The Pride of Oklahoma is dead.

[SeattleOUstudent]

WTF was that last night? People in my section were actually laughing at halftime. "Hey, get your phone out and record this!"

The Pride of Oklahoma is dead. What you have is the University of Oklahoma Marching Band.

Just expect a muted, watered-down version of whatever pre-game you grew up with. Expect fewer members wearing read. Expect the half time show to awkwardly start 2-3 minutes late. Expect the bad lines. Expect Props (WTF WAS THAT PLANE)! Expect the awkward, obscure music selections.

Remember when the PRIDE used to fire up the football team and fans? Remember when the PRIDE received the game ball? Remember enjoying half time shows like the famous Halloween costume show?

Kiss those days goodbye. Instead, fire up The Strokes and lets roll.

...just dont expect The Pride to be there.

[flysooner9]

When did the pride ever get a gameball? The Blake era?

[yermom]

the story was under Switzer in Stillwater

the Pride did kill it there in 2004. somehow the whole student section hated them that day. it was awesome to watch the Pride and AD from their vantage point that day. and Mark Bradley.

anyway, the halftime show blew last night. others have been boring. this one was just about offensive.

you shouldn't need visual aids and stupid props to place songs, and dumbing down the performance to 1 minute chunks doesn't really help.

how could this guy be worse than Britt? whose nephew is he again?

[manateepower]

I was in college marching band for two years. Kids are at band practice 6 days a week, and are at a game all day Saturday. This is in addition to being expected to spend an infinite number of hours learning the music all the while being full time students. All for 1000 dollars a semester maybe. Please excuse them if they arn't so enthusiastic about it. I don't see you getting off of sooner fans in your free time to go revitalize the Pride. lol

[oudanny]

The kids are great but Boren and his buddy have killed The Pride. That halftime show was forgettable and they have managed to temper the pre-game as well.

[KantoSooner]

Team bands were originally pick up squads. They should go back to that. If no one wants to do it, then don't. If a group does, then great. If you have competing bands, all the better. Short of public indecency, leave them alone.
There was a guy with a massive amp who inflicted his musical taste on my Div 3 school's stadium. It was awesome. Better than the football team. The outlaw part makes it.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

the story was under Switzer in Stillwater

the Pride did kill it there in 2004. somehow the whole student section hated them that day. it was awesome to watch the Pride and AD from their vantage point that day. and Mark Bradley.

anyway, the halftime show blew last night. others have been boring. this one was just about offensive.

you shouldn't need visual aids and stupid props to place songs, and dumbing down the performance to 1 minute chunks doesn't really help.

how could this guy be worse than Britt? whose nephew is he again?

He's Boren's and Weizenheimer's butt buddy.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

I was in college marching band for two years. Kids are at band practice 6 days a week, and are at a game all day Saturday. This is in addition to being expected to spend an infinite number of hours learning the music all the while being full time students. All for 1000 dollars a semester maybe. Please excuse them if they arn't so enthusiastic about it. I don't see you getting off of sooner fans in your free time to go revitalize the Pride. lol

Manatee, you are so wrong... I was in The Pride, and I did what you just said, HAPPILY! I didn't have to be there, I was a Meteorology major, I had better things to do, like study, but The Pride was fun and I wanted to be there. Today, they are placing more emphasis as I understand on music majors. The history of The Pride was that is was primarily non-music majors. 95% of the music major DO NOT want to be there, they do not think much of "marching band". I don't blame them, it is not core music. Perhaps why the lack of interest is that there are more music majors today. I also heard, though don't know for sure, many upperclassmen did not try out this year.

[MichiganSooner]

After the game, I was near the library when they came marching back to Catlett. All the students and Dr. Wakefield were smiling and obviously happy to be in the band with their friends. Dr. Stolarik was at the front of the band with a scowl on his face.

[MichiganSooner]

When did the pride ever get a gameball? The Blake era?

On October 15, 1983 the Sooners played Oklahoma State in Stoolwater. The Sooners played poorly at first, and within 10 minutes OSU was winning by a score of 20-3. A policeman escorted Gene Thrailkill, the OU band director, off the field for not having a sideline pass. Before he was forced to leave, Thrailkill shouted to the band members, "I want you to play Boomer and don't stop 'til the team's ahead!" The band complied, and played "Boomer Sooner" non-stop roughly 300 times. The team responded by scoring 15 unanswered points against Oklahoma State. After an OSU fumble with 1:17 left in the game, Oklahoma scored on a field goal to win the game. Coach Switzer came to the band practice early the next week and gave the band the gameball for the non-stop effort and labeled it "The Day The Pride Won".
To this day (not sure of the Stolarik days) this is the reason the Pride plays Boomer Sooner so much if in a tight game.

[yermom]

I forgot to mention the sax solo. Weaksauce.

To be clear, I love the Pride. That's why the current direction is so bad.

[Pride1Mom]

The band director doesn't understand that 3/4 of the fans do not even know who Cary Grant, Janet Leigh, Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan are, much less films that were made in the 50's and 60's. There are plenty of current movies that have great music he could have chosen, or even TV series. I am a big movie buff, and I loved the movies picked, but you would have to be my age of almost 70!

OU needs someone younger!!!

[MichiganSooner]

I forgot to mention the sax solo. Weaksauce.

To be clear, I love the Pride. That's why the current direction is so bad.

Agreed. Any solo is a bad idea at a stadium unless miked and into the sound system of the stadium. Students should be featured, not a professor. It has been said that many instructors in the School of Music are upset with the quality of the Pride; perhaps, Stalarik is trying to make them happy with him by allowing some to be featured at halftime.

[SoonerPride]

They should change the name to the OU Marching Band. There is no Pride of Oklahoma any more.

[KantoSooner]

The band director doesn't understand that 3/4 of the fans do not even know who Cary Grant, Janet Leigh, Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan are, much less films that were made in the 50's and 60's. There are plenty of current movies that have great music he could have chosen, or even TV series. I am a big movie buff, and I loved the movies picked, but you would have to be my age of almost 70!

OU needs someone younger!!!

Next up: An Ode to the Score of 'Birth of a Nation'

[SouthFortySooner]

The band needs to be ready to play Boomer Sooner at key moments. Beyond this their effect on the team is nil. oh yeah IMO.

