Why can't our Band do that?

[80mins]

Why can't our band do that?

With all due respect to the HOT, that's like watching a team win the national championship and saying, "Why can't we do that?"

[RMF5630]

They're young...They've only been doing games for 10 years.

I am so sick of this comment!!!  10 years is a long time to develop a band.  Geez, the band has had almost 3 full classes graduate!  OSU, Wisconsin, ND all these bands replace people every year and they seem to be able to teach them what to do and how to do it.  It is an excuse that does not hold up.  

I'm sorry, but the band in college football does make a difference and there are many fans that are more interested in an enjoyable show than how many yards per carry the team averages.  The average fan is way more interested in the total experience than the nuts and bolts of the game.

Want to attract guys?  Attract women.   Want to attract women, create an "event" atmosphere.  Sure, there are a couple of hundred that are really interested in our offenses line calls, but the most are there for the experience of the event of seeing their school win.  Stadiums are not full of die hard fans that know whether #81 pushed off or was interferred with.  THey are full of a mix of people of various ages that are there for the event.  

A USF football game is not an event.  It is a football game.  The game at Louisville last night, was an event and the place was packed, the band played a big role, and the atmosphere was fun.  It is not comparable to RJ, sorry but it is not.

[80mins]

They're young...They've only been doing games for 10 years.

I am so sick of this comment!!!  10 years is a long time to develop a band.  Geez, the band has had almost 3 full classes graduate!  OSU, Wisconsin, ND all these bands replace people every year and they seem to be able to teach them what to do and how to do it.  It is an excuse that does not hold up.  

I'm sorry, but the band in college football does make a difference and there are many fans that are more interested in an enjoyable show than how many yards per carry the team averages.  The average fan is way more interested in the total experience than the nuts and bolts of the game.

Want to attract guys?  Attract women.   Want to attract women, create an "event" atmosphere.  Sure, there are a couple of hundred that are really interested in our offenses line calls, but the most are there for the experience of the event of seeing their school win.  Stadiums are not full of die hard fans that know whether #81 pushed off or was interferred with.  THey are full of a mix of people of various ages that are there for the event.  

A USF football game is not an event.  It is a football game.  The game at Louisville last night, was an event and the place was packed, the band played a big role, and the atmosphere was fun.  It is not comparable to RJ, sorry but it is not.

How in the world is that NOT a valid reason? One of the primary ingredients of the event atmosphere of which you speak is tradition, and one of the primary ingredients of tradition is time. While we're playing the comparison role, consider for example the Script Ohio that started this post, which came into being nearly 60 years after TBDBITL did. Granted, while amazing, it was innovation that created Script Ohio, and it could have been created 5 or 50 years after the OSUMB. Still, it is the fanatical attention to detail in its execution, combined with the fact that fans hold it in high regard that make it as amazing as it is today. Back in 1936, do you think the fans at that game on that day "Wow, that's amazing!" or "Ye Gods, this is a tradition that will endure for many decades!"? I wasn't there, but I'd wager it was the former--if they saw it at all. After all, it was halftime. They could have just as easily been at the concession stand. Consider some of HOT's traditions/growing traditions at this time: The pregame entrance. #8/The Bull. The downs cheers. The 3rd quarter cadence series. the HOTDL parading out at game's end. Only now are some of these even BEGINNING to be thought of as enduring traditions.

I'm not saying you can't create an amazing band in 9 years; indeed, HOT has done just that. But creating enduring, respected traditions takes a good deal more time.

[USF03]

Thats why I asked if anyone else has had any good ideas.  Honestly, many of our current "traditions" started with a comment from a member, student, or FANS like you.

Thats why I always ask... you never know... one of you might have a real idea  

Ideas are always welcome!

To defend what has happened so far...

I think the band has done a good job in 8 years of existance.  It has been built on the back of dedicated staff and membership.  We have not had the luxuary of time, so we rely on innovation for now.  TBDBITL has had time.  Besides, very few bands look or perform like that band, military uniforms and ruotines.  Check out their history.  Ohio's band started in 1878! and started with a ex-military band director (hince the military look).  Script Ohio started in 1936!

We started in 1999! and our current Pre-Game show started in 2005!

OHIO ST. HISTORY:  http://tbdbitl.osu.edu/?action=a028

USF HISTORY:  http://band.arts.usf.edu/history.htm

[Economics_Nerd82]

I would much rather see H.O.T. line up facing the student section in the end zone and play the fight song (or national anthem) while the whole student section sings. Of course, that would require the student section to learn it. But, I think it would be nice to hear 10,000 students sing either/both those songs before the game. :GoBulls

I agree.  I bet others would too... e-mail our director at mrobinson@arts.usf.edu

I think the military block like what Ohio and Florida State does would be good for this... we could march towards the student section while playing the fight song... during halftime as our exit????  It would be a great way for us to get off the field... isn't pre-game... but we could always use a halftime wake up.

