My Dad's Band adventure with the OSU Marching Band

Prior to the 2005 Michigan - Ohio State football game, the field was lined with former Michigan letter-winners.

Since the 2003 (100th game between M & OSU) Michigan has invited their "Legends" back to either the OSU or MSU game to form a tunnel as the team comes out to touch the banner. My father had played freshman football for Michigan back in 1940. So he has been back for each of these games since 2003.

For the 2005 edition the field was particularly crowded. As the OSU band was finishing their pre-game show and headed towards the western sideline they were essentially forced into hundreds of former Michigan players.

Here's my dad, 83 years old, staring down the eyes of an 18-22 year old cymbalist. My father, unable to move - the cymbalist unwilling to leave his formation. A collision occurred, knocking my father to the ground - my dad says the cymbalist even hit my dad's chest with his cymbal to move him.

We should all be as healthy as my dad is at his age. Not only did he not break a hip, from the ground he purposefully kicked his feet around to take down the cymbal player and two of his bandmates.

Although I was at the game I was 90 rows and and entire football field away, I did not notice any of this happening, so I can only rely on his commentary. If anyone has footage of the OSU pregame show from 2005, I would greatly appreciate it!

PU Band

In honor of our opponent this week, here is the Tube Cadence and Band Cheer by the Purdue University "All-American" Marching Band

piped in music - again

So I'm still not a fan of the piped in music - although I thought the choices were mostly better this week. I've read the boards that places the "blame" for this fully on the band for not playing loudly enough.
When you were in the band you had music sheets at your seats correct - so you could play more songs than those you had just learned that week - right? I don;t remember ever having a problem hearing the band as a student - but some of the boards have people awfully close to the band saying they can't ever hear the band.
I've also read people suggesting MMB goes to all brass - you CANNOT play the victors without the piccolos. How would a trumpet play that part?

NCAA music rules

I tried to find the NCAA rules regarding amplifying the band and came up with little. I found that it appears to be OK to mike the band when they are on the field. That probably doesn't tell us much.

I found that the SEC has a rule that doesn't allow any electric amplified music during anytime other than timeouts and halftime. Therefore, they can't play speakered music between plays.

For basketball games, the amplification of the PEP band has to be toward the stands and not the floor.

So, without any hard facts, I have to think they aren't lying. However, if I were to guess, and someone were to actually figure out where the rule could be (there are a lot of NCAA rule books, but I found little regulating bands, cheerleaders, venues, etc.), I would bet the rule is actually a conference rule. It just seems like the kind of thing conferences care about more than the NCAA.