In The South

Bowl Pics

2009-12-18T17:09:00.000-08:00

Here are all of my picks, since I have already made picks for all of the games with a group of friends.

New Mexico - Fresno St. over Wyoming
Little Caesers - Ohio over Marshall
Hawaii - Nevada over SMU
Meineke - Pittsburgh over North Carolina
Chick-Fil-A - Virginia Tech over Tennessee
Emerald - USC over Boston College
GMAC - Central Michigan over Troy
Independence - Georgia over Texas A&M
Armed Forces - Houston over Air Force
Sugar - Florida over Cincinnati
Orange - Iowa over Georgia Tech
Fiesta - TCU over Boise State
Insight - Minnesota over Iowa State
Gator - West Virginia over Florida State
BCS NCG - Alabama over Texas
Rose Bowl - Oregon over Ohio State
Alamo - Texas Tech over Michigan State
PapaJohns.com - South Carolina over Connecticut
Liberty - Arkansas over East Carolina
New Orleans - Southern Miss over Middle Tennessee State
Outback - Auburn over Northwestern
International - South Florida over Northern Illinois
Capital One - LSU over Penn State (GEAUX TIGERS!!!)
St. Petersburg - Rutgers over UCF
Texas - Missouri over Navy
Eagle Bank - Temple over UCLA
Sun - Stanford over Oklahoma
Holiday - Nebraska over Arizona
Humanitarian - Bowling Green over Idaho
Champs Sports - Wisconsin over Miami
Music City - Kentucky over Clemson
Cotton - Ole Miss over Oklahoma State
Poinsettia - Utah over California
Las Vegas - Oregon State over BYU

The Invisible Drums

2009-05-27T20:00:00.001-07:00

Back Home

2009-05-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of weeks, I have been home from school, not having to worry about school work and just being able to relax. That, of course, will change in a couple of days when I leave to go down to San Antonio for spring training and tour for the summer with the Crossmen.

Last weekend was my old high school's musical production weekend. The past two years I participated by playing in the pit for The Wizard of Oz and Into The Woods. This year, I had the opportunity to just sit and the audience and enjoy the performance. When I first saw that they were doing Little Women a couple of months ago, at first I was skeptical (much like I was my sophomore year with Little Shop of Horrors), however after seeing the musical, I greatly enjoyed it and thought that it was a good performance and a very good musical.

For those of you who have read the book or know the story of Little Women, you can probably figure out what is happening in the following clip, one of the songs, probably my favorite, from the musical, "Some Things Are Meant To Be". This, I believe, is from the Broadway production (which only ran for 137 performances, a VERY short time considering how many shows run for over 1,000, and 20 over 2,500 currently).

Star Trek on SNL

2009-05-11T11:22:00.000-07:00

I just saw this clip of the new Kirk and Spock on Saturday Night Live. Its pretty funny, and, don't worry, it doesn't really ruin any of the movie, either, so you're safe watching it if you haven't yet seen the new movie, yet. Enjoy!

Mike the Tiger

2009-04-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of Mike the Tiger in his habitat on campus next to the PMAC, across the street from Tiger Stadium. These are pictures that I took a few months ago, and just now uploaded to my computer. I know, it took me a LONG time to do so. There are also two of the statue right outside his habitat as well. Enjoy!

What Is The Value Of An Education?

2009-04-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today, as I do most days, I went to Yahoo! Sports and check to see if there is anything new and interesting in the sports news world (as well as checking the scores for the Caps and Nats, who both unfortunately lost today). Today as I went on my usual visit, I saw the following article:

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news;_ylt=AsHlg03M7t.7dGbdjUSfV_fevbYF?slug=dw-tyler042209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

This article really caught my attention. I feel that the decision this student, a JUNIOR in HIGH SCHOOL is very, very wrong and unwise. Sure, he might have loads of talent, and is extremely bored and not developing much anymore in his playing abilities at the current level and competition he is playing at. But is a high school degree at the very least (heck, even a college degree as well, but at least most athletes go on to at least accomplish a partial college education) something that you are willing to give up? I know for me it would not be at all. Nowadays over 70% of the US population completes at least a high school degree. Not to do so puts you in the minority. It becomes much tougher to get a quality job, and as such, most who don't graduate high school end up working at places like McDonald's, Wendy's, WalMart, or Target for the majority of their lives. Is that really something you would want to do? I know I wouldn't. I would much rather be forced to be a physicist (and how I can't stand physics!) than to have to work at a place earning minimum wage for most of my life.

An education is something truly special that cannot be taken away from you. Once you've learned something, you've got it. It is yours to take and use with as you please, and nobody can say or do anything to take it away from you. Ask yourself, if you were in the same position as Jeremy Tyler, what would you do? What if you got into a horrible car accident right before your first game in the NBA and you were unable to play basketball for the rest of your life, what would you do? Your career would be ruined. Your shot at millions of dollars and basketball glory is gone in an instant. And you don't even have a high school degree. Now what do you do?

Another unfortunate thing is that many will start to look at this like they did with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James going into the NBA right from high school, and begin to do it as well. It will begin to become more popular to do. And you will see more and more athletes with less of an education. Thoughts? Feelings?

On a quick side note, as I was searching around for a couple of statistics, I noticed one that Fairfax County, VA has the highest graduation overall rate in the US. I find myself very fortunate to have received such a high quality, good education, and to continue to get a good, high quality musical education here at LSU.

Crossmen Shows

2009-04-19T23:45:00.001-07:00

Over the past few days, I have been watching numerous various Crossmen (and other) shows as short study breaks and such. My favorite drum corps show, by far, is definitely 1992. It was the first time the corps placed in its highest place, 6th. It is also regarded by many as one of the corps best shows (of which there are a number of opinions on, as the corps has had SOOO many really amazing and great shows). The 1992 show, Songs For Planet Earth, served as the first part of a three show trilogy, 92-94. The 92 show is one that I could probably watch over and over again and not get tired of it, I like it so much. There is so much passion in the performance, as well as a true, classic Crossmen "groove." Here is the show in two parts, enjoy!

I especially LOVE the ending of that show. The 93 show, Songs For Planet Earth, Part 2," picks up right where the show left off, in the "?" formation. Then the 94 show, "Suite Children," picks up right where the 93 show ends. The 94 show includes numerous child references and such, with the opening hornline and guard playing children's games in small groups and the songs included, such as the Brahms Lullaby, and Pop Goes the Weasel (with drum feature included!) All three shows are tied together with some similar music, as well.

Another one of my all-time favorite Crossmen shows (of which there are many, as I said earlier, there are SO many great Crossmen shows that are all entertaining to watch and listen to) is 2002. The 2002 show is entitled "The Signature Series" and features a very unique and special field entrance, one that can never be repeated, as Camp Randall Stadium in Wisconsin has been renovated making this special entrance impossible. I absolutely love this entrance, as well as the whole show! The drillwriter for this show, Darryl Pemberton, also wrote for 03 and 04, and wrote last years drill for the 2008 show, Planet X. He returns this year, writing the drill for our 2009 show. I am very excited for this summer and am ready for the semester to be over, finish with my finals, and to move in with the corps and begin on our trek towards Indianapolis and finals in the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Here is the 2002 show in two parts as well. Enjoy!

Oh, and another reason why I'm ready for the summer to get here, is also because as soon as the summer is done, its football season again, and I am ready for the LSU 2009 football season to begin already! The spring game yesterday helped me to realize how much I'm ready for football season to begin again. I look forward to next season, and am hoping for much improvement over last season's disappointing 8-5 record.

Harry Potter Trailer

2009-04-16T21:32:00.000-07:00

The sixth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, was originally supposed to be in theaters this past November. However, the release date was pushed back to this July. Joy! While I'm on tour! Again. Just like with the last movie, I'm going to have to try to find a movie theater on a free day on tour to watch the movie. If I can't, it will be one of the first things I am going to do when I get home from tour. You can count on that. Why bring this up? Because I just saw a link to this trailer, which I believe is a relatively new one. And It got me excited for the movie. I can't wait until it (and the new Star Trek movie in a couple of weeks) comes out. It looks like it will be really good. And a note, the bridge towards the end of the trailer, I believe, is one that I walked across several times when I was in London. Coincidentally, which is right next to IHQ, as well.

This is me on that bridge:

iBone!

2009-04-14T23:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a video that someone in the studio here sent me. So cool! Enjoy!

I want an iPhone!!! (somewhat, I'd be too afraid I'd break it too easily...)

Star Wars...

2009-04-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a video I came across a little while ago. I thought it was kinda funny, so I thought I'd share it. She's also pretty accurate with the story and all, isn't she? I don't know if I would've remembered all that much of the movie when I was 3...I especially like the "poke' ball" reference.

The second video is one that was on the videos after it thing when you're done watching the video. I thought it was funny and wanted to share it too. Enjoy!

Elite Eight

2009-03-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

So I went 6-2 in the last round. Both teams I had in my championship game (Memphis and Syracuse) were the two that lost. Yeah. Not so great. I can only go 2-2 now from my original bracket.

I still think that Pitt will beat Villanova, but it will be a close and well played game.
Louisville should handle Michigan State relatively easily, as they have been dominating teams all tournament. They're on fire right now.
I think that Connecticut will show Missouri that the Big East really is the best conference in basketball right now, and UNC will show Oklahoma (in a closer game) that they are clearly the dominant team in an over-hyped ACC.

Having just thought about it, I realized that I had all 4 #1 seeds winning and making it to the Final Four. Last year was the first year that this happened. So on second thought, I'm thinking that Pitt will be the most likely of the #1 seeds to lose in the next two days.

Gillispie Out at Kentucky

2009-03-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

This afternoon it was announced that Kentucky's head basketball coach, Billy Gillispie, was fired. He was only there for two years. Both years, the basketball team failed to make the SEC Tournament semifinals, and this year was the first year the team failed to make the NCAA tournament in 18 years, instead having to settle for the NIT.

Kentucky has a huge tradition when it comes to basketball, having won 43 regular season SEC titles, for most in the conference. Second? LSU with only 10 in comparison. With such a long tradition of excellence comes a very high pressure coaching job with other-worldly expectations of winning everything, or at least coming very close to it, every year. Other basketball coaching jobs with similar expectations are at Duke, UNC, Indiana, and UCLA, other schools with long traditions of basketball excellence. For football schools like Michigan, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and Oklahoma. Professional sports have those kinds of jobs too, like in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, or the MLB with the New York Yankees.

Would you ever want a job like that? I wouldn't. I'd rather be at a lower-profile school that has less frequent, but still plenty of success. A school like LSU for basketball, or Virginia Tech for football (although, schools like these do have their own fair share of harsh and critical fans that can be very vocal, especially in the first couple of years after a coaching change, or when things hit a downward slump for a number of years in a row).

Sweet 16 Time

2009-03-25T22:59:00.000-07:00

So in the 2nd round, I only lost one more of my Sweet 16 teams. I went 12-4 in the second round. Since I have not lost any of my Elite Eight teams, all my original predicted winners still stand. Will I go 8-0 in the next two days? We'll see...

Unfortunately, LSU did lose to UNC...but they put up a great game, and played UNC really close, and kept the game very competitive up until a scoring drought in the latter part of the 2nd half. That's what ultimately ended up losing the game. As with the game against Xavier during the regular season. Oh well. It was a great season, way up from the 13-18 season last year (the team won 13 games in the conference alone this year!). As for our women's team, they lost last night against Louisville, in a very tough, competitive game, as well. It was a very good game. Unfortunately for them, the game was lost at the free throw line. LSU just wasn't making the free throws, and Louisville was. But for a team that early in the season looked like it wouldn't even be in the tournament, a team with only one senior and two juniors, the season ended remarkably well, with huge victories over Florida and Tennessee late in the season. The team was made up of mostly freshmen. It'll be very interesting to watch and see where the team goes from here into next year.

