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I love the idea of the Hockey band being seperate from the Marching Band. Now if we can find a way to fund this wonderful idea that would really be great! This is a true case of no budget and a lot of heart so feelings run really deep on this issue. Therefore, if I was offensive, I apologize.

As for the mics, at first they were not even letting them be mic'd and you could not hear the band at all in the lower bowl. Moving the mic's might be a good idea though. But overall, I love the band and hope that they continue to volunteer to be there through it all, raising the money themselves and everything...

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I love the idea of the Hockey band being seperate from the Marching Band. Now if we can find a way to fund this wonderful idea that would really be great! This is a true case of no budget and a lot of heart so feelings run really deep on this issue. Therefore, if I was offensive, I apologize.

As for the mics, at first they were not even letting them be mic'd and you could not hear the band at all in the lower bowl. Moving the mic's might be a good idea though. But overall, I love the band and hope that they continue to volunteer to be there through it all, raising the money themselves and everything...

I think the Pep Band should be run on the same standards and audition level as the varsity jazz band.

Mics should only be found in the woodwind section or some tall mics in front of the band for the entire band effect.

Damstrait -- I don't think the REA is trying to weed out the band in truth. It would be seen as a negative aspect to the arena's atmosphere if that happened. However, they do view band vs recording as a quality issue. Like Blais does with players. If Marvin can't hack it, then Bina or Foyt comes in. If the band is sucking, then the recorded music comes on. If the band shows it is playing well (for example, the band played very well on Saturday), then the air time should increase.

With the team out of town until December, I think the band is going to get a much needed break and practice time to refresh. I would think that the mics will be turned up more on December 5th. Depending upon how well they play, they could remain powered up. If they consistently overblow or squeal a lot, the mic's will get turned down and the recordings will dominate again. I think it is that simple.

In any case, if the Ralph wants to weed anything out, they can weed out the Blimps. No one would miss them. The discounts they drop are really not discounts at all. $50 off jerseys marked up $50 or a hotdog, fries, and coke for $12! No loss at all.

They could bring back turkey bowling and lose Northstar Telecom's find the phone contest. Bring back shot in the dark as well. The R/C truck contest is ok though.

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One of the comments made by the Gopher media director to Fank Mazzako on Fox Sports Net telecast of the Sioux/Gopher series was that although The Ralph had a pro feel about it, it did have a decididly collegiate atmosphere because of the students and the band. Their media guy commented that even the PA announcer was intense. Mazzako aggreed. Good praise from the rodent faithful. Keep that student and band stuff going. It's great. Zach Parise commented on the post game show after the Saturday St Cloud game that the fans don't realize how important their getting into the game means to the team. When the fans are quiet it really is dead in that building but when crowd intensity and noise are up he feels it really drives the team.

DG

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Let me state again that I was in the band the last five years. Even in 98-99 with you Redwing77. Whoever you are.

When I was a kid the band was it. They were the driving force at the games. Man the crowd would go nuts with a minute to go in a sweep and they band started playing "na-na-na-na, hey hey goodbye." I believe it is Land of a Thousand Dances. Then all of a sudden the band was cut. The music dept. scraped together its own money to fun the band again in 98-99 (there was a small hockey pep band before this). Because REA was used to playing music, we had to fight to play even then.

The band was in the hole something insane like $30,000 because they had to buy uniforms and instruments. That money is slowly being raised, but our sports teams got good really fast. All of sudden the athletic dept and alumni wanted the band to travel but wouldn't fund any of it. Wait, I think the alumni association might have picked up a trip or two. There are very few marching/pep bands in this nation that have to raise their own money. DI bands are flown around the country with the teams. For FB, the band was riding a bus to Florence and back for 52 hours. We were in Florence less than that. Plus we normally stay at places that don't even have working TVs.

The sound system was bought because the band used to be so small. Now the arena is so large. As a trombone player, I never used the mike. Hated them. The drums aren't miked either, but they come through on it. I agree that hockey band should be tryouts, but it's a big commitment to make to play an entire schedule. The bball band is a 25 member more jazzy band.

I wish the band played more traditional songs. We do play "beer barrell polka," but fans don't know the words. Even the band complains about who sucks. I don't have a problem with the complaining, but you shouldn't criticize an entire entity. Unless it's the Gophers we rarely say an entire team sucked. Normally someone played well.

I always hoped we could get some cheers that the band lead ala Wisconsin or any other big time band. If you hate the band so much, why don't you help come up with cheers and songs for them? They aren't going away anytime soon. Go to Marrypukey and the band is the cheering section.

I've always hated the drums with the sieve cheer. Wisconsin's sieve/school song is unreal. The whole crowd does it.

We are all students and fans that want what's best for the team. So lets make it better. Maybe someone needs to run to the old fogey section and tell them when to stand up and cheer. Oh, and the beer song gets old.

