Marching Band drama
Still in the happy afterglow of Saturday. This isn't THAT important but I was curious.
Part of the Buckeye fan tear party is them complaining about how their marching band had to be seated at the top of the big house south end zone. One of them even said, "I thought Michigan was above this."
Granted...LOL...Buckeye fans calling out another school for being classless is like a 600 pound man calling a 200 pound man fat. But I am curious. Visiting bands have always sat on the field at the big house - north end zone all the way up 1994 and the sound end zone from 1995 to 2019. But Western's band sat all the way up at the top in game one as well this season.
The same has happened to the Michigan band in recent years. When they went to Notre Dame in 2018, they were given nose bleed seats at the top of the stadium for the first time ever and also told they couldn't perform their pre-game show because there was no time. Likewise, when the band went to East Lansing last month, they were seated way up in the upper deck for the first time ever. They have always sat on the field before.
Is there a new NCAA rule that says bands can no longer sit on the field?
November 29th, 2021 at 11:06 AM ^
Before the 2020 season the sideline areas were extended for team use down to the 15 for better COVID distancing. They kept the change but altered it slightly so now the coaches boxes extend all the way between the 20 yard lines on both sides so there's not enough room to seat the bands on the field like we've done in the past.
I believe the same thing happened with our game at MSU. Michigan's band was seated in the stands rather than on the field. Was a few years since I had been though so I don't remember what they did in the past.
This also means there isn't enough time for the visiting bands to any pregame routines.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:08 AM ^
Yes, this.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:15 AM ^
Makes sense. Although that doesn't explain why Notre Dame made Michigan's band sit at the top in 2018 (pre-covid) for the first time ever.
But Buckeye fans thinking covid restrictions is a big giant middle finger to them is rather amusing.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:44 AM ^
ND wouldn't shock me if they were just being dicks about it. But I know they used the excuse that they had just done renovations which made it so Purdue couldn't bring their drum onto the field this year. Not sure when those were completed or if that's the reason for our game.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
Exactly.
Plus, I'm sure the athletic department would much rather keep the band on the field and sell all of those tickets rather than putting the band up in the stands. They're not gonna miss out on profit just for the lols of putting the band in the nosebleeds.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:06 AM ^
Yea, Buckeyes, that's why you were beaten like a drum. The percussions were up in the nose bleeds. Whiny bitches.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:08 AM ^
What are they complaining about? If it were up to me the band would never have gotten off the goddam bus.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:09 AM ^
I loved it - couldn’t hear those assholes at any point during the game. Hope they give them a smaller and smaller section each year going forward
November 29th, 2021 at 11:58 AM ^
I've got this image of one fewer player every year, till "The Best [SIC] Damn [Okay] Band in the Land" is down to a xylophone and a piccolo player.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:12 AM ^
Sparty did the same the to us IIRC.
either way. No one gives a shit about the "best damn band in the land" If that is what they have devolved to after this defeat. Well, I guess they can have it.
On to Iowa
November 29th, 2021 at 11:39 AM ^
They are only able to use abbreviations (e.g., TTUN). It's too hard for them to type all those letters (even when they get to drop the M). They refer to the band as TBDBITL.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:18 AM ^
Ohio State people can fuck all the way off.
You know what IS unacceptable?
Doing invasive searches of the players with bomb-sniffing dogs on a public sidewalk outside Ohio Stadium while OSU fans walk by jeering and laughing.
This caused Michigan to get on the field late for pre-game prep and then Tressel comes over and disingenuously asks Carr "Hey did you get in okay?"
FUCK OHIO.
November 29th, 2021 at 2:26 PM ^
Carr should have had the team turn right around and get back on the bus. Then he should have announced that they were driving back to Ann Arbor if the charade did not end immediately.
The TV network would have put an immediate stop to it.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
I heard a good take on their placement up there that fans have a much harder time throwing things at them. Having been to other stadiums as Michigan fan, I can say that this is a thing.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
I heard a good take on their placement up there that fans have a much harder time throwing things at them. Having been to other stadiums as Michigan fan, I can say that this is a thing.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:27 AM ^
That take is doubly good.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:26 AM ^
Please remind them that we didn't have state troopers pull their players off their buses when they arrived for the game and searched with drug sniffing dogs and that perhaps they should STFU about where their band sits until they can learn not to do shit like that.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:50 AM ^
I missed this or don't remember it in my old age. When did this happen?
