Greetings and blessings during this holiday season. It was great seeing some of you at Homecoming. If you were there, you heard about our two new Pride giving programs (and you can’t stop doing that dance every time you hear the Thriller music)!
We have some exciting news and ways you can continue your legacy with the Pride and help others at the same time.
I hope that you will consider joining the Pride Patrons. The Patrons will be an affinity group designed for anyone who loves The Pride, wants to become more closely involved with its activities and who would like to offer their financial support to support the good works of its members. For those that join in 2009-10, you will be charter members. The yearly dues are $100. More information is available here in PDF format.
I also hope that you will consider endowing a position (or section) in perpetuity in the Pride. Our goal is to endow the entire Pride so that the legacy will continue and ensure that it continues to be the very best organization of its kind in the nation! These sponsorships will cover uniforms, instruments, equipment and a scholarship for each Pride member. For a limited time, a financial match is available. These endowments start at $15,000, and they can be payable in many different ways. A full explanation of the opportunities is on our Web site here, again in PDF format.
Contact me if you have any questions! My days in the Pride were my best memory of OU, and I am grateful every day for that experience. I hope you will join me in helping others have that same kind of experience in the years to come.
I realize some of you think that adds up to “costumes,” but sadly, no more. It’s a different world than in the go-go 80’s, and since every game is now televised (I think only two games in the past ten years have not been), everyone wants legal clearance for any trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property that might appear on anyone’s costumes. (They even ask for proof, every year, that The Pride has the rights to play Boomer Sooner and Oklahoma! It’s mind-boggling.)
With the recent death of Michael Jackson, I’m sure members of the 2007 Pride and those familiar with the show have thought about it. Jackson’s music has been everywhere since June 25, and I simply cannot hear or see any part of Thriller now without thinking of that night on Owen Field. You can click here to see videos of the performance on YouTube.
Have you figured out the equation yet?
This week, Mr. Britt informed us that with Homecoming 2009 taking place on Halloween itself, the game’s halftime show will end with a joint Pride of Oklahoma and Alumni Band performance of Thriller. Both bands together, on the field, doing…
…well, doing Thriller things. I’m not going to try to predict what any part of it may look like, but you can watch the videos from last time to get a good idea of why this was so much fun. Some of you reading this know because you performed it in 2007. If your time in the Pride has ended, come back for Homecoming this year and perform it again!
The Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl were played yesterday; the Cotton Bowl and Fiesta Bowl are played today, and the Sugar Bowl follows on Monday night (so as not to get trampled by first-round NFL playoffs on Saturday and Sunday).
The Sooners, however, play in the BCS National Championship game next Thursday. Since the bowl trip is usually about a week long with the bowl itself 2-3 days before the trip ends, that means The Pride of Oklahoma has not even left for the bowl yet. The team only left today. This is only the third year of the "Plus One" BCS championship, and the first time the Sooners have played in it, so it's the first bowl game I can remember that takes place after the 3rd or 4th of January.
I don't know about you folks, but no matter how much I think about it, this still blows my mind a little bit. The Sooners are playing for their eighth national championshp, and The Pride got to spend both Christmas and New Year's Day at home with their families. Can anyone remember a bowl trip later in the season than this one—or, for that matter, any trip involving the full Pride that took place this long after the fall semester ended? It's wild!
Our Events calendar has been updated with The Pride's public schedule for the trip, including rehearsals and pep events. Keep a few things in mind if you're making the trip to South Beach:
Like most modern computer calendars, our event calendar is aware of time zones. If you subscribe to the calendar in iCal or Windows Vista calendar (or even Google Calendar), then be sure to change the time zone on your computer when you get to Miami. (If it's Google Calendar, you'll also have to tell Google about your new time zone.)
All of the events are correctly listed in Eastern Standard Time, so when your computer is set to EST, they'll show up at the right time. If you're in Oklahoma now and your computer is set to Central Time, then the events show up in Central Time. (For example, kickoff for the game shows up at 7:15 PM CST, which is correct, but it's 8:15 PM EST.) Make sure you set your computer time zone correctly or you'll be an hour early for everything.
If you use the online version of the calendar, then go to this page on your computer and set the time zone to "America/New York" or "EST". That sets the calendar preference for that computer. Until you do that, all the online stuff shows up in the server's time zone, and the server is right here in the OKC Metro area, so it's all in Central Time.
If you rarely use this stuff, I'm sorry if this seems like a pain. If you subscribe to the calendar in Mac OS X or Windows Vista, though, and live outside the Central time zone, then all of the game times and other events have shown up in your correct time all along. It's only a bit annoying when you change time zones, like on a national championship trip! Woohoo!
