The Sooners’ 2014 debut was solid, but one particular new wrinkle that scored with fans was the fourth quarter fog-filled introduction of The King, Barry Switzer, from the north end zone tunnel. Nobody is revered in Norman more than Switzer…
Imagine a dozen giant elephants wearing kilts and guzzling from beer steins, all the while singing a gaelic song consisting entirely of two notes pronounced repetitively.
“Oom pah, oom pah, oom pah”. And then repeat for 24 more measures of music.
Then imagine this same troop of normally affable musicians of the animal kingdom all pissed off and stampeding.
That’s the Pride of Oklahoma tuba section this week. They boycotted band practice on Monday in protest of Director Justin Stolarik’s unpopular changes to the band.
This is a big deal. The fact the tuba section brought this attention to themselves is a big deal. Usually this group goes about their business without regard to any recognition or notice from the rest of the world.
Student leaders of the Pride of Oklahoma marching band were called into OU President David Boren’s office to discuss changes being made by newly-hired director Justin Stolarik, the Oklahoma Daily student newspaper reported Wednesday.
The newspaper reported that more than 100 Pride members confronted Stolarik about changes in the band’s football game routine, including changes to a traditional pre-game entrance, that had some football fans puzzled and complaining at Saturday night’s game against Louisiana-Monroe.
Musicians in the Pride told the Oklahoma Daily that Boren told them their frustrations with changes were not matched by their fans, even though Stolarik’s changes have been a hot topic on football message boards and on the Facebook page of Pride alumni.