Alumni Homecoming Schedule

Shakeatailfeather04 · Post by **Shakeatailfeather04** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:26 am

I will definitely be there! I'm still a little on the fence about marching, but odds are that I will sporting the bright orange jacket come the 29th.

jlozer8 · Post by **jlozer8** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:04 pm

There is a good chance I will be there, but nothing is certain yet.

FliccGirl · Post by **FliccGirl** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 12:32 pm

jlozer8 wrote:There is a good chance I will be there, but nothing is certain yet.

Me too.

Class of 61 · Post by **Class of 61** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:52 pm

I usually take some time to read thru all the forums...and as a NON FMB person, I only have one observation to make....
A couple of yrs. ago, I went to the OU game in Athens with the Freak. The thing that surprised me the most was HOW MANY alumni band members marched that day. (I'm guessing close to 100, if not more)...yet I see little commitment on the part of FMB members on this site...and I'm assuming that YOU guys (and gals) are more gung ho than most of the rest.
Is there a reason for this apparent apathy among FMB alums...and if so, what can be done to turn it around? I'd LOVE to see 100+ alums marching, in addition to the current band. But then, I'm just an"old" guy who loves BGSU, even with some of its faults.

Ohiogal · Post by **Ohiogal** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:34 pm

THAT is the million dollar question 61... if we could figure out why the band members don't come back we could fix it. I do know that a lot of our alums are band directors and fall is, of course, a busy time for them. However, I do know a lot aren't yet they still don't come back.

It might all come down to one word: tradition... and if anyone else would like to take it from here....

Shakeatailfeather04 · Post by **Shakeatailfeather04** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:44 pm

I'm a recent alum, so tradition doesn't really play a part in it for me but I can certainly see how it would for others. The reason I'm not gung-ho about marching is that it takes up the entire day, just like when we were actually in the band. When you're only in town for the weekend, it makes it hard to do everything you want to do. A lot of my BG friends didn't march, so it makes it difficult to try to spend time with them.

I don't think I would mind that if we were more involved somehow, but once we march in we pretty much don't do anything until halftime. After that, everyone seems to leave. I know a lot of FMB people who come into town for Homecoming but don't march, so it seems that is goes deeper than scheduling. More needs to be done to actually engage us in the gameday experience somehow.

SaxyIrishTenor · Post by **SaxyIrishTenor** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:33 pm

Shakeatailfeather04 wrote:I'm a recent alum, so tradition doesn't really play a part in it for me but I can certainly see how it would for others. The reason I'm not gung-ho about marching is that it takes up the entire day, just like when we were actually in the band. When you're only in town for the weekend, it makes it hard to do everything you want to do. A lot of my BG friends didn't march, so it makes it difficult to try to spend time with them.

I don't think I would mind that if we were more involved somehow, but once we march in we pretty much don't do anything until halftime. After that, everyone seems to leave. I know a lot of FMB people who come into town for Homecoming but don't march, so it seems that is goes deeper than scheduling. More needs to be done to actually engage us in the gameday experience somehow.

In reality I can't go anyway so it's a moot point, but I have still YET to get any information about it, though I can't speak for others. I'm not likely to make any arrangements without having the details first.

I think the university does a poor job on the whole scheduling and promoting it, which simply makes it HARD for people to schedule it in the first place.

THEN you have to deal with issues Red mentioned. I'm just coming to terms with the fact that Homecoming isn't very alumni-friendly.

Class of 61 · Post by **Class of 61** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:50 pm

SaxyIrishTenor wrote:
Shakeatailfeather04 wrote:I'm a recent alum, so tradition doesn't really play a part in it for me but I can certainly see how it would for others. The reason I'm not gung-ho about marching is that it takes up the entire day, just like when we were actually in the band. When you're only in town for the weekend, it makes it hard to do everything you want to do. A lot of my BG friends didn't march, so it makes it difficult to try to spend time with them.

