80mins

It'd be interesting if we enjoy the Bowl game and get our home-and-home on for yet another on Tobacco Road. Plus I'll get to go to the Triangle and check out the Bulls twice, at both Carolina and State.

Anybody got any good plans for signs at the game? If you've got 'em, I'd love to hear 'em! I'm thinking about doing one that says "Charlotte: North Carolina's REAL BULL City!". It'd make a much better jab if we were playing D*** or if NC State was in Durham and not Raleigh, though...

It just iced to all hell here in NC... I WISH it was snow instead of this crap...

Assistant Director for Programs in the Office of Student Life at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Don't log on during the day all that often, but school's on break now, so who knows? :-)

Which actually makes me think: Has anyone heard tell of any of the greek letter organizations or other student organizations taking their own bus/caravans/people up to the game? IF not, they ought to start!

Looks like I'll probably be staying the hell out of Dixie's on GP--both as a yankee and a non-fan of the Steelers.

My selections for rivalries? -Cincinnasti. We've competed in two separate conferences against one another. We were paired up with one another for rivalry weekend this year, and before that match-up we were 1-1 against them. Years prior, it was CINCY who smashed our bowl hopes when we were independent by winning their game and taking a spot that might have been ours. -UCF. The way I see it, there are a few things characteristic o most great rivalries: Proximity, Similarity, and History. With little exception, all of the great ones have at least two, if not all three of these characteristics. So let's consider proximity: Auburn-Bama. Florida-Florida State. Duke-Carolina. Bloods-Crips. Hatfields-McCoys. When you're right next to one another, you can't help but fight. Over resources, turf, respect. With similarity, stick your noses in the air all you want, like it or not, UCF and us are VERY similar institutions. Founded roughly a decade apart, an hour away from one another, similar in size, stature, and relevance in the state of Florida university system. We ARE the schools that make up tier 2 of the Florida D-IA football programs (we're not UF, FSU, or Miami [yet] and if you don't realize this, I can't help you). And finally, history. We don't have much, as far as football's concerned, yet. So let's make it! Hell, I almost (almost!) want them to win a game in the next few years so it can be a rivalry and not just a domination. Somebody rip off an I-4 road sign and make it a trophy. Build a neutral site stadium in Polk County (after us and UCF get our own!) This definitely has the trappings of becoming Florida's next great football rivalry.

I'll be there! -It'll cost me the ticket, plus gas down the road to Charlotte and maybe a cheap motel somewehre on I-85 -I'm already in NC (Greensboro) -I'm staying at home, though I might find myself somewhere in between so I don't have to drive down on 2 separate days -I might be bringing down another few people from here, and then meeting more folks who are coming up from FL as well.

What, are you saying all black people look alike? ??? Nah, just playing, but it was too big of an elephant on the board not to be said. I personally don't think they look too much alike.

I disagree, thought maybe it's because I am a band geek (I prefer band dork, but let's not split hairs). People come for the football, it's true, but what's wrong with supporting the band in the process? If you've got a sign for the team and one for the band on the back, then so be it. If you've got one for just the band, that's fine too. At least it means they're attentive and enthusiastic Would you rather people go get a beer during the halftime show?

Didn't catch it, but I'll catch the re-airing on ESPNews.. ::cracks knuckles::

Sounds good to me. And let's put a band room in it, like Ohio State's stadium. :-)

I remember reading in the article about the inaugural Tampa Bay Sports Authority Classic (the FAMU game) that they had only signed a 1 year deal, so it's up in the air as to whether or not that will occur again.

Yeah we've got a dry-erase calendar here at work (I'm in Greensboro, NC) and on the 31st I drew the logos and put the game info on it. It amuses and saddens me that people are boycotting this bowl because our 9 year old program didn't make a BCS bowl. Is boycotting a strong term? Well if we would have seen you in ATL but won't see you in Charlotte, that's basically what you're doing. I think as a fan, it's your right and duty to be critical of your team, but boycotting the game because of such? Nonsense.

