Band problems

[1chattyvols1]

4/5 years ago there was major discourse with the Pride of the Southland Band. I just remember it but don't remember much and can't find much info on it.

Can someone provide knowledge of what it was about? Long time band director?

 

[Smokey X]

my version/interpretation of what happened but most certainly maybe not the most accurate.......
Dr. Sousa disagreed with policies being implemented across all of the SEC regarding playing of canned music, advertisers buying their way into commercials during times when the band would normally be playing, restrictions on band travels to away games and probably some others I don't remember.
Because the Pride is deeply engrained in traditions, he felt those traditions were being encroached upon and was very resentful of that.
In a effort to gain public support, he broke protocol and allowed some of the band member leadership to go public with the issues because he knew he would get zero support from the school administration since they were a part of the decisions made to implement new said policies. The administration apparently viewed his actions as a negative reflection on them and subsequently relieved him of his Band Director duties and replaced him with Dr Ryder (which was also probably another mistake).
I think Dr. Sousa is still at the university.

 

[crusse10]

my version/interpretation of what happened but most certainly maybe not the most accurate.......
Dr. Sousa disagreed with policies being implemented across all of the SEC regarding playing of canned music, advertisers buying their way into commercials during times when the band would normally be playing, restrictions on band travels to away games and probably some others I don't remember.
Because the Pride is deeply engrained in traditions, he felt those traditions were being encroached upon and was very resentful of that.
In a effort to gain public support, he broke protocol and allowed some of the band member leadership to go public with the issues because he knew he would get zero support from the school administration since they were a part of the decisions made to implement new said policies. The administration apparently viewed his actions as a negative reflection on them and subsequently relieved him of his Band Director duties and replaced him with Dr Ryder (which was also probably another mistake).
I think Dr. Sousa is still at the university.

pretty solid here

the downturn of the Pride, in my opinion, is due to Ryder more than any other director

For years, Sousa lauded the treatment of the Pride by the athletic department and the SEC as a whole. The restrictions placed on away bands happened shortly after my time, so I can't speak to that. But I guarantee that this would have deeply upset the Sousa I knew. He was very prideful of the organization and what it had the ability to accomplish. Being told that other schools could say "nah, we're good" regarding the Pride travelling to perform there would have pissed him off to no end.

 

[1chattyvols1]

When I was a kid in HS I could have cared less about the band, with the exception being the T formation. I remember how my parents were always excited about the band and halftime performances. Now that I'm older, I can appreciate the band and its inclusion in the pagentry.

I guess kids and recruits are into the spin table now. But, for me, I just can't get into it.

 

[Smokey X]

pretty solid here

the downturn of the Pride, in my opinion, is due to Ryder more than any other director

For years, Sousa lauded the treatment of the Pride by the athletic department and the SEC as a whole. The restrictions placed on away bands happened shortly after my time, so I can't speak to that. But I guarantee that this would have deeply upset the Sousa I knew. He was very prideful of the organization and what it had the ability to accomplish. Being told that other schools could say "nah, we're good" regarding the Pride travelling to perform there would have pissed him off to no end.

Not a fan of Ryder in the least. To me there is noticeable decline and I hate that. They took the easy way out and just named him the successor since he was next in line in seniority. It appeared to me that as soon as he was named to the position permanently, he started coasting toward retirement and puts very little effort into show preparation. The band performers can likely do most of this stuff in their sleep. Many of them are totally bored with it. As much as it pains me to say it, our band has become boring to watch.

 

[crusse10]

Not a fan of Ryder in the least. To me there is noticeable decline and I hate that. They took the easy way out and just named him the successor since he was next in line in seniority. It appeared to me that as soon as he was named to the position permanently, he started coasting toward retirement and puts very little effort into show preparation. The band performers can likely do most of this stuff in their sleep. Many of them are totally bored with it. As much as it pains me to say it, our band has become boring to watch.

He was the problem back in the mid-2000s...standing on his tower and yelling at people in nonconstructive ways. He's the reason people stopped wanting to participate in the Pride. They can blame it on admissions all they want. It's because fewer and fewer students wanted to return for more years. And many of them who did only did so because the Ed degree requires 3 years of marching, so you've got a majority of them who are going through the motions but not enjoying it, so in turn not caring as much. It starts and ends with Ryder. He's been a scourge on that band for far too long.

 

[Boca Vol]

The Pride is a mere shell of what it used to be 20-30 years ago.

Their MO seems to be rob Ohio St. or other flavor of the year's shows...2 years after the fact and play Rocky Top 800 times and all is well as long as the fans can tell "woo."

 

[GreveHaller]

I will always contend that the downfall of the band and the football program began when they stopped playing Trumpet Charge