SWAC Reprimands Grambling State and Prairie View A&M Bands


Why don't the bands just put together a BOTB before or after the game, and leave the football game to the football fans? It's clear that the SWAC office is trying to comply with the rules of the NCAA...but the interpretation of the rules are so unclear across the board, and the enforcement of the rule is a joke to begin with, the bands are gonna end up completely silenced throughout the entire game.

[scary thought]
After a while, the SWAC office is gonna cut halftime in half...again, and discontinue the bands from playing the fight songs and alma maters, as they "disrupt the flow of the football game" (especially if your fight song or alma mater exceeds the newly installed 25 second rule).
[/scary thought]


Seriously though...the bands can cut these long arrangements in half or something. Save the whole song for the BOTB that you will plan. Arrange shorter arrangements...and try to get coordinated with the football team. This shouldn't be a fight for the spotlight between the bands and football teams. The band will lose out EVERYTIME.

So, the best the bands can do right now, is focus on unexpected cutoffs, and shortened arrangements for football games, for starters...and setting up BOTB's and possibly earning the bands a little pocket change on the side.

As frustrating is it must be for bands now, with these rules in place, there's always a way to get around these rules and make everybody happy in the end.
~just a thought~
 



MACKG said:
People b*tch when the band doesn't play enough and they b*tch when they play too much.

Let's see what happens when the bands march in...don't play jack during the game...do halftime...and leave after the game without 5th quarter.
Click to expand...

If that happens it will show selfish the group is. And if the people follow them like sheep in the band's protest by not showing up for games, it will be disappointing, considering how much we talk about wanting to give back to the university and the athletic department so that fans can enjoy a quality product on the field. And it will come down to priorities for fans.
 
PVSAX99 said:
...Seriously though...the bands can cut these long arrangements in half or something. Save the whole song for the BOTB that you will plan. Arrange shorter arrangements...and try to get coordinated with the football team. This shouldn't be a fight for the spotlight between the bands and football teams. The band will lose out EVERYTIME.

So, the best the bands can do right now, is focus on unexpected cutoffs, and shortened arrangements for football games, for starters...and setting up BOTB's and possibly earning the bands a little pocket change on the side.

As frustrating is it must be for bands now, with these rules in place, there's always a way to get around these rules and make everybody happy in the end.
~just a thought~
Click to expand...
There are some very good thoughts here. From my observation the biggest problems with our bands playing during the game are:
  1. The bands are not ready to play when it is time to play.
  2. When they do play, they play too long, even causing problems for their own team.

First, what needs to be embraced during football season is the pep band concept from basketball season in that bands have to always have the next tune ready to play. There are plenty of opportunities to play:
  • Timeouts (as many as 6 per half and 12 per game; considering that 3 or 4 of them in the first half will be called when the bands are on the sidelines, figure on 2 in the first half and all 6 in the second for a total of 8)
  • Punts (depends on how well the defenses are playing)
  • Turnovers (great time to rally the crowd and pump up the team)
  • Officials discussions (everyone likes something quick)

Second, like PVSAX99 says, you have to have some shorts and charges to play. Here are some examples:
  • Bad call by the ref - Just Got Paid (8 bars)
  • Big sack by defense - R-E-S-P-E-C-T (6 bars)
  • First down - Last measure of ESPN
  • Critical series at the end of the game - O Fortuna (8 bars)
  • Goal line stand - Imperial March (Star Wars - 8 bars)
  • Red zone - Mars (Holst - 14 bars)
  • Turnover - Shout (12 bars)
These are all signals sent by the band to show the team support and to let the crowd know what to do.

Let the bands have their pre-game (my preference - will help more people be on-time for the game to support the team) or 5Q to showcase their musicianship.
 
SAME OLD G said:
A person who goes to a football game for reasons other than football would say something like that.
Click to expand...

It's called a total game experience

kendrick said:
To the person who said you can't have HBCU football without the bands is a tard. College football in the SWAC or any other HBCU conference won't cease to exist because the band has limits on when it can play. And if people don't want to be part of a civilized football game, then don't buy a ticket or go watch the band practice.

Seriously, you think if the bands at the Miami-Oklahoma game had restrictions on when they could play or were suspended, those fans wouldn't show up?
Click to expand...

