UNO band to play BGSU songs at NIT game

Post by **ZiggyZoomba** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:04 pm

Falcons To Have Flavor Of Home In Omaha

Omaha, Neb. – When the Bowling Green men’s basketball team takes the floor Wednesday night against Creighton for the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament, the team will be comforted by the sound of Ay Ziggy Zoomba and other songs that are routinely played in Anderson Arena. Yet the Bowling Green pep band won’t be in attendance.

Instead, the University of Nebraska Omaha will be providing the tunes that will help the Falcons get their 20th win in one of the most hostile environments in college basketball. Dr. James Saker, a 1970’s Bowling Green graduate, is the director of bands at Nebraska Omaha and still follows the Falcon athletic teams. He has put together a 30-member pep band that will wear Bowling Green orange and proudly play for the visitors.

When it was announced Sunday night that Bowling Green would play in the NIT at Creighton, administrators quickly began to make plans to send the regular BGSU band and cheerleaders. But when the total cost of the trip came out in excess of $25,000, other plans needed to be made.

Carol Hayward, BGSU’s assistant professor of music education and director of bands, contacted Saker and asked if he might be interested in helping. Saker was thrilled and quickly went to work to put together the band despite the fact that UNO is on spring break. Hayward faxed over copies of the fight song, Ay Ziggy Zoomba, and anything else that is regularly played so that the “BG Pep Band West” could learn the music. The University Bookstore quickly worked to fill a last minute order of 30 t-shirts for the pep band to wear and the office of the Vice President of Student Affairs paid for the apparel.

Creighton has the 10th highest average home attendance in the nation this year, averaging over 16,000 per game. While the Bowling Green men’s basketball team will have its work cut out for it, at least the Falcons will be able to lean on some familiar sounds in the midst of its first postseason contest in seven years.

nwofalconfan · Post by **nwofalconfan** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:11 pm

I think that is really cool. I would think the team will really appreciate it.

SaxyIrishTenor · Post by **SaxyIrishTenor** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:37 pm

That warms my soul.

goofyeuph · Post by **goofyeuph** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:17 am

Nice. That's truly awesome.