1st Round Down

2009-03-21T00:31:00.001-07:00

So in the first round, I went 22-10. Not too good, huh? In the process I also lost 3 of my Sweet 16 teams, Utah, West Virginia, and Florida State. So I'm already at 0-3 for the next round the next two days in my original predictions. Now for the updated 2nd round predictions of games that were affected by the results of the 1st round.

13 Cleveland State over 12 Arizona (originally 5 Utah over 4 Wake Forest)- should be a good game
11 Dayton over 3 Kansas (originally 6 West Virginia over 3 Kansas)

1 Connecticut over 9 Texas A&M (originally 1 Connecticut over 8 BYU)
3 Missouri over 6 Marquette (originally 3 Missouri over 11 Utah State - they were so close!)

4 Xavier over 12 Wisconsin (originally 5 Florida state over 4 Xavier)
3 Villanova over 6 UCLA (originally 3 Villanova over 11 VCU - so close too!)
2 Duke over 7 Texas (originally 2 Duke over 10 Minnesota) - should be a good game

2 Oklahoma over 10 Michigan (originally 2 Oklahoma over 7 Clemson)

Now, how will I fare in this round? We'll have to wait and see.

One thing to note, I wouldn't mind being wrong about the UNC-LSU game!! I know we have a shot at winning! I believe! I wouldn't mind my bracket being ruined with an LSU victory!

March Madness Is Here!...or has it already been here?

2009-03-17T19:47:00.001-07:00

Did March Madness begin when the brackets were revealed Sunday night? Or did it begin when the first conference tournament tipped off two weeks earlier? I think it began two weeks ago, just now the most talked about part, the NCAA tournament, has just begun. Tonight was the play-in game between Morehead State and Alabama State, with Morehead State cruising to a victory. On Thursday and Friday, 32 games will be played across the nation, all day long, causing many people to call in sick and skip class (don't worry, Mom and Dad, my afternoon class has an attendance policy when it comes to grading).

This past weekend I traveled to Tampa, FL for the Mens SEC tournament. LSU won the first game against Kentucky (in the second round, we had a 1st round bye), but then lost the next day to tourney-champion Mississippi State. Due to the teams 1-3 finish in the last four games (still 9-3 in the last 12, though!), the LSU Tigers got an unfortunate 8 seed. If the team defeats Butler in the first round on Thursday (game at 12:20 ET), then we will have to face UNC in the 2nd round.

Our Womens team on the other hand got a 6 seed in their tournament. While it is the lowest seed since 2002 for them (being to the Final Four for the past 5 seasons), it is exciting, as the team started the season 12-9 and looked as if they probably would be out of the postseason altogether. Fortunately they turned things around and started performing better.

Alright, here are my predictions for the men's tournament. Feel free to make your own. I'm going to do a full tournament prediction, and then update as to how I did after each round, and make updated predictions after each round.

For the Midwest Region:
1st Round
1 Louisville beats 16 Morehead State
9 Siena beats 8 Ohio State

5 Utah beats 12 Arizona
4 Wake Forest beats 13 Cleveland State

6 West Virginia beats 11 Dayton
3 Kansas beats 14 North Dakota State

7 Boston College loses to 10 Southern California (as much as I'd rather see them lose)
2 Michigan State beats 1 Robert Morris

2nd Round
1 Louisville beats 9 Siena
5 Utah beats 4 Wake Forest

6 West Virginia beats 3 Kansas
2 Michigan State beats 10 Southern California

Sweet 16
1 Louisville beats 5 Utah
2 Michigan State beats 6 West Virginia

Elite 8
1 Louisville beats 2 Michigan State

West Region
1st Round
1 Connecticut beats 16 Chatanooga
8 BYU beats 9 Texas A&M

5 Purdue beats 12 UNI
4 Washington beats 13 Mississippi St

6 Marquette loses to 11 Utah St (I'm feeling really good about this upset somehow...)
3 Missouri beats 14 Cornell

7 California loses to 10 Maryland
2 Memphis loses to 15 Cal St Northridge

2nd Round
1 Connecticut beats 8 BYU
4 Washington beats 5 Purdue

3 Missouri beats 11 Utah State
2 Memphis beats 10 Maryland

Sweet 16
1 Connecticut beats 4 Washington
2 Memphis beats 3 Missouri

Elite 8
2 Memphis beats 1 Connecticut

East Region
1st Round
1 Pittsburgh beats 16 East Tennessee State
9 Tennessee beats 8 Oklahoma State

5 Florida State beast 12 Wisconsin
4 Xavier beats 13 Portland State

6 UCLA loses to 11 VCU (not so sure about this one, but still think it is quite possible)
3 Villanova beats 14 American (would LOVE to see the upset here, but don't think it'll happen)

7 Texas loses to 10 Minnesota
2 Duke beats 15 Binghamton

2nd Round
1 Pittsburgh beats 9 Tennessee
5 Florida State beats 4 Xavier

3 Villanova beats 11 VCU
2 Duke beats 10 Minnesota

Sweet 16
1 Pittsburgh beats 5 Florida State
3 Villanova beats 2 Duke

Elite 8
1 Pittsburgh beats 3 Villanova

South Region
1st Round
1 UNC beasts 16 Radford (Radford has the best chance to pull the 16 seed upset this season, but still...not gonna happen. Never has.)
8 LSU beats 9 Butler (but if we play like we have recently, we WILL lose guaranteed)

12 Western Kentucky beats 5 Illinois
4 Gonzaga beats 13 Akron

6 Arizona State beats 11 Temple
3 Syracuse beats 14 SFA

7 Clemson beats 10 Michigan
2 Oklahoma beats 15 Morgan St

2nd Round
1 UNC beats 8 LSU (darn...)
4 Gonzaga beats 12 Western Kentucky

3 Syracuse beats 6 Arizona State
2 Oklahoma beats 7 Clemson

Sweet 16
1 UNC beats 4 Gonzaga
3 Syracuse beats 2 Oklahoma

Elite 8
3 Syracuse beats 1 UNC

Final Four
2 West Memphis beats 1 Midwest Louisville
3 South Syracuse beats 1 East Pittsburgh

Championship Game
Memphis beats Syracuse

Well there ya have it. There are my predictions. What are yours?

GO VOTE!

2009-03-09T16:59:00.000-07:00

DCI Annually has a "Countdown" of top shows in theaters. Originally it was a "Classic Countdown" featuring shows from all decades of DCI (70's-present), but recently it has changed format to be just recent shows. Last year was only 2004-2007. This year, the format is the top 6 shows from 2003-2008. They narrowed the voting down from all the shows from those years (top 12 shows that is), to the most voted top 12, "final" round. Selected from those 12 are the 6 shows that will be shown in the "Countdown" in May. The Crossmen 2003 show, "Color" is in the final 12. I strongly urge everyone to go vote here: http://www.dci.org/countdown/ for the Crossmen 2003 show, "Color."

A Good Article

2009-03-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

A few things before I head off to San Antonio for the March Crossmen camp. This weekend is the women's basketball SEC tournament up in Arkansas. Tonight LSU plays in the second round (after having a first round bye last night) tonight in the late game against Mississippi State. We are the #3 seed in the tournament. If we win tonight, tomorrow we will play the winner of the #2 Vanderbilt vs #7 Georgia. This year was the first time in a long time (18 years or something like that, I think? Maybe longer...) that Tennessee had to play in the first round. Hopefully they're eliminated before we have to play them. Next weekend is the men's SEC tournament, where we are the West #1 seed, with a first round bye. That tournament is in Tampa, FL, and I will be there with the Bengal Brass basketball pep band.

Today, I came across this article, which does a pretty good job of describing what Drum Corps is and what it is like. I thought I'd share it:

Drum corps gives students rewarding experience - Features

The Colts, mentioned as having placed 14th in the article, placed one spot below the Crossmen. The Crossmen placed 13th this past season, after being in the 12th place spot for the whole latter half of the season. I can't wait for this summer to get here!

The Mom Song

2009-03-05T20:25:00.001-08:00

Here is a video that my trombone professor sent out to the studio a day or two ago. I think that everyone (especially those who are moms) will get a kick out of this. Recognize the tune?

It Is Now Official

2009-02-26T14:26:00.000-08:00

It was finally announced on the LSU Sports website today that in the 2010 and 2011 football seasons, LSU will be playing West Virginia. The 2010 game will be in Baton Rouge, and the 2011 game (my senior year) will be in Morgantown, WV, just about a 3 or so hour drive from home. West Virginia was also one of the other schools that I was considering going to, and had auditioned for. One of my friends from high school, Kinsey, also goes there, among numerous others that I know there from Oakton.

The Crossmen-Spirit Bond

2009-02-18T22:47:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I really love about the Crossmen is the history and tradition of the corps. It is something that the CAA (Crossmen Alumni Association) as well as vets among the current corps work to teach the rookies (and the CAA helping continue to teach vets, I learn new things all the time). One of the very special things throughout Crossmen history is our special bond with another drum corps, Spirit, as I mentioned a while back. I don't believe that any other corps has the same connection as the Crossmen and Spirit do.

Here is some information about how the bond was formed:

Spirit of Atlanta and Crossmen played for each other after their first show of the 1979 tour in South Dakota, forming a bond immediately. Then they headed further west together. Spirit's buses got far ahead of the convoy. Their equipment truck was blown off the road and the truck/trailer rolled twice and crashed the cab. Luckily, the drivers only suffered a broken rib and some injured fingers. A wrecker was just about to pull the wreckage to the road, which would have destroyed nearly all of the equipment. Just then, the Crossmen buses pulled up and Robby Robinson (the first Crossmen corps director) instructed his corps to "pick it clean." They did just that, taking the equipment into the aisles of their own buses for safe keeping. Out of more than $80,000 of equipment, damages came to only $1,900.

Later on down the road, Spirit was reuinted with their equipment, and a rental truck was acquired to haul it (which later had to be replaced as well).

As tour progressed, Crossmen started losing their buses one by one. One bus died in Utah, forcing Crossmen to cram members onto the 3 remaining buses, and Spirit took the overload. The second bus went in California and those members rode with Spirit all the way to Denver. Then, one of the two remaining buses died, the corps missed a show in Pueblo and slowly drove into Denver for Drums Along the Rockies.

Since then, there has been a large amount of good will between the two corps. They often play combined music following their home drum corps shows. At the end of every tour, each corps gives to one of its members an award honoring the other corps.

Tommy Lee Maddox, a 1979 Spirit member, said of the incident:

"I was on that ride way back in '79. We were beginning to get our 'contest teeth' that year as opposed to being the naive bunch that we were in '77 and '78. We began to look at other corps as opponents that we had to drop, along with the notion that we were to have fun along the way (which we did).

Then we were heading down from Hot Springs, SD, to Stockton, CA, when the equipment truck got blown off the road. X-Men picked up the pieces and helped us move on down the road. Then, when their buses died, we'd pile them on with us. It was a strange growth process for all of us.

Then, in 1980, a couple of days after Jim Ott died on the road, we had our last show of first tour in Centerville, Ohio. In the top spots were us and Crossmen. We, as a group, were pretty worthless and just plain wore out. We did the show that night and even got to play the other corps onto the field for retreat. The drum section played Jimmy Buffet's "Volcano" as the entry music. We were all so slap happy that we just sang along as the other corps paraded onto the field.

