Stanford Marching Band In Hot Water After Mocking Mormonism At BYU Game

[matcom]

<snip>

Stanford Athletic Director Ted Leland publicly apologized and the Stanford Band agreed to impose sanctions on itself after it performed a halftime show that mocked Mormonism at a home football game against Brigham Young University on Sept. 11.
Spokespeople for both the Athletic Department and the Stanford Band refused to say what the sanctions were, though The Daily has learned that they include — and may be limited to — a formal apology and a one-game suspension for Band announcer Mark Ruben, a recent Stanford graduate.

The halftime show, whose script was approved by the Athletic Department, featured several jabs at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which sponsors BYU.

Most controversial was a swipe at polygamy in which the Band’s assistant manager, senior Tom Hennessy, pretended to marry all five Dollies, who donned wedding veils for the skit. Ruben spoke through the public address system about the sacred bond “between a man and a woman . . . and a woman . . . and a woman . . . and a woman . . . and a woman.”

The joke was not lost on Brigham Young fans, and the visiting contingent unleashed a hail of boos.

http://daily.stanford.edu/tempo?page=content&repository=0001_article&id=14604

[sniffa]

1. bwahahahaha

[Richardo]

2. My favorite Stanford MB halftime...

...at a UCLA game in the 70's included the band playing Linda Rondstadt's "You're No Good" while forming the word "Guv" on the field.

Historical note: Governor Jerry Brown was romantically linked with Linda at the time... :D

[MallRat]

3. The Stanford marching band is absolutely insane.

They have a long-standing reputation as the Animal House of collegiate marching bands. Back in 1986, they dropped trow in the middle of a performance and urinated on the football field.

:wow:

-MR

[tigereye]

4. I love those guys!

they are what I look for when I see the Rose Parade. Keep it up, guys!

[Surf Cowboy]

5. Awesome. Reminds me of the UVA Pep Band back when they could have

some fun.

Once, when Penn State was beating all hell out of UVA, the announcer comes over the loud speaker, saying, "Breaking News--the Hubbel Telescope has just cracked its highpower magnification eyepiece and needs to be repaired immediately. Officials at NASA are requesting that Coach Paterno immediately turn over his spectacles so that the telescope may be repaired."

Good stuff. They also did some tasteless stuff, too, but that's neither here nor there.

[Bridget Burke]

6. Reminds me of the MOB (Marching Owl Band)

Which plays at half-time for Houston's very fine Rice University--another school better known for academics than athletics. In fact, their website indicates a kinship:

http://mob.rice.edu/

(Click on Other "scatter" bands)

The MOB plays a fine rendition of "Louie, Louie" & they are famous for ridiculing the Aggies (Texas A&M).