Opinion
UW band needs to fix itself, fast
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We here at the
However, allow me to speak for Badger fans everywhere and to direct my following statement to our UW Marching Band: Whatever in the world it is you guys keep doing in or around
It’s been a disheartening two weeks for Badger football fans. An extremely disappointing and embarrassing loss to
Late Friday afternoon, UW officials began releasing ambiguous information regarding hazing allegations about our beloved UW band. Stop me if this sounds familiar, but, as far as we can tell, the incident, or incidents, in question seem to have occurred during the band’s trip to
The band’s absence at what was the biggest game of the Badger football season was conspicuous — even historic. This was the first time in at least 40 years that the band would not be performing at a UW home game. In another parallel to a similar incident two years ago, these hazing allegations seem to center around alcohol and “inappropriate sexual behavior,” as band director Mike Leckrone puts it.
Enough is enough.
I’m not talking about Leckrone. Be certain there will be plenty of people who are or will be calling for Leckrone’s head as more lurid and unambiguous details are revealed. But a band director cannot be held responsible for the irresponsible actions of a few members of his 300-plus-member band. No, it’s not Leckrone we tire of, but rather the sophomoric antics of certain members of our marching band.
I’m not very musically gifted. I can clap my hands with the best of them, and I was known for my early-morning shower Disney Sing Alongs while I was in the dorms. But I can’t play a trombone, bang a drum or handle any other musical thing that requires aptitude with a musical instrument. I don’t know exactly what it’s like being in a band, on a bus with a band and, having not seen any of the American Pie movies, I may be one of the few college students who actually has no clue what happened at band camp.
But I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect that our band members refrain from “inappropriate sexual behavior” while representing our university.
We’ve all heard about hazing incidents and fraternities, and there’s something to be said for good-natured hazing. And by good-natured hazing, I mean a mild noogie. But our band is not a fraternity. It is representative of the university. Look no further than the requisite UW promotional commercial that aired during the disastrous
The whole band cannot be at fault. All 300-plus-members did not engage in the sort of behavior being alleged. But there is a culture that persists, as is evidenced from the fact that things are looking eerily similar to what happened some two years ago.
I love Mike Leckrone. I grew up watching him and UW physics professor Clint Sprott on public television. I knew the songs he conducted and watched the band he directed before I even thought about attending college. This must not mar his legacy.
Marching band members: Figure it out. Fix it. But for Bucky’s sake, don’t ever let the whorish city of Ann Arbor, or any city for that matter, addle your wits to the point that you embarrass my university like this again.
And Mike, please don’t ever miss another game.
Gerald Cox (gcox@badgerherald.com) is a senior majoring in ecomomics.
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You may not speak for all badger fans… UW Marching Band - keep living it up! You whistle-blowers…. go back to high school and grow a pair.
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Thank God I’m in the university orchestra. Way more mellow.
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@1:28 You may only speak for jerk-offs. UW Marching Band - you knew your antics didn’t fly the first time around, why take the risk and let down thousands of football fans?
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Thank you Gerald Cox. As a member of Mike’s family—I could not have said it better.
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Here’s the problem:
Ann Arbor is a whore.
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Gerald…agreed! And it’s so good to finally see you write a column that doesn’t involve race in any way!
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Once again Gerald has got it right. Everyone expects hazing to be a part of certain college cultures, but if it’s getting the band banned from games then it’s gone way too far and they need to stop. There’s a lot of great people in the band who were hurt by this along with the rest of us Badger fans. To those few who caused this, what the hell guys?? Get it together!!
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I’m guessing you weren’t one of the ones forced to drink urine on bus 2.
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7:29am Why does talking about race brothers you so much! Way more important that the band!
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Grow up, Badgers. Your band does not know proper behavior - especially all those on bus 2 - and your team seems to find ways to loose games in Ann Arbor. Deal with it. Act respectfully after the game. Go Blue!
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great article, but as a football fan, I could care less if the band is at the game or not. I go to games to watch the football team.
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It amazes me that folks seem to think that the Badger Band is only ‘whorish’ when it Ann Arbor. My boyfriend is a former tuba from the early 2000s era. Trust me, with the stories he can tell, I’m cannot believe that it has taken this long for things to come to light. We’ve seen American Pie and movies like it. According to my bf, those are ‘nothing’ compared to the antics of the band. Think of the worst things you have heard about Langdon St parties, State Street, and Mifflin Block party, combine them, and you still would have a collection of events that look like they were occuring in a convent by comparison.
I’m sorry, but for an institution as prestigious as the UW, it should have stopped the poo-eating, blow-jobbing, forced-date-rape-drug-ing, urine-drinking, vomit-funneling, and other events that are not even repeatable because they are so utterly humiliating and disgusting LONG before now. I realize that Mike may have had ‘no knowledge of this’, but the old man buys them beer. Does he think that they are just going to sip it and act like good little children? I think the entire organization REALLY needs to be examined and changed!
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@ 7:57am - Whoever this is is obviously not a member of the band and needs to not spread completely ridiculous and false rumors. That is libel.
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I heard about what went on… sick…
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I also request that the comments at 7:57 and 11:52 be removed from the comments board. They are libelous, and this investigation requires that utter lies like those written here are not spread.