[badger]

When someone tweeted my husband that they were carrying a plane prop across the field and crowd booed them, I was worried that it was a tasteless 9/11 tribute (since every football program in the country seemed to go patriotic happy this past week).

Fortunately, I learned later that it was just a really lame movie reference and that the plane lost its tail during a pregame concert. Whew, almost had to get upset about the Pride for a moment there.

[MsProudSooner]

I can think of one soloist that was totally worth seeing - Doc Severinson and I'm pretty sure he had a mike.

[70sooner]

Are high school bands as big and relevant as they used to be? We had a large band in B-ville, I was in band in jr and sr high, back in the day. When my kids were at Hale, they didn't have much of a marching band, which they certainly did back in the day, and I didn't know if that has been the case at a lot of schools, anymore. Ya, I know that BA and Union, Jenks, etc., still do, but what about a lot of the schools in larger cities/districts like Tulsa?

[flysooner9]

On October 15, 1983 the Sooners played Oklahoma State in Stoolwater. The Sooners played poorly at first, and within 10 minutes OSU was winning by a score of 20-3. A policeman escorted Gene Thrailkill, the OU band director, off the field for not having a sideline pass. Before he was forced to leave, Thrailkill shouted to the band members, "I want you to play Boomer and don't stop 'til the team's ahead!" The band complied, and played "Boomer Sooner" non-stop roughly 300 times. The team responded by scoring 15 unanswered points against Oklahoma State. After an OSU fumble with 1:17 left in the game, Oklahoma scored on a field goal to win the game. Coach Switzer came to the band practice early the next week and gave the band the gameball for the non-stop effort and labeled it "The Day The Pride Won".
To this day (not sure of the Stolarik days) this is the reason the Pride plays Boomer Sooner so much if in a tight game.


That sounds terrible. I'd hate to hear boomer sooner 300 times. I prefer stadium music most of the time. At least for crowd pump ups.

[MsProudSooner]

That sounds terrible. I'd hate to hear boomer sooner 300 times. I prefer stadium music most of the time. At least for crowd pump ups.

Aggies hated it. Sooners loved it.

[yermom]

here is a piece on what is in store for us for the rest of the season:

http://www.normantranscript.com/news/article_398c3fca-2f9d-11e4-bbf2-0019bb2963f4.html

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Yermom, Band Day is a necessary evil, but as a Pride member, we hated and loved it. Hated as we knew it would be a boring show, loved it as the drills were easy and music straightforward.

[8timechamps]

There's no question the Pride is down this year, we could hardly hear them. I wasn't a fan of the half-time show, but I thought the plane prop was great. It tied into the program, and was funny (although I'm not sure that's what they intended). Nobody boo'd (close to me anyway). Other than that, the show was pretty lame. The sax solo sounded like it was fake (like the actual music was added to the sound system, and it didn't quite seem to match up to what he was doing).

I still get excited when the Pride is announced and comes onto the field, but it's definitely not what it used to be.

[Soonerwake]

The band's function is the opening intro stuff, and play Boomer Sooner/Oklahoma a bunch of times. If they must perform at halftime, do something like either what the predominantly black schools bands do or like A&M, i.e something actually entertaining to the average football fan. Heck, I saw the Ohio State band show awhile back and it was good.

If they are not going to do something like that, stay in the stands and OU could bring in dogs catching frisbees or acrobats on trampolines. Replays of old OU games on the scoreboard would be better..

[Tear Down This Wall]

The band's function is the opening intro stuff, and play Boomer Sooner/Oklahoma a bunch of times. If they must perform at halftime, do something like either what the predominantly black schools bands do or like A&M, i.e something actually entertaining to the average football fan. Heck, I saw the Ohio State band show awhile back and it was good.

If they are not going to do something like that, stay in the stands and OU could bring in dogs catching frisbees or acrobats on trampolines. Replays of old OU games on the scoreboard would be better..

Agree. If they want to change it, change it in a radical way and hire a band director from Grambling or Southern. This artsy-fartsy thing they have going now is pointless.

Football is war and celebration. The marching band should be your battle cry leaders to begin the game and remind the opponents and their fans that more as-skicking is coming after halftime.

This namby-pamby film-art sh*t is not acceptable.

[KantoSooner]

You've got it Soonerwake! Either the Pride should have some character or it should basically disband. Sawing tiredly through 75-year-old show tunes (which were never written to be performed by a marching band and generally don't work out well in that arrangement. Some music is like that. Imagine the Sex Pistols doing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' (no, wait, that sounds kind of awesome)) must be as painful to perform as it is to listen to.

Here's an idea: do an homage to the soundtracks of 1970's porn movies and hold a competition to see who can match the tune to the movie titles. Winner gets $1,000 bucks presented to him by, oh, Linda Lovelace at mid-field.

That type thing would at least get an honest laugh.

[Jacie]

Here's an idea: do an homage to the soundtracks of 1970's porn movies and hold a competition to see who can match the tune to the movie titles. Winner gets $1,000 bucks presented to him by, oh, Linda Lovelace at mid-field.

That type thing would at least get an honest laugh.

I'd pay to see someone who's been dead for the last 12 years show up as a presenter . . .

[KantoSooner]

That would be a challenge.

Coulda gone with Jane Fonda, but figgered I'd get sent to the Obama Fest.....

[TheHumanAlphabet]

You've got it Soonerwake! Either the Pride should have some character or it should basically disband. Sawing tiredly through 75-year-old show tunes (which were never written to be performed by a marching band and generally don't work out well in that arrangement. Some music is like that. Imagine the Sex Pistols doing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' (no, wait, that sounds kind of awesome)) must be as painful to perform as it is to listen to.

Here's an idea: do an homage to the soundtracks of 1970's porn movies and hold a competition to see who can match the tune to the movie titles. Winner gets $1,000 bucks presented to him by, oh, Linda Lovelace at mid-field.

That type thing would at least get an honest laugh.

You can blame Regent Weizenheimer and his Broadway experiences...The current director is his butt buddy and he got Boren to make it happen. He hated what The Pride was doing, he is a Progressive, so he knows what is better for you than you do. Learn to live and enjoy it, Regent Weizenheimer says so... You get more pizzazz and show tunes in the future.

