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Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
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BleedingPurple Offline
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Post: #21
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-19-2017 05:59 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  I don't know any of the people mentioned but I do know this, don't mess with the halftime football band.

Is Bourne somehow behind this band disturbance?

Too controversial, he'd never place himself in the middle of a situation like this. There will be no bulls-eye found in his office. Think about it, there would have been a lot more monitoring and studies done. This is a case of somebody wanting to make a change and strategically set out to make it happen. Does that sound like our athletic director?
07-19-2017 06:54 PM
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Purplehazed Offline
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Post: #22
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-19-2017 06:54 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  
(07-19-2017 05:59 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  I don't know any of the people mentioned but I do know this, don't mess with the halftime football band.

Is Bourne somehow behind this band disturbance?

Too controversial, he'd never place himself in the middle of a situation like this. There will be no bulls-eye found in his office. Think about it, there would have been a lot more monitoring and studies done. This is a case of somebody wanting to make a change and strategically set out to make it happen. Does that sound like our athletic director?

03-lmfao
07-19-2017 09:00 PM
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olddawg Online
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Post: #23
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
I don't know any of the people involved either. That said, the MRDs and the Pep band have a long history of being the ONLY exciting thing at some of our football & hoops games. Not many schools have a band that draws and energizes the crowd.

You want to bring in new blood and make changes? Fine... Roll the dice, but better be damn sure you're on the right side of this change.
07-19-2017 10:22 PM
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JMURocks Offline
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Post: #24
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-19-2017 10:22 PM)olddawg Wrote:  I don't know any of the people involved either. That said, the MRDs and the Pep band have a long history of being the ONLY exciting thing at some of our football & hoops games. Not many schools have a band that draws and energizes the crowd.

You want to bring in new blood and make changes? Fine... Roll the dice, but better be damn sure you're on the right side of this change.

Yep, this!

I have people who go to football games with me primarily to see the band. Sure, they cheer for the game too, but wouldn't be there if the band sucked. This is even true in years where our team is amazing. if the band suffers, so will attendance I believe.
07-20-2017 08:01 AM
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Bogey Offline
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Post: #25
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
I have always been a huge fan of the band at half time and the pep band at basketball games. I don't know any of the people who have been let go but it appears they all had a loyal following. I am probably going to be out on an island on this one but as good as the band is, I enjoyed it more when it was just a bit smaller. A good friend of mine who was a band member at penn state explained to me that bands can make philosophical choices regarding the marching component versus the musicianship. With a bigger band you get a more powerful sound but it gets harder to do some of the intricate marching maneuvering. The music has always been top shelf but I enjoyed the band a bit more when there was more of marching component.
07-20-2017 08:39 AM
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AssyrianDuke Offline
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Post: #26
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-19-2017 12:44 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  Bill posey stepped down from the MRDs. He still works for the school of music. If you're going to argue with me about the definition of the word retired, well he "retired" from service to the MRDs. I love me some Bill Posey. I admire and respect him so much. That guy bleeds MRDs and music. I've dedicated a lot of time supporting a scholarship in his honor.

Bill Posey yelled at me once. Life changing moment. I honestly don't know how I survived. One of my favorite moments in college was seeing his emotional reaction to the trumpet section performing the theme from "Band of Brothers" after a football game. Love that guy.

(07-20-2017 08:01 AM)JMURocks Wrote:  
(07-19-2017 10:22 PM)olddawg Wrote:  I don't know any of the people involved either. That said, the MRDs and the Pep band have a long history of being the ONLY exciting thing at some of our football & hoops games. Not many schools have a band that draws and energizes the crowd.

You want to bring in new blood and make changes? Fine... Roll the dice, but better be damn sure you're on the right side of this change.

Yep, this!

I have people who go to football games with me primarily to see the band. Sure, they cheer for the game too, but wouldn't be there if the band sucked. This is even true in years where our team is amazing. if the band suffers, so will attendance I believe.

I have attended college games in some big places (read: P5), and JMU/Harrisonburg has a full experience that not many other places can hold a candle too. UVA = dead the whole time. VT = when the team leaves the field, everyone leaves their seats/pulls out their phones. Penn St is actually alive and buzzing the whole time, but 100k people will do that.
07-20-2017 08:50 AM
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HyperDuke Offline
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Post: #27
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-20-2017 08:39 AM)Bogey Wrote:  I have always been a huge fan of the band at half time and the pep band at basketball games. I don't know any of the people who have been let go but it appears they all had a loyal following. I am probably going to be out on an island on this one but as good as the band is, I enjoyed it more when it was just a bit smaller. A good friend of mine who was a band member at penn state explained to me that bands can make philosophical choices regarding the marching component versus the musicianship. With a bigger band you get a more powerful sound but it gets harder to do some of the intricate marching maneuvering. The music has always been top shelf but I enjoyed the band a bit more when there was more of marching component.