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I agree with the comment at 1:28.
All other commenters: just because you know/knew someone who was in band years ago and heard all these stories does NOT make you an expert on the current band. The band had already severely changed their ways, even before 2006. If people think the stuff mentioned in comment@11:52 STILL goes on—they’re wrong. That was abolished even before 2006.
Continuing to post things like that is libelous, and should be removed for the good of the band and university.
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as someone who was on bus 2, I’m gonna agree with 1:28
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“the poo-eating, blow-jobbing, forced-date-rape-drug-ing, urine-drinking, vomit-funneling, and other events” …in my 4 years in band this is the first i’v e heard of this…as well as “the old man buys them beer.” You weren’t in band, stop tarnishing our reputation even more by spreading lies about what you “think” you know. I love being in this band, but if this is what was going on I can say I would not have stayed in it.
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woo. college.
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Can we really trust the article of a person who can’t even spell his major correctly?
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Urine on bus 2? If you are referring to Tiki Punch Shasta, then I guess you have a point.
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Comments from 7:57 and 11:52. Stop spreading rumors. These comments should be deleted immediately because they are not true.
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Many of my dearest friends are in the marching band, and NEVER have they ever experienced anything even remotely CLOSE to “poo-eating, blow-jobbing, forced-date-rape-drug-ing, urine-drinking, vomit-funneling”. I am thoroughly disgusted that people feel the need to further the slanderous rumors floating around when the vast majority of what is appearing the media is either blatantly false or ridiculously misinformed.
I also whole-heartedly request the removal of libelous comments.
PS- Mike doesn’t buy the band beer.
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I have to wonder when the reporters will crack the veil of silence and print the details. Enquiring minds want to know.
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Once again….great column, Gerald.
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I received a letter about the UW band from the Dean of Students. My son is a Junior in the band. I have to say, as a parent, I am EXTREMELY dissappointed at how this situation was and is being handled. The band has a history of some hazing - from what I hear, it’s been going on for years. So it should not have been a shocked if someone complained about eating disgusting foods. If the dean were in touch with the band members at all, she would have already known that.
My son has never participated, or being treated badly in the band. This group that took the hazing to a higher level is a small group. From what I hear, mostly the drum section. The majority of the band works very hard, has a lot of dedication, and have earned their right to march at the games. To take that right away from a proud group of hard working students because a few students are out of control shows an extreme lack of leadership by the Dean and by the band department. Many of us parents paid higher ticket prices to be able to attend and see our children march in last weeks game. These student have earned their right to march. Because the hazing situation is not new, the Dean and the band leadership should have put a plan in place to curb it long before it got to this point. This is not the students fault, it’s the leaderships fault for not being more in touch with what’s going on. Kids will be kids, and some hazing will occur. It goes on everywhere in student groups. The students should be held accountable for their actions. However punishing 300 and tarnishing further the bands reputation, as well as my sons, in a national spotlight the night before a big game is unexecusable on the Deans part. Get the facts, do your homework, and then deal with the students who are involved. It’s not that hard to figure out. There aren’t that many games, and my son has earned his right to fully participate in EVERY planned band activitiy. It’s time to get this out of the media and put those kids back on the field where they belong.
It’s dissapointing that the kids involved in this are actually the next leaders in our community. For those students involved, grow up and start acting like college students and future leaders instead of wild kids with no control. For those of you who felt uncomfortable, stand up for yourself. It’s not an excuse to be a victim. You have a voice, use it. You have a brain - don’t go to a drinking party with people you don’t trust or are unsure about. Stand up, be proud and use some ADULT judgement. You all represent a group of 300 - not just yourselves. Be part of the proud, or get out. If you want to act like this, you don’t deserve to be in the band. Mover over and let the kids that want to work hard and perform have your spots. There are plenty of kids out there who would appreciate this opportunity and use it wisely.
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October 6, 2008 @ 1:28pm, yet another band member or old band member trying to down play the ridiculous actions that happened. You request that the previous comments be removed and I request that the band program be suspended until next football season. We don’t walsy get what we want, but I do get to see tons of band members trying to justify acts and say “it wasn’t even like that.”
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UW is not the same without its marching band.
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I am a former UW band member (former in that I was in it all four years and then did it for a year in grad school because they were short on my section) and I can attest to the actions that have been listed above that have been called ‘libel’. They do happen, and they happen frequently. It is true that is it is a small group that initiates these acts, but when others are silent and allow these actions to occur they are essentially involving themselves by consent and lack of action against the hazing and such.
I realize that most people look upon college as a time for finding yourself and drinking a lot of beer and doing stupid stuff. But the binge drinking and subsequent antics that I witnessed while in the band were inexcuseable.
All I can say to the current band members is to grow up. If you weren’t one of the ones that was instigating the incident, then come forward and tell the truth. It takes an adult to have the courage to step out and do what is right when. Last I checked, most of the people in the band were over the age of 18, thereby being adults.
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You don’t see the cognitive dissonance in calling a whole city a “whore” right after taking a venerable institution that you know little about to task for engaging in “sexually inappropriate behavior”? OK, then.