The MRDs totally kicked a$$ on Saturday. What an awesome show. Boston Brass was a treat. Not to mention the 700 additional h.s. band members that played. Well done putting that together!

Yeah, was cool. The Boston Brass were still miced up when they all did Get It On so you could hear some extra little flourishes they threw in there.

classy move by the MRD leaders who walked past 109 Saturday and ignored Chad who was visiting in row A. A lot of his former students came over to greet him. Rikkers walked 5 feet in front of him and totally blew him off.

Boston brass was pretty good. Wonder how much money that cost?

(09-17-2017 07:49 PM)Deez Nuts Wrote:  classy move by the MRD leaders who walked past 109 Saturday and ignored Chad who was visiting in row A. A lot of his former students came over to greet him. Rikkers walked 5 feet in front of him and totally blew him off.

Boston brass was pretty good. Wonder how much money that cost?

I hated Rikkers and the stick up his @$$ when I marched way back in 02-05. Glad to see he hasn't gotten that thing dislodged yet, sounds like it's only been further jammed up there!

Boston Brass was a nice treat, shared the video around to some non-JMU but band loving friends.

I may have missed this along the way....but I finally realized on Saturday that the MRDs are no longer introduced as "Virginia's Finest" What's that all about?

No way...

I swear I heard them announced as Virginia's Finest last week.

I hope I am wrong. I was listening for it this past week and did not hear it. I do hope I am wrong about that. I guess I will find out for sure next game.

(09-28-2017 05:26 AM)PurpleSoloCup84 Wrote:  I hope I am wrong. I was listening for it this past week and did not hear it. I do hope I am wrong about that. I guess I will find out for sure next game.

They did not. I was watching the JMUSports live feed on FB, they did not say Virginia's Finest...

(09-28-2017 06:03 AM)JMUrcc06 Wrote:  

(09-28-2017 05:26 AM)PurpleSoloCup84 Wrote:  I hope I am wrong. I was listening for it this past week and did not hear it. I do hope I am wrong about that. I guess I will find out for sure next game.

They did not. I was watching the JMUSports live feed on FB, they did not say Virginia's Finest...

Time to buy some Kiki torches

When I heard it it was walking into the stadium at the beginning of the game. Maybe they just missed saying it at halftime.

FIRE THE STADIUM PA ANNOUNCER!

Think this was a one-time oversight as opposed to a conscious decision.

(09-27-2017 08:54 PM)PurpleSoloCup84 Wrote:  I may have missed this along the way....but I finally realized on Saturday that the MRDs are no longer introduced as "Virginia's Finest" What's that all about?

Maybe Jon Alger has done away with any kind of descriptions that rank skill or effort. Being the finest is not inclusive of those that are not the finest.

(09-28-2017 11:41 AM)Purplehazed Wrote:  

(09-27-2017 08:54 PM)PurpleSoloCup84 Wrote:  I may have missed this along the way....but I finally realized on Saturday that the MRDs are no longer introduced as "Virginia's Finest" What's that all about?

Maybe Jon Alger has done away with any kind of descriptions that rank skill or effort. Being the finest is not inclusive of those that are not the finest.

No need to regionalize our MRD's to just VA. They aim to be the nation's finest.

There was a period of time after they won the Sudler Trophy that they were introduced as "Virginia's Finest & America's Favorite".

don't believe this has been mentioned but MRD's announced last week that they are going back to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2018. JMU is the only school in the last 40 years of the parade's history to appear 4 times. I know it helps us a little bit, at least in terms of availability, that we don't have a true rivalry game weekend over Thanksgiving like other renowned programs (ohio state, usc, etc). Still a great honor for the program and looking forward to seeing more purple and gold on national tv in 2018.

http://www.jmu.edu/news/mrd/2017/09-22-m...ment.shtml

(09-29-2017 08:56 AM)JMUrcc06 Wrote:  don't believe this has been mentioned but MRD's announced last week that they are going back to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2018. JMU is the only school in the last 40 years of the parade's history to appear 4 times. I know it helps us a little bit, at least in terms of availability, that we don't have a true rivalry game weekend over Thanksgiving like other renowned programs (ohio state, usc, etc). Still a great honor for the program and looking forward to seeing more purple and gold on national tv in 2018.

http://www.jmu.edu/news/mrd/2017/09-22-m...ment.shtml

Nice recognition for the MRDs. I think last time the plan was to come directly from NY to JMU for a Saturday playoff game if necessary, but we ended up missing the playoffs. Hopefully, there will be no need to hurry back for a first round game this year either.

(09-28-2017 12:52 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  There was a period of time after they won the Sudler Trophy that they were introduced as "Virginia's Finest & America's Favorite".

I remember when we went to Va Tech back in the early days they switched it up to say something like the Shenandoah Valley's finest. I remember thinking that that was pretty dumb - not many college marching bands in Rockbridge County, Page County, etc.

(09-29-2017 09:22 AM)POTUS#4 Wrote:  

(09-29-2017 08:56 AM)JMUrcc06 Wrote:  don't believe this has been mentioned but MRD's announced last week that they are going back to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2018. JMU is the only school in the last 40 years of the parade's history to appear 4 times. I know it helps us a little bit, at least in terms of availability, that we don't have a true rivalry game weekend over Thanksgiving like other renowned programs (ohio state, usc, etc). Still a great honor for the program and looking forward to seeing more purple and gold on national tv in 2018.

http://www.jmu.edu/news/mrd/2017/09-22-m...ment.shtml

Nice recognition for the MRDs. I think last time the plan was to come directly from NY to JMU for a Saturday playoff game if necessary, but we ended up missing the playoffs. Hopefully, there will be no need to hurry back for a first round game this year either.

When we marched it in 2008 we came back from NYC and went directly into the game. Literally dressed on the bus, warmed up and walked in! It is doable if necessary!