Maxell
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Director of BDF Marketing
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Post by Maxell on Sept 16, 2015 21:37:12 GMT -5
So, you're concerned about our performance boosting black enrollment at UNC. Meanwhile, the BGMM is more concerned about boosting diverse enrollment in both the band and at the entire school, while dispelling the myth that HBCUs are for blacks only. And that is THE survival issue for A&T. Our ability to attract white students to our school while remaining true to our heritage is a key component A&T's viability going forward. The other is attracting the high achieving black students that have been brainwashed by their high school counselors that they are too smart for an HBCU. If we can do those two things while continuing to offer opportunity to those that may not think they can go to college then we have achieved our mission. It is important that the BGMM be in alignment with goals of the school in general and I think last Saturday supports that mission.
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AggieWJM
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AGGIE PRIDE!!!!
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Post by AggieWJM on Sept 17, 2015 3:39:39 GMT -5
I have to say I was one who felt sometype of way about the Machine's show at UNC, but after talking to a UNC football Hall of Famer, I have changed my opinon. He said in all his years at UNC and he is on the sidelines every game, he hasn't seen a visiting band play at halftime. So that's the history part of it and I think if most of us had known that, there would be Zero complants. Then he also said that he had never seen a band get the attention that we got and a standing ovation from the whole crowd in all his years. I guess if forgot that they don't look at the halftime show like we do at HBCU's. Great job and always Proud of the Blue and Gold Marching Machine!! I looked at the other posts and wanted to show support for the band and the performance. Regardless of the feelings, we got more publicity (good or bad) for this band performance than any I've seen in a while. They didn't talk about the blowout on the field or should we take these "money games", just the bands. I didn't want to bring the discussion back up, just to show my support for the show and the Machine.
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Post by marchingband1969 on Sept 17, 2015 6:51:05 GMT -5
Last night I got a phone call from one of my die-hard NCCU fans. He called to tell me he had heard all the comments on social media about our halftime show in Chapel Hill and he finally went on YouTube to watch it. He said it was fantastic. I could tell it was killing him to admit it but he said it anyway. He said that all NCCU got from their trip to Duke was a butt whipping, a check and humiliation. We got the same butt whipping but at least everybody was talking about our halftime not the lopsided score. He said nobody even mentions NCCU's game despite it was a near selling out and one of the largest crowds at Duke's football game. It's like they didn't even play last weekend.
Now I know that my buddy's phone call will not change anybody's mind on this site but I love it when even the Eagles have to admit that we made lemonade out of lemons.
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Post by ArrangerNCAT on Sept 17, 2015 7:58:07 GMT -5
I guess the truly ironic part about all of this is that the energy being used to call this a "minstrel show" and perpetuate the "us vs. them" mentality could have been better directed at using the overwhelming publicity from this event to call to attention the serious and blatant disparities between these two programs, rather than attack the bands (students, kids), themselves.
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DECKS
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2008 Poster of the Year
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Post by DECKS on Sept 17, 2015 11:12:52 GMT -5
So, you're concerned about our performance boosting black enrollment at UNC. Meanwhile, the BGMM is more concerned about boosting diverse enrollment in both the band and at the entire school, while dispelling the myth that HBCUs are for blacks only. That is where we differ. Good day, sir. This position would seem to support Preeminence 2020. It's actually good to see the administration in lock step. Great recruiting tool and the buzz around the country would suggest you hit the nail on the head. Congrats on a job well done!
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VA's Finest
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Post by VA's Finest on Sept 17, 2015 11:21:20 GMT -5
Totally agree with previous post. After watching the golden delight video with the rehearsal on the turf pracrice field and then remembering the video of the BGMM practicing in the dust bowl, its clear our energies and dollars should be pointed towards the betterment of one of the universitie's most visible and marketable assets.
As long as the BGMM supported the team during the game, which they do every time out, i have no problem with them forming UNC on the field and thanking them for the invite. Its just being cordial to someone your seeing for the first time. To me none of that says that we are inferior to that school. I'm really not convinced that a school aged child would read that much into that performance other "ooh look they spelled UNC, what are they going to play next?"
Again great BGMM keep up the good work.
