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.

[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

[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.

[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 ..

[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?

[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.

[Boomer3791]

Here's a link to one of the more active threads on this topic, in case any of you are interested. LandThieves.com

[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

[ereid]

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

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

[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.

[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.

[Rover]

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

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.

[ou48A]

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

[ereid]

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

[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."

[SoonerDave]

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.

[ou48A]

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.

[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.

[Dustin]

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...

[traxx]

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.