The Pride of Oklahoma

[Paule4ou]

Time for a change with the pride. Check out the Ohio State Marching Band performance below. OU needs to cut its losses with the new "leadership" and bring someone else in with the creative mindset for a performance that is up to OU standards.

Ohio State Marching Band "Michael Jackson Tribute" - Halftime vs. Iowa: 10-19-13 - YouTube

[borchard]

I completely agree. I am a band alumni. It pains me to see how bland and uninspiring the band is now. And I do NOT blame any of the kids in the band

[SoonerDave]

So long as Stolarik has an "in" with an influential donor, I think he's going to be in that position no matter how much he is loathed or the kind of damage he does to the Pride. It's a tragic situation that I think belongs squarely in David Boren's lap. I think Boren has done great things for OU, but this is a fairly digusting public debacle. I was never in the band, but I know folks who were, and treasured their time there, and know a great deal more about what's going on than is generally being discussed, and it's all just kind of...depressing. Those of us who remember the great Thrailkill days know those days are, sadly, gone forever.

[HangryHippo]

What damage has Stolarik done to the Pride? At least you can hear the band now.

[SoonerDave]

What damage has Stolarik done to the Pride? At least you can hear the band now.

Its been well documented (well, let's say discussed) in other forums, starting with a gutting of the pregame show, to implementing shows that were literally copies of the exact same shows Stolarik did at Wisconsin, even to the point of the band member walkout last fall. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. He upset enough people to inspire a Facebook page of Pride alumni begging for change that, last I checked, was getting thousands of hits and likes.

The point is, what's been going on from the time he was hired under questionable circumstances to now has been discussed at length in lots of places. In all honesty, I don't feel like rehashing it all here.

[HangryHippo]

Its been well documented (well, let's say discussed) in other forums, starting with a gutting of the pregame show, to implementing shows that were literally copies of the exact same shows Stolarik did at Wisconsin, even to the point of the band member walkout last fall. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. He upset enough people to inspire a Facebook page of Pride alumni begging for change that, last I checked, was getting thousands of hits and likes.

The point is, what's been going on from the time he was hired under questionable circumstances to now has been discussed at length in lots of places. In all honesty, I don't feel like rehashing it all here.

Perhaps you could have saved yourself a load of typing and just provided a link to the discussion?

[SoonerDave]

Perhaps you could have saved yourself a load of typing and just provided a link to the discussion?

Because I'm not about to sit here link all the possible sites that have had discussion on this topic in the last four or five months. Here's this:

Google results for "Stolarik OU band controversy"

Take your pick.

[borchard]

I disagree completely. I went to several games this year, and thought the exact opposite. I thought, "Wow! I can NOT hear the band!"

[SoonerDave]

I disagree completely. I went to several games this year, and thought the exact opposite. I thought, "Wow! I can NOT hear the band!"

Yup - apparently one of the first things that was done was to cut the band's size. Think there was some hope that all the controversy would force Stolarik to "take another position at the University" to allow all parties to save face, but appears that isn't going to happen..so far.

As a Sooner fan and grad who has been going to games since I was 8 years old, and understood how important the Pride has always been to the gameday atmosphere, and knowing how it was while I was at least a student (was never a band member myself), its nothing less than tragic to see how things have changed. Really, really sad.

[kwhey]

What damage has Stolarik done to the Pride? At least you can hear the band now.

Welcome to the board Stolarik.

[HangryHippo]

Welcome to the board Stolarik.

Good to see you (maybe former) Pride member.

[ou48A]

What damage has Stolarik done to the Pride? At least you can hear the band now.

You can not hear the band any better.
Smaller band size means less volume.
Rumors say that large numbers of OU band members will not be back if Stolarik is back next year?

[HangryHippo]

You can not hear the band any better.
Smaller band size means less volume.
Rumors say that large numbers of OU band members will not be back if Stolarik is back next year?

Smaller band size absolutely does NOT have to mean less volume. But thanks for trying.

[ou48A]

Smaller band size absolutely does NOT have to mean less volume. But thanks for trying.

But in this case the smaller band size has clearly made the OU band harder to hear....

I'm far from alone on this. I heard many complaints last year from those siting around me.
Then the stupid show tunes they play. WOW!
By the end of the season it was very apparent that hardly anyone was paying very much attention to the OU band.

[HangryHippo]

But in this case the smaller band size has clearly made the OU band harder to hear....