So the scores were announced...then he got to second place...paused...and announced that there was a tie between us and Crossmen. We all hollered and cried and rejoiced that our friends had not beat us and that we were going home.

It turned out, so I understand, that Crossmen had won the show by a tenth or so, but Robbie Robinson told them to make it a tie. Us, and our busmates, were a happy clan either way.

Drum corps is a good thing. I am so happy and proud to be part of a good thing."

Here is the article which was printed in "Youth On the March" show in Alton, IL (July 10, 1980).

"Crossmen" Found a "Spirit"....of Friendship

A strong bond of friendship grew last summer between two championship drum & bugle corps who helped each other survive a long trip to California.

The Crossmen from Delaware County, PA and the Spirit of Atlanta from Atlanta, GA literally became one corps off the competition field. They battled hardships, not unlike those faced by early pioneers who settled in the West.

Before heading westward on their own, the two corps had competed in drum corps shows with a half-dozen other corps in eastern and mid-western states.

By the time they returned to their home states, the Crossmen had lost three of four buses and Spirit went through three equipment trucks.

Both corps worked together to over come one setback after another during the three-week tour. Freddy Martin, director of the Atlanta corps, said, "For me, the comradeship that grew between the kids in the two corps was the most meaningful part of the entire summer."

Looking back on the experience, Harold "Robbie" Robinson, director of the Crossmen said, "For the first time in my 27 years in drum corps, I finally felt something in drum corps that I always wanted. I knew we helped them in their hour of need, and they saved the day for us many times in return."

Martin said, "We had to be of help to each other to survive. It was a long trip." the close relationship began late one night in Hot Springs, S.D. the site of the first show on the tour westward.

Crossmen and Spirit were the only members of DCI (the world's top 25 ranked corps) in the show.

"The two corps were out in the middle of nowhere," Robinson said. "We felt then it was going to be a "survival thing" so we might as well have a good relationship."

The corps competed to a crowd of approx. 4,000 people in Hot Springs. After the show, the sponsors left the lights on in the stadium so the corps could perform to each other.

Rarely do corps members get the opportunity to see another corps' show from the concert side of the stands.

"Spirit put on their show and the Crossmen went wild," Robinson remembered "We clapped, joked back and forth and, in general showed our appreciation for their talents.

Then the Crossmen went on the field and did a show for the Spirit kids. After that it was a jam session - the two drum lines got together and played and the two horn lines played. We lingered for about an hour and had a great time.

The next day, both corps headed for California with a planned intermediate stop in Salt Lake City, Utah.

But nothing went as planned.

The two corps traveled together in a massive 14-vehicle convoy of buses, equipment trucks, souvenir vans, trailers and a cooking coach.

Before leaving South Dakota, of the Spirit's bus drivers, "Disco Duck," radioed to Robinson: "Hey Crossmen control, this here is the Disco Duck. We're going to boogie on down the road here."

Robinson answered: "Well you go on. I'm not going to put the pedal to the metal as we might blow our engines. We've got a long way to go on these old babies."

He said the Crossmen buses weren't as new and fast as Sprit's buses, but generally they managed to keep within 20 or 30 miles of each other.

The Spirit buses carrying all of their corps members went ahead of the corps' equipment truck, booster van and the Crossmen caravan.

It was about 10:30 a.m. on June 30. Winds were gusting 40-45 miles an hour across the two lane road, flanked by 15-foot embankments.

Martin said he was riding in the van behind the equipment truck, when suddenly the 13 ½ foot truck literally got blown off of the road. It turned over twice and landed upside down, completely smashing the cab.

"You couldn't even tell it was a truck," Martin said, "Five of us got out of the van. I remembered most vividly telling them to see the two drivers were okay. The top of the cab was completely flattened.

When we got there, the driver was crawling out of the cab. I figured the other driver was dead. He had been sleeping behind the cab.

Fortunately, however, the driver, Paul Clayborn, suffered only a broken rib. The second driver, Jim Clark who was sleeping when the accident occurred, was not seriously injured but almost lost a few fingers.

Martin took the injured drivers to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Robinson had dozed off to sleep for the first time in nearly two days. His wife Charlotte was driving and woke Robinson when they approached the accident.

"I saw a truck up ahead but couldn't make it out right away," he said. "All of a sudden, I saw drum corps equipment over the place."

"We pulled up and I hopped out. I didn't know it but the accident had happened about 15 minutes earlier and a wrecker was there.

The wrecker was about to pull the truck up onto the road. Had he done this, everything would have been destroyed. He would have had to drag the truck over drums and horns. There were three or four Spirit woman trying to pull uniforms out of the wreck."

The Crossmen buses filled with 128 corps members stopped.

"The kids were hanging out the windows with tears running down their faces," Robinson said. "They had started to generate such feelings toward each other the night before in Hot Springs. The kids were thinking, what if that would have been their equipment? What is Spirit going to do??

The driver of the wrecker told Robinson he had to remove the wreck and was going to pull the equipment truck back onto the roadway.

"Give me 10 minutes," Robinson told the driver. He turned to the buses and shouted, "Everybody off the buses and pick this wreck clean!"

The corps members climbed out of the buses. The Crossmen drivers and the entire traveling crew helped gather the equipment.

"They are unbelievable," Robinson said. "The kids ripped open the rest of the truck. It was an instinctive thing. The drummers went for the drums. The color guard went for the flags and uniforms and the horn lone went looking for horns.

The kids took the drums, like they were handling a baby. They took them very gingerly and set them in the aisles of their buses. They put towels, pillows and sleeping bags around them so they wouldn't get scratched. There was gas leaking all over the place I warned everyone not to light a match."

Before long, the Crossmen had picked the wreck clean. When Martin returned, he was handed a box of nuts and bolts the Crossmen members had gathered from the grass. Not one bolt turned up missing!

Out of more than $80,000 in equipment, the total damage came to $1,900, Martin said.

"We had a couple horns ruined, a cracked bass drum and a couple of uniforms damaged, but nothing major," he said. "We went on the rest of the tour and borrowed a bass drum and a pair of cymbals." About 20 miles from the accident, the Spirit buses had pulled to a rest stop where they were met later by Crossmen members.

"Together the corps members took equipment off the Crossmen buses and wiped everything down. We changed a couple of drum head, evaluated the damage, put a lot of the equipment back on our truck and carried it into Salt Lake City where Freddie (Martin) rented a truck," Robinson remarked.

The hazards of the trip, as it turned out had just begun.

The next day, July 1, the corps left for California.

It was in Wendover, Utah, where one of the Crossmen's buses broke down. "The bus is still sitting there in Wendover," said Robinson. "Oddly enough, a Spirit bus got a flat tire not 50 yards in front of us when our bus broke down hopelessly. They put all of their kids on their two other buses and sent them to McDonald's about 50 miles down the road.

The driver of the bus with the flat tire, it just so happened, was the Disco Duck. He changed the tire, took the rest of the Crossmen members and we all rendezvoused at McDonald's. We split up our kids on our three remaining buses and on the California we went."

The Crossmen lost their second bus in California when the clutch went out.

The director of a California corps, the DCI Champion Blue Devils from Concord, sent one of his buses to pick up the stranded Crossmen members.

Robinson said for the long trip home, "Freddie (Martin) brought three of his buses to the school where we were staying and we put about nine or ten of our kids on each one. He hauled 33 of our kids all the way back to Denver."

Down to two buses, the Crossmen's string of bad luck still wasn't over. Just outside of Needles, California, Robinson got a call from the driver of the second bus:

"Hey Robbo!"

Robinson knew something was wrong.

"What's the matter?"....Robinson

"I've got no air pressure."....driver

Luckily, however, Robinson had packed a generator in the Crossmen equipment truck and was able to repair the problem himself. The caravan, minus tow buses continued.

"We blew a hose in Apache Wells, N.M. but got that fixed. That was simple" he said. "But, then all of a sudden, we started getting flat tires. We started with new tires. That's one thing I won't take a chance with.

About 100 miles north of Apache Wells, we had a double blowout and by this time we had gone through every spare tire. The kids were frustrated, but they knew I was just as frustrated. They tried to cheer me up, and Charlotte was always telling me to calm down, and that we'd get everything straightened out.

In fact, at one point, an Amtrak train went by and the kids tried to thumb it down to make the Pueblo show that night. The train just blew its horn" said Robinson.

The most horrifying experience was yet to happen. When the bus was jacked-up to change the last tires, the jack slipped and the bus nearly landed on top of Robinson!

"That's the closest I'd ever come to being killed in all my life. I shot out from underneath that bus like a rocket when I heard it starting to go," he said.

Once the tire was replaced, the two buses hobbled for the next 100 miles at about 20 miles an hour.

The corps never made it to the Pueblo show.

"When we got into Denver, everyone just took a deep breath and went to sleep," Robinson said. "I had been up about 80 hours straight.

When I got to the Denver show that night, I must have looked like death warmed over. Don Pesceonoe [Executive Director of DCI] walked up and looked at me and took my hand like a baby. There must have been six inches of grease on my hand and my fingernails had disappeared."

"My God, what are we doing to each other? Are you all right?" Pesceone asked.

Robinson smiled and said, "Yeah, sure! This is great."

The rest of the Crossmen's trip home was relatively quiet.

"Too many people think of DCI as on the competitiveness, which it is, but this experience is what I want out of drum corps. Sure I want a good drum corps and the kids do too, but they've learned to help their fellow man and in turn, were repaid that favor many times over. The kids will never forget that experience," said Robbie.

The Spirit of Atlanta staff members will never forget the trip west either.

"Our corps is a relatively new corps, being only three years old," Martin said. "The trip was a growing experience for the kids. They learned to cope with problems and share with others."

At the Spirit of Atlanta annual banquet last fall, one member was presented an awarded for being the most dependable and helpful corps member.

The award - to be given annually - was named "The Crossmen Award."

The bond still continues to this day. In 2004, the Crossmen and Spirit hornlines combined and played each others corps songs (Russian Christmas Music for the Crossmen, and Georgia On My Mind for Spirit) with each other, both hornlines playing together. Also in 2004, Spirit just missed making finals, ending up in 13th place. During finals retreat (when every corps that marched in finals, the top 12, is on the field and has 10 yards to stand and do what they want within the 10 yards design wise), the Crossmen created a delta, which is Spirit's insignia, on the field with the contras. In 2005 when the reverse happened, and Crossmen missed finals and were in 14th place, and Spirit was in finals, Spirit returned the favor by creating a Maltese Cross (Crossmen's insignia) with the all of the horns from the hornline. In 2007 they did the same thing with the low brass instruments and they had the new Crossmen in Texas flag along with an aussie (what we wear on our head as part of the uniform. It is NOT a hat...haha) that they borrowed from us.

In 2008, after both corps semifinals performances (and both knew that they weren't going to be performing the next day in finals, Spirit placing 15th, Crossmen 13th), both corps gathered back in the warm up area and the hornlines of both corps played their corps song. That was a very memorable moment of the past summer. The next night at finals, Crossmen members wore a blue teardrop and Spirit members a red teardrop by their right eyes in support for each other. 2008 was the first time that neither corps was in finals since both corps were founded and the bond was formed (Spirit was formed in 1977, Crossmen in 1975).

Here is a picture that I took during finals retreat in 07, as well as a couple videos of the corps playing for each other this past August on semi's night. The first is Crossmen playing Russian Christmas Music, the second is Spirit playing Georgia On My Mind.

