PR announces administrative change!

[The Tsar]

Nikk might be able to remember this. I have some rather grim memories of Bob quite literally running after me as we practiced, yelling "Why are you doing that??! It's a straight line! March a straight line!" He did that all winter and up to the first show, then left me alone.

It didn't help at all that Brazale had me between the two shortest people in the soprano section for a lot of the show! I stuck out like a sore thumb and despite the fact that I'd had two years of drum corps experience, my marching technique, well, sucked.

Ahh...good ol' Bob.

Remember he had a corps jacket that said "Bob Staff." Apparently they didn't separate it out right, so it looked like it was his name. Most other people just had their first name embroidered. I remember someone asking him if that was his name and he got really annoyed. Hilarious! b**bs

You know...I am sure we could all tell a "Bob Story" if we thought back hard enough.

I remember one time in 1992 he was riding pretty roughshod over Stacy Farrell in a rehearsal...and once he got in a bad mood, he'd take it out on the entire section. I clearly recall Brian Bouton taking him on and basically standing up to him, telling him we were not going to be abused any more. I respected Brian a heck of a lot more after that day.

Another story from 1992, that I alluded to earlier: I was on the unloading crew, as you recall (the lead baris were (are?) the unloading crew for Regiment), and someone down on the ground made some comment during our infamous soprano toss.

Surprisingly, though I took a ton of pictures on tour (I can't even imagine how many I'd have taken if digital cameras existed back then!), I only have one of Bob Smith, though I wasn't even taking a picture of him...he just happened to be in the shot. Gotta love Roderick dressed up as a cheerleader. That's my rookie! :P

[Phansouth]

Check the stats - everytime Pat becomes involved in a corps, they place significantly better by the time he leaves. In 2000, his last year at Southwind, they missed finals by .15, and Regiment...well, yeah.

Pat's a great guy, but his style is foreign to most people, because he doesn't take a hands on approach to instruction. His philosophy is all about making sure the members have what they need to excell - that they get where they need to be comftorblly, have food, plenty of floor time, the best instructors - bassically, he viewed the corps administration as having a commitment to succeed at those tasks just as the members have a committment on the field.

I'm sure he will be missed, but I'm excited for whatever group he goes to work with next.

I agree. Thanks, Pat, for a great run! SUTA to you!

[wickerbill]

I must have done an OK job the year I marched because Bob hardly ever said anything to me and I'm pretty sure I finished the summer without him even knowing my name. I do remember one time in basics block he gave me a compliment. That pretty much made my day.

I do remember though during finals week on one of our practice fields there were a lot of fire ant mounds that we had to navigate around. My spot on a set we were working on was right on top of a fire ant mound so I was standing out of the form. Bob wasn't pleased and didn't seem to think that fire ants were a good enough reason to not stand where I was supposed to be! Chris Church, one of our visual guys, actually had to go to the emergency room that week after getting attacted by fire ants. He spent the rest of the week helping clean drill from the stands instead of being on the field.

[Phansouth]

Hah! Those were still going on in 1991. Actually, we had three-way arguments between Bob, Brian, and Mike Mitchell (Waldo). It was always fun to see them go after each other instead of us for a change. Nevertheless, the 1991 baritone section was pretty ###### when it came to marching, thanks to those three guys.

Nikk, seems like I recall you getting in a pretty intense argument with Hildreth in '92. Seems like we were doing some rehearsal days in Minnesota.

[The Tsar]

Nikk, seems like I recall you getting in a pretty intense argument with Hildreth in '92. Seems like we were doing some rehearsal days in Minnesota.

It's possible. But I always liked Hildreth, and had a pretty good working relationship with him and with Waldo. Bob is really the only one that gave me crap nonstop...and that ceased after the 1992 season.

[raphael18]

I was told one story about a year when Bob didn't win Corps B***h at the Banquet, and the next day he drilled everyone insanely hard, and said that they should remmember that for next year.

[year1buick]

You mean the "Gonad Song?"

Heh heh.

That is a special song just for members of the 1990 and 1991 corps. :P

:) I was just lucky enough to have a bus seat in front of some 91 vets.

Edited August 28, 2006 by year1buick

[year1buick]

Funnily enough...I have this moment on video tape. And you're on it as well. I had brought my camcorder to camp that year, and filmed most of the pre-rehearsal crazyness.

As far as Bob Smith goes...I had my share of run-ins with him, including a pretty bad one in 1992. Bob played favourites, and definitely chose certain people to ride over the course of a summer. In 1991, it was me...probably because he was working baritones, and I was the only rookie on lead. He mellowed out in 1993, and by 1994 he was actually pretty decent.

Of course, by decent I mean "spawn of the devil," but you know what I mean.

That would be funny to see. That corps hall was something else-- wasn't it about a 1000 degrees inside that day (while it was about 30 outside--with snow)?

[year1buick]

Yeah, in 03 I only remmember one block with Dan - he took us off and we trekked Big Momma for a while. Definately a nice changel of pace from our normal sub-sectionals. Other than that, he ran ensemble and regulated the staff.

As for Bob...yeah, I thought he hated me more than anyone else the entire summer (probably had something to do with my White Sox hat). He was all over me from move-ins until two weeks before finals (who knows what changed - of course, I did lose my hat at about that time). It was so bad that I had to ask Will (a great guy) if I was really that bad, and he reassured me that I wasn't. After finals Bob came up to me, and we talked for a second, and I walked away feeling pretty good. At times it felt incredibly petty and mean spirited, but I couldn't help but respect the fact that he'd been doing it for so long.

Man, I'd forgotten about "Big Mama." Another legacy of Bill Peterson, who also coined the nickname "Buicks." He (and Albert Lo) would reserve it for the last 15 minutes of tracking--brutal.

[year1buick]

You know...I am sure we could all tell a "Bob Story" if we thought back hard enough.

I remember one time in 1992 he was riding pretty roughshod over Stacy Farrell in a rehearsal...and once he got in a bad mood, he'd take it out on the entire section. I clearly recall Brian Bouton taking him on and basically standing up to him, telling him we were not going to be abused any more. I respected Brian a heck of a lot more after that day.

Another story from 1992, that I alluded to earlier: I was on the unloading crew, as you recall (the lead baris were (are?) the unloading crew for Regiment), and someone down on the ground made some comment during our infamous soprano toss.

Surprisingly, though I took a ton of pictures on tour (I can't even imagine how many I'd have taken if digital cameras existed back then!), I only have one of Bob Smith, though I wasn't even taking a picture of him...he just happened to be in the shot. Gotta love Roderick dressed up as a cheerleader. That's my rookie! :P

That picture is hilarious! I've got to go find my pictures and scan them one day...(they're in a box somewhere in my parent's attic--hopefully not ruined)