Did some snooping around but couldn't find anything on this. Any chance the FTAB makes the trip to Columbia, SC?

Nope because it is before school starts.

Army mon is correct. The South Carolina game is during Fish Orientation Week, the week before school starts. The Aggie Band is still practicing the fundamentals, and will not be ready for a halftime drill at that time.

We hope to take the Aggie Band to Columbia sometime in the future - along with all the other SEC schools' home stadiums.

Thanks for your support of our Corps! Gig 'em!

For whatever it's worth, in 1988, the FTAB made the trip from College Station to The New Jersey Meadowlands to perform at the halftime of the Kickoff Classic on August 27, 1988. This was the Saturday before classes started for the Fall '88 Semester.

I seriously could not believe that we showed up on Sunday for FOW not knowing anything or anybody and by Saturday, we were marching at halftime. If you look at the picture in the Band Room, I'm marching File 10 Rank 4. As an 18 y/o fish, I'll never forget going down on the field as the Nebraska linemen were heading to the locker room. Those guys were the biggest human beings I had ever seen.

But, that was a different era back when Mr. Jackie Sherrill was the head coach. If that South Carolina game was on a Saturday, or if it was a home game, I think the FTAB could make it. But Thursday night of FOW, on the road. I think it's a good call to NOT take the Band. And believe me, I'm somebody who thinks the Band should be at every game home or away just like when I was a fish.

I'm glad we have a Commandant who follows this Forum. I'll save my B-Co Street Fighter lovefest for the next B-Co reunion. I think we're due for another one. Now I just have to figure out how to get to College Station in the Fall.

Thanks, everybody. I was hoping against hope. I also remember the other Kickoff Classic vs Florida State in 1998, where the FTAB was present.

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I'll save my B-Co Street Fighter lovefest for the next B-Co reunion

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B Company Shoot it!

Believe me, if there were a way we could do this game and not look really bad doing a halftime drill, we'd be taking the Aggie Band to Columbia. But we discussed it in detail and all concluded that it was not a good idea to take the Band to the SC game the Thursday before classes start, in Columbia.

My goal is to get the Aggie Band to every SEC school to march at halftime, and we will. It may take a few years, but we will get the Aggie Band to every SEC school to show them what right looks like when it comes to halftime drills.

And for what its worth, STREETFIGHTERS RULE! Whoop!

Thanks to all for your support of our Corps! Gig 'em!

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and not look really bad doing a halftime drill

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That is the best reason not to. Until the FTAB gets a summer camp to go along with the football team, having fish come in and learn drill in less than a week is just not going to cut it.

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having fish come in and learn drill in less than a week is just not going to cut it.

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I've been talking to some of my BQ buddies about the size of the band and we tend to agree that something needs to be done to limit the number of those that march.

Some of us are of the opinion that there needs to be a "fish" band. This "fish" band would not be allowed to march at halftime but they would focus on grades, military bearing and appearance, and learning music and marching.

This would allow the incoming fish time to adjust to campus life in the corps as well as encouraging the band to not be so selective in choosing band members.

The corps has grown over the years but the band is being restricted due to size, so this would be an almost perfect alternative to allow for more participation in the band, instead of hopeful band kids being put in some corps turd outfit.

We already limit the number that march each game.

Even though the Band was 440+ most of last season, except for the very first game, where I mandated that all fish march (the Band marched 423 for that one game), the Band marched 363 for every other game. Jay Brewer and Tim Rhea know the max number of cadets in the Band that can march to ensure the Band can still perform the intricate maneuvers that its famous for. That's what happened last year, and will happen again this year.

Just for the record, unlike MY day, today every member of the Aggie Band auditions to be in the Band. Its competitive, and every member of the Band plays an instrument - well. Our numbers have certainly increased across the Corps, and the Band is no exception. We have the largest Band we've ever had now, and ALL members of the Band are talented musicians.

While others have talked to me about a "fish Band," I do not agree with the concept. I marched every game on Kyle Field as a fish, and its no less an incentive today for fish than it was back then.

The leadership of the Band do a great job of rotating the marching opportunities across the Band, and the fish all understand that while they won't march every game, they WILL march most games. This policy worked extremely well last year, and will no doubt work again this year.

I do NOT agree that telling fish that they will spend their first year as a member of a "fish Band" doing "other things" that do NOT involve marching with the Band at halftime is a good idea. I firmly believe that fish deserve the opportunity to march at halftime just like all other members of the Band do. It may not be every game, but they WILL march some, if not most, games during the season.

I appreciate your insights, and your suggestions. I believe that Tim Rhea and Jay Brewer do a great job of managing the size of the Band that marches each week, no matter how big the Band is, and that they ensure that the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band still maintains the high standards of excellence that they have been known for for decades. I can assure you that will continue, even with the largest Aggie Band that we have ever had.

Thanks for your support of our Corps. Gig 'em!

I don't have any brilliant ideas on how to proceed, but I will throw in my two cents that the chance to march halftime with the Band was one of the things that got me through fish year.

We've come a long way from the time that we would recruit dead elephants to come back and fill holes because of low numbers. Was privileged to do that a couple of times.

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I do NOT agree that telling fish that they will spend their first year as a member of a "fish Band" doing "other things" that do NOT involve marching with the Band at halftime is a good idea. I firmly believe that fish deserve the opportunity to march at halftime just like all other members of the Band do. It may not be every game, but they WILL march some, if not most, games during the season.

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Thank you for your response sir - and for what it's worth I agree with you. While the current fish won't have the opportunity that I (and apparently you) did to march every halftime for four years, those moments on Kyle made the rest of the Corps games worth it. When I had to dig deep my fish year, moments on Kyle kept me going.

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Believe me, if there were a way we could do this game and not look really bad doing a halftime drill, we'd be taking the Aggie Band to Columbia. But we discussed it in detail and all concluded that it was not a good idea to take the Band to the SC game the Thursday before classes start, in Columbia.

My goal is to get the Aggie Band to every SEC school to march at halftime, and we will. It may take a few years, but we will get the Aggie Band to every SEC school to show them what right looks like when it comes to halftime drills.

And for what its worth, STREETFIGHTERS RULE! Whoop!

Thanks to all for your support of our Corps! Gig 'em!

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Completely understood, General. I was not complaining, just hoping for a miracle.

FWIW only upperclassmen went to the Kickoff Classic in 1998. I can't remember if they left the cadre behind with the fish, or if the fish were left on their own for a free weekend.

The upperclassmen did report back to campus earlier than normal that year to rehearse for the drill.

Jest BRING BACK Sousa, please !

FTAB = awesomeness. Hooah!

I agree with the Commandant. Thank you, sir!

I think I remember Band checkin starting early around 2003ish to accommodate an earlier game.

As the father of an incoming fish B-Co Streetfighter Bass Horn player, I'm looking forward to watching the band play in many SEC games, both home and away, over the next four years! Fortunately, the NROTC scholarship he achieved will help us fund the tickets and trips.

I didn't get to march at my first game as a fish (only marched 303 then) but then at the second game with LSU so many fish had dropped out that we needed dead zips to march 303. Baton Rouge was my first halftime to march. Fans went from pelting us with whiskey bottles as we looked down before halftime to a standing ovation, I was sold on the band from that time forward.