Michigan Marching Band Relegated to Top Rows of ND Stadium
After hearing on the radio that the band will not be allowed to play tomorrow from ND officials, looks like they may be relegated to the top rows of the stadium instead. Carl Grapetine states:
“Something will be missing. Oh, the winged helmets and the golden helmets will be on the field. The leprechaun, too. But for the first time in the 40 years that Michigan and Notre Dame have been playing, the Michigan Band will not be allowed to march its traditional pre-game show. Notre Dame said there wasn’t enough time to include the Michigan Band! And for the first time, the Michigan Band will not be seated on the sideline opposite the ND Band. They’ve been banished to the very top rows of ND Stadium. Do you know how long it will take to get 350+ band members with instruments to make their way down to the field for halftime? This is not right.”
Sorry for the poor formatting, I don't post often.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:39 AM ^
This just means they'll be closer to Jesus - literally, and figuratively... :-D
August 31st, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
Poor taste ND! Shame!
August 31st, 2018 at 2:10 PM ^
It’s not just poor taste, by my read it is against the rules, per the band director committee that oversees these things.
“Visiting bands should be afforded the opportunity to perform at least 6 minutes at halftime given that the request has been made in a timely manner as agreed upon by conference policies. The home institution should provide a safe environment for the visiting band students, and a seating area that allows for convenient access to the field and ability to participate in game activities.”
August 31st, 2018 at 3:39 PM ^
The MMB will be playing halftime (I believe they will do a version of pregame), so they will be allotted the proper time then, just not at pregame.
I think it is a bush league move by ND over pregame. There is a 22 minute window by NCAA rules from when the players leave the field from warm ups to the start of the game. Countless other schools manage to field both home and away bands in that period of time. ND CHOOSES not to abbreviate their pregame and allow visiting bands to perform pregame. This is 100% on them.
I am not so upset about the seating. Since ND renovated their stadium, the sideline is even move tight than Michigan Stadium. There have been issues of players running out of bounds and running into the band -- with potential injuries to player and bandspeople. I get the safety concerns. Just ask the members of the Spartan Band over players launching themselves (intentionally or not) into their midst.
August 31st, 2018 at 3:42 PM ^
I played there in MMB 40 years ago. Tight second half - George Cavender had instruments up, and playing after Every. Singe. Down. No ceding to the other band at any point. Must have played Victors Trio 100 times. Schembechler said that this fired up the team. Great Game. Great Victory. Go MMB -- Play loud, play long and play frequently. Lead the team to victory again!
August 31st, 2018 at 11:42 AM ^
That's fine. They'll regret that decision when they have "The Victors" raining down on their heads all night long!
August 31st, 2018 at 11:42 AM ^
To hell with Notre Dame
.. side note: I'm getting nothing done at the office today. oops.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
I've watched an entire movie on my cell phone and have been trolling the blog. I'm leaving in 28 minutes.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^
Same. Boss is off today, so I'm doing her job (better than she does), and my job (not at all).
Leaving around 3ish I think.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^
same on all fronts, but I'm stuck here til 6:30 listening to Michigan podcasts
August 31st, 2018 at 2:04 PM ^
Likewise. My boss likes to keep me out of the loop, and I like to read MGoBlog during the hours I could be productive.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:43 AM ^
Ridiculous.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:45 AM ^
At least they will be doing pregame for halftime -- a good way to deal with it and blast the superior Victors in their victory march faces.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:45 AM ^
Will suck for my son who has to lug his tuba up and down the stairs. Shoulda had him practice running stairs carrying it.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:52 AM ^
Humble brag :D
August 31st, 2018 at 3:10 PM ^
Well my son gets to go, but because of ND he won't get to march during halftime as originally planned. To hell with Notre Dame.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
I’m sure you meant sousaphone, nobody marches with a tuba.
Congrats on your son. I was in high school marching band, not nearly good enough for the big show.
August 31st, 2018 at 2:32 PM ^
Well, the MMB calls them tubas, so...
August 31st, 2018 at 3:09 PM ^
Yeah, it might be technically a sousaphone, but they're the 'Tuba Section'. I don't think I've even heard the band director refer to it as anything other than 'tuba'. It's easier to say I guess.
September 8th, 2018 at 10:10 PM ^
Not my fault that MMB is wrong.