WTF was with the plane prop?

Coach knew what people liked, that is one reason we usually had a dance routine in Block band.

[Eielson]

Don't worry. The Pride will die again in a couple months. It's like a cat.

[oupride]

...and Steve Spurrier is alive! College football is the best!

[LakeRat]

The pregame show was the worst I have ever seen. From the video, to the timing, to everything involved... I used to love that from 20 min to :02 seconds before kick off their was crowd interaction in what you did. Band ran onto field... then a few seconds later, the drum major did his dance, then hear comes the national anthem, followed by booing the other teams fight song, then hear comes the school song... drummer does his thing again, then we get the video, then we get the boomer sooner chant... Non stop pump you up. It is brutal now. I am very ashamed at the current state of the pregame.

[LakeRat]

And actually it started at about 22 minutes before kick off... The punt to mid field where the team gathered while playing crazy train by ozzie ozborn.

[KantoSooner]

Let's just cut to the chase: drive the schooner around the perimeter of the field, throwing loaves into the stands, closely followed by acrobats and clowns.

[BoulderSooner79]

Let's just cut to the chase: drive the schooner around the perimeter of the field, throwing loaves into the stands, closely followed by acrobats and clowns.

Are you crazy? Loaves are pure carbs and Oklahoma is getting dangerously close to the top of the most obese states list. Why do you hate OU fans?

:sentimental:

[KantoSooner]

You make a point but at least one can do something about obesity. With the current band, people may be driven to suicide due to boredom and self-loathing.

[yermom]

http://www.gofundme.com/FreethePride

Anyone know what they are working on? I heard the tail end of a spot about this on the radio, but I couldn't tell much

[SoonerPride]

There is a full page ad in today's Oklahoman, Norman Transcript and Tulsa World from members of the Pride telling Boren they are tired of being ignored and that leadership must change. Funded by alumni.

Boom goes the dynamite.

[KantoSooner]

Pretty well written (not great, but gets their point across). Very vehement.
Band leader, meet bus. Would be my guess.

[Boomer.....]

An Open Letter to President Boren,
from the student membership of The Pride of Oklahoma

President Boren,

We are tired of being ignored!

This year, there are strict repercussions for speaking out about the condition of The Pride. In order to be in the band, we had to sign a document stating that we would not say anything negative about the organization or its leadership, or else we will be kicked out immediately. We’ve been forced to lie through our teeth about what’s happening out of fear. Our student voices are being quelled with threats – and this is perhaps the most dangerous part of all.

You are a good politician, President Boren. You know how to play the game to subdue the students, trivialize the publicity, champion the incompetent director, blame the right people, and spin the favor in your direction. We are not stupid. You’ve done some great things for the University of Oklahoma, but now you are effectively eliminating the people who care the most about the band, the football team, and the spirit of Oklahoma. With respect to governing the student body, it’s unjust and it’s turning an incredible student-fueled program into a dictatorship. Think about what would happen if you decided to listen and engage with us now. We would once again be proud to be a member of The Pride of Oklahoma and part of this prestigious institution. There would be very few people who would be upset with your decision to hire a more competent, qualified director of whom we all could approve. Most importantly, your conscience would be at peace with the knowledge that you listened to the students and you ultimately put the organization and the university first at the expense of a few self-centered opinions.

While we agree with the Alumni sentiments about the Pride’s direction, we don’t necessarily agree with the way they went about presenting it. We are absolutely not being influenced by Alumni; our sentiments are our own. We vehemently disagree with the direction the Pride is headed because we fear it will continue to create an environment
of mediocrity and complacency.

Many of us resolved to be in Pride again solely because of football. We have accepted that things will not change and have decided to stay in The Pride for the trips and camaraderie. This is completely unacceptable to us for a number of reasons. First, students should want to be in The Pride of Oklahoma, to be involved in something great not because they want to go on free trips. Second, many students in The Pride are required to participate due to their field of study and they aren’t getting the quality of education a student expects from The University of Oklahoma. We just want to learn and we are tired of our time being squandered by ineffective leadership and poor instruction.

All of this is just so frustrating and beyond infuriating that people would just stand by and watch a great organization with nationally recognized traditions be destroyed from the inside out. Those who have spoken out have been assumed to be in the minority. There are parties who are resistant to change because they are simply comfortable with the status quo. Change for the sake of change gets us nowhere. If an unqualified director had been brought in at any other university and the quality of the organization deteriorated drastically, immediate action would have been taken to correct the direction of the organization. A similar situation happened in the 1990’s to our football team with Howard Schnellenberger. He was fired after his only season with the team after a less than stellar performance.

We are tired of being embarrassed. We are tired of mediocrity. We are tired of poor leadership. But most of all, we are tired of being ignored.

Sincerely,
The Pride of Oklahoma Students

The Pride of Oklahoma Student Quotes

“I dreamed of being in The Pride of Oklahoma all of my life, but being embarrassed about being in The Pride was not in my dream.”

“Some of my friends chuckle when I mention that I’m in The Pride because they all know how much of a joke it has become.”

“We’re not the ‘Pride’ of Oklahoma, we’re the ‘Bane’ of Oklahoma.”

“Before Dr. Stolarik came, I proudly wore my Pride jacket everywhere and told friends and family that I was a member of the Pride of Oklahoma. Now I am ashamed to be recognized as a part of this organization.”

“Morale is at an all time low because no one believes our situation can be improved because our President is ignoring us.”

“I’d rather do my high school marching shows again, as opposed to what we have been performing as a university band.”

“We are embarrassed because we know we can be great, but are doing boring and dull shows that even high schools wouldn’t perform.”

“The current level of education is not consistent with a tradition of excellence.”

“We want to entertain the fans, but Dr. Stolarik doesn’t think we’re capable.”

“Because we have stolen so many things from Wisconsin, I feel like I’m in the little brother band that wasn’t even good enough to be the Wisconsin band.”

“Dr. Stolarik promised originality and excitement in our shows, but all we’ve gotten are copies of the Wisconsin band performances and lots of standing around.”

