nice, but this is not a new problem. The program has been underfunded and underappreciated for decades. That being said, I appreciate the many posters on here that finally "get" what the band is about. It's not just guys and gals playing instruments a few times a Fall, it is commitment to tradition, spirit, and to the university. The Hub continues to be the one constant in the ever-changing times.

All that being said, let's wait until we are actually invited to a bowl before we start making any plans to send folks once place or another. If there are those that want to start contributing to something ASAP to ensure the band gets to go, call the band hall and they will gladly take care of your generosity.

[MustangStealth]

Medeleine Pickens' organization is a valuable and necessary attempt to save wild Mustangs. I take great umbrage in negative discussion about someone's noble attempt on our behalf to save our mascot (the real ones.)

With all due respect, having Poncho and Lefty stand on the sidelines or fly to Hawaii has absolutely zero to due with "saving wild mustangs". The money it will take to fly them to Hawaii could be spent much more prudently if that was the #1 objective.

[ponyfan08]

Would someone assocIated with the band please post a new topic and explain the Diamond M Club and how to join and what it is they do.

I believe SMU fans would embrace the opportunity to support the Mustang Band, and hopefully watch it grow as our football program continues to improve.

The band is one of the main reasons why I attend basketball games. They keep Moody rockin!

[mustangbill67]

Taking the Mustangs to the Bowl game is all about national publicity for the plight of Mustangs and free advertisement for the Wild Horse Foundation, a noble cause. It has nothing to do with Peruna who I also hope can make the trip along with the Band. Why some of you guys constantly attempt to demonize these beautiful innocent horses who are the namesake for the SMU athletic teams is something I will never understand.

[Pony Soup]

Would someone assocIated with the band please post a new topic and explain the Diamond M Club and how to join and what it is they do.

I believe SMU fans would embrace the opportunity to support the Mustang Band, and hopefully watch it grow as our football program continues to improve.

The band is one of the main reasons why I attend basketball games. They keep Moody rockin!

and dont just say call their office to donate to get to the game. need something more organized than general donations

[MustangStealth]

Your first sentence sums up the complaint nicely. We are not demonizing the horses. What we have a problem with is that someone completely unaffiliated with the school is trying to use us as a "free advertisement" for her foundation. Taking the (little m) mustangs to a bowl game should come only after we make sure the (big M) Mustangs - not just the players, but the band, cheerleaders, and mascot crew - are taken care of. The Bowl game is not a reward for people with noble intentions looking for publicity, it is a reward for a football team and its supporters.

[LawSchoolPony]

If the band and Peruna don't go, but those other horses go, it will be really lame.

[The Spaz]

Ok, let's say I'm a billionaire...
I am also a diabetic. As a way to drum up support and awareness for Type 1 Diabetes and JDRF (donate now http://www.jdrf.org/), I offer a bazillion dollars to SMU to parade a new mascot around the field. Insu-Lynn, the Diabetic Mustang...

Now, it's a mustang, so it fits in with our school. AND it does help raise awareness of a worthy cause. HOWEVER, sometimes it's blood sugar gets high and it gets suggish and cranky, with drymouth and a stomache ache. Or it gets low and it gets dizzy and has to drink some orange juice.

AND, if/when we go to hawaii, I pay to have it flown out. So what everyone sees is this horse with an insulin pump in the saddle bag instead of a fiery pony going crazy on the side of the field.

Right or wrong, wouldn't this tick you off? You can't complain! It's a GOOD CAUSE! HOW DAAAAARE YOU?!? And, you can't get too mad, because I'm a eccentric rich guy, and I paid for it!!!

I'm starting to like this idea...

[BUS]

Are you Mrydel. Good one.

[KnuckleStang]

Taking the Mustangs to the Bowl game is all about national publicity for the plight of Mustangs and free advertisement for the Wild Horse Foundation, a noble cause.

I'm all for saving the horses, but if all this had to do with was saving horses, they would be donated to the equestrian team. This is about JJ and M. Pickens, and that's it.