When did the MRDs have a heavier marching component than they do now? Not a trick question, just curious your perspective.

The MRDs' size can fluctuate pretty heavily year-to-year. I've seen it as small as 350 & as gigantic as 515. It hasn't recently experienced consistent sustained growth. There have been ups & downs within that 350-500 range consistently over the last 15-20 years, so I'm not sure your perception of an ever-growing MRDs is accurate.

Just to add my personal opinion, the thing that sold me to attending JMU was hearing their HUGE sound as a 6th-grader when they performed halftime at William & Mary. Ultra-precision marching is for DCI & competitive HS bands in my opinion. I want it to be visually "clean enough", but sound trumps all for me.
07-20-2017 08:50 AM
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Deez Nuts Offline
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Post: #28
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-19-2017 06:54 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  
(07-19-2017 05:59 PM)Purplehazed Wrote:  I don't know any of the people mentioned but I do know this, don't mess with the halftime football band.

Is Bourne somehow behind this band disturbance?

Too controversial, he'd never place himself in the middle of a situation like this. There will be no bulls-eye found in his office. Think about it, there would have been a lot more monitoring and studies done. This is a case of somebody wanting to make a change and strategically set out to make it happen. Does that sound like our athletic director?

You jest to some degree, but Jeff Bourne is the only member of the JMU staff who has publicly thanked Chad for his contributions over the years. The School of Music never acknowledged his work over the last 6 years. Athletics had no say in the hire. Well, they overwhelmingly recommended and favored Chad, but they were ignored. This one isn't on JB. He is disappointed about the outcome.
07-20-2017 09:20 AM
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JMU_71 Offline
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Post: #29
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-18-2017 03:46 PM)JMU_71 Wrote:  
(07-18-2017 12:32 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  -Asst band director of 6 years let go; another friend of the program hired for the position after a 6 month "national" hiring search.
-2x National champion dance coach resigns
-2 drill instructors stepping down (Posey, Snow) in the last couple years.
-2 drumline instructors stepped down this summer.
-declining on-field product over the last couple seasons (opinion shared by many)

The last core staff served for many many consecutive years, some of them decades. Lately staff members are leaving very quickly. Let everyone make their own inferences indeed. Is there a problem at the top?

I ask this because I am completely ignorant to the inner-workings of the MRDs:

Problem at the top of what? the MRDs? The School of Music (is that what it is called--sorry, I don't know)? The Athletic Department?


Deez,

You got anything for me?
07-20-2017 09:28 AM
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DirtyDukes Offline
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RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
The answer you seek rhymes with BLOTT TYKKERS
07-20-2017 09:33 AM
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orange-to-purple Offline
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Post: #31
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
I'm only concerned that the Pep Band won't be its cheerfully obnoxious self at basketball games next season. We don't do football but are season ticket holders for WBB and LOVE us some Pep Band. I was a longtime season ticket holder at Tennessee (hence my screen name) and used to sit relatively near their pep band...which is musically good and sort of enthusiastic, but NOTHING like JMU's. Ours is, I believe, unique in that it also serves as a student cheering section. We love the signs, the cheers, and the music (especially "Start Wearing Purple") and don't want to see any of that go away. The Man is a UVA grad and despises their pep band, which he characterizes as "stiff, stodgy, full of themselves, and above all, boring". We'd hate to see our pep band get that way, or become colorless and unexciting, like Elon's.
07-20-2017 10:35 AM
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HyperDuke Offline
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Post: #32
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
Man, I thought Elon's band was the only other CAA band with any soul. Not close to JMU level, but not bad either.
07-20-2017 11:23 AM
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HyperDuke Offline
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Post: #33
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-20-2017 09:33 AM)DirtyDukes Wrote:  The answer you seek rhymes with BLOTT TYKKERS

While I think Scott had plenty of input in the hire, I don't think it was his call in the end. Not to say that makes a difference in the result. Just that the person with the most say is slightly higher on the food chain.
07-20-2017 11:25 AM
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Bogey Offline
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Post: #34
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
[quote='HyperDuke' pid='14455440' dateline='1500558645']


When did the MRDs have a heavier marching component than they do now? Not a trick question, just curious your perspective.