Practices are at two separate facilities. We've tried to be sure that every event's details have either an address or a link to a page with a map or more details. If you use iCal, the details are in the event. For the online calendar, click on the name of the event in the calendar and you'll get a little pop-up window with more details and any hyperlinks to more information.
Performance times for pep events (and even for pregame) are approximate, because we all know how these things go. The OU Touchdown Club party and the Boomer Bash require tickets, but the links in those events tell you how to get them. The bowl-sponsored events appear to be free, but I can't swear to that, so be aware.
This has certainly been a crazy season. I can't remember a clearer distinction than this year between Sooner fans (at least the ones I hang around) and Longhorn fans (at least the ones I hear from): when OU lost to a high-ranked Texas team in early October, we thought that meant we'd never get to the BCS title game. When Texas lost to a high-ranked Texas Tech team in late October, they saw absolutely no reason why that loss should be held against them. If you'd told me it'd go down this way in August, I would have laughed at you, probably with some pointing and mockery.
And yet the Sooners' workmanlike demolition of the Red Raiders, the Cowboys, and the Tigers in three all-but-playoff games have gotten them to the third attempt for the eighth national championship, in the same city (and same bowl committee) where the Sooners secured or won the second, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh national championships.
Third time the charm? If you watched lots of college football this holiday season, it was pretty obvious that the pundits think Florida's going to win, but after the Sooners' late-season comeback and Sam Bradford's Heisman Trophy, they keep trying to hedge their bets—a lot moreso than they did in 2000, where their pre-bowl discussion was all about whether Miami should be declared national champions "when" Florida State beat Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. You may remember that game's final score of Oklahoma 13, Florida State 2, with those two points coming on a fourth-quarter bad punt snap that OU knocked out of the end zone. The heavily-favored Seminoles scored no offensive points.
I don't predict these things, but I know that the Sooners can win this game and bring that eighth national championship home to Norman. Whether you're in Dolphin Stadium or just planted in front of a good TV tuned to FOX on Thursday night, put on your reds and whites and get ready to cheer. BOOMER SOONER!
Even though we have many long-standing traditions, the Pride constantly evolves and changes gradually in a manner that almost goes unnoticed most of the time. As a result, after a significant period of time major changes occur. Take a look at this 1958 Pride of Oklahoma OU/Texas Itinerary, from exactly 50 years ago this weekend, and see how different things are today!
Please do not call the band office (University Bands) if you have band alumni questions—their days are extremely full, and we don't wish to add to that. Click here to read the full entry for telephone and E-mail contact information about Homecoming 2008.
Hanging on the wall of my office is a picture of Chauvin Aaron, the 2007 drum major of OU's Pride of Oklahoma. It's a peculiar image, although one that any University of Oklahoma fan will recognize immediately.
You think for a moment that you are looking at a headless man. You can't see Aaron's face because he's bent over so completely as he charges out of the band in the school's beloved pre-game tradition. His back is arched so improbably that the top of his hat nearly drags the ground behind him as the state song bursts out of the trumpet section.
Looking at it, you can almost hear the trumpets swelling: "Oooooo-klahoma!"
If my office were suddenly to burst into flames, and I had to run from the building, I might leave my paycheck sitting on the desk, but I'd grab that picture on the way out the door.
It goes on from there, and is well worth reading, and remembering how hard everyone worked to make it and keep it The Pride of Oklahoma.
Were any of you marching at that Nebraska game on November 23, 1973, that had such a big impact on Mr. Greene?
Update: The gameday schedule on our Events calendar has now been corrected to match Saturday's actual rehearsal and performance times, including the Boomer Bash pep band, which we left off for unknown reason.
The Oklahoman ran a nice feature in today's Sunday Living section on alumnus (and, of course, Director of The Pride of Oklahoma) Brian Britt. Some excerpts:
One hot day in the north end zone of Owen Field, Britt knew this would become his life's work. It was 1984, and he had been recruited to help teach a complex routine to the OU percussionists. It was painstaking work, but once the players were able to execute the drill flawlessly, Britt knew he wanted to pursue music as a career.
… Britt relies on six graduate assistants and two dozen student leaders to drill small groups of players in every aspect of a new routine. Once learned, these sections can be strung together to create the pomp and pageantry of a visually stunning halftime show.