Mike the Tiger

2009-02-13T22:40:00.000-08:00

One of the unique things about LSU is our pride in our mascot, Mike the Tiger. Yes, the tiger is a very common mascot (also being that of Auburn, Missouri, and Clemson, to name a few), but here, we also have a real live tiger, Mike VI, on campus. He lives in a habitat built for him in between the PMAC and Tiger Stadium. There are a lot of traditions and lots of history surrounding Mike the Tiger, here is some taken off of the LSU Sports website.

LSU's Live Tiger Mascot, Mike VI

09/08/2007
by www.LSUsports.net

Mike the Tiger, the famed live Bengal Tiger serves as the graphic image of all LSU athletic teams, resides between Tiger Stadium and the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

In 2005, a new environment (gallery) was created for Mike that is 15,000 square feet in size with lush planting, a large live oak tree, a beautiful waterfall and a stream evolving from a rocky backdrop overflowing with plants and trees. The habitat has, as a backdrop, an Italianate tower - a campanile - that creates a visual bridge to the Italianate architectural vernacular that is the underpinning of the image of the entire beautiful LSU campus. This spectacular new habitat features state-of-the-art technologies, research, conservation and husbandry programs, as well as educational, interpretive and recreational activities. It is, in essence, one of the largest and finest Tiger habitats in the United States.

Mike's ride through Tiger Stadium before home games in a cage topped by the LSU cheerleaders is a school tradition. Before entering the stadium, his cage on wheels is parked next to the opponent's lockerroom in the southeast end of the stadium. Opposing players must make their way past Mike's cage to reach their locker room.

Tradition dictates that for every growl elicited by Mike before a football game, the Tigers will score a touchdown that night. For many years, Mike was prompted to roar by pounding on the cage. Objections of cruel punishment brought about the use of recorded growls to play to the crowd before the games. That practice was discontinued shortly afterward and, today, Mike participates in the pregame tradition without provocation.

The Tiger mascot stopped traveling with the LSU team in 1970 when his cage overturned on Airline Highway in an accident en route to a game. Mike IV traveled four times in recent years, though, as he appeared at a Mardi Gras parade in 1984, the 1985 Sugar Bowl and LSU's basketball games in the Superdome. Mike V made his first road trip in December 1991 to the Louisiana Superdome to witness the LSU men's basketball team with Shaquille O'Neal defeat Texas, 84-83.

In the mid-1980's, pranksters cut the locks on Mike IV's cage and freed him in the early-morning hours just days before the annual LSU-Tulane clash. Mike roamed free, playfully knocking down several small pine trees in the area, before being trapped in the Bernie Moore Track Stadium where police used tranquilizer guns to capture and return the Bengal Tiger to his home.

The incident was reminiscent of a kidnapping of Mike I many years ago by Tulane students before a Tiger-Green Wave battle.

MIKE VI
Birthdate: July 23, 2005 (named “Roscoe”)
Donated by: Great Cats of Idaville, Ind.
Heritage: Bengal/Siberian mix
Weight: approx. 300 lbs.; may reach 700 lbs. as an adult
Arrived in Baton Rouge: August 25, 2007
First Public Appearance: September 1, 2007
Designated as Mike VI: September 8, 2007

Thoughts of the state of Indiana may produce images of Bobby Knight, Peyton Manning, John Mellencamp or the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In the minds of LSU supporters, the Hoosier State will now also be remembered as the source of the university’s new live tiger mascot, Mike VI.

The two-year-old Bengal/Siberian mix, formerly known as “Roscoe,” was donated to LSU last month by Great Cats of Idaville, Ind., a nonprofit sanctuary and rescue facility for big cats and other large carnivores. LSU veterinarian Dr. David Baker began the search for the young tiger after his predecessor, Mike V, died in May of renal failure at the age of 17.

“We were looking for a tiger that was suitable both in appearance and in temperament,” Baker explained. “We wanted a tiger that was confident and not fearful. When this tiger first entered his enclosure on campus, there was no sign of fear or apprehension. This tiger is full of vigor and enthusiasm and affection. I expect that he will grow into an excellent mascot.”

Mike VI arrived in Baton Rouge on August 25, and he was originally scheduled to be quarantined for two weeks in the “night house” of his habitat across the street from Tiger Stadium. However, the quarantine period was reduced to just one week after it became apparent to Baker that Mike had adjusted quickly to his new surroundings.

Mike VI was released into the outside portion of his habitat on September 1, making his first public appearance before a throng of adoring LSU fans. He was officially designated as the successor to Mike V on September 8, when LSU played host to Virginia Tech. Six days later, on Sept. 14, 2007, a ceremony was held to honor Mike V and dedicate the habitat to Mike VI (photos).

“Think of a 10-year-old boy who has been moved from away from his family into completely new surroundings, and it gives you an idea of what this tiger has experienced,” Baker said. “It can be extremely stressful; however, he remained completely healthy during his quarantine period and has adjusted very well to life at LSU.”

The university does anticipate that Mike VI will attend some home games this season as he becomes more comfortable with his new environment. For the moment, fans can admire the great cat’s power and grace as he playfully roams about his habitat.

“I would describe him as awesome,” Baker said of Mike VI, “and that’s a word I don’t use very often.”

MIKE V

Mike V was donated by Dr. Thomas and Caroline Atchison of the Animal House Zoological Park in Moulton, Ala. Avid LSU supporter Charles Becker, a member of the LSU booster group the Tammany Tigers, put Dr. Sheldon Bivin of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in touch with the Atchisons. Bivin traveled to Alabama and brought the baby tiger back to Baton Rouge. Born Oct. 18, 1989, the new tiger was introduced to LSU fans at a basketball game against Alabama in February of 1990. He officially began his reign on April 30, 1990, when he was moved into the tiger habitat across from Tiger Stadium. Mike V died on May 18, 2007, at the age of 17.

MIKE IV

Mike IV reigned over Tiger athletics for 14 years after being donated to the school by August A. Busch III from the Dark Continent Amusement Park in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 29, 1976. Born on May 15, 1974, Mike's age and health were determining factors in his retirement to the Baton Rouge Zoo in 1990. The centerpiece of the Zoo's cat exhibit, Mike weighed in at 500 pounds. His only hiatus from the LSU campus before 1990 was the summer of 1981 which he spent at the Little Rock Zoo while his cage was being refurbished. Ironically, the Little Rock Zoo was the birthplace of Mike I. Mike IV died of natural causes in March of 1995 at the age of 21.

MIKE III

Just in time for the 1958 national championship season, Mike III was purchased from the Seattle Zoo following a "national search" by then-athletics director Jim Corbett. The student body contributed $1,500 for the purchase of the tiger. Mike III served as mascot for 18 seasons, dying after the only losing season of his reign as LSU posted a 5-6 record in 1975.

MIKE II

Served a brief reign, lasting only the 1957 season, before dying of pneumonia in the spring of 1958. He was born at the Audubon Park Zoo near the Tulane campus in New Orleans.

MIKE I

In 1936, the original Mike was purchased from the Little Rock Zoo for $750, with money contributed by the student body. Originally known as "Sheik" at the time of his purchase, his name was changed to Mike for Mike Chambers who served as LSU's athletic trainer when the first mascot was purchased.

Chambers had played football at Illinois where he blocked for the legendary Red Grange.

The first Mike was housed in the Baton Rouge Zoo for one year before a permanent home was constructed near Tiger Stadium. Mike I reigned for 20 years before dying of pneumonia in the midst of a six-game LSU losing streak in 1957.

Fearing the LSU faithful would give up hope upon the death of the mascot, Mike's death was not made public until the Tigers finally ended the losing streak.

LSU's Mascot

The live Bengal Tiger whose habitat lies across the street from Tiger Stadium has been a part of the LSU tradition since the early days of athletics in Baton Rouge (Nov. 21, 1936). Meanwhile, his two-legged furry costumed counterpart that stalks the sidelines of LSU athletics events has been on campus since the 1950s.

Mike travels throughout the country with many of the Tiger teams, while also making public appearances to promote LSU athletics in Baton Rouge and surrounding communities.

Mike was named "Most Collegiate Mascot" at the UCA Collegiate Camp held on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa both in 2002 and 2003.

Mike appears in television commercials annually, including an ESPN College Football Game Day commercial, and ESPN Sports Center commercial featuring Mike being rescued from a tree by former LSU great Shaquille O'Neal, and an advertisement for Tippen Motor Homes.

The Nickname: "Fighting Tigers"

Way back in the fall of 1896, coach A.W. Jeardeau's LSU football team posted a perfect 6-0 record, and it was in that pigskin campaign that LSU first adopted its nickname, Tigers.

"Tigers" seemed a logical choice since most collegiate teams in that year bore the names of ferocious animals, but the underlying reason why LSU chose Tigers dates back to the Civil War.

According to Arthur W. Bergeron, Jr., PhD. and the "Guide to Louisiana Confederate Military Units, 1861-1865" (LSU Press, 1989), the name Louisiana Tigers evolved from a volunteer company nicknamed the Tiger Rifles, which was organized in New Orleans. This company became a part of a battalion commanded by Major Chatham Roberdeau Wheat and was the only company of that battalion to wear the colorful Zouave uniform. In time, Wheat's entire battalion was called the Tigers.

That nickname in time was applied to all of the Louisiana troops of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The tiger symbol came from the famous Washington Artillery of New Orleans. A militia unit that traces its history back to the 1830s, the Washington Artillery had a logo that featured a snarling tiger's head. These two units first gained fame at the Battle of First Manassas on July 21, 1861. Major David French Boyd, first president of LSU after the war, had fought with the Louisiana troops in Virginia and knew the reputation of both the Tiger Rifles and Washington Artillery.

Thus when LSU football teams entered the gridiron battlefields in their fourth year of intercollegiate competition, they tagged themselves as the "Tigers."

It was the 1955 LSU "Fourth-Quarter Ball Club" that helped the moniker "Tigers" grow into the nickname, "Fighting Tigers."

Pachelbel Rant

2009-01-31T19:51:00.000-08:00

I just came across this video. It cracked me up the whole time. I do understand where he is coming from, though, as the trombones sometimes get the same treatment. And for sure the french horns do when it comes to marches. This is a great video, hope you enjoy! I know I did! I couldn't stop laughing!

A Secretary of the Arts?

2009-01-19T16:58:00.001-08:00

Here is an interesting article I came across earlier today. I find it an interesting idea, and there are many valid points made throughout the article. I think that many of you would like to read it as well.

A Secretary of the Arts ... it's music to his ears

Published: Sunday, January 18, 2009 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, January 19, 2009 at 9:50 a.m.

We all get asked to sign petitions from time to time, for everything from politicians trying to get their names on a ballot to proposals to fix roads, support baseball, go green or some crazier, half-baked ideas.

In our newsroom, employees are discouraged from signing petitions because we don't want to seem biased for or against a candidate or an issue that we may end up having to cover at some point in the future.

Today's seemingly simple petition drive can turn into tomorrow's controversy.

Then I got an e-mail petition forwarded to me last week designed to encourage Barack Obama to create a new Secretary of the Arts soon after he takes the oath of office on Tuesday. The petition drive was supposedly triggered by a comment that musician and producer Quincy Jones made in an interview after the election. Jones is quoted as saying that the "next conversation I have with President Obama is to beg for a Secretary of Arts."

In a time of financial upheaval, I don't see this happening in the near future. The pessimist in me doesn't see it happening in my lifetime.

But forget reality for a moment, like the cost of creating a new agency for which the government has no money.

It is a wonderful idea on a number of levels.

