The University of Wisconsin marching band...

[MileMarkerZero]

I thought the UW band would be bigger?

Or is this all that's left after the hazing incident?

[David Zerkel]

Budget cuts.

Obviously kidding, but at the rate things are going, Joe might live to see the day where his hard earned dollars will no longer support fool perfessers at gubmunt skoolz.

Sigh...

[The Big Ben]

I thought the UW band would be bigger?

Or is this all that's left after the hazing incident?

I know you're joking (I think). That must have been part of the show. The contrast of the red to the soldier's desert camo makes a good photo. The "somber" attitude of the soldiers and the exuberance of the souzy player make it a good photo as well.

Jeff "Photos 'R' Us" Benedict

[ParLawGod]

I was at the ceremony (I play trombone in the 132nd Army Band) and the UW Marching Band was pretty small. The ceremony took play Tuesday from noon until about 2pm, so I have two guesses.

1) Half the band had class conflicts.
2) Fitting the entire marching band in there would NOT have worked, as space in front of the stage, and in the aisles, was limited.
3) A combination of the two.

I would only assume that the Army paid for the the UW Marching Band to be there...so I really don't think money is the issue here (though I am only taking a guess).

The "somber" attitude of the soldiers and the exuberance of the souzy player make it a good photo as well.

If it makes you feel any better...the UW Marching Band tried to get all of the soldiers to do the Chicken Dance (no joke)...

[Toad Away]

Budget cuts.

Obviously kidding, but at the rate things are going, Joe might live to see the day where his hard earned dollars will no longer support fool perfessers at gubmunt skoolz.

I've got my application in for one of those 'community organizer' jobs.

Wish me luck .....

Tman

[The Big Ben]

The "somber" attitude of the soldiers and the exuberance of the souzy player make it a good photo as well.

If it makes you feel any better...the UW Marching Band tried to get all of the soldiers to do the Chicken Dance (no joke)...

Good effort. OOOrah!

[rocksanddirt]

neat photo.

as far as the band itself, if it's not a football game, it's not the full band.

[The Big Ben]

On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Stand up, Badgers, sing!
"Forward" is our driving spirit,
Loyal voices ring.
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!

The school I teach at uses "On, Wisconsin" as the fight song. I played it with the band last night. Great tuba and baritone parts!

Even so, we lost...

[eupher61]

the main drummer in Festhaus Musikanten bought one of the white chicken hats at a festival, wears it proudly on his bald head. Actually, this is the second one. The first, he sold later that month after purchase, for double the money. Some drunk wanted it for his wife. Photo to follow.

Ain't Oktoberfest great???

[jacojdm]

My high school back in Ayersville, OH used On Wisconsin too! Band director Glen Walker was a Michigan grad.

Glen's a heckuva guy.

[eupher61]

the main drummer in Festhaus Musikanten bought one of the white chicken hats at a festival, wears it proudly on his bald head. Actually, this is the second one. The first, he sold later that month after purchase, for double the money. Some drunk wanted it for his wife. I can't get a picture to load, but the story is good...we were playing at the big Oktoberfest in KC, and a reporter took Mike's picture playing the duck call and wearing the chicken hat. The reporter passes Mike a notepad for his name and hometown, Mike puts the name of another drummer in town as a gag. Of course, the reporter botches it and prints a wrong first letter of the last name. Made it even funnier!

Ain't Oktoberfest great???

[MartyNeilan]

The contrast of the red to the soldier's desert camo makes a good photo. The "somber" attitude of the soldiers and the exuberance of the souzy player make it a good photo as well.

Jeff "Photos 'R' Us" Benedict

That reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw the other day, "My kid is in Iraq so your kid can party in college."

I am sure some of those soldiers going to put their life in harm's way are the same age as that college student. I hope that young man with the sousaphone understands the gravity of the situation, and is grateful for all our armed forces do.

[TubaRay]

And he was probably right--I should have went to Michigan instead of Ohio State. The campus was even closer too!

It appears to me that you indeed should have gone to Michigan.

[tofu]

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