This season, The Pride of Oklahoma will offer tributes to the rock band The Who, the music of Duke Ellington, a patriotic show and an iPod shuffle [show] that will feature tunes that might be found on a student's digital music player.
"There are benefits to doing themed shows and more eclectic shows," Britt said. "With an eclectic show, you have the potential to reach a broader audience. With a themed show, you often lock in on a specific demographic. Our job is to play with a lot of energy and do as varied a repertoire as we can. With fans ranging from elementary age kids to octogenarians, we hope they will hear something ... that resonates with them.
"To watch these players have so many amazing experiences, individually and collectively, to see them begin to develop adult thought processes and problem-solving skills, to send them out of this place to be community leaders regardless of their chosen profession, that is at the heart of why I do this."
You can always use our site to drop Brian Britt an E-mail, but keep in mind that since the first home game is this Saturday, and that the band was selected just this past Wednesday night, there's an awful lot going on this week, so responses might be delayed.
The "iPod Shuffle" show is up first this year, and we'll have more details on it as Saturday approaches. We don't have the full gameday schedule Check out the gameday schedule on our Events calendar; as the article notes, the pre-game concert is 90 minutes before kickoff. This weekend, that means 4:30 PM on the lawn north of Jacobsen Hall. You can also see The Pride Friday night at this year's Big Red Rally, and of course, during the game against the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. We hope to see you at some or all of these performances as the 2008 Pride of Oklahoma carries on our tradition!
There's a nice article on SoonerSports.com today about The Territory, the new golf community in southwestern Oklahoma:
NORMAN, Okla. -- All things considered, it's not that far from Norman to Duncan, Oklahoma. It might seem like a good distance driving down state highway 81 to the southwest, but the small towns along way have a charm that just can't be found on interstates and superhighways.
Once the path ventures off the highway in Duncan and heads west, one might really wonder if the journey ended up far, far away. There, at the entrance to The Territory golf community is Oklahoma at its very best.
The Territory is the product of Rick and Barbara Braught's vision and is a jewel on the southwest Oklahoma landscape. Aside from golf, The Territory has created its own community, boasting residential homes, a resort-style pool and activity center and two owners committed to first-class service and a sense of family.
"The whole focus has been on service, trying to take care of people and making them feel like they're on vacation while they're out here," said Rick Braught ('84 BBA, '89 MBA).
Even with a quick glance, it's hard not to think about vacation upon arrival at The Territory. The two primary buildings, the Golf House and Prairie House, sit in front of all the community has to offer, including 18 holes of championship golf which have already drawn national tournaments and some impressive accolades.
Since its June 2004 grand opening, the course has hosted the Oklahoma State Amateur, Senior State Amateur and an NCAA Division II Super Regional. Next year, the Halliburton Southwest Oklahoma Championship, as part of the Adams Golf Pro Tour Series, will be staged there.
And after reminding myself that not all readers instantly recognize why this is relevant:
Barbara was born into the McCasland family, a staple in the Duncan area and at OU (her grandfather, T.H. McCasland, was the first man from Duncan to attend OU). Rick's father, Gene, served as director of the Pride of Oklahoma from 1962-1970, giving him a childhood filled with bicycle rides through campus and kicking practice on an unlocked, non-alarmed Owen Field.
Later, both attended the university and were highly active on campus. Barbara was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, while Rick was a member of the Pride of Oklahoma under his father's successor, Gene Thrailkill.
In the fall of 1982, Rick started a two-year stint in one of OU's most prestigious positions, drum major of the Pride. In the role, he was handed the reins to the world-famous "strut" which features the major leading the band down the football field with his back bent so his eyes are often facing the opposite direction. He freely admits that he can't replicate the move today, but shares a bit of humor from when remembering his college days.
And it is funny—but you'll have to go read the article for the rest. Congratulations to Rick and Barbara!
The Pride of Oklahoma debuted the new red uniform coats in New York City on Thanksgiving Day in the Macy's® Thanksgiving Day Parade. The previous red coats were retired after Coach's last season in 2000, and this is the first time in seven years that The Pride has appeared in public all in red. The new coats feature an interlocking "OU" logo on the front in white parquet, with "OKLAHOMA" on the sleeves in white embroidery on a black background with gray piping. They sure did look sharp on two national television broadcasts!
First up was the coverage from CBS, called the "CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade" because NBC has the rights to the name "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" and to the performances in Herald Square. The Pride appeared on CBS approximately one hour and 55 minutes after the coverage started, and showed the band playing Fight for OKU in Times Square. Here's the video from the CBS broadcast—you can hear The Pride behind an interview long before you can see them. Be sure to listen to Dave Price and Hannah Storm after the commercial break as they're unable to distinguish between Oklahoma and another Big 12 (heck, Big 8) school.
