Aparrently there's been a fairly major change to the pre-game performance by the Pride of Oklahoma. According to sources posting on the Pride's Alumni Facebook page, the new band director, Dr. Justin Stolarik has eliminated the longstanding tradition of the Drum Major running to midfield ahead of the band, as well as the band running out of the tunnel in the NWcorner of the stadium and assembling in the north endzone. They will also play a new fanfare, which sounds like a broadway musical. (click here (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2585616614/permalink/10151551800511615/) to see and hear it for yourselves) And they're going to play the opposing team's fight song as a "tribute."

Suppossedly, all of thes these changes were made at the request of Max Wizenhoffer. Who is a major donor to the School of Performing Arts and sits on the Board of Regents at OU. And according to the posts on the Pride's Facebook page, there was a meeting this morning between David Boren and the new band director because both band members, students and alumni are up in arms about these changes.

I think what you've outlined above is a decent synopsis of the stories making the various boards. About all I'd amend would be that it wasn't at the "request" of Wizenhoffer (sp), but mandated. There is considerable discussion/allegation that, in some unknown fashion, he "strongarmed" the selection of the new band director (from Wisconsin) over a presumably better-qualified candidate from within OU, and this new director is in effect his "sock puppet" for the band he (Wizenhoffer) presumably wants. And, supposedly, the band doing any "horns-down" gestures at OU-Texas games is now verboten because its "disrespectful." Again, this is all rumored/alleged, so all relevant disclaimers apply.

The other part of this story is that supposedly a search committee was formed to hire a new director when Brian Britt left, and that committe included Gene Thrailkill. The committee, as the story goes, endorsed the in-house OU candidate, and was "informed" that they would "support" the other candidate. Supposedly, Thrailkill has been in communication with alumni about the choice and the motivations behind it and the changes that can be expected.

Whether the stories are right or wrong in whole or in part, this is a PR nightmare for OU. Tradition is tradition for a reason, and this scenario makes David Boren look weak and the Regents a pool of self-serving rich kids. That's the broader issue, not whether they play this song or that song in the pregame.

There is strong rumor that all this public mess has led to a "powers that be" closed-door meeting among Boren, Wakefield, and Stolnik, and if it actually happened/will happen, heaven only knows the result .

Ugly PR mess for OU IMHO, regardless.

Yikes. So apparently the all mighty dollar can trump tradition at an institution like OU? You would think Boren would have a stronger backbone to stand up to radical donors like this.

Yikes. So apparently the all mighty dollar can trump tradition at an institution like OU? You would think Boren would have a stronger backbone to stand up to radical donors like this.

IMO, President Boren barely cares for traditions. He fully supports anybody who donates massive amounts of money and he will ride out the problems (so he imagines) and make use of the money to the betterment (he imagines) of the University.

https://twitter.com/jasonkersey

Jason Kersey ‏@jasonkersey 17m
Dr. William Wakefield, director of OU bands, unequivocally denies the Pride will play opponent's fight song in postgame. Story coming soon

There are reports on another message board that say the OU band will only have either 244 or 225 marching band members, which if true is way too few.

https://twitter.com/jasonkersey

Jason Kersey ‏@jasonkersey 17m
Dr. William Wakefield, director of OU bands, unequivocally denies the Pride will play opponent's fight song in postgame. Story coming soon

maybe they are listening ..

There are reports on another message board that say the OU band will only have either 244 or 225 marching band members, which if true is way too few.

What was the total before the new director?

SoonerDave, I agree with you completely. Tradition is important and IMHO, the Pride of Oklahoma and the small but time-honered and popular aspects of their performaces at OU football games is part of that tradition. The fact that a rich donor and his sock puppet band director can do away with that tradition is a shame. It's also a shame for all the kids in the band, who'll never get a chance to keep that tradition alive.

Frankly, I'm very surporised that this story hasn't broken in the local media, at least not on any of the website or stations I've been watching. If more people knew about this I have to assume that there would be much more outrage.

