It looks like 2016 is going to be one for the books. I'm not just saying that because it's a leap year or because a NASA spacecraft will reach Jupiter or even because golf is returning to the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro after a 112-year break, but because of the year's exciting kickoff-- a college football kickoff to be exact. The University of Oregon football team made it to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas and the marching band got to go, too! Although the game was a bit major upset, the bowl game trip itself was a major success.
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| Our hotel was conveniently located 0.3 miles from the Alamo. |
Just under 200 Oregon Marching Band (OMB) members got to travel to San Antonio for the game. I'd never taken a chartered flight before and it was neat walking down the plane aisle to my seat in a sea of green and yellow. The cheerleaders, some of the Oregon Daisy Ducks, and other important UO people flew with us as well. The football team left a day or two before us and while it would've been amazing to meet the Ducks' top athletic superstars, I cannot imagine riding from Oregon to Texas sitting next to two six-foot-eight, three-hundred pound linebackers. During our three or so hours in the air, we passed over the powered foothills just outside Eugene, Salt Lake City, snow-drenched mountains, and the Grand Canyon which made for awesome views.
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Soarin' Over California America. |
We arrived in Texas in the evening which gave enough time to settle down in our hotel then make the four and half minute walk to the San Antonio River Walk. Think Venice waterways meets Disney touristy-ness meets southwest charm and hospitality. While we were there it was still all decorated and lit up at night for Christmas making this below street level pedestrian area bordering both sides of the San Antonio River all the more beautiful. Our first full day in Texas there was a pep rally right on the river. Cheerleaders danced around the stage while TCU and UO fans sat in an amphitheater on the opposite bank while the two school's bands battled in out on the river on barges. I mean, only in San Antonio...
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| Ex. 1: Ducks and horned frogs exhibit cohabitation on the San Antonio River. |
San Antonio is the seventh most populated city in the US and the second most in Texas. Since it did have more of a metropolitan feel, the Texan stereotypes were toned done a bit. A bit. An itty bitty bit. There were still signs on most stores and other establishments stating the legal guidelines when it came to bringing handguns onto the premises-- in both English and Spanish. There was a great deal of delicious Tex Mex. Cowboy hats were highly prevalent. I was called "honey" and referred to as "y'all" numerous times. And the song God Bless Texas was played more times than I could count. (but TCU may have had something to do with that...) All in all, the Texans I interacted with were generally friendly, genuine, and fun people.
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| Culture shock? |
In between pep rallies and fajitas the band had some rehearsals before the game. We drove about twenty-five minutes or so out to a sporting facility (what must be a very well-funded sporting facility might I add) for the school district we were in. It was much chillier in San Antonio than expected, but other than that and the one day of torrential downpour we endured, rehearsing went smoothly. The total amount of time we performed on the field at the actual Alamo Bowl is in the area of about eight to ten minutes I'd say. A miniature version of our pregame and a six minute halftime show.
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| The last rehearsal of the year... 2015 that is. |
On New Year's Day, the day before the bowl game, we got to play at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. After a brief stage performance and parade through the park, we were given free admission to the park. Despite the rain and chilliness, my group and I stayed until the park closed. Apparently the amusement/water park isn't in prime season on January 1st or when it's 40 degrees and raining which meant impossibly short lines for all the rides! And like the River Walk, Six Flags was all dolled up for Christmas. Of all the things I thought I'd be doing the first day of 2016 I never guessed I'd be dancing through an empty amusement park singing You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch on the way to take a photo with Looney Tunes characters.
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| My good friends Taz, Yosemite Sam, and Shea. |
Then came game day. The roads within a three mile radius of the Alamodome were clogged as we tried to make our way to the stadium and I noticed a Denny's that was taking full advantage of the crowds flooding San Antonio and had a sign in their parking lot, "Public Parking -- $60." After some parading around the area surrounding the Alamodome and playing some pep tunes for the UO Alumni tailgaters, we finally got to go into the ginormous stadium. It was a balmy 70 degrees with a zero percent chance of rain. I'd never realized before that these huge, indoor stadiums are simply "sports studios." Just like Duck TV has a news studio, the Duck football team had their own studio in the Alamodome-- perfect lighting, cameras strategically placed, a live audience.
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| Before the game and still filled with hope to #WinTheDay... |
I won't go into the details of the game itself. I'm sure many of you watched it so long story short it was an exciting, nerve-wracking and ultimately shocking game. TCU won in triple overtime. I was disappointed, yes, that the Ducks lost, but I was even more disappointed we didn't get to stay to see the victors' extravaganza. Once the winning team is given their trophy the whole stadium is flooded with balloons and confetti from the ceiling. (so I am told) As soon as the game was called and fans started filing out, our band director got us out of that stadium as quickly as humanly possible.
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| (Above) How I saw the celebrations vs. (below) how the media saw the celebrations. |
As much of a bummer it is that the Ducks lost the bowl game I'm still so happy I got to go. Marching band has been a great experience for me in my first term of college and what better school to march for than one that gets to go to bowl games and, better yet, takes their band with them? I'm done with band for the duration of my freshman year but I'm already looking forward to next year's season. 2015 was a great year and I have a feeling 2016 will prove to be as memorable, if not even more so, in not just marching band but also college and life in general. Wishing all of you a healthy, joyful, and successful year ahead. And for my university buddies, best of luck for the winter term starting tomorrow. Sco Ducks!
