As a former Cornell pep band manager and a generally interested fan, I
just want to say a few things, and then I'll let this stuff take place off
line, which I think would be better.  Last year it seems like we did this same
thing...
 
Agreements to have or not have a visiting pep band at a game can depend on
many things, such as whether there are available tickets, whether a reciprocal
arrangement has been made at the other team's rink, or the Athletics dept.'s
beliefs about bands in general and their amount of noise in the rink (when I
managed, we were told we could only take 20 people to a Yale game, Athletics'
rules).  I was never told when I managed that we could not attend a game
because the home band would not be there.  Regardless, however, I believe that
having a band or two bands at a game is a great benefit to the atmosphere in
the rink.  Competition among bands can be fun, as long as the bands do not
play over one another.  In the "good old days" (shall I date myself?) the
bands used to play together in the Garden at ECAC's, used to sleep on each
other's floors on away trips, meet before or after the game for pizza, etc.
We had a lot of fun.  I think that still happens, but not to the same degree.
When I think of the fun we had with the Brown band, the Clarkson band, the
Army band...it was great!  I'd hate for the current students to lose that
because of difficulties with the way tickets are given out, etc.
 
Also, I've never been "invited" to a game.  We just decide whether we want to
go, and then we see if we can get tickets.  No big deal.  If it doesn't work,
that's okay, too.  And for the record, the pep band at Union was made up of
about 15 people, alumni and current students, and we may not have sounded
great, but we had a terrific time and I think we were pretty well behaved.
And I was there, playing along with the band.
 
Now, if anyone would like to continue a band-related discussion, let's do it
another way and clear the network for some true HOCKEY discussion.  Feel
free to write to me at the address above.
 
Bethany Davis, Cornell '89 grad '91 and still hanging out...