I've read about these changes on another board. If these changes happen, this new director will be the Schnellinberger of The Pride.

No drum major, no horns down because it's disrespectful (poor texas), playing the opposing team's fight song. This is a recipe for disaster.

Here's a link to one of the more active threads on this topic, in case any of you are interested. LandThieves.com (http://www.landthieves.com/board/showthread.php?58749-Pride-Pregame-Routine-Changes/page14)

What was the total before the new director?

Not exactly sure, but its often been about 300....?
I would like to see it near 300 or even higher

It's a terrible shame. And, the tradition goes a lot further than just the fans. Power Ranking the Top 25 College Marching Band Pregame Shows | Bleacher Report (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/814829-college-football-power-ranking-the-top-25-college-marching-band-pregames/page/26)

I have heard that Boyd Street is working on a story. Other than that, everyone but the Sports Animal has been extremely quiet.

IMO, President Boren barely cares for traditions. He fully supports anybody who donates massive amounts of money and he will ride out the problems (so he imagines) and make use of the money to the betterment (he imagines) of the University.

Obviously you don't know Dr. Boren, have never dealt with him, or know his philosophies. That, or you have an ax to grind...maybe an orange and black hachette. You have no clue as to the traditions he has fought to preserve at OU and how proud he is to build on them.

Not exactly sure, but its often been about 300....?
I would like to see it near 300 or even higher

Wow, so quite the drop. And to think of how quiet the band already was... This seems like a poor choice.

It's a terrible shame. And, the tradition goes a lot further than just the fans. Power Ranking the Top 25 College Marching Band Pregame Shows | Bleacher Report (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/814829-college-football-power-ranking-the-top-25-college-marching-band-pregames/page/26)

I have heard that Boyd Street is working on a story. Other than that, everyone but the Sports Animal has been extremely quiet.

BR doesn't even know what our fight song is. The writer thinks it is "Oklahoma" from the play. If that were the case, you all should be getting on OSU for always playing our fight song before their games. LOL. BR spreads a lot of misinformation and feeds the ignorant.

Someone should call them up and play Boomer Sooner for them.

@jasonkersey 2m
Statement from Pride of Oklahoma director Justin Stolarik: "We reached the conclusion that we would keep our traditional fanfare." #Sooners

Well that's good news but what a waste of time for those kids.

maybe they are listening ..

@RJ_Young 5m
From Stolarik's statement: "While we have experimented with alternatives, we also listen carefully to our fans."

One story on the drop in band size is because the charts being used to lay out the march structure is, allegedly, being taken directly from the Wisky band - and the new director didn't want to rework them for a larger group.

Take it for what it's worth.

The fact that this whole issue mushroomed at all is kind of an SMH moment in general.

Band shelves changes in pre-game routine
New director says fans like the old routines

The Norman Transcript

NORMAN —

A move to change the University of Oklahoma football game’s pre-game band music has apparently been shelved.



OU officials on Tuesday released a statement from Justin Stolarik, the new Pride of Oklahoma band director, saying the band listened to its fans and have decided to keep the traditional band fanfare.

“In our 109th year, I am pleased to join an organization with such an excellent heritage and to be working with such an outstanding group of 290 hard-working students,” Stolarik said. “We want to increase the intensity of the spirit of our fans while preserving the best of our traditions and seeking ways to continually enhance the performance.

“The band believes in listening to the views of our many fans, and they have asked that we keep our traditional pre-game fanfare. That’s exactly what we are going to do. While we have experimented with alternatives, we also listen carefully to our fans. By listening, we reached the conclusion that we would keep our traditional fanfare.”

Our students are working extremely hard, and I appreciate their good work. Our goal is for the band to continue to live up to its name, The Pride of Oklahoma.”

The Sooners open the season Aug. 31 against Louisiana-Monroe.

