Band v. Football Fan

[Dansize]

So what do you do when a self-righteous football fan has the bully pulpit of an editorial page to bash the local high school band? You share it with those who might have an opinion (and wish to share it):

http://dailysparkstribune.com/view/full_story/23681907/article-Commentary---Tooting-your-own-horn-not-appropriate-all-the-time-?instance=sports_lead_story#cb_post_comment_23681907

[snaredude08]

Granted, we don't truly know what the facts are, since this guy could be stretching the truth and then some, but if he's not, he kind of has a point. Playing while the ball is actually in motion has always been frowned upon, since it interferes with the attempts to actually, you know, play the game. And playing anything while a player is down is never in good taste (even if it's sometimes tempting, especially at the college level).

[ShainaBassoon]

I can't speak to the rules of this particular football league, but when this guy addresses the band playing while the clock is ticking, where I went to high school if a play wasn't being run, the bands, visiting and away, are allowed to play. I still think the QB in the situation he presented would have to yell to be heard. There's a lot of noise without bands playing even at high school football games.

But this is beside my main point. I think this is a prime example of the chasm between 'band people' and 'football people'. It was a problem in my high school and the football coach and our band director got along fantastically and cooperated with what music would be played and different things of that nature. When this guy referenced turning over the ball on downs while being down a couple touchdowns at the end of a game and he was upset the band was playing a 'rah rah' tune speaks to the fact that he sees the band as there to show off. In fact he says so less blatantly elsewhere and in my high school that's how a lot of players felt and even some of the fans. But even if this band is a competitive marching band, as mine was, they aren't there to play their halftime show and try to get people to pay attention to them. They truly are there to root on the football team. I think this gets lost between football players and fans seeing band people as stuck up and band people not understanding the game of football. (These are generalizations, not an attack on either party.)

I said before that this rift was a problem in my high school, and it was, but really only between certain people. The football players, if we performed after the game, would stay to watch (even if the coach was making them stay, many enjoyed the shows). And one of my favorite memories was coming back from winning championships to a playoff football game and being able to perform an encore at halftime and those football fans cheered for us like they did for their team when our championship was announced. I hope this editorial doesn't drive the two 'sides' so to speak apart in this town, but sparks an open talk to help people understand. Because with cooperation can come some really awesome memories.

[Toby]

Most levels of athletics have a code for noise made by artificial items (including bands). Typically when the ball/puck is in play, any artificial noise is to be stopped, and that includes piped in music and sounds. During stoppages, it's usually open season for how you want to distract the opposing team (within reason).

That said, this guy really should have brought it up with the school's athletic department and administration instead of a letter to the editor.

[Dansize]

Wasn't a letter to the editor but an editorial authored by the paper's Editor in Chief.

[Stu]

I think that Mr. Eckles and Mr. Reynolds both need get together and travel a little south of Sparks, NV, where this ruckus took place, and go a fine establishment on Moonlite Road in Carson City, NV to chill out for a while. That will calm things down a bit!

[Michael Boo]

This sort of thing started to be problem when we allowed football teams to use marching band fields.

I've attended some halftimes at high school games where the bulk of the audience left after the band did their halftime show. If it wasn't for the band, some teams would have practically no one in the stands to cheer them on.

I'm curious how much energy there would be in the stands if the band went to the game, played the national anthem and school song, then sat in the stands waiting for long breaks where they could fire up a movie theme or recent dance tune, then sat respectfully quiet the rest of the game. I bet the silence would be deafening.

But at least one sports columnist would be happy, and that's what's important to remember.

[Lead]

I've had my Athletic Director come to me REPEATEDLY begging for me to tell the Band Parents not to leave after we perform the halftime show, because the school received phone calls from the athletic parents saying it was disrespectful of the band parents to leave.

My response (I'm sure you can all guess) was to say, "I will tell the band parents they should respectfully stay for the entire game. As soon as you chain the exits to the bleachers shut and don't allow any football parents to go get a hot dog during halftime."

Obviously... I never heard any more about that after I gave that response :)

Also... Indiana rules prohibit the band from playing when the ball is in play. I have gotten warnings before and also a technical foul assessed once during a basketball game O.o Usually after a warning we tone it down for a while, but again, I tell everyone that the band is there to play and also to have fun, so we are going to play as much as possible. :)

[Dansize]

It seems the great level of local attention, comments and other blowback caused the paper to remove the editorial from their website this morning. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. As soon as this occured, I recalled other threads here that brought up conflicts that occur between music programs and other users of facilities. While I wish the article was never written, I was glad I could share it with others in the business.

[drummer5485]

Be glad he doesn't live in Texas. Our bands/drumlines play constantly while the ball is in play, whether on offense or defense. I love it.