[ January 03, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]

While I am by no means a rap fan, and yes half time shows do suck, one shows one's age with "Didn't that stuff go out with Pac Man?" in reference to rap music. I don't like it (much like 90% of music written since the 60's), but I think at this point, it's a little head in the sandish to still consider it a passing fad. Certainly it hasn't stood the test of time that jazz has, but it has far outlasted several genres of metal (hair bands come to mind). I'm all for being stuffy and conservative, but you make yourself look like the old guy who wore cardigans during July by publicly demanding that your taste is actually the same as the "younger generation."
And yes, that includes those 20-30 year olds you claimed in the 20-50 range.

Everything jqueer said, and then some. Good job.

And I don't even like Rap, either.

Any of those prefab, half-time "spectaculars" suck. Is there a reason the networks can't show, oh, I don't know, maybe a college MARCHING BAND at halftime?!?!?! I mean, they DO do more than just sit in the stands and play between plays. We DREADED going to a bowl game where there was some sort of pageant at halftime, as it meant we couldn't do our regular stuff. Those bands work hard all year long, and deserve some recognition at a bowl game as well. And I don't mean as background for some graphics that try to summarize the half you just sat through and watched, either.

Tony
Ohio State Band Fag, 81-85

Thank you for finally saying what I've been thinking for years. These shows are horrible. The worst ones involve "superstar" frill teams or cheerleaders who "won" the honor of performing at the game and who then have to raise the money to go dance in a group of 300 girls, all dressed alike. No one in the stands (save the parents who paid for the trip) wants to see this or the boy band/fog machine spectacular. Stick to the school bands!

Speaking of college bands, does anyone else remember when they wore white pom-poms on the toes of their shoes and the visual effect it created when they marched during halftime on B&W TV? You gotta go WAY back for this one! I use halftime to putter about in the kitchen, unless there's someone else around, in which case ...

[ January 03, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]

Give me The Simpson's "Hooray for Everything!" and their Super Bowl halftime show: a salute to the greatest hemisphere on earth, the Western Hemisphere! The dancingest hemisphere of all!

(man I watch too much TV! )

I wasn't expecting this day to happen until long after I was in a cardigan sweater in July--and I know I'm going to rue the day--but I agree with UmpWhoever!

Not because of his comments putting down rap, but because it was just a horribly conceived, produced, directed and performed show. MTV wouldn't have run that on a Sunday morning.

For those of you blessed enough to have missed it--or wise enough to have immediately turned the channel or called FedX for a pickup or done some knitting...it had the perfunctory [by now] 1000 kid entourage trooping out to the field in their color-coordinated-by-section outfits, with what appeared to be marching band members thrown in just to fill in what little part of the green field remained.

Clearly, not many remaining in the stands to watch should have been another Big Clue about the production. The groups--none of which I recognized--were apparently all aimed at the primary MTV audience of 14-24, with camerawork and direction to match. Constant quick zooms, jumpcuts, and hot floor lighting managed to just showcase the difference between singing and bad lipsynching to a clicktrack.

The "urban" kids ['it gives us an edgy look!']--bless their hearts--did try to dance up a storm and toss their heads as often as possible on the little, badly lit stage, contrasting nicely with the muddled moves of the overwhelmingly white, dancing-impaired kids on the field. The angle on the long shots of the groups just managed to highlight the few bored ones left in the stands or "security" people next to the stage.

Despite the numbers involved on the field being the same as the old Disney-produced extravaganzes, this was like comparing the Iraq troop numbers to the coalitions' during the Gulf War.

The average age that watches the Orange Bowl isn't going to be even close to that of MTV. It's one thing to do something a little different than expected--it's another to do a completely shoddy job of impersonating a hip, edgy show in an attempt to skew your demos during a prime-time network show. When all that happened was skewering the audience they had.

It ended up being the only thing that could give solace to the out-of-place Terps! Then again, from the looks of a few on their sideline, I would have been happy to give a number of them solace!

I don't know why, but to clarify, I hate rap; halftime shows suck, and boy bands are the 8th herald of the antichrist.
Is that enough Ump? I didn't say any of those things were good, I said that declaring your taste is the taste of all those in the 20-50 age bracket makes you look like a crank.