I'm far from alone on this. I heard many complaints last year from those siting around me.
Then the stupid show tunes they play. WOW!
By the end of the season it was very apparent that hardly anyone was paying very much attention to the OU band.

We disagree, but it's whatever. People around me thought the band was louder than it had been in years. People around you didn't.

[Andrew4OU]

I'm not sure where you guys are getting the idea that the band was smaller this past season than others. It's been consistently in the 290-320 range for 10+ years now. This year they had just about 290. The most they ever had was 320 in the 2003 season. However, you can bet it's down to about 250 next year. For those complaining about size, a larger band doesn't necessarily mean a bigger sound. The Ohio State band marches only 192 in its pregame and halftime block yet fills a 100,000+ seat stadium with a sound that's louder than the Pride and even the 400+ UT band.

[ou48A]

I'm not sure where you guys are getting the idea that the band was smaller this past season than others. It's been consistently in the 290-320 range for 10+ years now. This year they had just about 290. The most they ever had was 320 in the 2003 season. However, you can bet it's down to about 250 next year. For those complaining about size, a larger band doesn't necessarily mean a bigger sound. The Ohio State band marches only 192 in its pregame and halftime block yet fills a 100,000+ seat stadium with a sound that's louder than the Pride and even the 400+ UT band.

They didn't march the full OU band at least during the first part of the season. For some games you could see 25 to 30 band members on the sidelines or in the tunnel while the band was preforming.

[Zuplar]

Looks like this never really went away. It's a shame that after all this time and the same feeling that Boren isn't willing to do anything.

OU marching band members 'tired of being ignored' | News OK

[mdeand]

David Boren has been surprisingly poor in responding to this issue. He has taken the ostrich approach to complaints.

[dankrutka]

Looks like this never really went away. It's a shame that after all this time and the same feeling that Boren isn't willing to do anything.

OU marching band members 'tired of being ignored' | News OK

Well, he did address the free speech issue pretty promptly.

[ljbab728]

Well, he did address the free speech issue pretty promptly.

More details about this.

University of Oklahoma president lifts ban on band members' free speech | NewsOK.com

Boren struck down that requirement Friday in an email sent to the leadership of the College of Fine Arts.

“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.”

[Snowman]

When Boren even gives quotes indicating his response to things like this is to ignore it, it is no wonder they feel he is doing nothing.

[Laramie]

When Boren even gives quotes indicating his response to things like this is to ignore it, it is no wonder they feel he is doing nothing.

In defense of President Boren, he has to evaluate those faculty members. It wouldn't be in the University's interest for him to come out making statements in the media with regards to an individual faculty member's performance evaluation.

Did my graduate work at OU, this is a very political savvy university; these matters shouldn't be handled in the media.

I don't doubt that the members of the pride have concerns; however, there's always a risk when you begin to attack someone through the media. There will be 'concerns' when you bring in a new faculty member who doesn't fit the mold of the previous 'works' of the highly regarded director like Dr. Gene Thrailkill.

[mdeand]

In defense of President Boren, he has to evaluate those faculty members. It wouldn't be in the University's interest for him to come out making statements in the media with regards to an individual faculty member's performance evaluation.

Did my graduate work at OU, this is a very political savvy university; these matters shouldn't be handled in the media.

I don't doubt that the members of the pride have concerns; however, there's always a risk when you begin to attack someone through the media. There will be 'concerns' when you bring in a new faculty member who doesn't fit the mold of the previous 'works' of the highly regarded director like Dr. Gene Thrailkill.

Resorting to the media appears to be the last resort by students and alumni whose voices have been rejected by Boren. I don't blame them. He has disregarded their concerns. The fact remains Boren hired this band director, who did not meet the search committee criteria, to kotow to a board of regent (the same who has contributed heavily to Molly Boren's art collection at OU). The quality of the band has suffered. The result is a management failure by the OU president who put personal interest ahead of the university interest.

[mugofbeer]

I will agree that band members and alum may feel they have exhausted their avenues to be heard. The attitude of the response by President Boren tells me that he doesn't really give a **** about the feelings of former band members and a lot of alumni.

I was solicited the other day for a donation to the school and I let the very nice (likely) student know that I would withhold any further donations to the school until the President addresses the issue of the Pride Band Director with some due level of respect. The attitude that he was "disappointed" the alum would spend their money on advertisements rather than donating to the school was, at best, arrogant. It's their money to spend as they like and President Boren might want to be reminded that he is paid by taxpayers and donors.