Don't dwell on the thought of more bureaucracy, but consider the possibilities of having someone with some real authority to speak up in support of the arts that enrich all our lives.

Yes, we have a National Endowment for the Arts and a National Endowment for the Humanities, but these woefully underfunded agencies have been slashed to shells of their once glorious selves in the last decade.

The two agencies have been a lifeblood to artists and arts organizations bringing culture to communities large and small outside the urban centers.

This nation needs more.

Yes, we have some major problems that need fixing, from unemployment to health care to deteriorating roadways and concerns about schools.

But creating such a new position could be a start to building our appreciation and awareness of what the arts do for our souls and intelligence, and how we look at the world around us.

We also can't forget the financial contribution arts organizations make to their communities by getting people out of their homes and into restaurants and other businesses. Arts organizations create jobs for artists, designers, actors, musicians, dancers and others, and they spend money for supplies that help support other businesses before each opening of a show or event.

More importantly, at least in my mind, a Secretary of the Arts could be some sort of national cheerleader for the arts, to make sure that communities and school districts around the country realize how important arts are to our lives and our education system. I shudder to think of the number of children who haven't been exposed to any kind of music because their schools can't afford the teachers or the instruments, and what they lose out on in the future. Studies have frequently shown that students learn better if their studies include the arts.

President-elect Obama actually had a strongly worded platform about the arts, which said, in part: "To remain competitive in the global economy, America needs to reinvigorate the kind of creativity and innovation that has made this country great. To do so, we must nourish our children's creative skills. In addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts education."

That's music to my ears.

But it requires a change in attitude among millions who have never had that kind of exposure or realized the value the arts can have their lives and therefore have not supported the use of tax monies to help strengthen our education system and our communities.

Will this ever happen? Well, where would the arts be without the dreamers who see things that could happen?

I don't know if the petition drive will lead to anything, but you can find it at petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html.

Back To School

2009-01-13T09:37:00.001-08:00

After a month off from anything academic, I am now back at LSU and classes have started again. It was nice relaxing while it lasted, though I did miss being here with all my friends down here and everything (oh, and the warmer weather...highs have been in the mid-upper 50's and we're forecast to be in the low 60's next week).

Over the break, I had to travel back down here and then over to Atlanta for the Chick Fil'A bowl. It was a great game, a great win for our football team 38-3 over Georgia Tech after a very disappointing 7-5 regular season. In the final polls we did not end up being ranked, but we did receive a fair number of votes.

Here are two pictures from the game. The second one is the Georgia Tech band in the stands and what fans remained towards the end of the 3rd quarter across the stadium from the LSU section (which ended up being only like maybe 15-20% AT MOST) and the first is the LSU section on the bottom level.

Christmas Photos

2008-12-25T18:11:00.001-08:00

Here is a picture of the table set for today's meal as well as the centerpiece, a bowl filled with ornaments.

Wynton Speaks...

2008-12-24T18:49:00.001-08:00

Here's a little video (yes, another, they seem popular these days, aren't they?) of Wynton Marsalis talking about the wind instrumentation of a big band jazz band. I'd say I agree with most of what he says, except maybe his last statement...that might be a little questionable.

Inspiring Story

2008-12-20T14:40:00.001-08:00

Snow Totals

2008-12-11T19:12:00.000-08:00

So for everyone who is trying to comprehend why I'm making such a big deal about a little snow, here is why:

Several of my friends this was the first time they had ever seen snow.
Others this was only the 2nd or 3rd time they had ever seen snow.
Many others said that they have never seen as much snow as we got.

Remember, I am in south Louisiana, right by the gulf coast. Directly due west of the Florida panhandle. Just the thought of snow is a huge deal down here. Here are some snow totals for the area and their relative locations to LSU:

Zachary, 5.5" (a little due North of Baton Rouge. I think maybe about a 15-30 minute drive once you get out of the city itself?)
Baton Rouge, 3.0" (where the LSU campus is, where I am)
Mandeville, 2.5" (about an hour or so West of here. Mandeville is on the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain)
New Orleans, 1.0" (about and hour West-Southwest of here. It is on the southern shor of Lake Pontchartrain)

So as you can see, this was by Canadian standards, not too big of an event. A few inches, nothing too much to worry about. By Virginia standards, it was about average. The Zachary total being above average, but not extremely rare in the DC area. However, down here, this is unheard of. Snow is rare down this far south. The chances of a white Christmas here are practically zero. The chance of snow at all from the beginning of December until the end of February, again, close to zero. That is why it is such a big deal down here. A snow event like this is extremely rare, and makes a lot of people who never see snow, but want to, extremely happy.

I must say, it was very nice being woken up at 6AM to a door opening and closing and knocking on doors in the room next to mine to see snow piling up in the grass. I wasn't expecting to see it, either, because I know how rare it is down here. Even though it is something that is so normal for me, I still am making such a big deal out of it, just like everyone else. I guess its because its something so rare here and its cool to see it. Death Valley with snow in it? No way! But it did!

Something amusing: in one semester here at LSU you could practically say I've seen everything that one needs to see. The semester started with a hurricane, Gustav. And now it ended with a nice pleasant snow "storm" in the middle of finals (which are going very well so far)!

Snow Pictures

2008-12-11T13:08:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures that I was able to find from friends of the snow here at LSU.

This is the Memorial Tower with the Christmas tree in front of it

This and the next one are of Tiger Stadium. Obviously, snow filled. Its so weird to see it filled with snow!

These are of Mike VI in his habitat in the snow.

And this is a picture from just outside my dorm building. The closest door is the stack I'm in.

Snow

2008-12-11T04:36:00.000-08:00

Guess what? Its 6:35AM right now, and it is snowing in southern Louisiana. And it is accumulating, as well. Too bad my camera is broken, or I would have pictures to show, but I don't, since my camera is broken. I've never been so happy to be awake at 6AM ever. Seriously. And if you were wondering, right now it is 34F here, and at home in Virginia it is 40F and all they are getting is rain. I definitley think I'd rather be here in the snow.

Quick Video

2008-12-10T22:31:00.001-08:00

Here's a short video, that is kind of funny when you're not expecting it. Make sure you have your speakers and sound on when you watch it. Its short, so don't blink or you'll miss something!

Question. Which Panda was it?

Weather

2008-12-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

Right now, it has been raining off and on constantly for the past 36 or so hours. It was in the mid 70's yesterday, and today it was in the 40's most of the day. Big change in temperature, huh? Well, just to let ya'll know, we're forecast to have some winter weather of our own in the early hours of the morning into tomorrow early-mid morning.

The Award

2008-12-09T21:28:00.001-08:00

My Dad awarded me with this award. I have decided that I will award it to my cousin Krista. I enjoy her frequent updates about what is going on in the lives of her and Campbell. Since I rarely get to see them, her blog is a good way of keeping me informed as to what is going on in Campbell's young life. Congratulations, Krista! And now, as has been going on, you are challenged to award someone else with this award.

35 Years and Counting...

2008-12-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

So I was looking for a different video when I came across this one and was like, hey, this is pretty cool! Thought I'd share it with everyone.

One thing to note in the video is the series of pictures where both Crossmen and Spirit are together. These were taken during the age-out ceremonies. Spirit and the Crossmen have a special bond between the two corps dating back to the late 70's (Crossmen were formed in 75, Spirit in 77). It is a bond that exists through to today. I'll write more about this in a later post.

This coming season is the 35th year for the Crossmen, the longest surviving merger of two smaller corps.

2009 Tour Schedule Is Up!!

2008-11-26T13:04:00.001-08:00

So I was checking my e-mail a few minutes ago, and I open up the weekly DCI (Drum Corps International) newsletter. The first thing in it is the news about the full tour schedule being up, with a link to the schedule. Obviously, I went right there and began looking to see who was going where, particularly, where I would be going over the summer and what other corps we would see along the way. Here is the schedule:

June 25: Toledo, OH (this has been our first show both years I've already marched, and looks like it will be the same again, this year. The only drawback (maybe?) is that this year, like in '07, it is a week into the competitive season)
June 28: Decatur, IN
June 29: Erie, PA
July 1: Ft Edwards, NY (Mom and Dad saw me here last year, and we did Retreat/Encore here. It is a unique and special show. It is practically in the middle of nowhere, NY, and is at a baseball field instead of a football stadium. Its unique, but fun.)
July 2: Beverly, MA (This is the home show for our Brass Caption Head who is from the Boston area)
July 3: Bristol, RI (I can't see myself anywhere else on July 3/4 than in Bristol. Its a great place to be for the July 4 festivities)
July 4: Bristol, RI parade, and maybe another 1 or 2? Not on the actual competition schedule
July 7: Chesapeake, VA
July 9: Columbia, SC (this show was rained out last year, it started raining in the middle of the corps after us was performing)
July 11: Orlando, FL
July 14: Ocean Springs, MS
July 16: Houston, TX
July 17: Dallas, TX
July 18: San Antonio, TX (Whats different this year, is that there is no longer an Afternoon/Night show. What they are doing is dividing the corps up between Dallas and Houston, and every corps goes to both on the 16/17, half going Houston/Dallas, the other half going Dallas/Houston. They are then going to use the scores from those two shows for all the corps and place them in performance order for a long full 21 corps show. I'm interested to see how this change will affect attendance. They're doing something similar for the Atlanta show, as well)
July 21: Monroe, LA
July 22: Hattiesburg, MS
July 24: Murfreesboro, TN
July 25: Atlanta, GA
July 26: Charlotte, NC
July 27: Salem, VA
July 30: West Chester, VA (this is the corps original home. It is one of our multiple "home" shows. San Antonio and Allentown being the others. Clifton, somewhat.)
July 31: Lawrence, MA
August 1: Allentown, PA
August 2: Clifton, NJ
August 6-8: DCI World Championships, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN

I am very excited for this summer and this schedule. My only complaint is that I don't have any personal home shows. We won't be at the Warrenton show. There isn't a Westminster show (not that I don't mind, I really don't like that field). We aren't going to the Lafayette, LA show, either. Lafayette is about an hour or so west of Baton Rouge, and a number of people from southern LA go to that show. Monroe is in the northern part of the state. Oh well.

Good things are that we see Spirit 8 times. Spirit and Crossmen have a special connection that dates back to 1979. Also, one of my friends who is on the drumline here at LSU and is also a music major, is auditioning at Spirit this weekend. Also, here there are people who march at Glassmen, Bluecoats, Cadets, and Crown, as well as someone who marched at Madison in 06.

This summer is going to be an exciting one, and with the entire brass staff being back from last year, I'm certain it will be a very educational and productive summer. Only about 6 months until move-in!

Tiger Band Photos

2008-11-23T15:29:00.001-08:00

Since my parents asked for a picture of me in my LSU Tiger Band uniform, here is one as well as some other pictures of the band. For pre-game, I am in the bottom of the S. When we are in the straight lines, I am in the 4th line.

A Moment to Breathe!

2008-11-22T20:46:00.001-08:00

As the title suggests, I have been incredibly busy as of late. Last weekend wasn't much of a weekend at all. Really, this week has been two weeks, essentially.

Last week (week of the 10-15), I had an Intro exam (music theory/music history combined class) in the middle of the week, so the first part of the week was spent studying...a lot...for that exam. I also had a couple assignments due at the end of the week for my music ed class. Then on the Saturday it was our 4th home football game in a row. It was the Troy game which was rescheduled from September 6, thanks to Gustav. It was also the homecoming game. Because there was not a football game originally scheduled for that day, it was also the first game of the season for the men's basketball team. Normally, a 60 person pep band, the Bengal Brass, would play for this game. However, since there was a football game as well that day, the band directors decided it would be nice if the full 325 member Tiger Band play for the game. So that day began with an EARLY practice at 8AM followed by a meal. Then the basketball game. All 325 of us in the PMAC, a domed basketball arena with a capacity of 10,000. After the basketball game, we ate again, and then went to do our usual football gameday routine, which involved a short concert in the PMAC, followed by the march to the stadium and then the football game. Needless to say, that was a very long day.