That said, while I am sad that after 20+ years I will not be able to attend, I am thrilled to get in a bowl. The band MUST go. I have a feeling there has to be something squirelly going on with the info, and the band is going to go. If not, nothing is right in the world

SMUCyclist, you work at Meadows. Well, I am a Meadows grad as well (a good part of the reason I can't go to Hawaii), and I appreciate your respectful style of discourse, but I disagree with just about every word you type. You sound like a nice guy, but I don't think you understand college football or tradition all that much. Anyway, we need to beat Tulane, and everybody have a Happy Thanksgiving

[Diamond Girl]

The Diamond M Club is an organization whose purpose is to support the Mustang Band. It is comprised of Mustang Band alumni and those who love the Mustang Band and want to keep its traditions alive.

We support the band in several ways:
1. Scholarships - the university provides some money towards scholarships, but this is enough to pay full ride for maybe 3 students. We provide extra money to help students out with buying books, etc. For example, in '09-'10, through the funds we raised via membership fees, we were able to give the band $52,000. This year, membership is down, so I'm not quite sure how much we'll be able to give for '10'-'11.
2. Blvd- we provide meals for the band members at every home football game. Given the band has just under 90 members this year, this isn't a small feat.
3. New band hall- we are trying to help raise money for a new band hall, which would be located in Dedman Life Center. Just under $500K has been raised thus far, but an additional $1M is needed. The current band hall, located under Perkins Natatorium, is a pit. The pool has been leaking a bit through the ceiling, there are large foundation cracks running along the ramp leading down into the band hall; after more than 50 years, it's just a pit. And it has never been large enough to hold 40-50 people comfortably, let alone 90-100. Think of the worst dive bar you've ever been in; the band hall is worse.
4. Travel - if the band needs assistance to an away game, we try to help subsidize payment for a bus. Travel, however, is down the list for us. Scholarships are the most important. The more scholarship money we can raise, the better the player the directors can recruit and the more players the directors can recruit.
5. Fellowship- we have two tents on the blvd and provide meals for Alumni Band members as well as Diamond M Club members at home football games. We also try to host several social gatherings each year for our members.

[lwjr]

Ok, let's say I'm a billionaire...
I am also a diabetic. As a way to drum up support and awareness for Type 1 Diabetes and JDRF (donate now http://www.jdrf.org/), I offer a bazillion dollars to SMU to parade a new mascot around the field. Insu-Lynn, the Diabetic Mustang...

Now, it's a mustang, so it fits in with our school. AND it does help raise awareness of a worthy cause. HOWEVER, sometimes it's blood sugar gets high and it gets suggish and cranky, with drymouth and a stomache ache. Or it gets low and it gets dizzy and has to drink some orange juice.

AND, if/when we go to hawaii, I pay to have it flown out. So what everyone sees is this horse with an insulin pump in the saddle bag instead of a fiery pony going crazy on the side of the field.

Right or wrong, wouldn't this tick you off? You can't complain! It's a GOOD CAUSE! HOW DAAAAARE YOU?!? And, you can't get too mad, because I'm a eccentric rich guy, and I paid for it!!!Spaz,
that is one od the funniest things I have ever read, I was crying I laughed so hard

I'm starting to like this idea...

[RGV Pony]

Taking the Mustangs to the Bowl game is all about national publicity for the plight of Mustangs and free advertisement for the Wild Horse Foundation, a noble cause. It has nothing to do with Peruna who I also hope can make the trip along with the Band. Why some of you guys constantly attempt to demonize these beautiful innocent horses who are the namesake for the SMU athletic teams is something I will never understand.

I agree w/ Bill.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

If the Band doesn't go to Hawaii who will play the music for our newly bought, 1 month "tradition" of Cowboys dancing on the saddles of Cowpoke and Maybell while waving lassos and Cowboy hats to rhythmic music.

Maybe we could pay Don Ho and his band to play SMU fight songs and Varsity with Hula girls instead of the Cheerleaders. June thinks its a more powerful statement of Mustanfg Pride.

Unless June Jones has the ability to reanimate the corpse of Don Ho which, I think, some of the people on this board feel he can do, that won't be possible.

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Why some of you guys constantly attempt to demonize these beautiful innocent horses who are the namesake for the SMU athletic teams is something I will never understand.

Because some people always need something to complain about.
It's getting harder to complain about the team so they found a new "cause".
If the horses went away they'd soon find something else to cry about.
Thank you for pointing out there is NO CONNECTION between Pickens
paying for the Mustangs to go to Hawaii and whether Peruna goes or not,
but of course they are attempting to imply there is a connection.