Well, here we are again. It's time to blow off a little steam about some item or event that aggravates me. Nice thing about having your own blog... you can do that.
I have been associated in one form or another with Troy University for over 40 years. Dang! Forty years! That term encompasses student, employee, and continuing contractor. In my 40+ years I have seen a lot of changes and a lot of others come and go. The ONE thing that has never changed is the Sound of the South Marching Band. It is the single largest recruiting organization on campus - has been for many, many years. More students come to Troy to play in the Sound of the South than come for any other specific entity on campus.
The band has always been the premier face of the university. Presidential inaugurations, gubernatorial inaugurations, parades, exhibitions, and many other events including providing support for the football team at games. The band has seen really great teams and very bad teams, and has cheered for them all. The relationship between the band and the athletic department is a close, warm, working-together-for-the-best atmosphere. It is stronger at Troy than at many other universities, and I know people from other places who envy that.
Another thing the band has always done well is entertain the people. Music that makes you tap your foot, or clap, or even sing! Music is one of a very few things that can turn a mood 180ยบ. It's near impossible to listen to fun music and stay mad about something, or dwell on the negative.
This past Saturday night was one of those nights where the football atmosphere is hot and exciting, the crowd and the band are in full voice and volume! What an evening. Enhancing the evening is that it is Band Day at Troy. The 20th Annual Band Day! Thirty-one bands from across the region - 1,500+ high school band kids - are at the game to take part. Every note the band plays energizes the end zone filled with band kids to dance and clap and cheer. And, of course, in there will be The Wave. It has become timeless in its ability to actively engage everyone willing to participate throughout the stadium. It is an event that takes place around the world.
But I suppose, as always, there are those who are never able to take fun for what it is and let it thrive. And so, when The Wave was initiated Saturday night by the Sound, and the crowd of those willing to have fun joined in the cheering, the band was chastised by some pasty, holier-than-thou humbug. (And that's the nicest way I can say that.) Sadly, there was another rock-thrower who even works for the university! Can you imagine a university employee publicly belittling another (larger, more successful) on-campus organization? I guess, really, who cares what some Social Media Manager thinks? Probably the same people who would care what a cell phone salesman thinks.
I should also note my disappointment that a commenter on the jerk's post noted that the Wave is "very high school." My disappointment is not because she doesn't get the concept of involving 1,500 HS kids in a fun activity just might bring some to Troy; it's that she has deep direct affiliation with the Sound throughout her family and friends. She also has (supposedly) a long love for the band. Nice showing. But...... I digress.
I suppose if either of these unhappy bullies were to allow their children to participate, they'd be singing things from the other side of their mouths. Though we will never know, the best we can ask of Chad and Jonathan is to leave the band alone, go stand over there, and try to find something else to do besides bash young people who are NOT drug addicts. They are NOT thugs. They are generally in a higher IQ bracket than non-music students. They function in a way that most could never commit to (Saturday alone was an 11+ hour day in extreme heat which physically took out about a dozen members, including sending 2 to the hospital).
And guess what??! They do it for 1 credit hour. ONE. SINGLE. FRIKKIN'. CREDIT. HOUR!
Maybe... just maybe... doing The Wave isn't THAT big a deal.
Besides, it's just marching band.
$.02
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