Pride of Oklahoma Changes

[Boomer3791]

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 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.

[SoonerDave]

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.

[venture]

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.

[Dubya61]

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.

[Rover]

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.

[zookeeper]

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.

[ou48A]

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.

[Bigrayok]

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

[Head]

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.

When a photographer friend of mine told me that Toby Keith had offered her a drink during the game, I asked "Did he have a flask or something?"
"No, in his suite, dummy!", she said.
Which only means to me, "If you have enough money, the rules don't apply."
The almighty dollar trumps your life, and mine, on a daily basis.

[ou48A]

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

[BoulderSooner]

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 ..

[ou48A]

maybe they are listening ..

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

[ou48A]

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.

[HangryHippo]

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?

[ou48A]

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

[HangryHippo]

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.

[kevinpate]

Don't know the author. Never involved myself in band after high school. Still, that was indeed a spot on letter, addressing the far more serious issues of what the future may hold under the present course.

[MsProudSooner]

Don't know the author. Never involved myself in band after high school. Still, that was indeed a spot on letter, addressing the far more serious issues of what the future may hold under the present course.

If that doesn't catch the attention of the Board of Regents, nothing will.

[SoonerDave]

If that doesn't catch the attention of the Board of Regents, nothing will.

Here's the thing that catches my attention: You have a significant number of (apparently) upper-class members engaging in staged walkouts - and the article indicated this was only the "first section" to take action. That tells me more such walkouts are ahead, and it is my opinion that those kids wouldn't engage in such an action if they didn't have at least some informal orchestration from someone higher up, someone with some measure of influence.

If what I consider the worst of the rumors to be true - that the guy literally ran out of practice in tears, openly sobbing due to complaints - the guy has no business in the position.

That the situation has evolved to this is embarrassing.

[Boomer3791]

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.

[traxx]

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.

[Andrew4OU]

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.

[ljbab728]

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.

[traxx]

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

This is what I have a problem with.

[Andrew4OU]

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...