It's just a case of misguided demographics. I actually DO like Destiny's Child, but I still don't think they sound right singing "Bootylicious" in the middle of a football field during a half-time show. Then again, if they're singing about some stud quarterback...

If they do want to keep the ratings for half-time shows up, they should include some of the college marching bands, followed by other music that people in the typical demographic of bowl game watchers would like: Garth Brooks, Aerosmith (w/o N'Sync, thanks), hell, even one of the remaining Beatles would be better than what they use now. To be honest with you (and I'm close enough to that age to know), most TEENAGERS don't even like this kind of music. So not only are they losing all of the older people watching the game, they're also losing any teens who're watching, while the people they're aiming for are probably off watching MTV and could care less anyway. That's just my two cents though. Later.

[ January 03, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]

[ January 03, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]

I certainly never blamed you for Garth Brooks, Ump25. But the only thing by him I really like is "Ireland" and that only when played by a local Celtic band I stalk. OK, I like "Low Places" but that's only as a guilty pleasure, like "Here's a Quarter Call Someone Who Cares? (Yes I know that's not the same artist).

[ January 03, 2002: Message edited by: jqueer ]

Ump25 wrote: [quote]You're welcome, in spite of the fact that jqueer and AU Tiger somehow get a kick out of teeny bopper music.

---

I don't think either of us said we like these shows. You miss the point entirely.
What jqueer wrote (and what I concurred with) was that your impression that rap was a "fad" seems tragically out of step with modern American culture. I almost heard my curmudgeonly 60-year old father's voice when I read your original diatribe. Cringe!
For the record, I don't care for teeny bop, Brittney Spears, or rap. And they have no place at a football game. 99% of folks would agree with that last statement.

I'm watching the Rose Bowl, and they're trumpeting that at halftime they'll feature the bands. Of course, the game itself stinks.

Yo, Ted. Yup, gaggin' at the game. But that was a half-time show to warm the cockles of Ump's heart. Ahhhhhhhhhh...

[quote]Originally posted by DCBucky:
Give me The Simpson's "Hooray for Everything!" and their Super Bowl halftime show: a salute to the greatest hemisphere on earth, the Western Hemisphere! The dancingest hemisphere of all!

(man I watch too much TV! )

---

No, you watch the right TV! But that wasn't a Super Bowl show. That was a Thanksgiving day halftime show, from one of their finest episodes in my opinion ("Bart vs. Thanksgiving").

If I recall there was another one where a halftime show was so bad that Bart was wishing for a sniper to show up.

I didn't even know they were televising halftime shows in these bowl games. I thought they had to do all of their expert analysis.

Guys, halftime shows have nothing to do with entertaining the fannies already in the seats. They're all about teams of "marketing experts" desperately reaching to reign-in the cherished 12-24 year-old, pop-swilling, fast-food worshiping, MTV hip-hopping demographic, the future audience of their assigned sport. And they are paid handsomely to piss-off old fogies like me.

I change the channel, like I do when any commercial comes on my screen. I dislike the halftime shows almost as much as the invasive, blaring pop music between the innings of a baseball game and, especially, after every single whistle in a hockey game. Whatever happened to a lovely chiming organ or the rousing call of a trumpet?

I'm also worried about the possibility of an embarrassing sell-out performance by U2 at the Super Bowl Game. Can anyone say "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"?

Seph, are you referencing "BLACK SUNDAY" which, as I recall, was about a blimp that was going to blow up at the Super Bowl? "Sunday Bloody Sunday" was a John Schlesinger film in which Murray Head was f**king both Glenda Jackson and Peter Finch (now THERE'S a concept) & which is most notorious for Finch's gal pal Shirley Bassey claiming that she had to leave the theatre to keep from throwing up when Finch planted a big one on Head's lips early on in the movie.

[ January 03, 2003: Message edited by: Ump25 ]

Worst Halftime Ever: Diana Ross at the Super Bowl.

2nd Worst Halftime Show Ever: Michael Jackson at the Super Bowl.

There were some real cute geeks in the Nebraska band tonight. BUWAHAHAHA! Huskers, you blow.