November 29th, 2021 at 11:55 AM ^
2004 I believe
November 29th, 2021 at 1:18 PM ^
When the LIAR/CHEATER , who is now a university president (how do you tell students to be honest), jim tressel was the coach. Yes, 2004, as stated in the previous post.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:29 AM ^
Besides putting the bands in the stands now, schools have the option to charge the school for the seats. I don't know if Michigan charged OSU for their band or not, but this will greatly affect how bands travel in the future. Schools that don't come close to selling out anything (looking at you Maryland, Rutger, Indiana, etc.) should NEVER charge for the seats. I can see Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Nebraska charging for the seats though.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:34 AM ^
One more thing: The Alumni Band this year was moved from the SE endzone into the stands for Homecoming. The Athletic Department then forced us to buy a ticket as part of the fees for the event. The attendance was lower this year than I can remember. I didn't buy a ticket and pretty much said F-it and sat in my regular seat at midfield after the pregame performance. I had no problem getting on and off the field although watching the game with a trumpet in your lap raised a barrage of questions during the game.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:40 AM ^
I was going to post something along these lines. Yes, the placement of marching bands has been changed across the board, whether it's OSU or our own alumni. This was no particular slight against Ohio State, although they probably aren't able to process this truth. Hopefully one day things will return to a pre-Covid state, but I am not optimistic.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
Nd started doing this in 2018 just because.
this year even M alumni band had to sit in the stands.
not sure if you recall in 2006 vs ND Manningham got shoved into our band on his 3rd TD of the first half who were on the field a few feet from the end zone.
it’s way past time to put the visiting band in the stands.
mid they don’t like it don’t come.
about time we stuck them up there with their fans instead of having to hear them blasting that crappy fight song from field level.
November 29th, 2021 at 1:29 PM ^
...about time we stuck them up there with their fans instead of having to hear them blasting that crappy fight song from field level...
Not only is it difficult for those in the stadium to hear them, but, more importantly, they cannot be heard on TV.
November 29th, 2021 at 1:31 PM ^
...about time we stuck them up there with their fans instead of having to hear them blasting that crappy fight song from field level...
Not only is it difficult for those in the stadium to hear them, but, more importantly, they cannot be heard on TV.
November 29th, 2021 at 11:48 AM ^
If they want to be the best damn band in the land they are going to have to figure it out
November 29th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
yeah. and their band couldn't play carmen ohio after the game (though they should've, considering that song was written while they were in their feelings after getting their asses kicked by Michigan badly)
November 29th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^
TBDBITLCSITFNS
The Best Damn Band In The Land Can Sit In The Fucking Nosebleed Stands.
November 29th, 2021 at 12:07 PM ^
there was an announcement that this would be the case for all visiting bands before the season started.
November 29th, 2021 at 12:40 PM ^
next time let's put them in Crisler
November 29th, 2021 at 1:25 PM ^
I was at the game and so relieved that the OSU band was not seated on the field and was not allowed to perform that damn script Ohio before the game. It was feeling way too much like a home game for them in the Big House and that needed to change. Of course because Michigan led most of the game and the whole second half their fans were very quiet. Some of the Buckeyes sitting around me were stunned and didn’t know what to do and honestly I kind of felt the same. Just a crazy day all around.
November 29th, 2021 at 1:42 PM ^
I frankly don't care if every individual band member has to sit in a different section. This is not a game of, hey, let's make it as difficult as possible for the home team.
November 29th, 2021 at 4:47 PM ^
The big ten conference has required visiting bands be seated in the stands and not on the field because…COVID…
November 29th, 2021 at 4:56 PM ^
Just realized that I did not hear any Across the Field during the game coming out off my TV. That was not missed.
I saw a video of the tOSU band doing their halftime show, and I was struck by how courteous Carl Grapentine was as far as announcing their marching routines and such even though a lot of the crowd let them have it (haha).
TL;DR: Suck it, Ohio. It's over. Now go lie down by your bowl and go to sleep.
November 30th, 2021 at 10:34 AM ^
Carl has always been a pretty classy guy.
There is a great humorous story about him locking himself out of the booth when being a dj decades ago. He owns up to it and laughs about it.
Just a good guy.