I wilil send him an email regarding that idea. I think it would be a great tradition for the entire student section to sing the national anthem. The band could fill up the end zone and you could put on of those conducting platforms and Rocky can "conduct" us. 10,000 fans (ok, that's an optimistic assumption) singing really loud could put some fright into opposing teams.

[CoolBull1]

Actually, didn't our Marching Band not make an appearance until '99?  That's only 7 years....they have advanced on par with the football team.  No complaints here!

Would I like for them to be more like Ohio State's band with all their tradition and pagentry?  Yes....  But, I'd also like for my teenage kids to become self sufficient but I think it might take a couple more years.  Maturity.....it's not automatic!

[snarling Bull]

Like the fans on the sides they play it to know it...  

Maybe the cheerleaders and sun dolls need to learn the words, not just University of South Florida, alma mater hail to thee.

I don't see many staying after the game to sing the alma mater either.

The HOT does a nice job and certainly livens the atmosphere.  Traditions take time, that's why they are called traditions.

[gobulls83]

They're young...They've only been doing games for 10 years.

I am so sick of this comment!!!  10 years is a long time to develop a band.  Geez, the band has had almost 3 full classes graduate!  OSU, Wisconsin, ND all these bands replace people every year and they seem to be able to teach them what to do and how to do it.  It is an excuse that does not hold up.  

I'm sorry, but the band in college football does make a difference and there are many fans that are more interested in an enjoyable show than how many yards per carry the team averages.  The average fan is way more interested in the total experience than the nuts and bolts of the game.

Want to attract guys?  Attract women.   Want to attract women, create an "event" atmosphere.  Sure, there are a couple of hundred that are really interested in our offenses line calls, but the most are there for the experience of the event of seeing their school win.  Stadiums are not full of die hard fans that know whether #81 pushed off or was interferred with.  THey are full of a mix of people of various ages that are there for the event.  

A USF football game is not an event.  It is a football game.  The game at Louisville last night, was an event and the place was packed, the band played a big role, and the atmosphere was fun.  It is not comparable to RJ, sorry but it is not.

I would imagine strong history and tradition is just as important in getting the top band performers and instructors to a school as it is getting the top athletes and coaches. Again, all due respect to the Herd of Thunder, but I don't think 14-year-old band members are dreaming of playing at USF one day at this point; at the very least, there are about 6 billion times more dreaming of one day dotting the "i" in Ohio at the OSU-Michigan game.

[USF03]

They're young...They've only been doing games for 10 years.

I am so sick of this comment!!!  10 years is a long time to develop a band.  Geez, the band has had almost 3 full classes graduate!  OSU, Wisconsin, ND all these bands replace people every year and they seem to be able to teach them what to do and how to do it.  It is an excuse that does not hold up.  

I'm sorry, but the band in college football does make a difference and there are many fans that are more interested in an enjoyable show than how many yards per carry the team averages.  The average fan is way more interested in the total experience than the nuts and bolts of the game.

Want to attract guys?  Attract women.   Want to attract women, create an "event" atmosphere.  Sure, there are a couple of hundred that are really interested in our offenses line calls, but the most are there for the experience of the event of seeing their school win.  Stadiums are not full of die hard fans that know whether #81 pushed off or was interferred with.  THey are full of a mix of people of various ages that are there for the event.  

A USF football game is not an event.  It is a football game.  The game at Louisville last night, was an event and the place was packed, the band played a big role, and the atmosphere was fun.  It is not comparable to RJ, sorry but it is not.

I would imagine strong history and tradition is just as important in getting the top band performers and instructors to a school as it is getting the top athletes and coaches. Again, all due respect to the Herd of Thunder, but I don't think 14-year-old band members are dreaming of playing at USF one day at this point; at the very least, there are about 6 billion times more dreaming of one day dotting the "i" in Ohio at the OSU-Michigan game.

My friend and I are 21 and still dream of dotting the "i"... hahaha

[RMF5630]

The problem with this thread is that USF is late coming to the dance.  For every year we put under our belts, every other school does as well.  We will never catch up unless the attitude that THE ONLY WAY TO DEVELOP TRADITION AND PAGENTRY IS TIME.   That formual will not work for USF, we have no time.  We are here and competing with 150 year old programs.  We need to start thinking in terms of how to do this that DOES NOT rely on time and generations of grads.  That type of tradition and pagentry is what helps get you selected for bowls and national attention.  I think we need to be more creative in how we do it to close the gap.  Geez, maybe we should try hiring someone away from A&M or another well known band and charge them with creating a better atmosphere.  One that compliments the team and gives us an idendity.  In my opinion, right now off the field our identity is BLAH!  Nothing in the show stands out.  From the baseball capped band playing Bohemian Raps. to the Sundolls practicle shoes to the only chants being D-fense.   It all says boring.  A game is a show and it needs to be put together better. If you were at Lousiville and saw how they started the game versus our starts, you would better understand.