The Pride is in trouble!

[PrideMom]

Remember last year when the new band director was brought in from Wisconsin, and the band came onto the field in a big W? And many of the band members were NOT included in the formations. Well, this year is going to be even worse! My son has been in contact with people who know and only about 150 members have signed up! The Pride is made up of students that want to play, most are NOT in the music programs. Each player has to try out to qualify to play, this is done behind a curtain so there is no favoritism involved. This is terrible! The BAND is needed, and has been part of many wins...OSU and Alabama, and National Championships.

Any ideas to get Boren to listen? The person responsible for this is a big art donor, and is on the regents board.

[oudanny]

Last year, Boren stuck his head in the sand. I'm afraid it will take the total collapse and failure of the band before he listens to anyone. This is truly a sad situation.

[CincySooner]

Each player has to try out to qualify to play, this is done behind a curtain so there is no favoritism involved.

It's always been this way.

I'm just as sad as the next guy over what has happened over the past few years, but blind tryouts have been the norm since the days of Coach

[PrideMom]

I know that the blind try outs have always been in practice. My son qualified in 1984 and 1985, when OU went to the National Championship. The Pride is one of the few bands that require you can actually play an instrument. If you watch some other bands, they will just hold and instrument and march. Hence the name... it is actually an honor to be in it. I just misplace some of the wording on the original post "this is terrible" was meant ot be about how little reguard has been given to the true tradition of becoming a band member.

[KantoSooner]

Have they decided what they want out of the band? Last year, they spent significant effort doing some godawful 'Phantom of the Opera' number with our baton twirler playing the victim chick and a conductor in vampire/drag darting hither and thither menacing her. ....And followed that up with a lackluster geometric pattern march before slogging off to their seats where they could blare out Boomer Sooner (8 bar version, and repeat) whenever we scored.

I'd suggest we decide to be either a kick *** marching band (traditionally black colleges have tons of great examples), or a pep band (here something like Stanford is an example, but you absolutely must allow crudity, low brow humor and borderline incivil behavior. That's just how they roll) or do what I think the current band leader wants to do which is to perform old show tunes (my third choice with 0.00001% of the vote).

[EatLeadCommie]

I don't think he's complaining about playing behind a curtain. He's complaining about the lack of interest among students in the Pride.

[8timechamps]

Last year, Boren stuck his head in the sand. I'm afraid it will take the total collapse and failure of the band before he listens to anyone. This is truly a sad situation.

Yep. That's about the only way I see a change happening. Sadly.

[Scott D]

depending on who you believe 8tc, that collapse is already happening.

[soonerloyal]

Stick it where the sun doesn't shine, Stolarik.

[olevetonahill]

Stick it where the sun doesn't shine, Stolarik.

Who's Stolarik? I really never made it in the stadium before Kick off and dint pay Tention during 1/2 time. Just Noise to me.

[soonerloyal]

Who's Stolarik? I really never made it in the stadium before Kick off and dint pay Tention during 1/2 time. Just Noise to me.

Stolarik's the band bastige from Wisconsin U who's plundering & pillaging The Pride's legacy. If his damage continues unchallenged I shudder to think what'll be left of Thrailkill's beloved program.

[olevetonahill]

Stolarik's the band bastige from Wisconsin U who's plundering & pillaging The Pride's legacy. If his damage continues unchallenged I shudder to think what'll be left of Thrailkill's beloved program.

Heh, Like I said I dont Pay Tention to the Band anyway.

[ouwasp]

Well, a bunch of the band kids are just going to have to bail out and let the program crater. No change will occur before then. That is the sad truth.

Boren is one of those presidents that plasters a smile on his face and pretends all is well until reality dictates otherwise. It's too bad things have gotten to this point, but it will get worse before things improve. Or the band won't improve at all.

When fans like vet and myself, which generally consider the band to be simply "noisy", notice a drop off in quality and numbers...Then perhaps President Boren will be compelled to take action.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Last year, Boren stuck his head in the sand. I'm afraid it will take the total collapse and failure of the band before he listens to anyone. This is truly a sad situation.

This. Boren is not going to cross his butt buddy Weisenheimer. Weisenheimer wants to play with the Pride and got his butt buddy installed as Director. It will take a collapse to get people's attention. Boren thinks everyone against last years band are stuck in the past no-nothings and feels this will blow over.

[TheHumanAlphabet]

Stolarik's the band bastige from Wisconsin U who's plundering & pillaging The Pride's legacy. If his damage continues unchallenged I shudder to think what'll be left of Thrailkill's beloved program.

UT grad and UW asst. director now the Pride director because Boren and butt buddy Weisenheimer wanted the Pride hiring committee to interview Stolarik even though he was unqualified according to the Pride qualification announcement. Boren then hand selected Stolarik after he was not recommended. Weisenheimer wants to jazz up the Pride shows and felt that his butt buddy Stolarik would best implement his ideas.

[SoonerorLater]

After reading this am I correct in assuming there is no scholarship involved for members of the band?

[champions77]

With the way that Stolerik was chosen, not qualified due to not meeting the criteria that other applicants were rejected by, I am really surprised that D Boren and the University have not been sued. A really unethical, morally corrupt manner in which Stolerik was hired. Between this, the
Embarrassing manner Boren handled the conference realignment fiasco a few years ago ( we're no wildflower) and then his insistence on giving over 40 million of Athletic Department funds to academic departments the last ten years despite the fact that some OU facilities, namely baseball and softball, lag behind most other Big XII facilities, causing a lot of angst in those programs. Maybe Our esteemed President should consider retiring? Not to mention his insistence in supporting one of the most radical leftist Presidents in our Nation's history.

[olevetonahill]

With the way that Stolerik was chosen, not qualified due to not meeting the criteria that other applicants were rejected by, I am really surprised that D Boren and the University have not been sued. A really unethical, morally corrupt manner in which Stolerik was hired. Between this, the
Embarrassing manner Boren handled the conference realignment fiasco a few years ago ( we're no wildflower) and then his insistence on giving over 40 million of Athletic Department funds to academic departments the last ten years despite the fact that some OU facilities, namely baseball and softball, lag behind most other Big XII facilities, causing a lot of angst in those programs. Maybe Our esteemed President should consider retiring? Not to mention his insistence in supporting one of the most radical leftist Presidents in our Nation's history.

So ya sayin we should break this out?

[badger]

Boren reportedly told upperclassmen last year in a private meeting that if they didn't like band they didn't have to participate.

Sooo... I guess the students heard him loud and clear

[tycat947]

With the way that Stolerik was chosen, not qualified due to not meeting the criteria that other applicants were rejected by, I am really surprised that D Boren and the University have not been sued. A really unethical, morally corrupt manner in which Stolerik was hired. Between this, the
Embarrassing manner Boren handled the conference realignment fiasco a few years ago ( we're no wildflower) and then his insistence on giving over 40 million of Athletic Department funds to academic departments the last ten years despite the fact that some OU facilities, namely baseball and softball, lag behind most other Big XII facilities, causing a lot of angst in those programs. Maybe Our esteemed President should consider retiring? Not to mention his insistence in supporting one of the most radical leftist Presidents in our Nation's history.

Wow! How dare they give money to a learning institution for which is the very reason for the athletic department's existence. You might want to lay off the crack!