Sunday wasn't much better. It would've been nice to get some time to relax, however, I did not get this opportunity. My Sunday began with a dress rehearsal for the Trombone Choir concert. This was followed by a required recital, the Percussion Ensemble concert. That was a very enjoyable concert. After the concert, I had a short period of time where I did get to relax a little and get something to eat. But I didn't have much time, because I also had another dress rehearsal on Sunday, this time for Tiger band and our "Tigerama" concert. Tigerama is a concert that the Tiger Band and the top two concert bands, the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Winds, put on as a fundraiser. The Tiger Band plays all of its show music from its various shows from throughout football season, as well as the numerous school songs that LSU has.

After the long days of Saturday and Sunday, I had to return to my normal class schedule on Monday, which is probably my busiest day of the week this semester. That evening was the Tigerama concert. Then Tuesday, my second busiest day, was the Trombone Choir concert. After that you think I would have gotten a chance to relax the rest of the week, right? After all, my two busiest class days of the week are done, and it only gets easier throughout the week. Nope. I had another round of math homework and quizzes due at the end of the week, as well as ANOTHER Intro test coming up this Monday, just over a week after our last one. Oh, and today was our 5th straight home game in a row. Unfortunatley, it was also our 3rd conference loss in a row. Georgia on Oct 25, Alabama on November 8, and Ole Miss today. At least we came back from a 31-3 deficit to beat Troy 40-31 last week!

Next week, I also have a dress rehearsal for the Symphonic band concert on Monday, the concert being Tuesday. At least next week is Thanksgiving and I'll finally get a real chance to really relax for some time! Too bad the week after that is "dead week" which is the week before finals where basically nothing is allowed to happen. Followed by finals. After finals, I go to San Antonio for the December camp for the Crossmen and the 2008 season banquet, then I get to go home for at most two weeks, depending on our bowl selection.

Now that Ole Miss beat us today, the Cotton bowl is looking very unlikely, as it will probably choose Ole Miss over us. Our best realistic hope now is the Chick Fil'a Peach Bowl against an ACC team, which at this point could be any team, because they are all about even this year as the ACC has no dominant team. At least with us probably not going to the Cotton bowl, that means we won't have to worry about being slaughtered by either Texas, Oklahoma, or Texas Tech, whichever one gets left out of the BCS.

It will be interesting to see which teams go where, especially if Oregon State wins the Pac-10, forcing USC to have an at-large bid to a BCS bowl. If that were to happen, then there is a good chance that Ohio State will be left out of the BCS and play in the Capitol One bowl, most likely against Georgia, who, if the trend continues, should beat Ohio State pretty easily, as Ohio State is now what? 0-8? 0-9? against SEC teams in bowl games? It'll be interesting to see how things play out over the next two weeks.

2008-11-10T20:28:00.000-08:00

This is from Aunt Barbara's blog just with my answers, instead.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (well, Disney Wrold)
8. Climbed a mountain (I didn't climb really, rode up on an underground train, really)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (It's really small and kinda far back from where you can stand to see it)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked (I'm counting this as getting rides from people who offered after I started walking home in HS)
23. Taken a sick day when youʼre not ill (Mom, Dad, I'll admit, I did this once or twice in 6th grade, but not in middle school or high school)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (Didn't want to spend all the time haggling to get the price down only to be cheated by them anyways when I was there. They do that, you know)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (both)
31. Hit a home run (in kickball)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community (They're everywhere up by Grandma and Grandpa in PA)
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangeloʼs David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (Story that fits here, on our free day at a beach in New Jersey, about 8 or 9 of us were eating at this restaurant and we see on of the alumni who does a bunch for the Crossmen and started talking to her. Then she decided she would pay for all our food, so we all got a free meal during that free day. It was very kind of her.)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (Ok, not the VERY top, but I went up onto it partway and it was still a very good view all around)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (Only bought)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (Visited Dachau when I was in Europe 3 summers ago)
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (It would be kind of sad if I hadn't and I've lived 12 miles away for 7 years now)
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades (I drove through them - does that count?)
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (I got a really cool picture of a trombone slide during this! I'll post it in a few days if I remember to.)
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (Havn't been inside yet, though)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someoneʼs life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person (I honestly still havn't, even after having had two free nights at the Riverwalk. Something I'm gonna have to try to do this summer, I guess)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Growing Excitment for the Alabama Game

2008-11-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is finally the day. The day that the whole LSU football nation has been waiting for since January 3, 2007. The day that Nick Saban, former LSU head coach, announced his return to college football as the head coach of Alabama. Here is a brief overview of how this came to be.

In 1999? (maybe 2000), Nick Saban was in his first year as head coach here at LSU. He took over a program that was struggling, and began turning the program around. Fast. In 2003, he took the team to the BCS National Championship game and won. This gave LSU our first football National Championship since 1958. The championship game was held on January 4, 2004. On January 4, 2005, exactly one year after that game, Nick Saban was announced as the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins in the NFL. While Tiger fans were disappointed at his departure, many understood that he was moving to a different level. When the Dolphins played the Saints during the 2005 season, the game was held in Tiger Stadium due to Hurricane Katrina. Saban was warmly recieved back "home." During the 2006 season, Alabama fired their head coach and began looking for a highly qualified coach who could win championships. Many rumors were circulating all over the place that Nick Saban was at the top of the list. In a mid-December press conference, Saban denied all rumors that he was considering the coaching job at Alabama. He said he was not going to leave the Dolphins. However, on January 3, 2007, the day that LSU played Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, Nick Saban was announced as the new head coach at Alabama. Thats when the whole of the Tiger Nation turned on Saban. He lied about leaving LSU for the Dolphins, and then he lied about returning to Alabama. Alabama is another SEC school, and not only that, they are also an SEC West school, meaning LSU plays them every single year. This game has been highly anticipated since that day. Tomorrow will be his first time back in Tiger Stadium "Death Valley" since becoming head coach at Alabama.

This game and the return of Nick Saban has been one of the, if not THE most talked about sports story this week. Every day there are articles about the game, tv stories about the game, everything. More than anything else in the sports world. Also, College Gameday, the Saturday morning college sports show on ESPN is being broadcast from the LSU Campus. Also, to make it even better, Alabama is ranked #1 in all the polls for the first time (this is the first week they're ranked #1) in a long time. They are 9-0 and looking towards and SEC championship and a possible BCS National Championship. Tiger fans here at LSU would love nothing more than to see all that go by the wayside thanks to a loss to our beloved Fighting Tigers in Death Valley.

I have been looking forward to this game for such a long time. This is the single game that I have been anticipating this season. The atmosphere is going to be incredibly electric. Record attendance is expected as a possibility. There is going to be additional securty around the Alabama team (for obvious reasons, fans hatred of Saban). My only gripe is that thanks to CBS the game is at 2:30. In the afternoon. This is going to be an extremely eciting game. I can't wait until kickoff in 23 hours and 37 minutes. It's going to be fun...

Election Day is FINALLY Here!

2008-11-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

Today is the day. Tonight millions of Americans nationwide will be watching election returns coming in all night long, late into the night, waiting to see who our next President will be. After two long years of campaigning, almost a full 24 months, over 700 days, we will FINALLY be able to stop watching campaign ads and the back and forth between all the candidates who have attempted their bid to become the nations next President. Its been a long two years. And it only seems longer when you look at it in months or days. Thats a long election process! Canada is what? 37 days? That's about 5% of what this national election cycle has been! Unfortunately, as things go in America, very soon we're probably gonna start hearing about Senate races in two years. At least we can hopefully go two years without thinking about the next Presidential cycle.

No matter what the result, this years election is seeming to be an accomplishment for the US. The voter turnout in some areas is expected to be as high as 80%. Compare that to the past few Presidential elections where turnout has been less than 50%. Maybe people are starting to realize after how close the last two elections that every vote counts. And that is why it is so important to vote. You never know if your vote is the one that could change your state from being tied to going one way or the other. You'll never know unless you actually vote and make your voice heard.

"Death Valley" (or Tiger Stadium)

2008-10-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

The football stadium here at LSU is Tiger Stadium, and it is nicknamed "Death Valley." And for good reason. The stadium with a capacity of 92,400 (6h largest in the NCAA, 3rd in the SEC) has a long history and many traditions behind it. The band is a large part of some of these traditions, as the band's pregame show is cheered on by everyone in the stadium and is so well known. Every single person in the stadium will notice and know when someone messes up during pregame, as it is that well known and that obviuos when someone does.

One of the biggest, if not the biggest Death Valley tradition is that of the night game. The words by the announcer "It's Saturday Night in Death Valley...and here come your Figting Tigers of LSU." ring throught the stadium as a deafeaning roar from the stadium erupts at the end of pregame when the band plays the fight song as the football team runs out from the locker room, underneath our H-style goalposts and through the band tunnel onto the field. Death Valley is one of the most intimidating places to play on a Saturday night, and is reffered to by many and is voted in many polls as a dreaded place to play on the road. It is one of the greatest college football venues in the country. The following is taken from the LSU Sports website information on Tiger Stadium:

"Part of the lore of Tiger Stadium is the tradition of playing games at night, an idea that was introduced in 1931 against Spring Hill (a 35-0 LSU victory). In 2006, LSU celebrated its 75th year of playing night football in Tiger Stadium. Since that first night game in 1931, LSU has played the majority of its games at night and the Tigers have fared much better under the lights than during the day. Since 1960, LSU is 206-59-3 (.774) at night in Tiger Stadium compared to a 20-23-3 (.467) record during the day over that span. "

One of the things every member of the band looks forward to each year is an "epic" pregame. This means doing pregame at night for a HUGE game such as games against Auburn, Georgia, or Florida, and sometimes (this year being one of them) Alabama. However this year, the Georgia game was played at 2:30. This was a huge disappointment. This was because CBS chose to broadcast the game at that time. Today, the same was announced for the Alabama game on November 8. You can imagine how upset everyone in the band is. This years freshmen will not experience a true, "real" night in Death Valley this year. And maybe not next year, either. It all depends on CBS now. This is because the SEC (Southeastern Conference) is in a TV deal with CBS, and CBS chooses what games they want to show when. 2:30 is their favorite time slot to show their games, because they opt to show regular tv shows during the night game hours instead of huge football games that will probably draw even larger audiences if shown at night. I wish they would realize this. The day I found out I made Tiger Band after the pre-season week and cut night, I was waiting for the Georgia game, hoping to be at night. It wasn't. And neither is Alabama. The two biggest home games of the season, played in the daytime. Its upsetting. I have never really liked going to football games during the day. I always enjoyed the night games, and being under the stadium lights. Its disappointing.

Here is some more history of Tiger Stadium (which I'm sure you will find very interesting) from the LSU Sports website:

The home of one of football's proudest traditions, Tiger Stadium once served as a dormitory for approximately 1,500 students, and while Broussard Hall, then LSU's athletics dormitory, was being renovated during the fall of 1986, the LSU football players lived in Tiger Stadium.