“At the University of Oklahoma, student academic integrity is very important, but what about professor academic integrity? Our shows are like exams in other classes and he’s copied for most of them.”

“The Pride director refused to teach us how to use drill writing software in our marching band techniques class and then openly admitted that he didn’t know how to use it.”

“As a Music Ed. Major, It is unlikely that I will find a job because I do not know how to use the software that is necessary to teach marching band.”

“I didn’t come to OU to be in The Pride, do toe taps and dance.”

“I had the choice between going to The Ohio State University and OU for college. Ultimately, I chose OU because of The Pride. Looking back, I deeply regret my decision to come to OU.”

This ad was created entirely by students in The Pride of Oklahoma and paid for by alumni that care.
.

[badger]

Like many other alums (have been saying on the facebook alum group), I got a call yesterday from the OU call center. You know, the one that employs students to ask alumni for money.

After the ice breaker questions on what I've been doing since I graduated and how I'm using my degree, I finally mentioned band casually, because as my fellow alumni were saying repeatedly, you are going to get a call eventually about Pride donations!

So I talked to my band student and said that while I love the students and don't hold anything against the students for what has been going on with the new administration/leadership changes during the past few years, I would not be donating at this time.

Because this is the student's job, he asked several different ways for money after this, and I promise I was very polite, but didn't change my answer. Here's the selling points (the computer in front of him probably told him to say) he gave:
- Can you donate just maybe $365?
- 80,000 pieces of drill and 100 gallons of water per season. Can you donate $100?
- New instruments often, including new trombones 3 years ago. Can you just give $50?

I really wish that the students would start a gofundme or something so that we could donate towards their beer money, their textbooks and such without worrying about the money going toward more bad band decisions instead. I heard from husband NP who was at the OU-Texas game that the band mostly played toward the Texas side of the stadium at halftime. Derrrrrrrrrp??????

[badger]

There is a full page ad in today's Oklahoman, Norman Transcript and Tulsa World from members of the Pride telling Boren they are tired of being ignored and that leadership must change. Funded by alumni.

Boom goes the dynamite.

Wow, I just checked my paper after you said that. Page A8 in the Tulsa World. Full page ads aren't cheap. Well done, alums and students. Well done.

[Sooner Schemer]

Heupel to Band Director!

[oudanny]

I too received my annual band funding solicitation call. I politely declined stating that I would not support financially under the current director. My student caller asked if it would make a difference if I were told the money went to student scholarships. I again said no and statede I would nit give until Stolarik is gone.
Regarding the open letter - well done band students.

[badger]

I really hope the students are paid by the hour and not on commission, or I'd feel guilty for talking so long without any donation. Back when I was at school friends who did the alum calls were paid by the hour, so hopefully that's still the case.

The alumni facebook page is going more berserk than usual this morning, lol. I mean, there's been chatter in the past, but the ads and the WWLS segment and all really got the passionate alums fired up!

I am not a passionate alum. If people ask I'm not afraid to tell the, but my band jacket's bowl patches were made into a shadowbox years ago and I haven't worn it in like a decade

[yermom]

ouch.

[ouwasp]

President Boren and other powers-that-be just try to weather the storm during a crisis. Pretend the crisis doesn't exist for the most part. The full-page ad will be impossible to ignore... but what if TPTB just simply don't say anything, which is what I expect.

What if the band simply laid their instruments on the ground during pregame, tossed their hats off, and walked away?

But that won't happen either.

[OklaPony]

It absolutely breaks my heart to watch what's going on with The Pride right now. I can only hope for better days in the near future.

Live On, University.

[Salt City Sooner]

Wow. If I may go all Toby Keith on here for just a sec, it sounds like the fits gonna hit the shan.

[soonerstan56]

If Boren was at the saxeT game and does not see the problem he never will.

Stan

[BB37]

Saw the ad in Friday's DOK. I don't see how Boren & the current (mis)director can ignore it. The Pride has shriveled to the point they're almost inaudible when on the field.

[Judge Smails]

A little background info on the director:


http://www.wisconsingazette.com/music/gay-conductor-marches-uw-band-forward.html


This month Dr. Justin Stolarik will conduct what may be the best-known musical group in the state. When he does, he’ll be wearing a white tuxedo with red sequins on his vest, tie and sneakers.

“What I’m wearing is definitely, stereotypically gay,” he laughs. “Except that my colleague wears sequins from head to toe! I just have accents.”

Stolarik is assistant director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison marching band, and the upcoming event is the Varsity Band Concert, led by the flamboyant (and straight) Mike Leckrone, director of bands. The Madison concert, an annual spectacle with pyrotechnics and multimedia displays, is subsequently broadcast statewide by Wisconsin Public Television.

Stolarik is openly gay. Besides the marching band (called the Varsity Band when not at football games), UW-Madison has five concert wind ensembles. He conducts one of the three university bands and takes over at the Varsity Band Concert when Leckrone is off the stage – or over it; Stolarik’s boss, who’s led the marching band since 1969, loves to be suspended on wires to perform aerial stunts.

Stolarik grew up in Long Island and Orlando. He didn’t realize he was gay until college. “When I came out to my sister, she said, ‘Well, when did you know?’ And I said, ‘Kind of recently.’ And she said, ‘Well, your brother and I should have told you when you were in high school.’ ”

In 2008, Stolarik received a doctorate in musical arts from the University of Texas at Austin. He spent a year as assistant director of bands at Henderson State University in Arizona before joining UW-Madison in the fall of 2009.

In Madison, his sexual orientation never comes up with colleagues. “Living in different parts of the country, for instance Texas or Arkansas, people would ask, ‘Oh, do you have a wife?’ Whereas people on this campus are more inclined to ask, “Are you married or do you have a partner?’ That was a big surprise.”

“I do feel like they know,” he says of his students. “I don’t discuss it with them because, straight or gay, my personal life is not their business.”

While it’s statistically certain that some of his students are not straight, they never ask him about it.

“I did get that at Henderson State, at the smaller school,” he recalls. “I kind of chalk that up to its being in a more rural area, where students don’t have a lot of outlets, so they would approach me with questions about themselves.”