Interesting... it could be that my stuff hasn't taken yet, though it allows me to log in. I actually joined the Association not long ago (after they put out the "last call for the new grad rates" for class of 2K5) so they have my most current info.

Like someone else said, I'm shocked that I haven't received anything from the Alumni Association. A friend and colleague of mine graduated from Arkansas State (yes, Sun Belt conference!) and she got an e-mail from her alumni association nearly the second they accepted their bid to the New Orleans Bowl. That being said, I'm surprised that the 5,000 that UConn brought to a previous bowl game was considered desirable, because I'd expect them to want much more. I think we can get to 5K, but I want much, much more. Regarding locals buying up tickets, I don't doubt that folks will--Charlotte's a pretty big football city/area and yet has no IA college football to call its own. But it's our job to paint the locals GREEN!!

Well said.

If anyone drops and e-mail and gets a legit answer, kindly share it with the rest of us?

a few points of criticism for the HOT, but first a few disclaimers--I was here 2003-2005, so I only have the '03 and '04 football seasons to go off of. Also, I marched traditional style, so while I'm also a DCI fan and have come to appreciate alot of what corps style bands have to offer, I will always lean traditional, so some of my statements might just be difference in style. And keep in mind this is all constructive criticism, because I genuinely did enjoy y'all, but hey, you asked for details. :-) -Sound output. I realize part of this had to do with numbers, but I felt that there were often times on the field where I was straining to hear, and the passages weren't necessarily piano. Obviously I'm not saying to overblow and distort the sound, but I know there can be more output at times. -I'm not a fan of the use of guitar/bas/drumset (particularly not drumset) in the pit. Any effects that can be made with them should be able to be emulated by the wind and percussion themselves. If songs absolutely require the above, then maybe they weren't meant for a field show. -Use of cymbalists as marching cymbal stands should be kept to a minimum. use rims, cowbells, gock blocks, or the cymbalists themselves with hi-hat/ride effects, but don't let them stand there and hold if at all avoidable. And speaking of cymbals... -No crash should be plain. A pop, a fan, anything on cymbal crashes to avoid "mechanical monkey" effect. A good plate squad should be nearly as much auxiliary as they are percussion. -1-2 songs do NOT a field show make. I remember it having been done, it may have been Bohemian Rhapsody. -More pageantry/presence from the drum majors. -The horn swing during the 2nd half of the fight song seems lethargic and uninspired. Either double time it, change to an up/down swing, or horn pop to a high bleacher position and stay there, but all the current horn swing says to me is ho-hum. that being said, I LOVE the Wooly Bully horn swing and the (former?) Bulls on Parade nod. -Why the alternating cymbal crashes during the fight song? -And finally, all in all, remember that as a college marching band, far above high school or even DCI, you are playing for the FANS. There are no judges more important. Your goal should be to please an audience. The average football fan is highly passionate and drunk on school and other spirits, so plan your playlists accordingly. But like I said, I do enjoy y'all. Keep up the good work, and I look forward to missing part of the football game to grab another beer--I do NOT miss halftime!

No more bulls on parade?! I graduated in '05, so I guess it was still on the books through the end of last football season, but I can't believe it's been taken out. I think I'll drop an e-mail.

They already play that, and I think that's one of my favorites of the pieces they do.

Or Petey Pablo's "Raise Up" :-) but re: corps vs. traditional, I've seen corps style bands ankle-knee their pre-game, or otherwise mix styles. And regarding the Running of the Bulls stampede style field entrance, that could conceivably be quite stunning as an uptempo chair step... But I'm a traditional style kid, so don't mind me. :-)

I'm not even particularly a Tennessee fan, but I think Rocky Top is one of the best fight songs out there, though I'd also agree with Hail to the Victors, both because of the enthusiasm with which they are sung.

I think they both work well for what they are: The fight song as our fight song, MArch Victorious as our pregame riser/victory song. Those with El Toro Caliente and the stands version of the Malaguena theme serve as a nice complement of school standard tunes for us.

Anyone done any scouting? What can we expect from State's marching band? HOT, anything we should be ready for?