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.

[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?

[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.

[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.

[HangryHippo]

Welcome to the board Stolarik.

Good to see you (maybe former) Pride member.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[SoonerDave]

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.

Been going to OU home games since 1974. OU's band this year was categorically the worst, hardest to hear, ever.

I must admit I've not seen any appreciable comments that the band was louder this year other than yours.

Thrailkill knew how to run a band, he knew it was a way to stoke the fans and support the team. Don't think there will ever be a Thrailkill again, sadly. My hope is that Stolarik is gone, but I doubt it will happen. Whether the quid pro quo rumors are true I can't say, all I know is that what marched out there last year was a pathetic impersonation of what was once a great, great Sooner band, and the sudden obsession with "show tunes" mysteriously dovetails with the "quid pro quo" stories that have made the rounds.

And let me be sure to clarify that my criticism of the band is not in the slightest intended to reflect on the kids who participated in it, but in the leadership that pointed it clearly in that direction. All the kids can do is what they're told.

[HangryHippo]

Been going to OU home games since 1974. OU's band this year was categorically the worst, hardest to hear, ever.

I must admit I've not seen any appreciable comments that the band was louder this year other than yours.

Thrailkill knew how to run a band, he knew it was a way to stoke the fans and support the team. Don't think there will ever be a Thrailkill again, sadly. My hope is that Stolarik is gone, but I doubt it will happen. Whether the quid pro quo rumors are true I can't say, all I know is that what marched out there last year was a pathetic impersonation of what was once a great, great Sooner band, and the sudden obsession with "show tunes" mysteriously dovetails with the "quid pro quo" stories that have made the rounds.

And let me be sure to clarify that my criticism of the band is not in the slightest intended to reflect on the kids who participated in it, but in the leadership that pointed it clearly in that direction. All the kids can do is what they're told.

I cannot speak to Thrailkill as I only experienced the Pride under his leadership in 2000-01. I thought Britt was worthless and the band was boring to watch and even harder to hear during his tenure. You remember it under Thrailkill who seems to have legendary status with older OU fans and I don't. I guess the band was a lot better then?

The whole thing kind of reminds me of that scene in Good Morning Vietnam when Robin Williams' character is going off and yells, "I don't care what you play, just play it loud!" I thought the new guy has them playing louder than what they did under Britt which is cool with me. It's a band at a college football game. It should be loud.

[ou48A]

Been going to OU home games since 1974. OU's band this year was categorically the worst, hardest to hear, ever.

I must admit I've not seen any appreciable comments that the band was louder this year other than yours.

Thrailkill knew how to run a band, he knew it was a way to stoke the fans and support the team. Don't think there will ever be a Thrailkill again, sadly. My hope is that Stolarik is gone, but I doubt it will happen. Whether the quid pro quo rumors are true I can't say, all I know is that what marched out there last year was a pathetic impersonation of what was once a great, great Sooner band, and the sudden obsession with "show tunes" mysteriously dovetails with the "quid pro quo" stories that have made the rounds.

And let me be sure to clarify that my criticism of the band is not in the slightest intended to reflect on the kids who participated in it, but in the leadership that pointed it clearly in that direction. All the kids can do is what they're told.

I agree on this^
With fewer marching members there was no way the band was louder.

[ou48A]

I cannot speak to Thrailkill as I only experienced the Pride under his leadership in 2000-01. I thought Britt was worthless and the band was boring to watch and even harder to hear during his tenure. You remember it under Thrailkill who seems to have legendary status with older OU fans and I don't. I guess the band was a lot better then?

The OU band under Coach was many times better than it is now,,,,
But Boren apparently totally ignored his recommendations.

[HangryHippo]

I agree on this^
With fewer marching members there was no way the band was louder.

You're smarter than this. Larger size does not necessarily equate to louder volume.

[ou48A]

You're smarter than this. Larger size does not necessarily equate to louder volume.

No not necessarily... but it did in this case. 100% no doubt, the OU band was not as loud
It wasn't loud in part because of how angry some band members were.

Basic human nature says that when people are completely dissatisfied with the quality of their supervision they won't work as hard to preform for them.

[SoonerDave]

I cannot speak to Thrailkill as I only experienced the Pride under his leadership in 2000-01. I thought Britt was worthless and the band was boring to watch and even harder to hear during his tenure. You remember it under Thrailkill who seems to have legendary status with older OU fans and I don't. I guess the band was a lot better then?

The whole thing kind of reminds me of that scene in Good Morning Vietnam when Robin Williams' character is going off and yells, "I don't care what you play, just play it loud!" I thought the new guy has them playing louder than what they did under Britt which is cool with me. It's a band at a college football game. It should be loud.

And Thrailkill knew loud. Heck, he knew how to be a factor in a game! He wasn't just some ivory tower music prof, he had his musical background and he had tremendous football IQ, too. He knew when on the road - esp. at Nebraska - to play Boomer Sooner loud and obnoxiously enough to juice up the team when there were barely 1,000 fans there. Heck, Barry Switzer credited the band with having a significant role in OU's 1983 comeback win over OSU up in Stillwater.

And I also agree with you that the Pride, under Britt, became quite stagnant. He, as I understand it, was more of a music purist in that he thought the band's selections should be played "musically correct," without regard to how it affected the fans or the environment. I don't know if that's true or not - it was conjecture I heard from people I respect over the years - but I sure knew the band didn't pass the same "eye and ear" tests I had come to know over the decades preceding him - and this Stolarik business is just, well, as noted in rumors I readily acknowledge I cannot personally substantiate,, rotten from the core and radiating in all directions.

[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