For those who follow college football and the NFL with equal fervor, this weekend - in fact, Thursday on - might at well be a holiday. The NFL Draft is upon us, and we'll finally get to see where our favorite college players end up, who our pro teams pick up, and if any of these mock drafts actually knew what they were talking about.
On the pro side, I hope we'll finally get some sense of the method to Chip Kelly's madness. On the college side, well, 17 Bulls from last year's squad came out for USF's pro day, and I wish them all the best of luck. I've always put more stock in the college side of the equation, since there's no telling how a standout college player will perform in the league, but having gotten to know them as players for the past 2-4 years, it's also cool to imagine they'll do when they get to teams filling a need. After all, it's still fun to speculate; everyone's still undefeated!
While my primary sports-adjacent is marching band, a few others come into play come draft time. While it's possible that there'll be folks out in Chicago tailgating, draft parties are a more likely scenario. And if the lack of live football since the Super Bowl has left you off of your betting game, the draft gives you the great opportunity to pick it back up, with plenty of draft odds available in American football betting site at William Hill. Of course, when the preseason rolls back around, there'll be opportunities for stadium travel, catching your favorite team or others on the road.
Now more than ever, football has become a year round sport. I've found that recently, my sports/activity attention has become sequential. Football gives way to basketball season, which then yields to lacrosse, followed by drum corps. Still, more than any other sport, football is the one I keep an eye on in the off-season. It certainly doesn't hurt that there's plenty of media available to feed my passion, with networks and podcasts also covering the sport at both the pro and college levels year round. In that sense, the Super Bowl is followed by National Signing Day, spring ball and spring games, release of the NFL schedules, and the NFL Draft before we're plunged back into the darkness of offseason shenanigans and waiting for the fall. Draft day's almost here - drink up, football fans!
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Monday, April 27, 2015
Style Guide
Dear major conference bands and conference networks: Your excuses are invalid.
I've argued before that a conference- or team-specific network would do well to create a marching-related show for all of the time they need to fill with a narrow focus. While far from a crusade, I'll admit it's something I've mentioned more than once. At least one of these times was within social media earshot of the Big Ten Network who offered the reasoning that getting reproduction rights to some of the band's music was a barrier to being able to do this sort of program justice.
Enter Bama State Style.
Debuting on Friday, April 17 on the Lifetime Network, Bama State Style follows the Alabama State University Marching Hornets. While music is certainly played, it is far from the focus as the show thus far as chronicled drum major auditions; the band's two dance squads, the Stingettes and the Honey Beez; and tree shaking in the percussion section. The show does deftly what was said couldn't be, while also chronicling the band's relationship in the social strata of an HBCU. And it's not the first.
Frankly, it has been HBCUs who have gotten this right. ESPNU aired two seasons of The Battle, focusing first on the Grambling's World-Famed Tiger Marching Band and then on the Marching Wildcats of Bethune Cookman. The Marching Wildcats continued on their own, producing Beyond the Fifty for YouTube. And now, despite there being plenty of players in the sports media game, it's Lifetime that brings us halftime through Bama State Style.
Your move.
I've argued before that a conference- or team-specific network would do well to create a marching-related show for all of the time they need to fill with a narrow focus. While far from a crusade, I'll admit it's something I've mentioned more than once. At least one of these times was within social media earshot of the Big Ten Network who offered the reasoning that getting reproduction rights to some of the band's music was a barrier to being able to do this sort of program justice.
Enter Bama State Style.
Debuting on Friday, April 17 on the Lifetime Network, Bama State Style follows the Alabama State University Marching Hornets. While music is certainly played, it is far from the focus as the show thus far as chronicled drum major auditions; the band's two dance squads, the Stingettes and the Honey Beez; and tree shaking in the percussion section. The show does deftly what was said couldn't be, while also chronicling the band's relationship in the social strata of an HBCU. And it's not the first.
Frankly, it has been HBCUs who have gotten this right. ESPNU aired two seasons of The Battle, focusing first on the Grambling's World-Famed Tiger Marching Band and then on the Marching Wildcats of Bethune Cookman. The Marching Wildcats continued on their own, producing Beyond the Fifty for YouTube. And now, despite there being plenty of players in the sports media game, it's Lifetime that brings us halftime through Bama State Style.
