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Editor:
This letter is in response to George C. Hall's editorial "Marching Band's performance will take it nowhere but to the Toilet Bowl." First of all Mr. Hall, WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!?! I understand that not everyone who watches our half-time shows is going to like everything they see, but your comments were beyond insulting. They were downright rude. After all the PRIDE, SWEAT, HARD WORK, AND DETERMINATION that every member of the Pride of Arizona puts into each and every performance, I wonder how you a former member of the Pride of Arizona can say such things. I am assuming you have forgotten what it is like to take drill and music and put your heart and soul into it so that the audience can feel the emotions you are producing through music. Or were you in band just to go on trips? I am pretty sure that Jack Lee in the "Glory Days" would have asked the same of you.
As for the pre-game and half time show, you will notice that there was a large "A" going across the field at the conclusion of the pre-game show. But hey, what do I know, I was only marching in the top corner of it.
Also, if you check your calendar it is 1996. The Pride of Arizona is just keeping up with the times, not going back in time. We are performing music that can be enjoyed by not only the alumni, but the students as well. Yes I enjoy a lot of John Phillip Sousa's works, but I think that traditional marches would not be too exciting all the time year after year.
Also at that Super Bowl performance that you were so exited about the band performed a Beatles song, which was popular at that time like The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are now. Imagine that Jack Lee's glorious band performing a rock tune OH THE HORROR. Also NBC had the Pride of Arizona Pep Band on the "Today Show" for their broadcast at the Super Bowl to commemorate that performance.
Kinda of strange since we are fit for a "Toilet Bowl."
As for Adopt A Highway, classes began almost a month ago. Marching Band started OVER a month ago. I am a full time student, I am an active member of Kappa Kappa Psi, a music education major, and a member of the Pride of Arizona.
With the time I put into band and school I barely have the time to clean my own room, much less regularly maintain a stretch of highway! Like myself, every member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma are full time students. But since it has been 24 years since you were a student at the University of Arizona you probably have forgotten about what it is like to be a student too.
Finally, by reading your letter I get the feeling that you are really bitter from your experience with the Pride of Arizona and with Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. For that I feel sorry for you. But by the looks on the faces of the audience at the game that evening your opinions sir are in a severe minority. In closing I would like to remind you of an old sayings, "If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all."
Also since it has been 24 years since you have probably marched a show I think you should not tear down something you didn't build.
Patrick C. Brown II
Music Ed. Sophomore
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