Diamond Girl wrote:Also, the band has always been a staunch supporter of Peruna, the official mascot of SMU. We don't want people to get the impression we support the geldings, JJ's mascot.
That's unfortunate.
"We will play man to man and we will pick you up at the airport." - Larry Brown
There has to be some big misunderstanding here. The whole reason the alumni band was there was to play the fight songs for the players. As a Mustang Band alum myself, I can tell you if they didn't play for the team, it had to be a matter of couldn't, not wouldn't.
Football players are not Homecoming Queens, they are not going to smile, wave and blow kisses. Most are into some pre-game ritual that involves listening to music (probably some heavy metal stuff)that sets their focus for the game. Interacting with fans may prove to be a distraction. Not every exchange on the Vard is positive, so a little isolation may not be a bad thing. I may be confused but were the players not lead to the stadium by a smaller group of regular band members and Peruna last year? Obviously, this needs to be better organized so no one feels put out or snubbed.
Pony ^ wrote:something needs to change with that walk...it was quiet and awkward...
Maybe Peruna should lead the players walk directly down the middle of the Blvd?
You're right it is quiet and awkward. It seems so many people miss that the players are even walking by. Plus their walk completely bi-passes the student section on the Blvd. It's early enough that the crowd is usually not that heavy on the Blvd yet, I say walk on the grass part of the Blvd. Either do it right or dont do it at all. Maybe they should just drop this until we have more wins and fan support?
Pony ^ wrote:something needs to change with that walk...it was quiet and awkward...
Maybe Peruna should lead the players walk directly down the middle of the Blvd?
You're right it is quiet and awkward. It seems so many people miss that the players are even walking by. Plus their walk completely bi-passes the student section on the Blvd. It's early enough that the crowd is usually not that heavy on the Blvd yet, I say walk on the grass part of the Blvd. Either do it right or dont do it at all. Maybe they should just drop this until we have more wins and fan support?
This. When the band comes through with the cheerleaders & whatnot you hear them coming, and most people shift to the edge of the blvd to watch it through & cheer. I wish the players could be with this procession, but I understand its not necessarily feasible.
People ARE interested in the players walk and more would attend if we had any idea when or where it took place. If the only route is going to exclude 3/4 of the blvd as it does currently, maybe the (ahem) Alumni Band (or anyone else who tailgates with a bugle) could signal the walk to begin in 15 minutes with a trumpet "first call" (or whatever you call the horse race sound).
A team walk will never work at SMU. The boulevard is too far from the stadium so the fans are not tailgating and congregated near the stadium. For the players to truly walk where the fans can see them, they would need to start the walk at Dallas Hall and walk the entire distance to the stadium.
I just don't think we need a team walk at this point in time. Maybe later when the new housing and band hall are completed, the team could walk in the Doak Walker plaza area, which should then be full of student tailgating and right outside the band hall so the current band could play before they retire to the band hall for lunch/dinner and uniform.
The incident unfortunately happened and yes there is more to it but everyone is missing the point. This is a new team and a new coaching staff that has been to two bowl games. These are some of the best student atheletes and ambassadors the school has ever had playing football. The entire SMU family needs to get behind coach Jones and the players to support their efforts. The incident with the alumni band is only an example of the old school culture around the campus. We have a chance this week to come together and change our old ways. President Turner, Athletic Director Orsini, Mustang Club and Band Director Dom Hopkins take charge or assign someone to organize and cheer our boys at the Pony Walk this family weekend. Remember its FAMILY weekend. I will be at the corner cheering for the whole team.
if there is more to it that what you are telling us in your post, you can quickly lose credibility around here.
on another note, even though i'm usually on the blvd well before the players walk across to the stadium, i always miss it because it's not really communicated very well to everyone when this is going to happen.
i really don't understand what your issue is, though. it's not like we all don't support the team here. i think you're making a much bigger deal out of this than it really is, especially given that we really don't know all the facts.
Traumadoc wrote:The incident unfortunately happened and yes there is more to it but everyone is missing the point. This is a new team and a new coaching staff that has been to two bowl games. The entire SMU family needs to get behind coach Jones and the players to support their efforts. The incident with the alumni band is only an example of the old school culture around the campus.
Traumadoc we have had issues with fan support for years, but the members of the Alumni Band are not the problem, in fact they donate their time to create more support and tradition for the Mustangs. The way to better fan support is not in marketing or what song the Alumni Band plays at a moment's notice. It is in WINS on the field. Many of us have appreciated the efforts of the Alumni Band for years, so unless you can provide additional details we cant just assume from some new poster with an inflamatory insulting thread title that the Alumni Band are guilty of anything. Long Live The Alumni Band!