Band and Cheer Stuff

[Giovanni Jones]

I think we'll all agree that the San Jacinto Liberty Flag is worthy of a salute.
(We have several replica Texas Revolution flags in our office. My boss has the SJL flag in his office.)

 

[Chop]

I think we'll all agree that the San Jacinto Liberty Flag is worthy of a salute.
(We have several replica Texas Revolution flags in our office. My boss has the SJL flag in his office.)

Hmmmmmmmmmm. Maybe that spirit group could unfold a replica of the San Jac flag that covers around a third of the field before games.

My favorite Texas flag is actually the blue flag with one big star that spells out T-E-X-A-S in between the points on the star.

 

[SabreHorn]

Chop,

The blocking of Tech was all TCU, who had a near stranglehold on West Texas talent. Just as Coach Royal forced the SWC to take Houston, he led the charge to admit Tech.

Stanley Marcus had little or nothing to do with the SWC and less to do with SMU, otherwise you would see his name on buildings in Highland Park.

 

[ViperHorn]

Yes, and we "have to" recite it every day in public schools. That started in 2003, state law. The more you think about the tradition, the weirder it gets.
If you "have to" make a pledge (or say anything at all, like an apology), is there any evidence you meant it?
Do children under the age of 10 understand what they're saying? Do they even know the meaning of words like pledge, allegiance, or indivisible?
If a pledge means anything, shouldn't you only need to make it once? Imagine your husband/wife/fiancee told you, every single day, "I promise I'm not cheating on you."

They have to learn it so when they turn 18 they will have something to ***** about on HornFans.com.

 

[Chop]

Interesting Facts You May Not Know About Texas Tech Football

Tech was repeatedly denied admittance to the SWC due mostly to behind the scenes politics.

Southern Methodist University was the team most adamant about keeping Tech out of the SWC. Therefore, the citizens of west Texas took matters into their own hands…or should we say scissors.After being rejected by the SWC for the eighth time in 1952, word spread that SMU was stonewalling Tech. At the time, Stanley Marcus, the founder of Dallas-based department store Neiman Marcus, had close time to SMU. Texas Tech fans began cutting up their Neiman Marcus credit cards and mailing them to Marcus’ office. After receiving too many of the destroyed cards, Marcus convinced the powers to be at SMU to back off of their stance of keeping Tech out of the conference.In 1956, Tech was officially admitted to the SWC causing residents of Lubbock to celebrate in the streets.

The Sports Minority Report: The greatest Realignment articles I have ever read --- THE DEMISE OF THE SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE by M. Wagrin

--1956: Texas Tech officials pull out all stops to gain admission to the SWC. Former regent Dr. Clifford Jones promises a $50,000 contribution to the Methodist Church if SMU votes for Tech. A movement is started to have all Tech fans cut up their Neiman-Marcus credit cards and send them back to the Dallas-based store to protest SMU's opposition. Finally, the SWC relents and admits the Red Raiders, who begin football competition in 1960.

More stuff on this: This went on for years. In 1955, UT sponsored Texas Tech to join the then powerful Southwest Conference. A&M was not in favor and did everything they could to make sure Tech was excluded. While TCU, Arkansas, Baylor were in favor, Rice said they would agree, but A&M and SMU were against Tech to be admitted to the SWC. Finally, with all the Tech alums and friends of Tech in Dallas and West Texas cutting up their Neiman Marcus Department Store Credit Cards (As the president or one of the board members of SMU who was the CEO of Neiman Marcus), finally came through. A&M was then pressured to allow Tech in. So it was.

 

[Chop]

Shy of raising Mr. Marcus from the dead, I don't know if anyone can conclusively confirm or deny this oft-repeated story. The Tech folks sure do talk about it a lot, and there's an awful lot of people out there repeating this information. According to most of these internet reports and lore, UT was Tech's champion while A&M and SMU pushed back.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

UT was Tech's champion while A&M and SMU pushed back.

aggy had a premonition of GAP kid. Can you blame them for stonewalling?

 

[BurntOrangeLH]

Shy of raising Mr. Marcus from the dead, I don't know if anyone can conclusively confirm or deny this oft-repeated story. The Tech folks sure do talk about it a lot, and there's an awful lot of people out there repeating this information. According to most of these internet reports and lore, UT was Tech's champion while A&M and SMU pushed back.

Did not know there was a Needless Markup store in Lubbock.

 

[Chop]

Did not know there was a Needless Markup store in Lubbock.

Apparently the well heeled West Texas ladies would go to Dallas on occasion to do their fancy shopping. I don’t know if Midland ever had one, but in the middle of some of the big oil booms they could probably support one.

 

[Chop]

I’ve got to call BS on the part in one of the links about the CEO of Neiman Marcus being the Chairman of the Board at SMU. But, this legend of Tech ladies cutting up their Neiman Marcus cards goes back to the 1950s, is all over the internet and written publications, and is repeated as gospel by many Tech fans. There’s probably some truth in there.

 

[Giovanni Jones]

Here is Big Bertha back before we got her and she was still the big drum for the U. of Chicago. I think some of the U. of Chicago's football mojo came along with Big Bertha to the 40 acres--they used to be a great powerhouse in college football.

My daughter got to participate in the summer 2016 renovation of Big Bertha (she was a brand-new freshman in Texas Drums). BB is renovated every decade or so, and there is graffiti and notes inside the drum from the percussion section leaders who took part in the previous renovations. The tuning screws on BB were removed and replaced, with the old ones handed out as keepsakes.

