TBDBITL and something completely different..

I got to experience something that I consider pretty extraordinary this past weekend, that was watching my son march down the ramp into OSU Stadium with the Ohio State Marching Band (TBDBITL, The Best Dam Band In The Land). I know friends are probably sick of hearing us talk about it, but it really is a big deal. After a long summer of driving up to band practice 2 times a week, working out and practicing Trumpet & Marching for hours upon hours every day, he made the final cut last week. Here’s a video of the band doing the famous “Ramp Entrance” at the Michigan game in 2006, its pretty awesome.

Well, if you have never been to an Ohio State Football game, let me tell you (and you’ve probably heard), it’s quite an experience. I’ve been to games before, but it was a first for my wife, who endured 105,000+ people to watch her son march. We also went to the skull session, prior to the game to watch the band warm up for the game. It was my first Skull Session and it was well worth it, especially because the alumni band had an extra 600+ band members stuffed in playing with the “real” band. It was all just such an incredible day, except when Ohio Stat tried to loose the game , but the ended up pulling it out. Check out the entrance to the Skull Session. Here’s another one against Michigan in 2006.

Something else I thought was cool was the way Navy was treated. It’s been over 30 years I think since OSU has hosted an academy. Everybody treated Navy with such respect (and how could you not?), that I walked away very proud of the University as a whole. Another thing I was very impressed with was the starched white suits that the navy band members wore. It was great to see them scattered all over High Street into the evening fully dressed in their uniforms and looking good.

So I wont go on and on, because this post is not about printing, but I do think this is the beginning of a whole new era for me. I know he wants to do it again next year, but members have to make the cut every year and go through challenges every week from alternates…I guess it stays pretty competitive. But I just did get a phone call that he won this weeks challenge and will be marching the ramp and Script Ohio for the USC game this coming week. More to come in the future, I’m sure. In the mean time, Go Bucks!