In a victory for social media advocacy and the value of tradition, the University of Oklahoma has bowed to alumni pressure and rescinded a decision to change the song the Pride of Oklahoma plays as the pre-game football fanfare.The firestorm over changing the gladiator-like fanfare music to something resembling a Broadway show tune erupted on the Pride of Oklahoma Alumni Facebook page a week ago. It then flowed over into other social media outlets, then eventually to sports talk radio in Oklahoma City. That’s when the complaints not only came from Pride of Oklahoma alums, but also regular football fans, who saw the change as tantamount to turning the pony-drawn Sooner Schooner into a radio-controlled golf cart.
That’s when the complaints not only came from Pride of Oklahoma alums, but also regular football fans, who saw the change as tantamount to turning the pony-drawn Sooner Schooner into a radio-controlled golf cart.
That’s when the complaints not only came from Pride of Oklahoma alums, but also regular football fans, who saw the change as tantamount to turning the pony-drawn Sooner Schooner into a radio-controlled golf cart.
New OU Band Director Justin Stolarik has been at the center of the controversy. Stolarik, who hails from the University of Wisconsin and did post-graduate works at, uh, some school in Austin, Texas, was hired by OU, in the spring. His selection was a surprise because it was not the name recommended by a search committee whose membership included heralded retired band director, “Coach” Gene Thrailkill. Not getting Thrailkill’s blessing is like being a Bilbo Baggins with Gandolf working against you. The Pride oldtimers, and recent grads who favored a candidate who was already on the music department staff, were already suspicious of what changes Stolarik might make to the Pride traditions.
Official Statement issued by Pride Director Justin Stolarik:
In our 109th year, I am pleased to join an organization with such an excellent heritage and to be working with such an outstanding group of 290 hard-working students.
We want to increase the intensity of the spirit of our fans while preserving the best of our traditions and seeking ways to continually enhance the performance.
The band believes in listening to the views of our many fans, and they have asked that we keep our traditional pre-game fanfare. That’s exactly what we are going to do. While we have experimented with alternatives, we also listen carefully to our fans. By listening, we reached the conclusion that we would keep our traditional fanfare.
Our students are working extremely hard, and I appreciate their good work. Our goal is for the band to continue to live up to its name, The Pride of Oklahoma.
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