The original phase of construction was completed in 1924. This first phase included the east and west stands, which seated about 12,000. Seven years later (1931), the sides were extended upward to accommodate an additional 10,000 fans, raising the capacity to 22,000. In 1936, the stadium seating capacity was increased to 46,000, with the addition of 24,000 seats in the north end, making Tiger Stadium into a horseshoe configuration.

The next phase of construction took place in 1953 when the stadium's south end was closed to turn the horseshoe into a bowl, increasing the seating capacity to 67,720.

The original upper deck atop the west stands was completed in 1978, and it added 8,000 seats to the stadium's capacity. Additional seating in two club level sections, which flanked the existing press box, brought the total addition to approximately 10,000 seats and raised the stadium's capacity to approximately 78,000.

Refurbishing began on the stadium in the summer of 1985, when the east and west stands were waterproofed, and 25,000 chair back seats were added to replace the older "bench" type seats. Another phase of improvements was completed in 1987 when the north and south stands were waterproofed and newer bleachers were again installed to replace the older ones.

The playing field was moved 11 feet south in 1986 to provide more room between the back line of the North End Zone and the curvature of the stadium fence, which surrounds the field. It also put the playing area in the exact center of the arena's grassy surface.

Prior to the 1987 season, more seats were installed at the upper portion of the west lower stands in Tiger Stadium. Also, the stadium's seating arrangement was renumbered to make all seats a uniform size. The addition of bleacher seating in 1988 brought the capacity to 80,150, but the elimination of some bleacher seating after the 1994 season dropped the capacity to 80,000.

Now the sixth largest on-campus stadium in college football, Tiger Stadium continues to provide fans with the ultimate college football experience. Eight years ago, 11,600 seats were added with the installation of the east upper deck, bringing the capacity to nearly 92,000. In addition to the new east upper deck, 70 skyboxes, called "Tiger Dens,” were built, giving Tiger fans luxury accommodations. The addition of the 11,600 seats in 2000 marked the first expansion to Tiger Stadium since 1978, when the original west upper deck was completed.

The distinctive environment of Tiger Stadium became even more pronounced in 2005 as the ambitious West Upper Deck project was virtually completed. Construction on the project -- which began immediately after LSU's home finale against Ole Miss in November of 2004 - carried a $60 million price tag and rebuilt over 3,200 special amenity seats as a well as a state-of-the-art press box to Tiger Stadium. The west side renovation, which included the removal and rebuilding of the upper deck to mirror the east side upper deck, was finished during the 2006 season.

The Memorial Tower

2008-10-21T11:51:00.001-07:00

On campus, by the parade grounds near the Student Union (pretty much the center of campus) is the tall clock tower, the Memorial Tower. This clock tower goes off every 15 minutes using the Westminster chimes sequence. It can be heard somewhat easily from the Pentagon where I live. It is quite convenient to figure out what time it is, having the clock tower go off every 15 minutes. At least, until 10 PM. The bells stop ringing at 10 PM daily. Every day at noon, after the full on-the-hour sequence is played and the 12 chimes of noon ring, the Memorial Tower then plays the LSU Alma Mater in its entirety, all two verses. Just a unique thing about the LSU campus.

Oh, and on a side note, I received my absentee ballot in the mail a couple weeks ago and waited until after the last presidential debate (the "Joe The Plumber" debate) to fill it out. I mailed it in at the end of last week. Now I just have to sit back and wait for everything to be counted.

A Big Weekend In College Football

2008-10-09T21:02:00.000-07:00

Every weekend is big in college football, and this weekend is no exception. This weekend, during college gameday the winner of the "Battle of the Bands" contest will be announced. You can keep voting up until then, and all your support is much appreciated. Also, this weekend includes some big matchups between some good teams.

Oklahoma and Texas face each other in the "Red River Shootout." Both teams are undefeated and ranked in the top 5 of the AP poll. The winner has the easier path to the Big 12 championship game, and more than likely to the national championship game. However, both teams still have very difficult schedules remaining after this weekend. Also in the Big 12, Oklahoma State and Missouri will play each other. Both are undefeated as well.

In the SEC, LSU (Geaux Tigers!) will play in the swamp at Florida. This is one of our biggest east-west games every year. The LSU-Florida game is always a game to watch. For this game, the band is sending a 100 member pep band. Some of those who are not going in the trombone section are planning to get together to watch the game. The band has not had practice all week because this weekend was originally going to be fall break, meaning we would not have had classes on Thursday and Friday. The band directors had planned on us not having rehearsal this week. When fall break was canceled due to Gustav, they were nice in letting us still have the whole week off of rehearsal. It was definitely nice not having practice all week and not having anything to worry about after lunchtime all week (aside from a required recital Tuesday night and concert band on Monday). Also in the SEC, Vanderbuilt, a surprise 5-0 team, plays Mississippi State, a 1-4 team. Many people are expecting that this is where Vandy could end up tripping up, looking forward towards their game with Georgia next week. I hope they stay undefeated.

In other conferences, USC plays Arizona State. I hope Arizona State beats USC. I always like it when USC loses, as I've never much liked them. I was very happy when Oregon State beat them a couple weeks ago. I was not so happy about 30 minutes later when the fire alarm in my stack went off because someone knocked the cover off the fire alarm. Oh well, those things happen. In the Big 10, Michigan State plays Northwestern, both sleeper teams for the Big 10 title. We'll see what happens.

Although it is not college football, I am happy to say that the Oakton Cougars football team is 6-0 at the moment, having defeated Chantilly at home on Friday. Tomorrow night they play at Centerville, who is a surprising 1-5 so far this season. After last seasons disappointing ending, missing the playoffs (which were expanded last season as well, doubling the number of teams who make playoffs) by losing the last two games of the season, the Oakton Cougars football team took very seriously preparing for this season. The moment the season ended, they began preparing for this season, determined not to let there be a repeat of last year.

The Video Is Up!

2008-09-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

The video of the band playing The Raiders March is up here: http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/contests/indianajones/voteBand

You can vote every day. The winner will be announced during College Gameday on October 11.

2008-09-25T20:30:00.000-07:00

In today's Daily Reveille, the school paper, there was the following article:

Auburn fan, don’t call me ‘nigger’

Johanathan Brooks

Sports Contributor

Print this article

Published: Thursday, September 25, 2008

Updated: Thursday, September 25, 2008

I had my fourth away game experience when I went to Auburn, Ala., to see LSU play this past weekend.

It was a good time, and I list Auburn as one of my favorite college gameday experiences. But one bad apple left a sour taste in my mouth.

Nearly everyone was gracious in welcoming me to the city and hoped I enjoyed myself, but one guy thought he’d be bold enough to actually call me the “n-word.”

I’ll admit, I don’t have high regards for the state that tried to force Rosa Parks to the back of a bus, forced Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to march from Selma to Montgomery so people like my grandparents could have their basic civil rights and had a governor who defied the Alabama National Guard by refusing to let blacks enter the state’s largest college.

But with all that negative history, I never expected to be told to “Move out of the way, nigger” while lining up outside the stadium to get in.

The instance reminded me of a quote by my favorite comedian, Dave Chappelle:

“Have you ever had something happen that was so racist that you didn’t even get mad? You was like, ‘God damn that was racist!’”

That’s exactly how it felt. I didn’t even have the capacity to respond because I was caught so off guard.

To top things off, this wasn’t the first instance of racism I’ve had to deal with while trying to enjoy a football game.

I had the unfortunate experience of driving to Oxford, Miss., in 2007.

Aside from Oxford being where fun goes to die, I had to see dozens of confederate flags and listen to men sing “Dixie.”

I respect other schools’ traditions no matter how backward or racist I perceive them to be, so that didn’t bother me.

What bothered me was a grown man asking me when I was let out of prison to come see the game as if — just because I’m black — I’ve committed enough crimes by the age of 20 to warrant serving hard time.

I’ve only had one run-in with the law, and it was for speeding.

Maybe I’ve been sheltered growing up in the suburbs of Atlanta, but I honestly can’t recall an instance when an “adult” picked on me because of my race.

It was only these two idiots coming to see teams — ironically enough — comprised mostly of people who look like me.

My other two away trips saw no instances of bigotry. For that, I’d like to thank the lovely people of Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Tulane fans in New Orleans.

In 2008 — a year that has seen a black man leading most national polls to become the next president — there are still people ignorant enough to try to offend me because I don’t have to tan and my hair is a coarser texture. And I think it’s ridiculous.

I don’t really care if people hate me. But if you are going to, at least have a real reason.

Don’t hate me because I’m black.

Hate me because I’m a national champion, and you aren’t.

That article serves well for me to discuss the second big difference that I have noticed between home and LSU (as I knew would probably be a difference in some form). Racism. I figured before I even came here that I would probably hear of/encounter some situations regarding this. LSU is in Louisiana, which is part of the Deep South.

The book I had to read over the summer before my senior year of high school, The Blind Side, is a book about Michael Oher, a football player for Ole Miss from the Memphis area, and his high school football career and college recruitment (sidenote, he was being recruited by Nick Saban who at the time was the coach for LSU. Nick Saban promised him that he would not leave LSU, and then he left LSU for the Miami Dolphins. Now Nick Saban is coaching again in the SEC, now at Alabama. Needless to say, there are a lot of negative and hard feelings towards Saban. It is going to be one interesting game when Alabama comes to play here on November 8, when it will be Nick Saban's first time back in Tiger Stadium since suddenly departing LSU). Anyways, in the book, there are portions that do show how there are still some remaining racist attitudes in the deep south. I was not shocked when I have observed the racist feelings that sometimes surface in some people at times.

I heard a story about how a New Orleans police chief said that any white person driving in a black neighborhood would be pulled over, and vice versa, any black person driving in a white neighborhood would be pulled over, and he said "If you don't like it and complain, we'll stop. An you can get robbed."

Now, the Oakton, the high school I went to, is considered in Fairfax County as being "the rich white school." This is because the school demographics are somewhat like this: 70% white, 20% asian, 10% hispanic, black, others. In the band program, there was an average of about 2-3 black kids in the program all four years I was there. Yes, this shows that even up in Northern Virginia, there are some areas that are still somewhat "segregated" in a sorts, it is not as bad as still is down here in some ways. As well, I never encountered any actual situations regarding racism while I was at Oakton.

Down here at LSU, it is different. And I'm sure its similar all across the deep south, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia. This also goes to show that although the civil rights movement occured almost 50 years ago now, there is still a LONG way to go before racism is eliminated. I honestly don't think it will ever completley happen, because there is always going to be one group that thinks they are elitist over another group in some form or another. Its a part of human nature.

I belive that this could also be a deciding factor in the November election in the swing state of Virginia. A large part of southern Virginia is comprised of blacks. However, a large portion of them do not typically vote in elections. The fact that Barack Obama is running as the Democratic candidate could change this and push Virginia over the edge. It will probably be interesting to see how the voting in this years election compares to that of past years, especially in states like Virginia and those in the deep south. There is a new factor that has not been in past presidential elections. We'll see how things go.

Vote for LSU

2008-09-22T21:12:00.001-07:00

Last Wednesday evening, the Tiger Band had a recording session with ESPN. We are a part of a competition with 6 other bands as a part of the release of the new Indiana Jones movie. The winning band will recieve $25,000. If LSU wins, the money will go to our new band hall. You can go to the following website to vote every day until the winner is announced on College Gameday on October 11 (which there is a good chance the featured game will be LSU-Florida):

http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/contests/indianajones/voteTeam

So go to that website and please vote for the LSU band! The videos of all the bands will be up on September 29.

Fairfax County #2?

