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Post by ohsixrain on Jul 28, 2010 21:25:05 GMT -5
I agree...but you must admit it's frustrating to develop a successful blueprint and then all of a sudden change your course....then someone else (WSSU) comes along and finds the blueprint, implements it and is successful. I remember those years you speak of...those were the days. How have we gotten so far away from that form? At times, they show flashes of having it but, they are not consistent week to week.
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Post by Blankman on Jul 28, 2010 22:00:40 GMT -5
Let's be honest tony...numbers look good. We were always the small band with the big sound. Now, it looks like WSSU is following that same mold as well as growing their numbers. Just the other nite I was watching the 5th qtr b/t Winston and SC State and Winston was flat out blowing on SC State but HELL SC State had 250 members and it was hard to take Winston seriously no matter how well they were doing. I know that's a bad attitude to take but, it's real. Ideally, A&T could grow their numbers and blow on somebody. I feel where you're coming from. But even though Winston's a lot better, they still haven't become great yet. Two years from now, I doubt anybody that marched for SC State is going to remember anything about them. There was a time when we made it a point to routinely embarrass bands twice our size. Sometimes we did, sometimes we didn't, but we always left an impression. People that marched for Hampton and FAMU in 1996 still remember when our band came down. Norfolk is still mad about what A&T did in 1999. Neither one of those A&T bands were over 130. Around 2000 - 2002, just about every high school in the state had about 2 or 3 of our songs, and we still hadn't gotten over 160. High schools don't copy your stuff because you're big - they copy it because you make it sound great. We've got the numbers (actually, way more than what we need) and the staff to get back to that level. The only thing left is the band's mentality. As long as they believe they are the best band in the conference, and make it a point to prove it every time they leave the band room, they're going to be remembered for years. Great way to sum it all up Tony.. From my understanding the 2010 edition will be marching a block 192 on the field. These Freshmen CAN play their arses off  They have been busting their butts also getting in to shape. I just hope the old heads will be ready come Sunday. But Please do not sleep on this year's band   |
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Post by Aggie9195 on Jul 28, 2010 22:04:34 GMT -5
Im hearing the same thing!
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Post by ohsixrain on Jul 28, 2010 22:06:04 GMT -5
The upperclassmen is what worries me...they are the ones you tend to have to beg to come back and march.
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neal
Junior Member
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Post by neal on Jul 29, 2010 11:25:20 GMT -5
Let's be honest tony...numbers look good. We were always the small band with the big sound. Now, it looks like WSSU is following that same mold as well as growing their numbers. Just the other nite I was watching the 5th qtr b/t Winston and SC State and Winston was flat out blowing on SC State but HELL SC State had 250 members and it was hard to take Winston seriously no matter how well they were doing. I know that's a bad attitude to take but, it's real. Ideally, A&T could grow their numbers and blow on somebody. People that marched for Hampton and FAMU in 1996 still remember when our band came down. Norfolk is still mad about what A&T did in 1999. quote] NSU made up for that more than once, let's not lie to ourselves. Too much focus is on other bands which why the machine is not consistant. |
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Post by treese on Jul 29, 2010 12:30:00 GMT -5
Let's be honest tony...numbers look good. We were always the small band with the big sound. Now, it looks like WSSU is following that same mold as well as growing their numbers. Just the other nite I was watching the 5th qtr b/t Winston and SC State and Winston was flat out blowing on SC State but HELL SC State had 250 members and it was hard to take Winston seriously no matter how well they were doing. I know that's a bad attitude to take but, it's real. Ideally, A&T could grow their numbers and blow on somebody. People that marched for Hampton and FAMU in 1996 still remember when our band came down. Norfolk is still mad about what A&T did in 1999. quote] NSU made up for that more than once, let's not lie to ourselves. Too much focus is on other bands which why the machine is not consistant. I have to disagree with you on the made up point! U never get a redo on a spanking.... I know....what the 101 did to the Machine in fall of 1986......! dang.... I just had a flash back.....! You might get even ...but no make up! another flash back from that game... PLEASE LEAVE YOUR BAND IN THE..........HOUSE. |
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tony
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Post by tony on Jul 29, 2010 12:31:32 GMT -5
People that marched for Hampton and FAMU in 1996 still remember when our band came down. Norfolk is still mad about what A&T did in 1999.
quote]
NSU made up for that more than once, let's not lie to ourselves. Too much focus is on other bands which why the machine is not consistant.[/quote]
That's my point... those years, we were out to victimize any and everybody we ran across, and the best ANY band could say was that they were about even with us. As we grew, and started thinking about numbers and who we were going up against, we started losing at that edge. It's easier to hide that loss if you've got a 200 piece band than if you've got 120, but it doesn't make the loss any less real. Like I said, no matter what the numbers, they have to PROVE it every time they leave the band room.
