[ludeal]

i repeat......... the band blows

[Schfourteenteen]

I know this wouldnt work but why not implement something similar to the Meadowlands and that fireman dude. It wouldnt be too hard to set up just a dude(not you sj) sitting on two other dudes putting stuff together. To say oh the cheerleaders should do this and this and this YES they should but NO they never will so we ought to just get something together ourselves.

[ALAFlamesFan]

I know this wouldnt work but why not implement something similar to the Meadowlands and that fireman dude. It wouldnt be too hard to set up just a dude(not you sj) sitting on two other dudes putting stuff together. To say oh the cheerleaders should do this and this and this YES they should but NO they never will so we ought to just get something together ourselves.

They did that back in my day during basketball games. Students held up cue cards for the crowd to chant along with during intros "What's that? Who's She?, Who Cares?, etc" Also, one guy dressed up as "Dot Man" kind of a cross between a pirate and the hamburgler of McDonalds fame. He had a cape and would stand in back of the basket during free thows. On the inside of the cape were all sorts of dots. Corny, I know, but it was all student initiated mayhem. You could NEVER rely on the cheerleaders to get the crowd going.

[FlameNForest]

Sparky is out where he can be seen maybe 2 minutes per game.

Well, at least there is one positive.

[BJWilliams]

I know that there are A LOT of people with A LOT of issues with the band and I don't blame ya for having them. That is why I keep saying what I say about emailing Dr Kerr. He meets with the football operations people multiple times during the summer and even into the season to find out what needs to be done better as it relates to the band and their part in the gameday experience. One thing that also should not be lost in teh midst of all this is that these are young people much like yourselves. I understand you wanting to be hard on them for the problems of things like not playing enough, and not getting the entire halftime show ready for the very first game of the season, and not being back in the stands the second the third quarter kickoff takes place, and for wearing blue shirts in what will undoubtedly be a sea of red for this next game, and I could go on and on. But these are 16-20 year old young people who are putting their heart adn soul into what they can (some to the point of trips to the hospital, etc), working through illness, balancing personal obligations (one girl actually was in her brother's wedding this past weekend and we had about a week to teach the girl filling in for her all the drill for that one spot on the field). If you want you can take some time and come out to practice one of these days. What you see on gameday is not necessarily the whole story so check it out.

[jcmanson]

BJ, we are all grateful for what the band DOES do, we are just pointing what could be done to better the football program/atmosphere. The band is a big part of that. There is room for improvement for every aspect of the game day ops.

[bigsmooth]

it is constructive criticism BJ. and though i aprreciate what you say about the band members playing through sickness or other issues it sounds like more of an excuse. granted the band members do not make the decisons of what they wear or play or when they get in the seats, but sometimes you just have to swallow that pill and understand it is not a witch hunt, but it is all about trying to make the band better. i would hope all concerned would e-mail dr. kerr and jeff barber.

[thepostman]

this has nothing to do with the people in the band themselves BJ...they do work hard, and nobody is saying anything different...but the band can only go as far as their leader takes them and I have not seen improvement in that area since coming to LU...I think that is what all of us are trying to say

[flafan]

Dallas, the problem is, the cheerleaders should be doing that, not us. We're the loudest, most dedicated fans. There's no reason we should have to go to the other side away from where we normally sit.

Aren't there some on the Baptist side who would hold up the "L" or "U" and start the chant with you??? I think this would really be great. I'll be there this week, I'm sure we'd hold some up and holler. This would only take a little work and would catch on.

On another note, (again all I know is what I've been exposed to, Gator football), Mr. 2 Bits was a main stay at gator games for years. He ran around the entire game with a small megaphone and started the 2 bits cheer everywhere. He didn't dress in school colors (yellow shirt and tie) so he would stand out in the crowd, of course the tie thing might be too much of the same thing at LU . He really kept things going if it ever got quiet.