Obviously you don't know Dr. Boren, have never dealt with him, or know his philosophies. That, or you have an ax to grind...maybe an orange and black hachette. You have no clue as to the traditions he has fought to preserve at OU and how proud he is to build on them.

If a Ph.D has been elevated to the presidency in academia, he should be referred to as, "President Boren." Not that it really matters, but it seems nothing involved in this thread really matters anyway. If it relates to football in any way, this part of the country gets a communal fog that replaces rational thought with a drug-like stupor of elevating competitive athletics to an almost silly level.

If it relates to football in any way, this part of the country gets a communal fog that replaces rational thought with a drug-like stupor of elevating competitive athletics to an almost silly level.

And OU would not be anything close to the university that its become without the pride in the university that was stoked by football and funded by oil. It's just a fact.

I kinda got excited when I saw the title of this thread. I think the band isn't what it used to be soundwise. Dare I say the award winning Pride of Broken Arrow has a better sound than the Pride of Oklahoma...

Someone should call them up and play Boomer Sooner for them.

What would be the purpose? Bleacher Report went full retard years ago. You can't fix stupid.

If a Ph.D has been elevated to the presidency in academia, he should be referred to as, "President Boren." Not that it really matters, but it seems nothing involved in this thread really matters anyway. If it relates to football in any way, this part of the country gets a communal fog that replaces rational thought with a drug-like stupor of elevating competitive athletics to an almost silly level.

University presidents are often referred to as Dr. if they have the degree or President, Chancellor or whatever the job title is. I do not understand what is wrong with referring to the president of a university as Dr. if they have a doctoral level degree. It is done all of the time. Neither David Boren nor OSU President Burns Hargis have earned PhD degrees which is a research degree. Both have Juris Doctors which are professional law degrees. Both are referred to as Dr. because of their Juris Doctors. For years, Coach Tom Osborne of Nebraska was referred to as Dr. Tom Osborne because he had either an ed.D or a PhD, I am not sure which. Mike Leach has a Juris Doctor so I refer to him as Dr. Leach. Newt Gingrich does have a PHD, but I never hear him referred to as Dr. Newt Gringrich. There a lot of preachers and other famous people that are referred to as Dr. such and such because they have been given honorary doctorates. After all of this discussion, I am ready for a Dr. Pepper.

Bigray in Ok

For those who are concerned that playing an opposing team's fight song is a break with tradition, it isn't. That happened previously for years during the pregame. The band faced towards the SE corner of the stadium where those fans normally sit while playing their song.

I've read about these changes on another board. If these changes happen, this new director will be the Schnellinberger of The Pride.

No drum major, no horns down because it's disrespectful (poor texas), playing the opposing team's fight song. This is a recipe for disaster.

Just to clarify - there was (in Dr.Stolarik's altered pregame) and will still be a strutting drum major in the pregame and the Pride's tradition of playing the opposing team's fight song in pregame goes back to Coach Thrailkill's reign. The issue was playing it at the end of a game should the opposing team win.

Also, the Pride has 290 members this year, not 220-225. 220 is the number of alotted spots Dr. Stolarik created in the new drill for pregame, meaning 50+ kids will sit out during pregame - yet another issue that many alums have been up in arms about. The numbers 290-310 has been consistent since Brian Britt took over in 2001. The largest it's been was in 2003 when the Pride had ~320 members.

In regards to the sound quality, this has nothing to do with numbers. Again, the Pride's numbers have remained consistent over the years, dating back to the 80s. Long story short, Coach Thrailkill's bands emphasized power and sound, whereas Britt focused on balance and finesse. A band of 225 players can sound just as loud as one with 300 members.

I kinda got excited when I saw the title of this thread. I think the band isn't what it used to be soundwise. Dare I say the award winning Pride of Broken Arrow has a better sound than the Pride of Oklahoma...