CBS's position was about 20 minutes ahead of NBC's Herald Square performance platform at the end of the parade. The Pride appeared on NBC approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes into the parade coverage, and while they definitely looked good in high-definition in those new red coats, we do wish NBC had shown more of the band members actually marching. It would have been nice to actually see those shiny new matching trombones!
Congratulations to all Pride members and staff, who should all be back in Norman by now preparing for rehearsals for Bedlam just 36 hours from when we post this. This is certainly a week they'll be talking about for many years—the members traveled over 3600 miles in the past week representing OU and Oklahoma, and those who performed in the Texas Tech band have logged an astonishing 4400 miles in just one week for The Pride. We couldn't be more proud of the way they've carried on our tradition!
November just got a lot more exciting for the 2007 Pride of Oklahoma!
On November 22, just six days after Oklahoma's Centennial, The Pride will be in New York City as the state's representative in the 81st annual Macy's® Thanksgiving Day Parade! That's right - the one with the balloons, Miracle on 34th Street, Al Roker, and everything else. Great thanks to the Oklahoma Centennial Commission and university administration for helping with the cost of such a tremendous opportunity.
We'll try to keep you updated with any ways you can help or support the Pride in New York. A quick look at the November 2007 events calendar shows that it's going to be an intense month: OU plays at Texas Tech on Saturday, November 17. Very shortly thereafter, The Pride travels to New York City to prepare for the Macy's Parade on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22. Then just two days later, it's bedlam as OU hosts OSU at Owen Field - and that could easily be an 11:00 AM CST kickoff for ABC Sports, too! (The Big 12 Championship game is just one week later in San Antonio, to boot.)
And we still haven't seen a definitive announcement about the date for Homecoming 2007! This page from the OU Alumni Association strongly implies that it's been chosen for October 13, but our event calendar had OU at Missouri on that day - but now, SoonerSports.com says the Sooners host the Tigers on that day, so it might be Homecoming 2007. At least it appears that it won't be in November! Stay tuned here for news and information as we get it, and BOOMER SOONER!
Oh boy, this was harder to judge than we'd expected! If you didn't read all the great stories about Pride experiences, click here and read them now - you missed out!
…the best stories about their first OU game as members of the Pride of Oklahoma.
As much fun as those stories were, they weren't "first game" stories and we had to pass them by - but you have our thanks for sharing them!
And the winner - OK, I can't decide, winners - are:
John Hudson for "I'm glad Coach didn't see me pick up my slide that I dropped" (and by the way, John, Coach wants to see you in his office next week about that&hellip)
Jay 'Jamie' Jones for "I told Coach I picked up my mouthpiece and he said 'Next time, just leave it'"
Terri for "He's not supposed to do that with the pylon, is he?" (No. No, he's not.)
Congratulations to all three, and thanks to everyone who entered. This was so much fun that we're going to do it again shortly, but this time for current Pride "Rah-Rah" CDs, so watch the site for the next contest announcement!
I won't judge how official anything is, but if you've never read the story behind O.K. Oklahoma, or heard the original 1939 debut on the NBC radio network, read the story O.K. Oklahoma at 65. (I updated the audio file tonight with a version that's easier to hear, and that's hosted on a faster server, so listen and enjoy!)
Ah, someone asked about that, too! No wonder - pay no attention to the Big Red Rally Web Page on OU's site, as it has not been updated in two years. Shame, shame. And we're volunteer labor here! (It is described on the schedule for Howdy Week 2006, though - it starts at 5:30 PM in Our Favorite Stadium.)
Can't say anything about "TBDBITL" (always up for debate in these parts, tho no offense intended), but The Pride performed Dr. Roland Barrett's arrangement of Scott Boerma's El Toro Caliente in both 2002 and 2005. Pride alums who can tell good stories about their first OU game in uniform can still win the 2005 CD with that recording on it, if they don't dawdle.
Here's a place to post your comments or memories about the Orange Bowl, as The Pride heads back to Miami as the Sooners pursue their eighth national championship!
The Pride last went to the Orange Bowl in 2000 (Coach's final season and OU's seventh national championship), but went four times in a row from 1984-1987, so lots of Pride Alumni should remember those trips to Florida.
Just click "Comment" to add your memories to the thread. (If you don't see "Comment", scroll to the bottom of the page and log in, or sign up if you haven't - it's free!)