August 31st, 2018 at 5:08 PM ^
Yeah, no one in MMB calls them sousaphones. A sousaphone is technically just a type of tuba, so it isn't incorrect to call a sousaphone a tuba, it is just is a bit vague. But since everyone knows that no one would actually march with a concert tuba, it is pretty much implied.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
To hell with Notre Dame.
Why send the Michigan Marching Band, to those kinds of conditions? Seriously; I regard it as a favor to the fans of important and historical rivals, that Michigan pays (a considerable amount) to arrange for the MMB to travel to away games and entertain the attendees in rival stadiums. Why bother, if the treatment is like this?
(btw; I am all in favor of more band road trips. I like it when other teams bring their bands; I think it should be almost-automatic that both teams' bands play at every Conference game.)
Those guys down in South Bend aren't even in our Conference.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
Apparently its what they've been doing to all visiting bands since the renovations and the michigan band will still play at halftime but yeah its still shitty. Fuck notre dame.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
That just means the band needs to play everything FORTISSIMO!
August 31st, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^
Hail, Hail
August 31st, 2018 at 11:53 AM ^
Yet another "Fuck You" from them. To Hell with Notre Dame.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:55 AM ^
Wow, that stinks.
We bag on the SEC for a lot, but how they encourage band and fan travel on the road is something that northern schools could learn from. ND is being ridiculous here.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:56 AM ^
Wow. FUCK NOTRE DAME.
August 31st, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^
Pretty obvious what needs to happen. Ban their band from coming next year.
Wanna retaliate against us next time we go to your shithole town? Be our guest. Next time these teams will play after 2019 will be 2027 at the earliest.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:04 PM ^
Michigan won’t do a damn thing back. Fans can get riled up as much as they want. The fact this game is even taking place is ridiculous. Join the B1G or take a hike ND! No one needs you
August 31st, 2018 at 12:42 PM ^
This game is Harbaugh's fault. He wanted it on the schedule and Michigan fucked themselves to make him happy.
Would much rather be playing Arkansas at home tomorrow, fuck ND.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:14 PM ^
100% AK!
August 31st, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
I agree. Won't happen but I agree.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:35 PM ^
No, Michigan should roll out the red carpet for the ND band. Enjoy the music and the enhanced game atmosphere, and embarrass the petty ND administrators who couldn't show our band the same hospitality.
August 31st, 2018 at 3:30 PM ^
Do not fuck your fans of the game experience. It's college football and marching bands go with it. ND is missing out. I think Bo said " To fuck with Notre Dame".
August 31st, 2018 at 3:59 PM ^
Yawn at the band. I go to watch Michigan football not the band do the exact same pregame routine they have done since I was 7.
August 31st, 2018 at 5:35 PM ^
Cool, man.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:11 PM ^
Carl Grapentine himself posted this about twenty threads down... Always look at the full board listing before starting a new thread!
August 31st, 2018 at 1:41 PM ^
I was going to write this same thing! I mean, OP cut/pasted from Carl's own post!!! If I could down vote that, I would...
August 31st, 2018 at 12:14 PM ^
At least they'll be able to see the game, couldn't see a damn thing at field level.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:17 PM ^
I'm OK with this.
Now the whole stadium will be able to hear them play the Chicken Dance.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^
I hope they do that after a ROUSING CHORUS OF "THE VICTORS".
Go Blue!
August 31st, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^
Not enough time? What, freekbass can't shorten his routine by a minute or two???
August 31st, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
This topic was clear as day posted already.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^
I figure this will be the only time ND pulls this sort of the thing, because hopefully the band will be obstructing the view of as many ND fans as possible at the close of the first half while the queue up and fill the entire aisle from top to bottom to enter the field ... and the ignorance of this troll-like move will be voiced by ND ticket-holders themselves.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:55 PM ^
Wow. That is utter and complete bullshit right there.
I'm thinking their band can perform on the golf course at half time when they come to A2.
August 31st, 2018 at 4:35 PM ^
Well, I didn't realize when posting earlier that they aren't just picking on UM since, as noted above, they have been doing this to all bands since their renovation. It's still BS though.
August 31st, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
That's fine- next season we'll give them a Kraft noodle to march around outside the stadium while the game is going on.
August 31st, 2018 at 1:42 PM ^
Poor tactical decision. They've ceded the high ground.
August 31st, 2018 at 2:04 PM ^
Hopefully this means we won’t have to hear those godawful bagpipes next year in Ann Arbor.