IF there were an intent on trying to tweak and update the Pride's offerings, it just got crushed from what would have to be a textbook exposition of How Not To Update An Institution, subtitled "He Who Underestimates Social Media Risks....Much."

If you want to change an institution, to update its offerings, you start from inside, establish credibility in and out of the organization (to its public face), see what is and isn't important about that institution to the public, and then make surgical decisions about change. You don't come in with a machete and embark on a scorched earth policy. That alienates you from...well, everyone.

This new director, if he's truly working in that much of a vacuum, has put himself so thoroughly behind an eight ball it may be impossible for him to make any relevant changes to the Pride. And he has no one but himself to blame. He may have thought he had the opportunity to work with impugnity due to the presumed influence of "higher ups," but didn't realize even that kind of influence has limits. He's going to have to work to build and then rebuild untold relationships to get to the point where his every move from here on isn't scrutinized.

Case in point: One change to the pregame that wasn't quite such a big deal to me was replacing "Grand Ol' Flag" with some special arrangement of "America the Beautiful." GOF, the way the Pride has played it, is hard to sing, the transition out is always awkward, and really hurts the clapping rhythm and energy the pregame is designed to generate. And a brief, up-tempo version of ATB might have been a great replacement. But guess what? The insistence on changing EVERYTHING at ONCE has probably put the kibosh on even that small a change.

Now think about it: Had this guy made one change - just the GOF change - this year - I think it would have been received warmly, perhaps even enthusiastically. But not now. The Pride, now, is going to be under a microscope, and it will IMO be very difficult for any changes not have a "shadow" of this "brouhaha" over them. Sadly, it was all so unnecessary - unless the guy was working under some unknown direction from the regent mentioned earlier in the thread. Who knows. And if that was the case, shame on the OU higher-ups for granting "authority" they shouldn't have in the first place.

That's about learning to deal with people in a public-facing business, and like it or not, a university band from a big time football school is very much a public-facing business. This has been a hard lesson for the guy to learn, and it may take a looong time to get back to where he might have been had he proffered a more conciliatory or at least measured approach - assuming he ever can.

IMO, there's lots of egg to be wiped off of lots of faces. And the killer of it all was the entire episode was so thoroughly unnecessary.

Just to clarify - there was (in Dr.Stolarik's altered pregame) and will still be a strutting drum major in the pregame and the Pride's tradition of playing the opposing team's fight song in pregame goes back to Coach Thrailkill's reign. .

I didn't remember exactly when that started. I was in the OU band in the late 60's and I knew it was after that.

The issue was playing it at the end of a game should the opposing team win.

This is what I have a problem with.

This is what I have a problem with.

Well, considering 3/4ths of the crowd leaves before the end of the game, only a handful would hear it. ;)

And there's also that amazing record Stoops has at Owen Field... granted he's lost htree in the past two years...

Wakefield asserted earlier today that the "play the other team's fight song after the game" idea is "categorically" false.

Obviously you don't know Dr. Boren, have never dealt with him, or know his philosophies. That, or you have an ax to grind...maybe an orange and black hachette. You have no clue as to the traditions he has fought to preserve at OU and how proud he is to build on them.

... and you are obviously just as opinionated as I am. It would be OK if you were to take off your crimson-colored glasses and admit that President Boren has a mission of fund-raising that sometimes is at odds with other long-standing traditions at the University. Come on, Rover. You can do it. Good boy!

If they really listen to the fans, then I expect to see less of the asymmetrical/paisley formations this year...

Being a Longhorn fan I would love to hear the OU band play the Texas fight song at the end of a game.

Being a Longhorn fan I would love to hear the OU band play the Texas fight song at the end of a game.

Heh, the new director would probably love that. He did all of his graduate work at UT-Austin.

Being a Longhorn fan I would love to hear the OU band play the Texas fight song at the end of a game.