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Post by marchingband1969 on Sept 17, 2015 14:42:11 GMT -5
Okay, here's an idea...if you want to see the A&T Band being disrespected, go watch them practice in that drafty rundown warehouse or march on the muddy pothole parking lot in the dark without lights or represent the university with no scholarship support. Now that's disrespect.
It's really strange, we don't care about the band until we think someone else has wronged them. Stop complaining and start giving to help our kids.
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Post by wall2wall on Sept 17, 2015 16:28:44 GMT -5
You are absolutely right marchinband. I am working with a UNC alum who is interested in expanding his business in the Greensboro area. After the game and joint band performance, he realized that A&T would be a great opportunity through which to reach the Greensboro market. Trying to convince him to invest and become a corporate sponsor (fill in one of those blank panels on the scorboard) and guarantee a return on his investment is the challenge.
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Post by aggieepower1990 on Sept 17, 2015 17:49:43 GMT -5
Arranger, I like the way you put it "...blatant disparities between these two programs, rather than attack the bands (students, kids), themselves..." None of what I have said is ever intended to attack the bands and most importantly the BGMM. Sometimes what comes across in text can be misleading. Admittedly, I do not understand BGMM culture, I know it to be unique. My roommate and homeboy was in the BGMM, and I did not quite get it then. All that being said, I am for unity and hope that the emotional unity displayed by BGMM and UNC in someway leads to more economic unity by helping close the obvious economic disparity between the two schools and cultures, that is mostly divided by race and earning power largely created by 80+ years of unequal funding from the NC Legislature. Hopefully Saturday was another step towards closing the disparity gap, however small or big. When the BGMM calls for a donation I will always give. They deserve it!
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Post by ArrangerNCAT on Sept 17, 2015 21:03:11 GMT -5
And now, the bigger picture starts to unfold... See how it works? Now that we have the spotlight, more people are going to listen... www.thetimesnews.com/article/20150917/NEWS/150918946/15302/LIFESTYLESay it ain't so: Budget constraints mean A&T band won't perform at Elon Saturday The Blue & Gold Marching Machine is often a major attraction and is coming off a vaunted performance in Chapel Hill's Kenan Stadium last week. Times-News Posted Sep. 17, 2015 at 6:34 PM Updated at 6:37 PM N.C. A&T State University’s famed band won’t be part of the festivities Saturday night at Rhodes Stadium when the Aggies visit Elon for a football game. “It’s a budget thing,” Dr. Kenneth Ruff, director of bands at A&T, said Thursday. “We’re like everyone else. It’s money driven.” The Blue & Gold Marching Machine won’t appear just a week after a much-discussed halftime show last Saturday in Chapel Hill, where the Aggies faced off against the University of North Carolina. There, the bands for both universities combined for part of the halftime show. The A&T band is often a major attraction with high-speed, high-stepping, rousing performances. Elon officials have noted since last week that the Aggies football team won’t be accompanied by the band. Word of that development was met by groans of disappointment at one Burlington meeting this week. Ruff said he must work within a budget. He said the cost to take the band to Elon, which is less than 20 miles away, would be about $10,000, largely for transportation and meals. Last year, the band attended the game at Elon. “We have to decide which trips we can go to,” Ruff said. “There’s a lot of people, and it takes money to move the band.” Ruff, who’s in his 12th year in the position and a former assistant principal and band director at Eastern Guilford High School, said there was a time when the band would attend all A&T games. Budget issues have surfaced, and he said the band also will miss the game against Florida A&M on Oct. 31 in Tallahassee, Fla. That trip would have cost about $50,000, Ruff said. “We want to have a variety of educational experiences for my students,” he said. Including color guard and dancers, about 200 students are on the field for a Blue & Gold Marching Machine performance. There’s also a large support staff. The joint performance in Chapel Hill came after much planning, Ruff said. The A&T band practiced with the UNC-CH band earlier in the day, and the bands dined together in a university cafeteria. By the end of the weekend, the performance had drawn widespread attention on social media. Days later, spectators who attended the game in Chapel Hill were remembering the halftime show more than the football action. Even for a band that regularly receives attention and accolades, the latest appearance by the Blue & Gold Marching Machine produced rave reviews. “I would say so,” Ruff said of the increased exposure. “We’re used to doing great performances, so that’s nothing new.” Saturday night’s game will go on without a visiting band. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.