2008-09-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

I was just checking my e-mail and looking at some of the news stories that were showing on Netscape, and one of the stories was a listing of the top 10 richest counties in the country. Five of those 10 counties are in the Washington DC metro area. Prince William County ranked #9, Montgomery #7, Howard #3, Fairfax County, where we live, #2, and Loudoun ranked as the richest county nation wide. Seeing that really hit home how I live in such a well-off community.

For my MUED 1700 class, we are being assigned a reading partner at a local elementary school. We are being assigned a child who is behind where they are supposed to be in reading standards according to a test that they will be taking this week (they would have taken the test last week, but the East Baton Rouge schools had two full weeks off due to Gustav). It will then be my job to help this child improve their reading skills over the course of weekly meetings for about 8 or 9 weeks. When the person in charge of registering us for the program came and talked to our class, she was talking about how much of an impact we will be making in some childs life and how these children really need the help. She cited some statistics, and the one that is most prevalent in my mind right now is that the fact that about 40% of adults in East Baton Rouge parish are illiterate, meaning they have lower than a 3rd grade reading level. I'll say taht again, a third grade reading level. To most of us that seems really easy, but for such a large area, for 40% of adults to not be able to read at that level is truly staggering. That means that a large number of children also do not have parents who are able to help them with reading. For a large number of households, they either have no books or very few, usually being a phone book, maybe a Bible, and maybe a magazine. At my house, everywhere you look you will see books. I would say it would be safe to say that about 1/3-1/2 of the wall space at our house in Fairfax is covered with bookshelves and books or have books piled on the floor in front of it.

Seeing where Fairfax County was earlier just helped me realize even more than I already did, how much of a completly different community I am down here at LSU than I was up in Fairfax. I am truly thankful that I have such a loving and caring family that is there for me and how I have been able to grow up in such great environments for education. It is truly amazing how much a large difference ther is just in our nation alone, I can only imagine what it is like in some other countires in Africa, South and Central America, and the Carribean. There are other big differences between Fairfax and Baton Rouge that I will be writing about in the next couple of days.

The Pentagon

2008-09-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

My dorm, Jackson Hall, is in the "Pentagon" on the LSU campus. The Pentagon consists of four dorms, Jackson, Taylor, Beauregard, and Lejune. At the bottom of the Pentagon is a smaller building with a small mini-mart in it and a place to do laundry. Each dorm in the Pentagon is not like your typical dorm, where everyone is on "floors" with an RA for every floor, or for sections of floors for larger buildings. Instead, the Pentagon dorms are divided into 5 "stacks." A "stack" is a stairwell 3 floors high, with 4 rooms and a bathroom on each floor. On the first floor, one room is a storage/maintanence room, and on the second floor, one of the rooms is a kitchen, where floor (or in this case, "stack") meetings are held. There is one RA for each stack. It is a different living environment from your typical dorm with a long hallway with 20-40 people in the hallway. There are 27 people in each stack, plus the one RA.

The Pentagon also provides a great social atmosphere. In the center of all the buildings (obviously, in a Pentagon shape) is a courtyard with a number of picnic tables and barbeque grills. At just about any point in time, rain or shine, you will probably be able to find people outside in the courtyard at these picnic table. The courtyard provides a great place to be able to meet people outside just your stack, meeting people from the other buildings. After classes, when the sun is going down and it is getting cooler, all the tables get filled with groups of people gathering together. Even on Monday in the rain, there was still a group at one of the picnic tables. People come out no matter what the weather is. All the other dorms on campus don't have anything close to resembling the Pentagon courtyard. Broussard, right next to the Pentagon has a small courtyard outside the TV/Pool room, but it isn't nearly as large. It also doesn't have as many people in it at any given point in time. People can almost always be found in the courtyard late into the night, usually until at least 1AM, sometimes later. When we didn't have classes, some people were out until 4AM or later. I have classes starting at 8:30 and 7:30, so I obviously wouldn't be able to do that and be able to function well the next day. After a couple days of staying up past 1AM, I would probably end up falling asleep in my 7:30 math class.

Even though the dorm rooms themselves in the Pentagon dorms are probably the worst on campus, being small and crowded (3 to a room for most people, except for some of the girls in some stacks), the social atmosphere in the Pentagon is much more enjoyable than that for other dorms on campus.

Pictures of Campus after the Storm

2008-09-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

Gustav

2008-09-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Right now, the last rain-band from Gustav is giving us some rain, right now, but all the wind and worst of the storm has long passed. Yesterday at about 9AM, campus got put into lockdown, and we all had to stay in our dorms. At about 1, power went out in our dorm room. Soon after power went out, everyone in my stack who stayed for the storm left their rooms and we all gathered in the kitchen and started to play cards and find ways to entertain ourselves. Then there were a couple games of "Horse" in the stairwell with a tennis ball. Power came back on around 7 for a short time, but then went out again after about 30 minutes or so. We took the table from the kitchen and put it in the stairwell and played cards some more. You could tell we were all getting pretty bored being stuck in one small stack for a full day without any power. (The lights in the stairwell were on, emergency lights, thats why we were able to be in there when it was dark outside.

At one point during the storm, me an my roommates were all just sitting on our beds when the wind suddenly started to pick up and then all of a sudden, a large tree branch comes and hits the side of the building and slides down the wall, coming very close to smashing in the window to our room. Here are some pictures of the tree, some from inside my room, and others from outside.

LSU 41-App St 13

2008-08-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's game was originally scheduled for 4 PM, but due to the threat posed by Gustav, the game was moved up to 10AM. This put the game at the time when it began to really heat up during the day. By the end of the game, the stadium was nearly empty (rare for Tiger Stadium, I believe), and the band was miserable because we were in our full uniforms (we are never out of full uniform when at games). The jackets for the uniforms are really thick and heavy, too. The jackets would be great for the late November-December games up north, but for a late August midday game, not so great.

Anyways, a typical game-day Saturday for the LSU Golden Band From Tigerland (the times used are what were for this game, and are obviously different for different game times):

6AM: Rehearsal at the IFF (Indoor Football Facility) This meant I had to get up at 5 to get ready and walk over there, as it is a LONG walk from my dorm. And I'm in one of the closer dorms to the building, too. If I were in one of the dorms across campus I probably would've been getting up around 4:45. At this rehearsal, we rehearse pre-game multiple times and run through the show a couple of times, cleaning any last minute things that did not get cleaned in our 4 rehearsals to learn the show during the school week beforehand.

8AM: Rehearsal is over, walk over to the Band Hall and get in uniform for the parade to the stadium.

8:30AM (approx): Set up for parade and step-off for the march to the stadium. The parade begins at the Greek Theater and goes to Victory Hill where we then stop and play Pre-Game for those gathered (usually a LOT of people) and then run down the hill playing "Touchdown." Touchdown is what is played as we are sweeping the field during pre-game and then forming the LSU.

Typically at this point, we would then march into the PMAC (the football arena) and play for a bit, but as the PMAC is being used as an emergency medical facility for Gustav, this did not happen as they were setting the building up for that. Instead, we went straight into Tiger Stadium. Once in Tiger Stadium, we take our seats in the stands and play in the stands for a little while. Then when it gets close to game time, those who march in Pre-Game leave to set up for the Pre-Game show. Unfortunately, due to the game time and the fact that Gustav was coming, the stands were not that full at the time we performed Pre-Game. Usually the stands are close to being packed at this point. For this game it was relatively loud as we were taking the field, so I can only imagine how much louder it will be when the stands are packed.

After the Pre-Game show, we take our seats in the stands again and watch the game while playing. We then leave and do the halftime show. Afterwards, we get free food as we head back to the stands to continue playing. After the game is over, the football team gathers in front of the band, and we play the Alma Mater as they sing. Then afterwards, as the team leaves for the locker room, the band plays "Let Us Break Bread Together" and then sings the Alma Mater. We then leave and re-form the parade block and parade back to the band hall. Then (for those who want to), the pre-game and halftime shows are then watched in the band hall.

In preparation for Gustav, many people around campus who ride bikes (which is a lot of people), have locked up their bikes laying on the ground and in various locations, not only on the bike racks (which are almost full). There are bikes locked to fences, drainage pipes, and various other objects attached to buildings. All the tables in the Pentagon courtyard have been turned upside down. Street signs that are movable are all knocked down, laying on the ground. In our dorms, we have been told to eliminate as many projectiles as possible. Currently, my closet is almost completely filled with my trombones, marching band uniform and bag (with shako (hat) and gloves and raincoat) and shoes, school supplies, printers, books, music, and various other

items. Unfortunately there isn't enough room to cram everything in there, so there are still some things underneath my bed. Also, you can tell that the PMAC is being used as an emergency center, because I can hear helicopters frequently flying to and from the building. If you walk outside, you can see that many of them that are flying by are the military helicopters. They are making sure that that place is well stocked and ready for when the storm hits. The LSU campus is probably one of the safest places in Baton Rouge.

Quick Update

2008-08-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

Due to Gustav, tomorrows game against Appalachian State has been moved up to 10AM CT, so 11AM for most of you. I don't know how this will affect the TV telecast of the game and what not. Also, classes have been canceled on Tuesday. I am expecting that they will end up being canceled Wednesday as well, not sure about the rest of the week next week.

Fay and Gustav

2008-08-27T20:34:00.000-07:00

So in my first three and a half weeks down at LSU, I will have the possibility of already having been through two storms. The first one was Fay, which came through at the end of last week, beginning of this week, whose remnants are in the Virginia area right now, and the second possibly being Gustav. Gustav is currently in between Haiti and Cuba, but the center of its projected path has it coming straight for this area. However, most storms with that projected path end up going either towards the Florida panhandle or towards Texas. However, the LSU website is already preparing with readiness information and what to do in storm situations and all, as well as the New Orleans area getting ready for possible evacuations, setting up evacuation routes. The path of the storm will be more clear within the next day or two as it passes underneath Cuba. Currently it is expected to strengthen into a category 2 or possibly a category 3 as it travels through the Gulf of Mexico, by the time Gustav would make landfall along the Gulf coast. Where is the question. However, you don't need to fear, as the LSU campus and Baton Rouge are far enough inland to not have much impact from coastal storm surge and anything along those lines.

On to a brighter topic, my first few days of class have been pretty good. My schedule has a lot of open time which will end up being filled with working and practicing. But it is nice having a lot of open time with which I have to work with, unlike many other freshmen music majors, due to the fact that I am already entering with 5 of my general education courses taken care of due to my SAT scores and AP exam scores. Currently, I am taking "Intro to Music Study" which is a music history and a music theory class combined, as well as an "Intro to Music Education" class, which I still have to go to, the first class being tomorrow. I am also taking a math class, "Intro to Contemporary Math" which covers four completely different topics, consumer math (interest, sales, that kind of stuff), probability, and two other topics which I cannot think of at the moment. My other classes are my studio class, and this class will consist of my lessons, trombone quartet, recital attendance, and the studio class itself. This will be the hardest class for me to get an A in, as there is so much that goes into it, as well as it being very tough to get "A"'s in lesson grades. Aside from all those, I am also in the Symphonic Band and the Tiger Marching Band. Our first show, for the game this Saturday against Appalachian State, is a "champions/celebration" theme, with "We Are The Champions," "Celebrate," and "Celebration." In addition to this, it is the alumni band weekend. The band does a new show almost every week. The football team has 8 home games, so that means 8 shows at home. I say 8 shows at home, because the full band goes on one away game, this year being the Auburn game towards the end of September. I believe we will be learning a show for that game as well. And if we make the SEC championship game, thats another one, as well as any bowl game. Now whether or not we'll learn new shows for any of that stuff, I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised if we did.