Texas would actually have to not get routed by OU first. ;)

University presidents are often referred to as Dr. if they have the degree or President, Chancellor or whatever the job title is. I do not understand what is wrong with referring to the president of a university as Dr. if they have a doctoral level degree. It is done all of the time. Neither David Boren nor OSU President Burns Hargis have earned PhD degrees which is a research degree. Both have Juris Doctors which are professional law degrees. Both are referred to as Dr. because of their Juris Doctors. For years, Coach Tom Osborne of Nebraska was referred to as Dr. Tom Osborne because he had either an ed.D or a PhD, I am not sure which. Mike Leach has a Juris Doctor so I refer to him as Dr. Leach. Newt Gingrich does have a PHD, but I never hear him referred to as Dr. Newt Gringrich. There a lot of preachers and other famous people that are referred to as Dr. such and such because they have been given honorary doctorates. After all of this discussion, I am ready for a Dr. Pepper.

Bigray in Ok

Any lawyer who requested he be addressed as Dr. because he earned a J.D. would be laughed outta the courtroom and be labeled a pompous a$$. Hell a JD is not even an advanced degree, you have to earn an L.L.M. for that.
If after you earn your L.L.M. and you want to be addressed as "Dr.", you need to earn a J.S.D./S.J.D. at Harvard, Yale or other select University.

Any lawyer who requested he be addressed as Dr. because he earned a J.D. would be laughed outta the courtroom and be labeled a pompous a$$. Hell a JD is not even an advanced degree, you have to earn an L.L.M. for that.
If after you earn your L.L.M. and you want to be addressed as "Dr.", you need to earn a J.S.D./S.J.D. at Harvard, Yale or other select University.

The use of Dr. by a person with a Juris Doctor degree is only accepted and considered proper in the education field. College professors, college officials, etc. That is considered acceptable and proper. Outside of the educational arena, it is not recognized.

This Longhorn fan does not want to hear an Okie band do Texas Fight. No! Gag me with a tuba!


Being a Longhorn fan I would love to hear the OU band play the Texas fight song at the end of a game.

Being a Longhorn fan I would love to hear the OU band play the Texas fight song at the end of a game.

You mean "I've been working on the railroad?"

This Longhorn fan does not want to hear an Okie band do Texas Fight. No! Gag me with a tuba!

I'll bet The Pride could do a great version of this even with only 150 members . . .
o4fWN6VvgKQ

In fact, that meddler on the sidelines in the background should demand it.
It ain't 'zackly "Football-esque" but what does that matter?
All new traditions have to start somewhere . . .

"I've been working on the railroad?" no... what are you talking about?


You mean "I've been working on the railroad?"

IF there were an intent on trying to tweak and update the Pride's offerings, it just got crushed from what would have to be a textbook exposition of How Not To Update An Institution, subtitled "He Who Underestimates Social Media Risks....Much."

If you want to change an institution, to update its offerings, you start from inside, establish credibility in and out of the organization (to its public face), see what is and isn't important about that institution to the public, and then make surgical decisions about change. You don't come in with a machete and embark on a scorched earth policy. That alienates you from...well, everyone.

This new director, if he's truly working in that much of a vacuum, has put himself so thoroughly behind an eight ball it may be impossible for him to make any relevant changes to the Pride. And he has no one but himself to blame. He may have thought he had the opportunity to work with impugnity due to the presumed influence of "higher ups," but didn't realize even that kind of influence has limits. He's going to have to work to build and then rebuild untold relationships to get to the point where his every move from here on isn't scrutinized.

Case in point: One change to the pregame that wasn't quite such a big deal to me was replacing "Grand Ol' Flag" with some special arrangement of "America the Beautiful." GOF, the way the Pride has played it, is hard to sing, the transition out is always awkward, and really hurts the clapping rhythm and energy the pregame is designed to generate. And a brief, up-tempo version of ATB might have been a great replacement. But guess what? The insistence on changing EVERYTHING at ONCE has probably put the kibosh on even that small a change.