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Post by blessedaggie84 on Jul 29, 2010 13:09:38 GMT -5
People that marched for Hampton and FAMU in 1996 still remember when our band came down. Norfolk is still mad about what A&T did in 1999. quote] NSU made up for that more than once, let's not lie to ourselves. Too much focus is on other bands which why the machine is not consistant. That's my point... those years, we were out to victimize any and everybody we ran across, and the best ANY band could say was that they were about even with us. As we grew, and started thinking about numbers and who we were going up against, we started losing at that edge. It's easier to hide that loss if you've got a 200 piece band than if you've got 120, but it doesn't make the loss any less real. Like I said, no matter what the numbers, they have to PROVE it every time they leave the band room. [/quote] I agree with this, this has been an issue since 03. I hope it all changes this year. |
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neal
Junior Member
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Post by neal on Jul 29, 2010 13:19:52 GMT -5
Let's be honest tony...numbers look good. We were always the small band with the big sound. Now, it looks like WSSU is following that same mold as well as growing their numbers. Just the other nite I was watching the 5th qtr b/t Winston and SC State and Winston was flat out blowing on SC State but HELL SC State had 250 members and it was hard to take Winston seriously no matter how well they were doing. I know that's a bad attitude to take but, it's real. Ideally, A&T could grow their numbers and blow on somebody. People that marched for Hampton and FAMU in 1996 still remember when our band came down. Norfolk is still mad about what A&T did in 1999. quote] NSU made up for that more than once, let's not lie to ourselves. Too much focus is on other bands which why the machine is not consistant. If you think those bands are dwelling on what happened ten yrs ago, then you are sadly mistaken. Those bands focus on the present, hell all those people have graduated or dropped out of college by now. You can brag about what you did but its more about what you are doing NOW. |
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Post by treese on Jul 29, 2010 13:46:37 GMT -5
People that marched for Hampton and FAMU in 1996 still remember when our band came down. Norfolk is still mad about what A&T did in 1999. quote] NSU made up for that more than once, let's not lie to ourselves. Too much focus is on other bands which why the machine is not consistant. If you think those bands are dwelling on what happened ten yrs ago, then you are sadly mistaken. Those bands focus on the present, hell all those people have graduated or dropped out of college by now. You can brag about what you did but its more about what you are doing NOW. Right on!!!! |
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Post by ohsixrain on Jul 29, 2010 14:13:56 GMT -5
Good point neal....so what are we doing NOW!!! So we don't experience another thrashing from Norfolk like '09....Dirty Diana, oh sorry bout that. It seems to me when the bad takes an "L" they just hang their heads and quit. Where's the dayum fight?
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Post by blessedaggie84 on Jul 29, 2010 14:34:36 GMT -5
It all starts with leadership. If you are never taught to fight you will always get beat.
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tony
Full Member
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Post by tony on Jul 29, 2010 15:48:19 GMT -5
Good point neal....so what are we doing NOW!!! So we don't experience another thrashing from Norfolk like '09....Dirty Diana, oh sorry bout that. It seems to me when the bad takes an "L" they just hang their heads and quit. Where's the dayum fight? Wrong attitude... forget about making sure 09 doesn't happen again, and forget about looking back at the past. All we need to do is focus every last bit of attention on becoming everybody's worst nightmare, and it will happen. 95 was a bad year for our band, and we got KILLED by Howard. We did alright with what we had, but it wasn't pretty. The next year, we weren't thinking about making sure that never happened again. All we were thinking about was we had a hit list, and whoever we played the next week was the next victim. And complaining about leadership is not the solution here. I've talked with just about all the directors on staff, and between them, they've got everything they need to bring the program back to where it needs to be. But even if you do think they're the problem, what do you expect complaining to do besides bring down morale? And there's a lot to leadership. The director sets the tone, but the assistants, drum leaders, section leaders, and even upperclassmen carry it out. And if you're an alumnus of the program, you definitely have a role to play in that leadership as well. Offer well thought out constructive criticism, suggestions for improvement, and dare I say it, send money and equipment! Dr. Hodge gets a lot of credit for the band being as good as it was back in the day, and he did do a lot, but a big part of it was oldheads that came back around and wouldn't accept anything less than excellence. You had a few that only came around to complain, and they pretty much got ignored, but there were a lot that came to help out, instruct, advise, and they had a lot to do with making us what we were. As the current alumni, it's up to us to stop talking about the band we DON'T want to be and focus on becoming what we SHOULD. |
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Post by ohsixrain on Jul 29, 2010 16:45:36 GMT -5
that's a great morale speech but how do you put it in action. i've seen fruit from my seeds and the only reason i'm not around now is, i'm not local anymore. you've seen cold steel...but cold steel shouldn't be the only section in the band with a surplus and have to cut. its the work ethic that's instilled by Ron...but you send someone around the band (horns) that may raise their voice a bit and take note and see what happens. don't get me wrong, i love some marching machine but, they currently don't leave room for people coming back and telling them the truth.
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Post by The Professor on Jul 29, 2010 16:54:01 GMT -5
Is the freshman DM the kid from Dudley
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They have been busting their butts also getting in to shape. I just hope the old heads will be ready come Sunday. But Please do not sleep on this year's band 