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First off, Little Kid Hockey would PACK THE STANDS for the games because not only would the parents come, IT JUST ROCKS. We all say that Minnesota is the State of Hockey (or they say it anyways), well why not have exhibition time between various hockey teams or at least scrimmages between period 1 and 2? It can be little kids up to even high school can come and show their stuff.

Between Periods 2 and 3 before the laser show, they should alternate turkey bowling, shot in the dark, chuck a puck, the R/C race, and perhaps the relay races with kids on sleds. No, not the college students picking up pucks thing, that was lame.

In any case, more little kids on the ice during intermissions! It would keep people interested!

As for the band, cheeringetcetc., the repertoire changed since I was in it and I think they should go back to the old repertoire. And, as I was in the hockey band, I also played at some basketball games (god I hated playing basketball games, but that wasn't the band's fault I just intensely dislike basketball). Bring back nananana, beer barrel, etc. I never said those songs should be cut. But when they are playing Sheryl Crow you know something's wrong. And I already suggested Jane's Addiction "Been Caught Stealin'"

I don't understand why the hockey band has to be such an expense. They don't need uniforms, they only need instruments and music. No one sees them up in the upper bowl. My impression of hockey band is that they are to be heard, not seen. They don't need to travel with the team unless they are going to the playoffs as "home ice advantage." That means maybe one or two trips a season. Not all that bad. Those two trips? WCHA and NCAA playoffs. And to save on cost, the NCAA playoffs may not include Frozen Four for the band. Again, the FB band is entirely different than the Hockey band and I do feel they should not be the same entity. Hockey is a PEP BAND, not a MARCHING BAND. There is a difference. A Big difference.

As for committment, You sign up for the course. You pay money to be in it, even though it is only one credit. Therefore, you have made the committment. If you can't make the committment, don't accept the position when the director offers you the part. I signed on with the band with the understanding that I was in it for the long haul whether I liked it or not. If I didn't like it, I could quit. It needs to be a do it or quit mentality in order to make it work. The Audition process would make it an honor to be in the hockey band just like it is an honor to be in the jazz band (I auditioned and DID NOT MAKE THE BAND). If the atmosphere is right, then people who make it won't want to quit because they don't want to let the band down and they already put so much work into getting in that it would seem a waste. And you are speaking to a former member of the brass section, fyi.

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Don't get me wrong redwing77. I'm for the tryouts. I was just listing some things the band goes through. The trips are expensive even though we are limited to 25 for hockey. You want the band at all the tourneys. Otherwise, it just doesn't feel right. There is always a team that doesn't bring a band and the atmosphere seems to be lacking when the bands don't duel. There isn't much (if any) music played by the tourney arenas.

Doesn't matter what band it is, all the expenses come from the same account. The shirts for hockey don't cost much. I always wanted jerseys, but you can't count on everyone to buy one.

There are a lot of people and businesses that have donated vehicles and money to the band and we have always been thankful for that.

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Little kids playing hockey would be great but if they are still having difficulty getting the ice to set up between periods maybe they should can all the between period stuff and just get the zamboni out there. On the other hand, if the ice is good, get those little rats out there!

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The band shoud be heard and not seen? Come on! Has anyone seen the Wisconsin hockey band? In the past they all have worn red and white rugby shirts and some have had the Dr Zeus "cat in the hat" red and white hats. They play great college pep band music and actually know, and play, more than 2 songs. The Sioux hockey band is fine, they just need to play different stuff. Speaking of Wisconsin, in their old building the Wisc student and band section was in a corner and that seemed fine with them. They could stand and go nuts to their hearts content without bothering any old fogey reserve seat persons. Our seats at the Ralph are in a corner in the lower bowl and they are terrific, with the exception of having to keep an eye out for wayward pucks durnig warm ups. If I were a student the trade off for seating in the corner would be well worth it as long as the establishment moved the band down with us like the Badgers do. So folks, put some green and white rugbys on the band and have them march into their corner seats playing something from Queen or When the Saints Come Marching In for every home game just before the team hits the ice. They can roll from their march in song right into the UND fight song as the Sioux come out. I have seen this done at other places and the corwd about takes the roof off the joint!

DG

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The reason it works for the band to be in the lower level at the Kohl Center is because less students go to the game and the band is smaller. However, the students and band are louder than we are. It would be great if the students could stand the whole game and get into it like the Wisconsin fans, but I don't see REA doing anything to allow that kind of atmosphere.

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Hey!! Some country lyrics would fit into hockey games. Like the Toby Keith one.

I think you mean "Who's Your Daddy?" I'm not generally into country music, but that's a good song that should be played after a big hit.

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I think you mean "Who's Your Daddy?" I'm not generally into country music, but that's a good song that should be played after a big hit.

Yes, I do mean that one. I think it would be funny - so do my friends. One country song that I like hearing at the hockey games is "Thank God I'm A Country Boy." Its not a hockey song but when ever I hear it, my mind immediatly goes to Sioux hockey.

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