Now think about it: Had this guy made one change - just the GOF change - this year - I think it would have been received warmly, perhaps even enthusiastically. But not now. The Pride, now, is going to be under a microscope, and it will IMO be very difficult for any changes not have a "shadow" of this "brouhaha" over them. Sadly, it was all so unnecessary - unless the guy was working under some unknown direction from the regent mentioned earlier in the thread. Who knows. And if that was the case, shame on the OU higher-ups for granting "authority" they shouldn't have in the first place.

That's about learning to deal with people in a public-facing business, and like it or not, a university band from a big time football school is very much a public-facing business. This has been a hard lesson for the guy to learn, and it may take a looong time to get back to where he might have been had he proffered a more conciliatory or at least measured approach - assuming he ever can.

IMO, there's lots of egg to be wiped off of lots of faces. And the killer of it all was the entire episode was so thoroughly unnecessary.

I'm patriotic and all, but I would give a standing ovation if we would dump "Grand Ol' Flag." It's way cheesy, and as you saliently point out, detracts from the pre-game atmosphere. I would also like to retire the "Dr. Who" BS.

Let's stick with Boomer Sooner, the Chant and the National Anthem, then maybe some kicked up techno when we await the arrival of the team.

"I've been working on the railroad?" no... what are you talking about?Apparently the original version of that tune has been banned in Texas... Next thing you know they'll be banning all variants of "Wildwood Flower" as well.

nm

The use of Dr. by a person with a Juris Doctor degree is only accepted and considered proper in the education field. College professors, college officials, etc. That is considered acceptable and proper. Outside of the educational arena, it is not recognized.

And even in ED, I think it is something fairly recent, e.g., not all that common before R Webb became a uni president at NSU back in the day.
(might be mistaken. simply not certain)

Being a Longhorn fan I would love to hear the OU band play the Texas fight song at the end of a game.''

No you wouldn't. . I've been there when they (OU) played the Eyes of Texas. . .off key, out of tempo, rag-tag s#i&. . . but then, neither do I like it when the Texas band/crowd does the "poor Okies" thing.

Texas would actually have to not get routed by OU first. ;)

been known to happen!!

Went to the game on Saturday and boy was I disappointed in the band. First off you couldn't hear them 90% of the time. And from what I heard they were going to keep the opening of the pre-game the same, which they didn't. It may be close, but it's not 100% the same, and is honestly worse. I heard a lot of people around me making the same comments that they seemed very lackluster this year. Hopefully they make some changes because it was pretty bad.

Went to the game on Saturday and boy was I disappointed in the band. First off you couldn't hear them 90% of the time. And from what I heard they were going to keep the opening of the pre-game the same, which they didn't. It may be close, but it's not 100% the same, and is honestly worse. I heard a lot of people around me making the same comments that they seemed very lackluster this year. Hopefully they make some changes because it was pretty bad.

Agree. My parents and I are season ticket holders and between the Pride and the new intro video, it was probably one of the weakest pregame experiences I've ever witnessed there. I would've been embarrassed if I brought someone from out of town to a game for the first time. Obviously the most important part is the game itself, but the pride's pregame is a cool tradition and it annoys me to know end that some new Jjack*** director from Wisconsin, who has never been to an ou game, was allowed to walk in and mess up something that has been great for 30+ years. Just as you said, my parents and I couldn't even tell if it was the same routine because we couldn't hear 95% of it and I walked in at the field level when it started...they were playing IN MY DIRECTION and I couldn't hear it. Everyone around me as I walked up the stairs made similar comments. I wonder if it had anything to do with the 50 or so members that the new director didnt allow to participate in the pregame? It's getting a lot of grief from pride alumni, pride members, the OU newspaper, and on OU message boards everywhere. Hopefully it works itself out but I at least plan to send some emails to Boren, the guy over the new director, and whoever else I can think of. It may not help, but it won't hurt to add a few to the stack I'm sure they've already received.