Frankly, I think the Stanford Band should be hired to do these things. They can recreate their infamous Irish Potato(e) Famine routine that they regaled Notre Dame with or the one where they formed a cock then had a portion of the band ejaculate. Now THAT'S entertainment.

Joe in Philly -- you're right -- I confused the "Hooray for Everything" show with the episode where Lisa assisted Homer with his football gambling (she picks the Raiders because they always cheat.)

Do you remember if there was a halftime during that Super Bowl? -- or was it the Duff Bowl -- Duff v. Duff Lite! Or was it when Bart said, "This sucks. Come on, snipers, where are you!"

Mocking the deaths of a million poor Irish peasants is neither funny nor decent.
Ejactulating penises are simply purile and adolescent. Better suited to Beavis and Butthead, or Mets games.
Stanford band? Merci, no!

[quote]Originally posted by AU Tiger in LA:
Mocking the deaths of a million poor Irish peasants is neither funny nor decent.
Ejactulating penises are simply purile and adolescent. Better suited to Beavis and Butthead, or Mets games.
Stanford band? Merci, no!

---

And saying you are from the state of "Californication" is adult???

Looks like the Stanford "band" was at it again at the Seattle Bowl -- some pregame skit making fun of the veracity of former Georgia Tech coach George O'Leary.

They can be fun and are surely sophomoric -- but how can The Cardinal alumni ever forgive them for their role in "The Play" during the "Big Game" when, streaming onto the field before time expired (this is the same lack of discipline for which they're lauded!), they provided enough blocks downfield to allow California to upset Elway's team.

[quote]Originally posted by DCBucky:
Joe in Philly -- you're right -- I confused the "Hooray for Everything" show with the episode where Lisa assisted Homer with his football gambling (she picks the Raiders because they always cheat.)

Do you remember if there was a halftime during that Super Bowl? -- or was it the Duff Bowl -- Duff v. Duff Lite! Or was it when Bart said, "This sucks. Come on, snipers, where are you!"

---

I just checked my tape. It was in the episode you mentioned where Lisa was picking games for Homer. The Super Bowl halftime show featured a spaceship on the field and the performers in alien outfits singing "Rock Around The Clock" which caused Bart to call for the snipers. The Duff Bowl was just after that in the show.

And Jim Allen said:
[quote] Worst Halftime Ever: Diana Ross at the Super Bowl.

---

She wasn't that bad. Besides, only a true diva like Miss Ross could get away with leaving the field in a helicopter after her show.

[ January 04, 2002: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

utahman wrote:
[quote] And saying you are from the state of "Californication" is adult???

---

Actually, I am a Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, and that's one of their tunes.
Besides, even if it was meant as anything other than a sign of my interest in their music, I don't think having that on the web is less "adult" than 200 students running around before a stadium full of people and forming the shapes of genitalia.

[quote] are you referencing "BLACK SUNDAY"...? ..."Sunday Bloody Sunday" was a John Schlesinger film

---

Not really, patterson, but thanks for the reference to a great JS film, and particularly the mention of Shirley Bassey. What a voice on that Dame! (Drag queens, take note.)

"Sunday, Bloody Sunday" is in fact an old U2 song (from "War" - about an infamous day in the Irish Protestant/Catholic conflict), and the possibilty of them using it as part of their complete sell-out was too easy for me to resist. In actuality, expect to hear their Grammy-nominated "Elevation" and "Walk On" (although that song would be more suited to baseball, no?). I don't expect that Bono will be making his "Robin Hood" speech during a million-dollar commercial break, though.

yeah, hi -- please tell me you're joking when you say U2 will be playing at the superbowl halftime...please?

I'm with the "old fogeys" on this one; they should get back to the band geeks actually getting to show how awesome all that syncronized movement can be. To me, that's what the half-time show is all about with college games.

Now, as for the pro games, back in the day, what was the half-time show all about then, before these mindmelting things started happening? I'm not well-versed in this fact since my nose was probably in a book rather than to watch football when I was a young boy.

[quote]I'm with the "old fogeys" on this one; they should get back to the band geeks actually getting to show how awesome all that syncronized movement can be. To me, that's what the half-time show is all about with college games.