Whether working with the 300-strong marching band or his university band, “I think the rewards in the end are the same,” he says: “Seeing the students getting excited about something they’ve accomplished after going through the whole rehearsal process.”

Another reward for Stolarik is in programming dissonant, “ear-stretching” music by composers that undergraduates might not be familiar with, such as Philip Glass.

“I always tell them, ‘I’m not asking you to like it, and I’d prefer you not to make a judgment on any of the music today, but make a judgment after we perform it,” he says. “And if you still don’t like it, that’s totally cool. But don’t judge it until then, because your opinions may change and may evolve.”

[Judge Smails]

A post from LAST YEAR. Doesn't sound like things have gotten any better.

http://www.soonerguys.com/?p=7410


Tuba section boycotts practice in protest of Pride director.

Imagine a dozen giant elephants wearing kilts and guzzling from beer steins, all the while singing a gaelic song consisting entirely of two notes pronounced repetitively.

“Oom pah, oom pah, oom pah”. And then repeat for 24 more measures of music.

Then imagine this same troop of normally affable musicians of the animal kingdom all pissed off and stampeding.

mikesblogThat’s the Pride of Oklahoma tuba section this week. They boycotted band practice on Monday in protest of Director Justin Stolarik’s unpopular changes to the band.

This is a big deal. The fact the tuba section brought this attention to themselves is a big deal. Usually this group goes about their business without regard to any recognition or notice from the rest of the world.

The tubas normally only get a passing glance while engaged in their pre-game rituals, including one in which the uniformed musicians create an arm-in-arm circle and weave back and fro in a motion that resembles some sort of drunken dance in an Irish pub. And they’re OK with that.

Hey, if you’ve ever been in a marching band – high school or college – you know my description of tuba players is spot on.

Tuba players do not have the type A personalities of trumpeteers. They don’t have the manual dexterity of clarinet players. Or, the tonal tricks of the trombone players.



The tubas normally only get a passing glance while engaged in their pre-game rituals, including one in which the uniformed musicians create an arm-in-arm circle and weave back and fro in a motion that resembles some sort of drunken dance in an Irish pub. And they’re OK with that.
But tuba players are the bedrock, the foundation, the core of a band. They’re solid guys and gals who normally go about their business like Snow White’s seven dwarfs. Whistle while they work fellas. Dependable. The Scotties to the Captain Kirks. They are a likeable bunch.

So, when I read (and saw on the TV news) that the Pride tuba section was leading what some might call insurrection among the ranks of the Pride of Oklahoma – an organization I was privileged to be a part of back when Barry Switzer was hangin’ half a hundred on Iowa State – well, I took pause.

OU President David Boren, himself a former high school saxaphone player (which in our musical animal kingdom is something akin to a Lemur monkey), continues to have a public relations disaster on his hands. And, he had a hand in creating it. He hired Stolarik despite his not being among any names recommended by the OU search committee commissioned to find a replacement for departing Pride Director Brian Britt.

Boren did this to appease Max Weitzenhoffer – the T. Boone Pickens of the university fine art department. Weitzenhoffer has given truck loads of money and gifted a world class art collection to OU such that Boren can advertise that Oklahoma is not merely a football school. Weitzenhoffer even got a job out of the deal – a seat on the OU Board of Regents.

For whatever reason, Weitzenhoffer wanted changes in the Pride. He wanted Stolarik to be hired to make them. Well, Stolarik has done that and along the way he has become the most despised man on campus since then acting OU President David Swank fired Barry Switzer in 1988.

Oh, by the way, the OU regents meet today in Tulsa.

So if you see a bunch of guys with giant brass instruments slung over their shoulders and hitchhiking the Turner Turnpike today, you know where they are going.

A big complaint from the Pride students is that Stolarik is not teaching the band what to do. They say their performances in the first three Sooner football games fell short of the Pride’s traditional standards.

This is true.


This is like Howard Schnellenberger messing with Sooner traditions…. How dumb is that?.
As much as I don’t want current Pride members to think I’m ragging on them, I must honestly say the band’s performances haven’t been so good. The first one wasn’t good at all. The sound was weak. Alignment and step had some glitches. But, they’re getting better. The halftime of the Tulsa game was not bad. I liked the Phantom of the Opera theme, OK. I tried to ignore the kids who were out of line and out of step. I tried to not look at the 40 or so members who didn’t march in the pre-game show because Stolarik doesn’t want to march freshmen.

All this began when Stolarik messed with the traditional pre-game show. The run-on from the tunnels was messed with. The fanfare was dropped entirely (only to be re-instated when Pride section leaders met with Boren in the president’s office and complained). The Pride PA announcer omitted the “Priiiiiide of Oklahoma” in game one because Stolarik didn’t put it in the script. How dumb is that?

This is like Howard Schnellenberger messing with Sooner traditions.

We might remember that the Boren who dismissed Schnellenberger is the same Boren who is at the center of this controversy.

Well, maybe. It’s not looking like Boren gets it this time. Heck, he helped create this problem by thumbing his nose at the School of Music in order to hire Weitzenhoffer’s boy, Stolarik.

restorethepride
Stolarik opponents have taken to social media to protest changes in the Pride.

An email obtained by the OU student newspaper shows Boren described opposition to Stolarik as being a “small organized campaign”.

Well, true enough, if he was talking about the tuba section – which is about a dozen kids.

He should have called it an “organized campaign of highly talented lower brass players.”

But the complainers also include a lot more folks than that. It includes a large group of Pride alumni. I know, because I belong to the Facebook group that has gone private over this matter in order to shield current Pride students from the vitriol spouting about the program. Even non-band nerds are complaining about the Pride on football message boards. The majority think this Wisconsin transplant has offended the traditions of the program. It is like turning the Sooner Schooner into a motorized golf cart with horses painted on the side.

The opposition forces have gotten a little out of hand. Last Saturday the alums were wanting football fans to stand in silence when the Pride performed –an orchestrated protest advertised in advance by instructions written in chalk on campus sidewalks.

Well, that didn’t happen. It wasn’t a good idea anyway, because what Sooner fan worth anything stands in silence to Boomer Sooner? C’mon people. It’s like a DNA thing that when Boomer starts the sympathetic nervous system of fans kicks in to cause uncontrollable standing and clapping.