Big Bertha tuning screw

Mr. Moton Crockett Jr., who procured BB from U of Chicago in 1954 and refurbished it for the LHB in 1955, was present for the 2016 renovation. If you go to the University of Texas Longhorn Band Facebook page, they have a short video on the 2016 BB renovation. Mr. Crockett talks with the drummers and gets to take the initial swings at the newly renovated BB with its new drum heads.

Screen shot from video of Big Bertha renovation

Big Bertha in the band hall

 

[Giovanni Jones]

Getting back to the discussion on Texas, Our Texas ...

Last weekend I was watching Giant on TCM and the thought occurred to me that This Then Is Texas would be a great piece of music to incorporate into the LHB's pregame show. Somehow to me the melody seems more evocative of Texas than TOT.



FWIW, the first time I ever saw Giant was at Hogg Auditorium in the spring of 1984.

 

[Chop]

Meanwhile, a new drummer auditions:

 

[Chop]

And perhaps the most famous UT cheerleader of all time, Harley Clark:

Note the angry Bevo on his megaphone cone.

 

[Giovanni Jones]

And perhaps the most famous UT cheerleader of all time, Harley Clark:

Note the angry Bevo on his megaphone cone.

I <3 Angry Bevo

 

[BurntOrangeLH]

My daughter got to participate in the summer 2016 renovation of Big Bertha (she was a brand-new freshman in Texas Drums). BB is renovated every decade or so, and there is graffiti and notes inside the drum from the percussion section leaders who took part in the previous renovations. The tuning screws on BB were removed and replaced, with the old ones handed out as keepsakes.

Big Bertha tuning screw

Mr. Moton Crockett Jr., who procured BB from U of Chicago in 1954 and refurbished it for the LHB in 1955, was present for the 2016 renovation. If you go to the University of Texas Longhorn Band Facebook page, they have a short video on the 2016 BB renovation. Mr. Crockett talks with the drummers and gets to take the initial swings at the newly renovated BB with its new drum heads.

Screen shot from video of Big Bertha renovation

Big Bertha in the band hall

Too cool! What a great experience for your daughter.

 

[BurntOrangeLH]

Getting back to the discussion on Texas, Our Texas ...

Last weekend I was watching Giant on TCM and the thought occurred to me that This Then Is Texas would be a great piece of music to incorporate into the LHB's pregame show. Somehow to me the melody seems more evocative of Texas than TOT.



FWIW, the first time I ever saw Giant was at Hogg Auditorium in the spring of 1984.

But then we would have a chorus in the stands. Not a bad idea if they would kill the godzillatron audio.

 

[Giovanni Jones]

But then we would have a chorus in the stands. Not a bad idea if they would kill the godzillatron audio.

Could put the lyrics on the godzillatron screen (with bouncing ball!) so the crowd could sing along. (put the godzillatron to constructive use for a change.)

 

[Chop]

Here we go! Leadership positions have been announced for the 2020-2021 Band.

First, the Tuba Section Leaders:

Congrats and thanks to the Tuba leaders! I bet lugging around those Tubas in the heat is harder than it looks.

 

[Chop]

Now the Big Flag:

Congrats and thanks to the Big Flag leaders!

 

[Chop]

The Silks:

Congrats and thanks to the Silks' leaders!

 

[Chop]

Drums (IMHO the backbone of any marching band):

Congrats and thanks to the Drums' leaders!

 

[Giovanni Jones]

Here we go! Leadership positions have been announced for the 2020-2021 Band.

First, the Tuba Section Leaders:

Congrats and thanks to the Tuba leaders! I bet lugging around those Tubas in the heat is harder than it looks.

Those guys have some mean moves (see at 00:58 mark in this video of the Step Off for the Texas-OU game)

 

[SabreHorn]

Please refrain from posting band pictures and videos online and on HornFans. You might give Belmont the idea to use those on the Jumbotron and soon we won’t have a band at halftime

 

[Horn6721]

CHOP

 

[Chop]

I just noticed. The band leaders I posted above tend to be in some academically rigorous majors.

 

[SabreHorn]

Chop,

Forgive my ignorance, what is "big flag"? I know the APOs do the Texas Flag,

Also, are "silks" the conference flags that march with the band.

FWIW, I only knew one guy in the band and he was in my freshman math class in old Pierce Hall.

 

[Chop]

You're right: these "big flags" are not the big Texas flag--that's the service organization, not the band.

The "big flags" and the "silks" are both part of the color guard/flag people. The "big flags" are the larger flags, while the "silks" are the smaller flags. For example, in the photo below, the "big flags" would be the big yellow ones up front, and the "silks" would be the smaller orange and white ones in the top right of the photo/field. I'm not sure if the "big flags" or the "silks" section carries the conference flags during the march in...?

 

[SabreHorn]

Thank you

 

[Ajo Macho]

The "big flags" are the larger flags, while the "silks" are the smaller flags. For example, in the photo below, the "big flags" would be the big yellow ones up front, and the "silks" would be the smaller orange and white ones in the top right of the photo/field.

I'm pretty sure you've got this backward. The yellow ones look bigger in this photo because they're closer. But they're the "Silks".

"Big Flag", well, they carry big flags. So big they use a carrying belt, basically a harness/holster the flag goes into. As such, they can't spin them. They just...kinda stand there, and sometimes slowly walk around or sway the flags back and forth. They're more similar to a military colorguard.

"Silks" are smaller, lighter flags that can be spun and tossed, and you can run/dance while holding one. You can see the yellow flags in the middle of what looks like a drop spin in the photo. And yes, they're usually made of silk (some of the Big Flags are nylon, like a typical outdoor flag).

As for the pregame show, I think all flag people are doing something more similar to "Big Flag", whether they're in the Silks or Big Flag section for halftime. I've never seen anyone spinning a Big 12 flag.