I always thought the band had a huge sound but that is based on my own subjective perception of what is a huge sound. I understand that they still have a significant marching component but when you have 500 people on the field, there just seems like there is less room for maneuvering. Even though they are still moving, the visual changes for me. I am probably making absolutely no sense. 03-banghead
07-20-2017 11:43 AM
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HyperDuke Offline
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Post: #35
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
You're absolutely making sense. There's a point of visual diminishing returns. Part of visual is empty space, otherwise it looks too busy. There's only so much space on a football field! I don't have the numbers from the last 10 years right in front of me, but I don't think the biggest bands have been in the last few years. I think you're seeing a decline in general performance quality & assuming it is because the band is bigger now. I don't THINK that's the case.

What's also funny about this conversation is the marching aspect of the MRDs improved DRAMATICALLY around 2009ish. Around the same time I started noticing the sound was somewhat less impressive. For reference, 2003-06 had bands that could barely march at all, but sounded like a freight train (in a good way). Lots of stand & play to mask that visual weakness.

I will say that I DO NOT support intentionally trimming the band via "cuts" or hardcore auditions. It's college band. There's no competitions where you need hyper-precise drill to score higher with judges. Like I said earlier, I think the most important thing is that MRD sound.
07-20-2017 02:00 PM
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orange-to-purple Offline
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Post: #36
Question RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-20-2017 11:23 AM)HyperDuke Wrote:  Man, I thought Elon's band was the only other CAA band with any soul. Not close to JMU level, but not bad either.

It was large and loud, but otherwise.....meh. Honestly, W&M's tiny little entourage had more soul
07-20-2017 02:34 PM
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NH/JMU Saxkow Online
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Post: #37
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
What is Dr. Bush's (the Director of the SOM) feelings towards the MRD's and marching in general? I see from his online bio that he is a percussionist, but does anyone know if his vision is more of a "conservatory" type? (His main backgrounds seem to be in Arizona - good for marching bands - and Canada - not known for marching bands.)
07-20-2017 04:11 PM
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Post: #38
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-20-2017 08:01 AM)JMURocks Wrote:  
(07-19-2017 10:22 PM)olddawg Wrote:  I don't know any of the people involved either. That said, the MRDs and the Pep band have a long history of being the ONLY exciting thing at some of our football & hoops games. Not many schools have a band that draws and energizes the crowd.

You want to bring in new blood and make changes? Fine... Roll the dice, but better be damn sure you're on the right side of this change.

Yep, this!

I have people who go to football games with me primarily to see the band. Sure, they cheer for the game too, but wouldn't be there if the band sucked. This is even true in years where our team is amazing. if the band suffers, so will attendance I believe.

To this point; Another great MRD memory for me in addition to the '89 Navy performance was the last game of that same season vs Northeastern that was cancelled due to a flu bug on NE's campus (or something like that). The MRD's performed anyway, even with no game! I won't say the home side of the stadium was packed, but thousands of people showed up...that was cool...

edit: the internet says it was a measles outbreak not flu. Whatever. They didn't play the game
(This post was last modified: 07-20-2017 06:27 PM by s2dsayer.)
07-20-2017 06:22 PM
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AssyrianDuke Offline
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Post: #39
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-20-2017 06:22 PM)s2dsayer Wrote:  
(07-20-2017 08:01 AM)JMURocks Wrote:  
(07-19-2017 10:22 PM)olddawg Wrote:  I don't know any of the people involved either. That said, the MRDs and the Pep band have a long history of being the ONLY exciting thing at some of our football & hoops games. Not many schools have a band that draws and energizes the crowd.

You want to bring in new blood and make changes? Fine... Roll the dice, but better be damn sure you're on the right side of this change.

Yep, this!

I have people who go to football games with me primarily to see the band. Sure, they cheer for the game too, but wouldn't be there if the band sucked. This is even true in years where our team is amazing. if the band suffers, so will attendance I believe.

To this point; Another great MRD memory for me in addition to the '89 Navy performance was the last game of that same season vs Northeastern that was cancelled due to a flu bug on NE's campus (or something like that). The MRD's performed anyway, even with no game! I won't say the home side of the stadium was packed, but thousands of people showed up...that was cool...

edit: the internet says it was a measles outbreak not flu. Whatever. They didn't play the game

Measles outbreak? Aren't there vaccines for that? Anyway... my time with the MRDs was the best 4 years of my life. Besides a handful of people I play fantasy sports with, I really only talk to people from the trumpet section from college.
07-21-2017 08:47 AM
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JMUTrippster Offline
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Post: #40
RE: Dukettes Coach Stepping Down
(07-21-2017 08:47 AM)AssyrianDuke Wrote:  Measles outbreak? Aren't there vaccines for that? Anyway... my time with the MRDs was the best 4 years of my life. Besides a handful of people I play fantasy sports with, I really only talk to people from the trumpet section from college.

04-cheers The best organization on campus hands down. I spent a lot of those good times with you and the other trumpets even though I wasn't in the section!
07-21-2017 09:09 AM
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