Besides, these students deserve better. Regardless of how you feel about Stolarik, his idiotic changes, or Boren bending over to some money bags regent, these kids (tuba players included) deserve our support. They are doing the best job they can in trying times. You may think it’s easy, but learning a marching routine and memorizing music all in a week’s time – in the late afternoon heat of August and September – is a bitch. You don’t even have much opportunity to spy on the twirler in her short shorts to ease the practice.

Likewise, boycotting isn’t the answer. That just increases the chances the boycotting Pride member turns the wrong way on the 40-yard-line during halftime (which, I can say never happened to me – but I still have nightmares about the possibility some 35 years later).

So, what’s Boren to do with this public relations nightmare? How does the university Save the Pride? (another plea chalked on campus sidewalks).

“Coach” Gene Thrailkill hasn’t been the director of the Pride since he retired in 2001. His successor, Brian Britt, was one of his students. The traditions, which include the pre-game show (yeah the same pre-game show that started every home game for three national championships for the Sooners, folks), are in large part Thrailkill creations. Britt carried them on.

Hundreds of recent graduates and all current Pride members never played for Coach Thrailkill. Some might not even know exactly what he looks like. But, Coach is the Obi Wan Kenobi of the marching band at OU. His right-hand man, the arranger of much of the music written for the Pride in the last four decades, Roland Barrett, is the Yoda. (Barrett is still on the OU School of Music faculty and is writing halftime shows for other colleges, but Stolarik has not asked him to contribute at all to the Pride’s shows this year. Stolarik has instead copied shows from his past employer, the University of Wisconsin. Note, the tuba section improvised an On Wisconsin rendition on their post-game march out of the stadium late Saturday night – perhaps a precursor of the rebellion mounted this week.)

Thrailkill and Barrett mark a mystical force that permeates the Pride program whether Stolarik or Boren like it or not.

The changes to the band program – including changing football game traditions — have caused a disturbance in the force.

So, the only thing Boren can do now to prevent a ripple effect is meet with Coach and encourage him to call off the tuba section before the trombones join them, then the trumpets and then, oh God, the percussion section starts moonlighting at UCO or something.

Boren can propose that Stolarik dedicate an entire halftime to the accomplishments of former Pride Director Gene Thrailkill. He can ask Barrett to write the music.

It’s called kissing the ring. It’s like Bob Stoops recognizing Barry Switzer as the “king” when Stoops was hired in 1999.


Seriously, if there is a lesson to be learned from all this, it is don’t mess with traditions that people think are important. The fact they are important to 19 and 20 year olds who weren’t around when Coach directed the Pride or when Barry coached the Sooners, is, frankly, pretty awesome.


Then in the Pride practice – while the football team has a bye and an away game – restore the pre-game in toto. And get Stolarik some help, whether he wants it or not. Right now he is obviously in over his head.

This better happen soon, because the OU-Texas game is just around the corner and if the Longhorn band senses any division among the Pride, then halftime at the Cotton Bowl is over. The Texas football team may suck this year, but their band has that “I’ve been workin’ on the railroad” song finely tuned and they are loaded for bear.

Seriously, if there is a lesson to be learned from all this, it is don’t mess with traditions that people think are important. The fact they are important to 19 and 20 year olds who weren’t around when Coach directed the Pride or when Barry coached the Sooners, is, frankly, pretty awesome.

Another thing, David Boren’s political clout has taken a huge hit over this. Surely he knows these current Pride members are the future doctors and lawyers and politicians that fund the program and much more of the university. Some day one of their bank accounts might even rival that of a fat cat regent.

If he doesn’t know that, then it is time for Boren to leave the president’s office and go sit in retirement on one of Molly’s benches somewhere near that awful big breasted sculpture next to the Max Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre.

Perhaps he can be serenaded by the “oom pah” of the tubas on their way to practice. Or where ever they decide to sway in a circle and toss a few brews.

[yermom]

well, that revelation above certainly won't help his reputation

UT? really?

i really just don't get the whole thing about the search committee and why he got pushed through the way he did

[Eielson]

The band may have died, but this tribute thread will live on forever!

[Statalyzer]

The band complied, and played "Boomer Sooner" non-stop roughly 300 times."

Why is this noteworthy?

[TheHumanAlphabet]

the band only marches 12 tubas, it has been 16 forever...

[badger]

the band only marches 12 tubas, it has been 16 forever...

Yeah, I was telling my parents that total membership was actually up to 320 by the time I left in 2005. They had about 350 auditioners that year so the previous director said he went to the athletic department and asked if they could expand membership a bit to have a few less disappointed people at the end of auditions... and there were at least 20 tubas that year, if not more :)

The full page ads in the oklahoma papers and letters to the editors in the texas papers certainly had their intended effect --- a LOT of media as far as TV, radio and print goes. Here's an example (http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/ousportsextra/pride-of-oklahoma-band-students-vent-in-open-letter-to/article_93157331-eb82-5b4b-9492-b9dcba50a973.html).

Will anything change after this?


Boren issued a statement Friday through the university’s public affairs office.

“I’ve long had a policy of not responding to anonymous personal attacks,” he wrote in an email response. “It’s a shame that people would waste their money on such ads instead of supporting scholarships for our students.”

I always thought President Boren loved his OU students and the band more than this statement suggests. :(

[Sooner Schemer]

I always thought President Boren loved his OU students and the band more than this statement suggests. :(
Is male-male harassment covered under Title IX?

[oudanny]

Boren's response to the students open letter was straight out of the politicians non-response handbook. He will continue to ignore the problem in the hope that it goes away. In the meantime, the students and The Pride suffer. My wallet is closed until this fiasco is resolved.

[yermom]

the first response, or the second response?

[SanDiegoSoonerGal]

I'm assuming you're referring to this as the second response?

http://newsok.com/ou-president-lifts-ban-on-band-members-free-speech/article/5358314

[badger]

“President Boren was incensed when he learned of the band participation agreement and was disturbed that he had not been told of it by the School of Music,” OU spokeswoman Catherine Bishop stated in an email Monday. “President Boren has a lifelong history of defending free speech, and upon learning of the agreement, he immediately issued a Presidential directive making it null and void.”