[thesportscritic]

ok for all of you who are not in marching band or have never done it before whether it be in High School or College needs to stop criticizing the group. I know a couple of you on this thread were or are currently in marching band. I am one of those who was in marching band in high school. it does take a lot of hard work and working in 90 + degree weather to get the show right and on top of that go out and perform the show. Maybe a suggestion would be to have the band go back to their seats after the show and a group of people bring down the waters to them as they prepare to play in the third quarter.

[dwhite]

I'll take care of the posters. I'll have 5 L's and 5 U's. We'll be tailgating all day on University Drive, look for the connected blue and gray tents. If you sit on the Baptist side, and are willing to hold a U, stop by, say hello, and let's make it happen.

I totally understand what you're saying about the cheerleaders Jon, but I'm not just going to sit here and wait on them. I like your idea of being able to keep my seat to though, so we'll spread out the L's across the front of our section. I'll have one, you guys, and so on. Hopefully we can get 5 U's to help us on the Baptist side. We'll work logistics out at the tailgate before going in, so we have an idea of when we'll use the cheer during the game. If you're interested in helping out, let me know...let's make it happen THIS WEEK!

DW

[ludeal]

i sit on the student side near the opposing team locker room, and would be willing to coordinate an L, go flames

[SuperJon]

ok for all of you who are not in marching band or have never done it before whether it be in High School or College needs to stop criticizing the group. I know a couple of you on this thread were or are currently in marching band. I am one of those who was in marching band in high school. it does take a lot of hard work and working in 90 + degree weather to get the show right and on top of that go out and perform the show. Maybe a suggestion would be to have the band go back to their seats after the show and a group of people bring down the waters to them as they prepare to play in the third quarter.

I marched in high school. I was a section leader one year, a squad leader the next. I know how much work goes into band. However, my band was was about to get 3/4 of the show on the field by the first week, the entire show the second week, and we even did a different show for Halloween. All of this while learning songs to play in the stands, a pregame, and parade stuff. If we can do that in HIGH SCHOOL, these kids in college should be about to. And if we have 16 and 17 year olds in our band, something's a little fishy.

I've been in band. I've been in leadership in band. I know how to add to the experience. All of the excuses I've heard are just that, excuses. Appalachian's band practices twice a week and once on game day and they are the best band in North Carolina. Our band is good musically. They really need to improve on the showmanship.

[thesportscritic]

and so was i when i was in high school.

[thepostman]

ok for all of you who are not in marching band or have never done it before whether it be in High School or College needs to stop criticizing the group. I know a couple of you on this thread were or are currently in marching band. I am one of those who was in marching band in high school. it does take a lot of hard work and working in 90 + degree weather to get the show right and on top of that go out and perform the show. Maybe a suggestion would be to have the band go back to their seats after the show and a group of people bring down the waters to them as they prepare to play in the third quarter.

I marched in high school. I was a section leader one year, a squad leader the next. I know how much work goes into band. However, my band was was about to get 3/4 of the show on the field by the first week, the entire show the second week, and we even did a different show for Halloween. All of this while learning songs to play in the stands, a pregame, and parade stuff. If we can do that in HIGH SCHOOL, these kids in college should be about to. And if we have 16 and 17 year olds in our band, something's a little fishy.

I've been in band. I've been in leadership in band. I know how to add to the experience. All of the excuses I've heard are just that, excuses. Appalachian's band practices twice a week and once on game day and they are the best band in North Carolina. Our band is good musically. They really need to improve on the showmanship.

bank geek

[SuperJon]

You can call me that all ya want. I'll be the first to admit it, you know that.

[Knucklehead]

You can call me that all ya want. I'll be the first to admit it, you know that.

Which part Geek?

[SuperJon]

All of it.

