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Toronto alumnus and sports fan Scott Whitley, Artsci'80, Law'83, says performances by the Queen's Bands are one of the things that make Gaels' football games special
RE: “Just a loose social club?”
Issue #1-2012, P. 3
Lynn Hargreaves hit the nail squarely on the head regarding the Athletic Department’s appalling treatment of the Queen’s Bands at home football games in recent years.
To not allow the Bands to perform the national anthem seems unbelievable. Who would make such a boneheaded decision? And crowding out the Bands with pre-recorded music throughout the game is equally wrong-headed. Hey, if I wanted to soak in all the “atmosphere and pageantry” of a McMaster home game, I would drive down the QEW to Hamilton; there’s no need to try to replicate it at Richardson Stadium.
We should be supportive of the things that make a Queen’s football game unique, rather than seeking to undermine and homogenize them.
Scott Whitley, Artsci'80, Law'83, Toronto, ON
Queen's Alumni Review2012 Issue #2
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Comments
I'm not even a Queen's Alumnus, but I could not agree more. I am beyond proud of my children, both whom graduated from Queen's. For 10 years I've attended Queen's football games, as they cannot be rivalled. There is no other University that can boast such genuine school spirit and alumni dedication, not to mention entrenched and long-lived traditions. Mr. Whitely is completely correct. The Queen's Band makes the games hugely entertaining, unique, and a cut above the rest. I attended the Queen's - Mac game last year - at McMaster. The treatment of the Queen's Band (and fans) by McMaster was appalling. They were relegated to a corner in the stands, and not allowed to play. Instead we were treated to pre-recorded hip-hop bar music all game long. Surely the Queen's athletics department is not going to follow such a lead. If they do, they are sinking to a much lower common denominator. Queen's has always done it right - don't mess with tradition. You are a cut above. Stay that way!!
Elizabeth Watson-Morlog
McMaster, 1978
It would also be fair to say that Mr. Whitley has hit the nail very squarely.
I am a resident of Dundas Ontario and can literally hear every word spoken over the PA system at Ron Joyce Stadium at McMaster.
Last Fall I was on the verge of writng a letter to McMaster's Athletics Department. My aim at that time was to find out why the Queens Band traveled all the way to the concrete sterility of Ron Joyce Stadium; only to be verbally assaulted by "marauding" students pre-game and then be forced to sit in the stands (taking up much of what was supposed to be visitors seating and placing the rest of us into close proximity to some very unfriendly hosts) for the entire game while we were treated to the worst variety of baaaad club music and electronic "dee-fence" over the stadium's sound system.
At half time we got to watch drunks trying to complete simple football related tasks on the artificial turf. Wouldn't a talented band playing inspired music have been the perfect compliment I thought, to a fall day and a football game. Gosh you would think that, as McMaster thumped the Gaels that day, any good host would at least welcome the visiting Band to play at halftime? "Poor sports" I thought.
As Mr. Whitley suggests later in his letter, "there's no need to replicate"..."the atmosphere and pageantry of a McMaster home game".
No, there isn't. Why are we?
One of the things that keeps competitive sports real and relevant for both participants and fans is tradition. Traditions like the Queen's Band create an atmosphere at home games that sets the place apart. No doubt visiting teams and fans would admit that the football experience at Richardson (was) like no other.
As someone who wishes that she didn't have to drive down the QEW/403/401 to see a Gaels home game I would hope that the thread of discussion regarding the simple business of music at home football games will get us back to where we want to be. Unique and one of a kind!