I don't think I would mind that if we were more involved somehow, but once we march in we pretty much don't do anything until halftime. After that, everyone seems to leave. I know a lot of FMB people who come into town for Homecoming but don't march, so it seems that is goes deeper than scheduling. More needs to be done to actually engage us in the gameday experience somehow.
Saxy, FWIW my HS class just celebrated its 50th reunion, with a dinner one nite, followed by a picnic at MY HOUSE the next day. Reason for having this reunion? ....one of my best friends from HS (and my freshman roomie at BG) came to my dad's funeral back in March. We began to talk about the lack of leadership in our very small class (25 graduates/29 total)...NONE of our class officers was willing to try to organize this reunion, and we hadn't had one in 25 years....
Long and short...we got the job done (perhaps admittedly easier for 2 retired educators to do), had a GREAT time doing it...and the result was that the entire class was found (over half living out of state) and agreed to meet ONCE a YEAR from now on, with a "formal" reunion to held again in 5 more years. Perhaps we're all dealing a bit with our mortality (5 classmates have died), but my point is...if the "active" FMB folks don't take the bull by the horns and push hard, nothing will EVER get done....I've already mentioned how impressed I was with OU's alum turnout of a few yrs. ago...Is the OU band THAT much better than ours...and their "traditions" THAT much stronger?

In reality I can't go anyway so it's a moot point, but I have still YET to get any information about it, though I can't speak for others. I'm not likely to make any arrangements without having the details first.

I think the university does a poor job on the whole scheduling and promoting it, which simply makes it HARD for people to schedule it in the first place.

THEN you have to deal with issues Red mentioned. I'm just coming to terms with the fact that Homecoming isn't very alumni-friendly.

Rightupinthere · Post by **Rightupinthere** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:53 pm

Outside of some traditions being destroyed, I will offer my two cents, 61.

There needs to be more activities during the year besides homecoming. I pitched this last year sometime. Alumni A-Band is one thing as well as alumni concert band (to a lesser extent).

There does need to be some activity outside of BG, however. How much would it be for us to have a gathering at Blossom during the summer festival series? Offer it to current and prior marching folks.

Another is that a LOT of gung-ho marching folks are now band directors and teachers. They don't want to schlep to BG after a Friday night game.

bgmaggot00 · Post by **bgmaggot00** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:08 pm

Rightupinthere wrote: Another is that a LOT of gung-ho marching folks are now band directors and teachers. They don't want to schlep to BG after a Friday night game.

Ooh ooh ooh!!! That's me!!!

I can make it to Minnesota the day after a Friday night football game, but Ohio? Not so much.

Shakeatailfeather04 · Post by **Shakeatailfeather04** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:22 pm

bgmaggot00 wrote:
Rightupinthere wrote: Another is that a LOT of gung-ho marching folks are now band directors and teachers. They don't want to schlep to BG after a Friday night game.
Ooh ooh ooh!!! That's me!!!

I can make it to Minnesota the day after a Friday night football game, but Ohio? Not so much.

I think part of your problem might also be that you're in KANSAS.

jlozer8 · Post by **jlozer8** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:32 am

Shakeatailfeather04 wrote:
bgmaggot00 wrote:
I think part of your problem might also be that you're in KANSAS.

Oh come on, that's no excuse! I'm in the middle of Missouri, not much closer than Kansas, and the only way I won't be there at homecoming is if I am unable to afford the trip. Of course, I don't have a friday night football game before homecoming.

bgmaggot00 · Post by **bgmaggot00** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:22 am

For real. I'd love to be there, but the whole, not being able to leave until 11 or 12 CENTRAL time, makes it tough.

Shakeatailfeather04 · Post by **Shakeatailfeather04** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 2:02 am

Wilson lives in Florida and has a football game Friday night, and he's coming as long as he can get an affordable flight. Come on Carlson!

Yes, I will hound you about this until you decide to make the trip.

Rabbit · Post by **Rabbit** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 4:18 pm

It's tough for me to go, having Friday (and sometimes Saturday) night football games myself. It's kind of an overload of football...plus having to be there so early in the morning makes it hard to schedule the time. Plus I am lazy. That also might be a big factor LOL! I'd probably be more inclined if I actually kept in touch with my band friends, but I have pretty much lost tough with everyone over the years. I wish more of them knew about this forum.

Alumni Homecoming Schedule

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