[theoneandonly]

The Liberty marching band is one of the worst i have ever seen. The only need for a band at games is to create atmosphere. When you are repetitive the only atmosphere you create is one of annoyance with yourself. When you wear a shirt thats a rival schools colors it doesnt help the atmosphere. When you leave a huge hole in the crowd for a ridiculous amount of time to do a mediocre halftime show, no one likes you. When you try and tell people that band is a sport, people dont like you. Im not saying i hate the band, and im not saying they arent good and they arent hard workers. But it seems as though they have the mindset that every saturday is a performance. False. Every saturday is a chance to lead your fellow classmates to a great atmosphere at a college football game. No one there really cares that you put in the hours of practice that you did to play the same three songs youve been playing your whole life. They just want you to play music that is going to get them into it and enhance the atmosphere of the game.

[Sly Fox]

Welcome to the board. Once you feel at home I have a feeling you'll break out of your shell and tell us what you really think.

[LUconn]

man

[BJWilliams]

All I can say is that there will be more this weekend...and I as much as the next guy would rather we have the entire show ready to go first home game. The only time I recall that being done thus far was my very first year in the band in 2003 (FlameFans may recall that in that year we started with 3 straight road games). itd be nice to have that extra couple weeks to start the year to work things like that out, although failing that, I would not mind seeing band camp being moved a week or two earlier to allow the maximum amount of time to get the entire field show ready for the first game AND to be able to get plenty of full stands tunes ready for performance in the stands. This is coming from someone who has seen a lot of kids come through the band program since I joined (and actually there are only two people in the band this year that were in the band when I started in 2003)

[Knucklehead]

Oneandonly - You are a direct person, aren't you? WOW!

Anyway, I didn't intend to smack the band around here. I think it's a collective difficiency with the band, the cheerleaders, some of the fans, and the folks running PA sound. Everyone needs to make more effort to aid the atmosphere, and then the Baptist side WILL join in I assure you. The cheerleaders Must move around and lead cheers. The Band needs to fill gaps with tunes from the stands. The croud needs to start chants on their own as dwhite suggests. I love that idea. And the folks in control of the PA need to put up some intense music on 3rd down after the siren. It's a collective thing, I think we've beaten BJ and the band up enough.

[cdbilton]

Being an alum of the LU band, its quite disheartening to read some of the comments that have been made regarding the band's efforts this past Saturday. Some comments, and I will be done:

- Two of the most discussed issues from last season on this board were addressed: the band was back right after halftime, and they were moved over one section.
- It was the first game of the season. Everyone is quick to write off some of the football team's mistakes as "first game jitters." The band has 100 freshmen, many of whom have never been in a marching band before (I was one of them when I started in '02), so to expect the band to be perfect the first game is unfair.
- Liberty's band plays a difficult show, and when you have had only had three weeks together, and have a director who pays strict attention to details, it takes time to have the whole show performance-ready. In talking with Dr. Kerr after halftime, he mentioned that the music and the drill for the final two songs, which were not performed on Saturday, are harder than the band has played before, and they weren't ready to put it on the field on Saturday.
- I can guarantee that Dr. Kerr will have the band playing more in the stands this weekend. I counted at least 3 or 4 long breaks where the band was ready to play, but the canned music started playing over the speakers as soon as the break started, before the band could start playing.
- I'm pretty sure Dr. Kerr didn't intentionally pick the "wrong color" shirts for the band to wear in the stands. I would personally like to see the band in red shirts, but Dr. Kerr picks a color that is not noticable if the uniform top doesn't cover the top of the pants, and the shirt is visible.

Its also good to know that when someone makes a comment ripping a particular team, that everyone is quick to chastise them, reminding them that they are just college students with a lot on their plate, but ripping the band is perfectly acceptable, and apparently encouraged. Keep in mind that there are current band members who read this forum, and calling them "one of the worst i have ever seen" and saying that "no one likes you," thats where "contructive criticism" becomes just criticism.

[PAmedic]

appreciate your perspective, too- CD

let's let the band regroup for next week- I'm betting the performance they put on out there is just as improved as #13's!