---

Um, do NFL teams even have marching bands? Seriously, I know a lot of them have a rhythm section (drum kit, bass, guitar, keys) backing a brass section, but no matching unis, with tall hats and swinging the trombones back and forth kind of stuff that I can recall. Anyone know?

[quote]Originally posted by Tarkus:
Um, do NFL teams even have marching bands? Seriously, I know a lot of them have a rhythm section (drum kit, bass, guitar, keys) backing a brass section, but no matching unis, with tall hats and swinging the trombones back and forth kind of stuff that I can recall. Anyone know?

---

To my knowledge no NFL team has a marching band. They might use a college marching band if they're so inclined.

I think the Super Bowl's recent use of big-name talent stems from competitors like Fox (when they didn't have the SB) and MTV coming up with special counter-programming to show during halftime. I don't think anyone does that now.

Joe in Philly, the one NFL team that still has a marching band is the Redskins....aren't you tired of hearing that "Hail to the Redskins" song every time the Skins score?....oh yeah, they didn't get to play it much this year thanks to Marty's anemic offense (thanks to the QB tandem of Jeff George and Tony Banks).

[ January 09, 2002: Message edited by: gamecock ]

Gamecock,

I don't think they march. (although it WOULD be hysterical to watch them with those cross-dressers!)

Yeah, I think you're right, Joe....although I know they USED to march when the Skins played at RFK....from the shots of the band, though, it looks like there are quite a few senior citizens still "performing" so Danny Snyder probably doesn't want to risk the bad publicity of one of the band members having a heart attack on the 50 yard line....although he still has to assume the risk of one of the 80,000 Redskin faithful at Fed Ex Field having a coronary from watching their pitiful offensive performance week after week.

Doh! It just got worse: Paul McCartney will perform at the Super Bowl "in a tribute to America's heroes." He "will sing his new anthem 'Freedom' joined by 500 young people representing 180 countries."

Bring back the WWF! They provided counterprogramming a few Super Bowls back -- as I recall the sight of a wrinkled and saggy 65 year old female "wrestler" taking on the younger fit ones was actually entertaining.

I don't know about you guys, but I don't really mind some R&B stuff to listen too. Rap Sucks, maybe my Montana upbringing is shining through there. But I personally have to wonder why you guys are getting all wound up about something that I personally never even think about. I may be gay, but I'm still headed to the Chili Dog bar for my free dogs and chili during half time. The only thing I usually hear for the whole half time show is the sound of my friends voices and my own burps. LOL If you don't like it, don't watch it. The way it sounds, even if they did have a marching band on the field you guys would still whine because they weren't playing the songs you wanted.

One more thing to remember when asking why they are catering to the 12- 24 year olds. They realize that people like us (Outsporters)are going to watch the game no matter what the half time show is like. The others however, if they get them in there for the 15 min before and after half time, maybe they can draw them in and they may start to like watching the whole game. That's another customer. Also, a lot of people from 20 - 50 (like someone said above) do have kids and if that keeps them entertianed for a little while, then cool.

Just my thoughts, Talk at ya later, I have a chili Dog to eat.

I'd still rather watch U2 play a hlaftime show, than my own Spirit of Troy....

Trojan, no offense, but I think this entire board would agree that we would rather watch Paint Dry than sit through a performance of your beloved Troy Band & listen to that F***** "Conquest" song

[ January 22, 2002: Message edited by: Mariner Duck Boy ]

What Mariner Duck Boy wrote. X Billion.

No argument here guys! Even though I go to the school, I get tired of it. Heck I got tired of the band when the school was recruiting me!

The worst thing the band ever did: They came to the dorms on the morning of the USC-UCLA game and played the damned Fight song at 7am! Since then I've held a personal vendetta.

Oh my goodness, there is a God! After many years of searching, I think we have finally found at least ONE decent Trojan...I'm not even going there on the Trojan comment.

I think many students here at SC feel my pain when it comes to the Band. They're just too afraid of the Spirit of Troy Mafia that "silences" its critics. Not me, I shall stand up for the sanity of fans everywhere!