# Ohio State Marching Band: the band nerds become the coolest kids on the field **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 27, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370 "2013-10-27T13:30:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/21 "2013-10-28T16:24:19Z")
Even though this was Ohio State, it was very cool indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/22 "2013-10-28T16:32:27Z")
I’ve seen a number of marching bands in action and it always amazes me what the best ones can do. My nephew currently drums in a HS marching band and was on the road with one of the professional ones over the summer, and it’s grueling work involving long hours of rehearsal for weeks. Army training has got nothing on these guys. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/23 "2013-10-28T16:46:18Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > The music indicated that the circles were the Ring (Lord of the Rings) but I couldn’t decipher the next image. Gollum, maybe? > [@cuniculus\_albuquercus](#): > > The second _Lord of the Rings_ image was the Eye of Sauron atop the tower of Barad-Dur in Mordor. > > The walking T-Rex was a thing of beauty. Glad he got a bite to eat. > > Loved Harry and the Snitch. :smack: Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/24 "2013-10-28T18:47:57Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Even though this was Ohio State, it was very cool indeed. When I was in high school marching band, our director was a University of Michigan grad, know how you feel. 🙂 What do you say to the OSU grad when they show up at your door? You don’t say anything. …You just pay for the pizza, let them get on their way! But any rivalry aside, gotta give credit where credit is due, have always loved and admired the Buckeye band. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/25 "2013-10-28T18:51:56Z")
OSU does a lot of stuff like this. I usually wind up posting a vid to Facebook every year. I’ve posted a Michael Jackson moonwalk and a show about video game music. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/26 "2013-10-28T20:33:03Z")
O-H! ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/27 "2013-10-29T03:22:48Z")
I -O! ps. I’m an Indiana grad. Please don’t tell anyone I know this. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/28 "2013-10-29T04:08:18Z")
Your secret is safe with me… and thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/29 "2013-10-29T12:45:01Z")
As soon as I saw that Michigan logo I knew there was only one way this could end. Hell, according to the YouTube description they were playing Penn State. That was a gratuitous shot at Michigan. Best kind. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2013, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/30 "2013-10-29T13:43:48Z")
Father of a four year high school marching band member, and three year president of the band boosters: Yes, there are some programs that help visualize what formations will look like and help with movement, but the ones I saw still relied on human input. Second, at least where I came from they were called Band **Geeks** and if you were to ask, they didn’t **become** the coolest kids on the field, they entered the field as the coolest kids in school. The band at my daughter’s school wore patches they had made that said “ **Band Geek Mafia** ” We had t-shirts that said something like “ **High School Football: Something to occupy your mind before and after the band blows you away** ” ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/31 "2014-08-02T05:24:02Z")
Turns out the OSU band nerds act like Jr. High kids when they’re not performing, resulting in the director getting fired for inadequately addressing a culture of sexual harassment. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/32 "2014-08-02T06:01:56Z")
> [@CLee](#): > > There must be a program that generates the steps to take for these formations, right? I went to Ohio State back in the 60s, and they were just as awesome then . . . without the help of computers. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/33 "2014-08-02T06:16:15Z")
> [@NetTrekker](#): > > Turns out the OSU band nerds act like Jr. High kids when they’re not performing, resulting in the director getting fired for inadequately addressing a culture of sexual harassment. Or they act like, you know, college kids. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/34 "2014-08-02T06:24:44Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Or they act like, you know, college kids. Not any more, they won’t. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2014, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/35 "2014-08-02T20:32:33Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Or they act like, you know, college kids. Hazing, sexual harassment and assault aren’t exactly “oh, they’ll grow out of it” activities. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370/36 "2014-08-06T18:06:46Z")
Or maybe the university has overreacted and is about to get slammed with another Jim O’Brien like lawsuit that will cost them millions in damages. As a local in Columbus we certainly are biased towards OSU but the information coming out on this is looking more and more like the firing was unjustified and entirely premature. Additionally, former band members who were cited in the university’s report are coming forward publicly and denying the allegations and defending the band director. I’d provide cites but you know, that certainly doesn’t seem necessary to jump to the conclusion that the statements made in this thread are true so why bother, right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ohio-state-marching-band-the-band-nerds-become-the-coolest-kids-on-the-field/672370.md?page=1)