You're saying apples but comparing them to oranges.

I was at my sons high school game last night and their bands played the whole game. These are predominately white high schools and nothing was said about it. When our team was on their last drive to win the game, the opposing schools band cranked up big time when the team was right in front of them. Our team went about their business and drove down the field for the game winning TD.
 
Fiyah said:
It's called a total game experience



You're saying apples but comparing them to oranges.

I was at my sons high school game last night and their bands played the whole game. These are predominately white high schools and nothing was said about it. When our team was on their last drive to win the game, the opposing schools band cranked up big time when the team was right in front of them. Our team went about their business and drove down the field for the game winning TD.
Click to expand...

Well, that is great your sons team were able pull one out under those circumstances. It shows how focused those kids are. But for the band to crack it up like that was bush. See I get the whole idea thar the band should be part of the game. They should. But I don't like when a concert breaks out and the band gets in the way of the game. That has been the cade on occassions when I listen to or watch an HBCU football game. Even the horrible Jackson State announcers brought up during the game last week.


And I get a lot of fans are at games just to watch and enjoy the bands. But those people should not scare schools or the conference from making the right decisions when it comes to band behavior during games.
 
Ok if i was in the band right now i would be pissed. We cant play during the game, 8 minute halftimes, and 4 song 5th quarters. I understand if the other team has the ball, but dang, if they are 80 yards away from you i think its ok to play. Now i do agree that they need to be ready when they do have a shot to play, but i also agree that the bands are about 45% of hbcu football.
 
The biggest thing is that bands are not ready to play when it is time. If bands are ready to play when they can, there would be more opportunities for the band to play.

Now I am a high school band director. We don't have the same stipulations (to my knowledge) as to when we can and can't play. We play during the huddle, the play, etc. We don't play during an injury, and will either bring it down to a whisper or stop playing altogether when our offense is at the line.
 
GramUntilDeath said:
Not sure why Gram was reprimanded.... In all honesty PV was being totally disrespectful even after the man said to stop playing... They continued to play like he did not even make the anouncement.... Kinda reminded me of how Jstate was doing in the 3rd quarter of the SCG last year.... OH WELL!!!!!!!



But like someone else said neither coach complained.....
In my opinion it starts at the top....
Click to expand...

And you know PV ain't gone abide by no reprimand:lecture:, they still haven't sat out the game for the SU fight in '98! The SWAC office can't make anyone follow the rules, :noidea:just let the officials throw the flag.
 
juggarnaut91 said:
And you know PV ain't gone abide by no reprimand:lecture:, they still haven't sat out the game for the SU fight in '98! The SWAC office can't make anyone follow the rules, :noidea:just let the officials throw the flag.
Click to expand...

Yes they did, they sat out the game after the SFC.
 
Fiyah said:
It's called a total game experience.
Click to expand...

I am not saying what it is or isn't. I am simply making the point that a person who makes that statement isn't there for the football game. I am fully aware that people go to game for various reasons.
 
PsychoJag said:
But Frat why stop it? That's a part of what we call the HBCU game experience. SU and JSU are the two most powerful bands in the SWAC. Both of them playing at full blast plus all of the fans screaming still ain't as loud as stadiums like LSU, Ohio St, or USC. So what's the problem?
Click to expand...

For one, bands (like mascots and Cheerleaders) are considered part of the school. They are subject to the same rules as the team (unlike fans).

Straight from the rule book.

"Persons subject to the rules, including bands, shall not create any
noise that prohibits a team from hearing its signals (Rule 1-1-6)."

"Persons Subject to the Rules
ARTICLE 6. a. All persons in the team area are subject to the rules and are
governed by the decisions of the officials.
b. All players, substitutes, replaced players, coaches, trainers, cheerleaders
in uniform, band members in uniform, mascots in uniform, commercial
mascots, public-address announcers, audio and video system operators,
and other persons affiliated with the teams or institutions are subject to
the rules and are governed by the decisions of the officials."


For example, you cannot send your mascot down to the sidelines (mascots are allowed on the sidelines) to blow an airhorn while the other team is calling signals.

Another example, is give your cheerleaders a microphone and speakers to yell in while the other team is calling signals.

Your home PA annoucer cannot use that to disrupt the other teams signals.

Link to rulebook
 



You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top