Also, I saw this photo on my facebook feed last night. Guess which guy is over his head...
https://localtvkfor.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/funnyborenstolarik.jpg

[MichiganSooner]

Also, I saw this photo on my facebook feed last night. Guess which guy is over his head...
https://localtvkfor.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/funnyborenstolarik.jpg

I swear that JS's knees are knocking.

[yermom]

I'm assuming you're referring to this as the second response?

http://newsok.com/ou-president-lifts-ban-on-band-members-free-speech/article/5358314

yeah, it sounded pretty ****ty before that when he said they didn't respond to anonymous complaints

[KantoSooner]

If I'm not mistaken, the newspaper articles were signed, no?

[Aries]

If I'm not mistaken, the newspaper articles were signed, no?

I didn't see one, but the articles I read indicated they were not signed by students. Alumni purchased the ads so as to keep the students anonymous.

[KantoSooner]

Okay, I tossed the paper days ago so I couldn't/didn't check.

[IGotNoTiming]

I didn't see one, but the articles I read indicated they were not signed by students. Alumni purchased the ads so as to keep the students anonymous.

You are correct the students did not sign because of the clause in the Pride contract. I have been following this closely as I am proud alum of the Pride from 89-91. Stolarick should have never been hired as he didn't even meet the minimum criteria to be considered by the search committee. He is named was inserted into the race by Max Weitzenhoffer, a powerful donor to the University. He and Boren completely ignored the search committees recommendations and brought Stolarick in with complete disregard for his lack of qualifications.

Two years into his tenure the member ship of the Pride has dropped dramatically and the quality is downright 2A high school. It seems that Boren's attention was only grabbed when finding out about the ludicrous no talk policy that kids were forced to sign. Several of my friends are music educators. One in particular noted. " I had to get out of Music Ed at the University level. At a university you can't get fired for incompetence, you only get fired if you **** of the administration." Sounds like this could be an accurate description of what might happen. Just need to sit and watch this one out.

[SoonerStormchaser]

The kids are great but Boren and his buddy have killed the UNIVERSITY.

FIFY

[badger]

Okay, I tossed the paper days ago so I couldn't/didn't check.

Here's a PDF of the full page ad (http://www.tulsaworld.com/pride-of-oklahoma-a-full-page-ad/pdf_d2fe429f-cda4-5e05-87fb-d2d30b77cdca.html)

[IGotNoTiming]

Just in Stolarick is out as director of the Pride.......

[Aries]

http://kfor.com/2014/10/23/embattled-ou-pride-director-steps-down-after-clashing-with-students-and-former-band-members/

[yankee]

Yay, now all the Pride kids can be happy and the rest of us can go back to still not really caring about halftime.

[OklaPony]

:nevreness:

[kbsooner21]

Yay, now all the Pride kids can be happy and the rest of us can go back to still not really caring about halftime.

LMAO! True

[KantoSooner]

I think we should go hire the band director from a 'Traditionally Black College' and get the Pride steppin'! I remember when Booker T in Tulsa was in its athletic hey day and they had a kick azz band. It can be done. (Admittedly, some of the 'wide loads' in the current band would have to drop 50-100, but that would be good for them.)

[badger]

Current director resigns; former director to return. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/university-of-oklahoma-band-director-resigns/article_49b5a8d4-edb6-57f9-84c5-1195bd819aa6.html)

Quotes!

“I have accepted the decision of Director (Justin) Stolarik to step aside in order to unify the Pride and maintain its tradition of being one of the greatest bands in America,” OU President David Boren said in a statement. “He has worked hard during his time at OU.”


“I care deeply about the Pride and applaud the tremendous effort of our students," he said in a statement. "I always wanted them to have a good experience and be exposed to new ideas.


“It is an honor to return to serve the University of Oklahoma and the Pride of Oklahoma’s student members at this challenging time,” said Britt, who also will be named to the Gene Braught Chair in Music, pending Regents’ approval. “I have absolute faith in these outstanding young men and women and their ability to help ensure that the Pride of Oklahoma is among the very best collegiate bands in the nation. Their unwavering commitment during this transition time will be the foundation for our collective success. Working together, we will lay the foundation for the Pride’s success for generations to come.”

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[70sooner]

I swear that JS's knees are knocking.

dude looks anorexic....and Boren looks pizzed, LOL!~

[oudanny]

Great news. Is Brian Britt a permanent or temporary replacement?

[yermom]

sounds permanent...

that sounds just as strange as the rest of this whole thing

seems they probably had to offer him that chair spot to get him to come back

[oudanny]

Here's a more comprehensive article from the Tulsa World.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/state/university-of-oklahoma-band-director-resigns/article_49b5a8d4-edb6-57f9-84c5-1195bd819aa6.html

[MichiganSooner]

Welcome back Brian. And if any poster starts up the fire brian britt forum again, you'll get your butt kicked in. Boomer!!!

[KantoSooner]

Assistant Dean and an endowed chair. Ouch. He must've been smiling after ramming that home.

[Tear Down This Wall]

Assistant Dean and an endowed chair. Ouch. He must've been smiling after ramming that home.

Buh-bye, Fag.

http://www.wisconsingazette.com/music/gay-conductor-marches-uw-band-forward.html

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Fire Brian Britt! ;)

[TheHumanAlphabet]

boy, did Britt bend Boren over and arse rape him... Assoc. Dean of Weizenheimer School of Fine Arts (chortle chortle -probably the guy who made Britt leave in the first place) and Braught Chair... man that there is naming your tune...

[jiminy]

Wow, that was a pretty quick response after the full-page ad... what are the odds some malcontents see that, and go take out a full page ad with an open letter to Bob Stoops re: Heupel

[TheHumanAlphabet]

https://localtvkfor.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/funnyborenstolarik.jpg

This just begs for the quote "**** off dip ****..."

[SoonerMarkVA]

"The Pride of Oklahoma is Dead!"

"Long Live the Pride of Oklahoma!"

[IamBigRed]

Does this really solve the problem? Stolarik was just a pawn doing what he was hired to do by the regent who got him hired. Is the regent going to back off now too?