This is what we're dealing with:
4346

I'm not advocating firing the guy, he should be given a chance to fix this...however, if nothing changes a few games in, I think he needs to find a new school with less tradition to ruin.

I'm all for giving the guy an opportunity to change it back. I don't mind adding things, but the fan favorites have to stay.

Saturday was my 270th OU football game to attend.
I liked the new marching style... but other than that.....
The song selections where not great and the volume was extremely poor. The band looked smaller than normal.
I can't remember any OU band performance this bad at OU since the mid to early 70's.
I have heard the band directors at The university of Michigan and Michigan state applied for OU’s marching band position, those are both great marching bands, but the guy they hired was supposedly less qualified, but very well connected to an OU regent?
OU should have a better and much bigger marching band!

I have been told West Virginia will be bring its full 400 member marching band. They have traditionally had a very good band. But they didn't handle the heat to well during their last trip to Norman in 1978.

I have been told West Virginia will be bring its full 400 member marching band. They have traditionally had a very good band. But they didn't handle the heat to well during their last trip to Norman in 1978.
Did their band make the trip in 1982? I can't remember if they did or not but do remember that it was a loss, my freshman year there.

Did their band make the trip in 1982? I can't remember if they did or not but do remember that it was a loss, my freshman year there.

No, their band did not come to the game in 82.
The 103 (or so) degree heat of 1978 was to fresh on their minds. They actually wore heavy wool uniforms in 78.
By the second half of the 78 game the WV folks were dropping like fly’s. A few were even hospitalized.
The heat didn't bother me at all that day, but thank god for lights and early season night games today.

The Sooners did lose the 82 game. WV had a very good passing QB.

No, their band did not come to the game in 82.
The 103 (or so) degree heat of 1978 was to fresh on their minds. They actually wore heavy wool uniforms in 78.
By the second half of the 78 game the WV folks were dropping like fly’s. A few were even hospitalized.
The heat didn't bother me at all that day, but thank god for lights and early season night games today.

The Sooners did lose the 82 game. WV had a very good passing QB.
Yep, Jeff Hostetler who went on to win a Superbowl with the Giants. My father came down for that game, we sat in the south end zone stands....it was a long game from there.

Agree. My parents and I are season ticket holders and between the Pride and the new intro video, it was probably one of the weakest pregame experiences I've ever witnessed there. I would've been embarrassed if I brought someone from out of town to a game for the first time. Obviously the most important part is the game itself, but the pride's pregame is a cool tradition and it annoys me to know end that some new Jjack*** director from Wisconsin, who has never been to an ou game, was allowed to walk in and mess up something that has been great for 30+ years. Just as you said, my parents and I couldn't even tell if it was the same routine because we couldn't hear 95% of it and I walked in at the field level when it started...they were playing IN MY DIRECTION and I couldn't hear it. Everyone around me as I walked up the stairs made similar comments. I wonder if it had anything to do with the 50 or so members that the new director didnt allow to participate in the pregame? It's getting a lot of grief from pride alumni, pride members, the OU newspaper, and on OU message boards everywhere. Hopefully it works itself out but I at least plan to send some emails to Boren, the guy over the new director, and whoever else I can think of. It may not help, but it won't hurt to add a few to the stack I'm sure they've already received.

This is what we're dealing with:
4346

I'm not advocating firing the guy, he should be given a chance to fix this...however, if nothing changes a few games in, I think he needs to find a new school with less tradition to ruin.


No wonder. What were we thinking...


DR. JUSTIN R. STOLARIK is currently the Director of Athletic Bands and Associate Director of Bands at the University of Oklahoma, where his primary role is as Director of The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band. Prior to his appointment at OU, he served four years as Assistant Director of Bands at The University of Wisconsin-Madison and one year as Assistant Director of Bands at Henderson State University. While at UW-Madison, Dr. Stolarik coordinated three consecutive Wisconsin Band trips to the Rose Bowl Game, which included notable performances at L.A. Live! with Everlast from the House of Pain and will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas. He worked closely with the legendary Professor Michael Leckrone, who continues to hold the longest marching band director tenure in the country.