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Post by The Professor on Sept 17, 2015 21:22:36 GMT -5
Interesting. I will say this... In 1999 , Dr. Hodge made us drive to Burlington for this game.
Honestly it is what it is. Times have changed
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Post by marchingband1969 on Sept 17, 2015 22:42:09 GMT -5
For too long, the A&T band staff and students have found ways to work around budget reductions, substandard facilities and lack of scholarships. It's finally catching up to us. In past years the band would barnstorm to pay for play band events to raise money to pay for band trips, repair instruments and provide small band scholarships. I've never liked pimping out the students to subsidize cuts in the band budget.
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Post by durhamgsoaggie on Sept 18, 2015 6:48:15 GMT -5
And now, the bigger picture starts to unfold... See how it works? Now that we have the spotlight, more people are going to listen... www.thetimesnews.com/article/20150917/NEWS/150918946/15302/LIFESTYLESay it ain't so: Budget constraints mean A&T band won't perform at Elon Saturday The Blue & Gold Marching Machine is often a major attraction and is coming off a vaunted performance in Chapel Hill's Kenan Stadium last week. Times-News Posted Sep. 17, 2015 at 6:34 PM Updated at 6:37 PM N.C. A&T State University’s famed band won’t be part of the festivities Saturday night at Rhodes Stadium when the Aggies visit Elon for a football game. “It’s a budget thing,” Dr. Kenneth Ruff, director of bands at A&T, said Thursday. “We’re like everyone else. It’s money driven.” The Blue & Gold Marching Machine won’t appear just a week after a much-discussed halftime show last Saturday in Chapel Hill, where the Aggies faced off against the University of North Carolina. There, the bands for both universities combined for part of the halftime show. The A&T band is often a major attraction with high-speed, high-stepping, rousing performances. Elon officials have noted since last week that the Aggies football team won’t be accompanied by the band. Word of that development was met by groans of disappointment at one Burlington meeting this week. Ruff said he must work within a budget. He said the cost to take the band to Elon, which is less than 20 miles away, would be about $10,000, largely for transportation and meals. Last year, the band attended the game at Elon. “We have to decide which trips we can go to,” Ruff said. “There’s a lot of people, and it takes money to move the band.” Ruff, who’s in his 12th year in the position and a former assistant principal and band director at Eastern Guilford High School, said there was a time when the band would attend all A&T games. Budget issues have surfaced, and he said the band also will miss the game against Florida A&M on Oct. 31 in Tallahassee, Fla. That trip would have cost about $50,000, Ruff said. “We want to have a variety of educational experiences for my students,” he said. Including color guard and dancers, about 200 students are on the field for a Blue & Gold Marching Machine performance. There’s also a large support staff. The joint performance in Chapel Hill came after much planning, Ruff said. The A&T band practiced with the UNC-CH band earlier in the day, and the bands dined together in a university cafeteria. By the end of the weekend, the performance had drawn widespread attention on social media. Days later, spectators who attended the game in Chapel Hill were remembering the halftime show more than the football action. Even for a band that regularly receives attention and accolades, the latest appearance by the Blue & Gold Marching Machine produced rave reviews. “I would say so,” Ruff said of the increased exposure. “We’re used to doing great performances, so that’s nothing new.” Saturday night’s game will go on without a visiting band. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. Between taking them off our home schedule in 2016 and not sending the band in 2015, that's a good, strong message being sent to Elon. By filling up their visitor's side, we easily give Elon $50K per game we play with them, plus concessions... probably their biggest windfall from a visiting team. It would be $100K for the last 2 years. I saw maybe 70 Elon fans in our stands in 2013.... so we made about $1,500. This isn't rocket science.... just realization.
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Post by The Professor on Sept 18, 2015 8:02:08 GMT -5
My question to ArrangerNCAT and the Band Staff is why was the alumni not notified about this situation with Elon? Or any monetary shortfall that is going on. I've see the FB posts and on here , but why had the Alumni Association not received a letter?
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Post by A&T AGGIE 96 on Sept 18, 2015 8:15:04 GMT -5
What levette said...I know the band as well as many other groups on campus need additional funding...but I didn't know you guys couldn't travel down the street. Truth be told I understand why...it's more important to be at MEAC games, but Elon is so close. The squeaky wheel gets the oil. I don't want to find out this way.
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