[IGotNoTiming]

Does this really solve the problem? Stolarik was just a pawn doing what he was hired to do by the regent who got him hired. Is the regent going to back off now too?

Doubt it.... look page couple of pages and check out the posts about the history of the situation..... Nobody wants a repeat of this debacle to happen
from Boren all the way down to the students.

When you let somebody in the drama department pick your football coach the same thing would happen. It looked bad on the School of Music (although they didn't select Stolarick), It look bad for the School of Fine Arts, It looked bad for Boren and ultimately it looked bad for the University of Oklahoma.

Hopefully everybody learns from this mistake.

and for all you a&shats talking sh*t on the band remember Switzer once gave the Pride the game ball after a victory. Your sorry *** never got **** from him..

game over

[OklaPony]

Does this really solve the problem? Stolarik was just a pawn doing what he was hired to do by the regent who got him hired. Is the regent going to back off now too?
I don't think that anyone outside of Boren, Britt, and Weizenwhatever really know the answer to that question. However, I would be very surprised if that wasn't addressed specifically in the negotiations for Mr. Britt's return.

[OklaPony]

Doubt it.... look page couple of pages and check out the posts about the history of the situation..... Nobody wants a repeat of this debacle to happen
from Boren all the way down to the students.

When you let somebody in the drama department pick your football coach the same thing would happen. It looked bad on the School of Music (although they didn't select Stolarick), It look bad for the School of Fine Arts, It looked bad for Boren and ultimately it looked bad for the University of Oklahoma.

Hopefully everybody learns from this mistake.

and for all you a&shats talking sh*t on the band remember Switzer once gave the Pride the game ball after a victory. Your sorry *** never got **** from him..

game over

^^^^THIS^^^^

[Judge Smails]

https://localtvkfor.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/funnyborenstolarik.jpg


Are you still here??

[SoonerStormchaser]

Anyone seen Doleo lately? We may need to send out a search party to make sure he doesn't harm Brian Britt...or himself.

[MichiganSooner]

Great news. Is Brian Britt a permanent or temporary replacement?

Quote from Britt: This is home. The chance to come home is very exciting and something I must do.

[tycat947]

Quote from Britt: This is home. The chance to come home is very exciting and something I must do.

The real question is why did he leave to begin with? Especially, to manage a high school theater in Texas? Glad he's back though.

[8timechamps]

Does this really solve the problem? Stolarik was just a pawn doing what he was hired to do by the regent who got him hired. Is the regent going to back off now too?

I have no clue who the regent is, but at this point he/she would look pretty stupid trying to continue with their influence. A mistake was made, and it embarrassed the university. Now, there's a chance to correct that...even an over-involved regent should be able to understand that. Although, I never underestimate stupid people with money.

[OklaPony]

The real question is why did he leave to begin with? Especially, to manage a high school theater in Texas? Glad he's back though.
It wasn't a high school theater, it was Director of Fine Arts for Richardson, TX. But still, it's a good question.

[tycat947]

It wasn't a high school theater, it was Director of Fine Arts for Richardson, TX. But still, it's a good question.

Sorry, couldn't remember for sure! Was it for Richardson High School or the city? I don't know why but I thought was a high school position, even if Director of Fine Arts.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

I have no clue who the regent is, but at this point he/she would look pretty stupid trying to continue with their influence. A mistake was made, and it embarrassed the university. Now, there's a chance to correct that...even an over-involved regent should be able to understand that. Although, I never underestimate stupid people with money.
It is Weizenheimer er, weizenhoffer. The big broadway producer millionaire. I bet he ran off Britt to get his butt buddy Stolarik in.

[Phil]

Buh-bye, Fag.

http://www.wisconsingazette.com/music/gay-conductor-marches-uw-band-forward.html

Dude, really? He was a ****ty band director - whether he's gay or not has nothing to do with anything at all.

[tycat947]

Dude, really? He was a ****ty band director - whether he's gay or not has nothing to do with anything at all.

Exactly! Moronic comment!

[OklaPony]

Sorry, couldn't remember for sure! Was it for Richardson High School or the city? I don't know why but I thought was a high school position, even if Director of Fine Arts.
Director of Fine Arts for the entire Richardson district.

[TXSooner]

Dude, really? He was a ****ty band director - whether he's gay or not has nothing to do with anything at all.

thank you!

[EatLeadCommie]

Director of Fine Arts for the entire Richardson district.

Yep. For RISD. It's an administrative position that oversees the entire fine arts program for the district, and it's a good program in Richardson. Keep in mind that a fine arts education is still mandatory in Texas (which I'm sure would surprise a lot of people), so it is also a position with plenty of job security. There is more to it than simply hopping around from school to school and checking in on teachers. It's a good job, and an important one. I think the amount of networking and contacts made in such a position would surprise some people.

[MichiganSooner]

Mr. Britt posted the following on facebook Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

Pride of Oklahoma rehearsal #3 is in the books. The students continue to show inspired effort and energy from start to finish at every rehearsal. I really appreciate how everyone is so open-minded and willing to adapt to what we are installing. That takes a leap of faith on their part and I sincerely appreciate that.

3 of 4 segments to the traditional pregame show are now on the field! We will complete the drill tomorrow and will do our first run-through to conclude rehearsal. Stop and think about that for a second. We are installing a completely different pregame (that 200 of them have never marched before) AND changing the marching style. This would be like a football team installing a completely new offense in mid-season! This speaks volumes about the character and desire of these outstanding young men and women and their commitment to the university we serve.

There is still a lot to polish and perfect in the next 5 rehearsals, but the energy, focus, and desire displayed by these students tells me we are going to be more than ready for November 8.

Boomer Sooner!!!

[Tear Down This Wall]

Dude, really? He was a ****ty band director - whether he's gay or not has nothing to do with anything at all.

Yes. Really.

While at a high school game in Frisco a couple of weeks ago, I spoke to a guy whose son has been in The Pride for three years. He told me then that his son would quit if the guy was kept. On top of the ruining of the band's routine, his son and others were not thrilled about his gayness either.

Sorry, Phil. Not everyone - not even all kids of this generation which is being pounded with it - are down with gayness. Okay?

[yermom]

well i'm sure they will go far in life refusing to work for or with gay people