Dr. Stolarik has taught and arranged for marching bands in Florida, Texas, Arkansas, and Wisconsin, as well as for the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. He holds a bachelor’s degree with highest honors in Music Education from The University of Florida, and master’s and doctorate degrees in Percussion Performance from The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Stolarik’s past performances have been featured in issues of Modern Drummer and Percussion News.

I'm willing to start the conspiracy theory that he's a plant from texas meant to demoralize the crowd.

I just got back from OK and the game and this is the first time I have ever been compelled to make a comment about the band's performance. IMO, the pre-game changes, though relatively minor, decreased the pep and rev-up factor tremendously from the old routine. I agree with a couple of the folks above. I was on row 13 on the 30 yard line and could hardly hear them. I know nothing about playing those kinds of instruments so I don't know if the band is smaller or if they weren't playing as loud (drums or horns or anything) but I simply couldn't hear them well. I saw a photograph in a book this weekend from the 1970's and it seems to me there were twice the number of Pride members then as there are now. I have been to well over a hundred games over the years and the Pride used to really blast it. You could feel the music at times, it was exciting and it got you ready for the game. This just didn't happen on Saturday.

My other comment is about the halftime show. Again it was very low volume but the choice of music in combination with the announcer trying to rev up the audience- only to hear a slow version of "The Way We Were" was just laughable. This is by far, the lamest half time show I have seen the Pride give. Terrible, awful choices of music. Nothing at all directed at the band members but at the director. Plain and simple, it was dull, it was slow paced, it was lousy pop syrupy music. For lack of a better way to describe it, it was MUZAK. There was absolutely nothing that displayed the talents of the band and considering the comments around me, I was far from the only one who felt this way. Come on Pride, rev it up and blast us some. Make us feel the drums and get us excited. If I hadn't been so flipping hot, I could have napped thru the halftime routine.

As a long time fan, and someone who was at least willing to give an altered pregame show a chance, I can't help but offer how disappointed I was in, well, everything.

Please let me make it clear that my observations are not directed towards the kids in the band, who are only doing what their directors and leadership are telling them to do, but the changes being made by the leadership are just, well, wrong.

First, the decrease in size is a horrendous mistake. For whatever reason, band acoustics in OU's stadium have never been ideal, but the reduction in players (by at least 10% I'd guess) makes the volume issues that much worse. It looks worse on the field.

Second, the changes to the pregame have absolutely killed the crowd warmup dynamic. The goofy new run-on has no rhythm, no cadence, and frankly looks amateurish. The songs were virtually unlistenable.

Third, the PA announcer supporting the band has a script that sounds like it was written for a high school.

The rumors I hear indicate that a regent, who has musical production ties, force-fed the changes down to Boren because he wanted a "more Broadway style" from the band. I don't know if that's true, but I can't fathom that anyone familiar with the history of the Pride would say these changes are to the Pride's benefit, or to the crowd's benefit, nor to the overall atmosphere of the game. I know the Pride's prior director, Brian Britt, came under heavy criticism for his apparent predisposition to exacting musical accuracy from the band rather than crowd entertainment, and when I heard he quit last year, I thought perhaps cooler heads would prevail and the band would return more to its roots as established under Gene Thrailkill. I didn't think it could get worse. But it has. And apparently no small part of these changes have been imported from Wisconsin, via a directory with UTexas roots. I won't even begin to pretend I understand that.

I realize a school band's pre-game show isn't an issue like world peace, so its very unlikely anything will change, and this supposed regent will get (well, has) his toy band to play with. It's just sad to see a great pre-game tradition blown apart merely for the sake of blowing it apart. It doesn't help anyone.