Your move.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Labels
- A-Rod (1)
- A.I. duPont Tigers (7)
- AAF (1)
- ACC (56)
- administration (3)
- AHES (21)
- Air Force Falcons (6)
- Akron Zips (1)
- Alabama A and M Bulldogs (4)
- Alabama Crimson Tide (41)
- Alabama State Hornets (3)
- Albany Great Danes (4)
- alcohol (2)
- Alcorn State Braves (2)
- Alcorn State Braves (2)
- All 80 (29)
- All Star (7)
- America East (1)
- American Athletic Conference (18)
- Appalachian State Mountaineers (4)
- Arizona Cardinals (2)
- Arizona State Sun Devils (8)
- Arizona Wildcats (3)
- Arkansas Razorbacks (6)
- Arkansas State Red Wolves (6)
- Army (1)
- Army Black Knights (6)
- Atlanta Falcons (4)
- Atlantic 10 (2)
- Auburn Tigers (16)
- audio (5)
- auto racing (1)
- B4 (292)
- Ball State Cardinals (1)
- Baltimore (4)
- Baltimore Orioles (7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6)
- band (504)
- band holiday (5)
- band on the road (92)
- baseball (14)
- basketball (112)
- Baylor Bears (10)
- BBQ (2)
- BCS (27)
- BCU Wildcats (7)
- beer (16)
- Before the Clock Starts (20)
- Ben Roethlisberger (1)
- bias (2)
- Big 12 (4)
- Big East (42)
- Big South (1)
- Big Ten (28)
- Big XII (11)
- Binghamton Bearcats (4)
- Black Music Month (3)
- blogs (4)
- Blue Devils (11)
- Blue Knights (1)
- Blue Stars (2)
- Bluecoats (5)
- Boise State Broncos (12)
- books (6)
- Boston (2)
- Boston Bruins (2)
- Boston College Eagles (5)
- Boston Crusaders (5)
- Boston Red Sox (3)
- bowl (9)
- Bowling Green Falcons (4)
- bowls (311)
- Brett Favre (1)
- Buffalo Bulls (2)
- Butler Bulldogs (1)
- BYU Cougars (11)
- Cadets (10)
- Cal Golden Bears (4)
- Carolina Crown (24)
- Carolina Panthers (9)
- Cavaliers (6)
- Central Michigan Chippewas (4)
- CFB150 (1)
- Championships (142)
- Charlotte 49ers (4)
- Charlotte Bobcats (1)
- Charlotte Hornets (2)
- Charlotte Hounds (1)
- Charlotte MLL (2)
- cheerleading (1)
- chess (2)
- Chicago Bulls (1)
- Chicago Cubs (1)
- Cincinnati Bearcats (17)
- Cincinnati Reds (1)
- Citadel Bulldogs (2)
- classic (10)
- Clemson Tigers (32)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (2)
- club sports (1)
- CMB150 (2)
- Coach K (1)
- Coach Kay Yow (1)
- coaching (15)
- Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (1)
- Colgate Raiders (1)
- college (599)
- Colorado Buffaloes (2)
- Colorado State Rams (4)
- colorguard (1)
- Colts (1)
- commercials (1)
- community service (3)
- Conference USA (3)
- conferences (9)
- contest (3)
- controversy (4)
- Cornell Big Red (3)
- coronavirus (11)
- Creighton Blue Jays (1)
- cricket (1)
- Crossmen (1)
- cymbals (1)
- D-League (3)
- dallas cowboys (6)
- Davidson Wildcats (1)
- DCA (1)
- DCI (110)
- decade in review (2)
- Delaware (12)
- Delaware 87ers (2)
- Delaware Blue Hens (4)
- Delaware State Hornets (2)
- Denver Broncos (2)
- Denver Outlaws (3)
- Denver Pioneers (2)
- Detroit Lions (2)
- Down and Dirty Dawg Band (2)
- Draft (3)
- drumline (17)
- Duke Blue Devils (19)
- dynasty (1)
- Eastern Michigan Chippewas (1)
- Eastern Michigan Eagles (1)
- Eastern Washington Eagles (1)
- ECU Pirates (15)
- electronics (5)
- ESPN (17)
- expansion (39)
- facebook (2)
- fail (1)
- family (4)
- FAMU Rattlers (18)
- fans (4)
- fantasy football (1)
- fashion (2)
- FCS (5)
- FIU Golden Panthers (2)
- Florida (2)
- Florida Gators (14)
- Florida State Seminoles (17)
- food (11)
- football (334)
- Fresno State Bulldogs (4)
- FSU Seminoles (11)
- fundraising (1)
- gambling (7)
- game of the week (68)
- Georgetown Hoyas (4)
- Georgia Bulldogs (21)
- Georgia Southern Eagles (2)
- Georgia State Panthers (1)
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11)
- Glassmen (1)
- Golden Band from Tigerland (3)
- Golden State Warriors (1)
- Grambling State Tigers (3)
- Green Bay Packers (1)
- Greensboro Swarm (1)
- Hall of Fame (5)
- Hampton Pirates (1)
- harebrained schemes (18)
- Hartford Hawks (1)
- Hawaii Warriors (2)
- hazing (11)
- HBCU (64)
- Heisman Trophy (1)
- Herd of Thunder (2)
- high notes (64)
- high school (7)
- hockey (4)
- Hofstra Pride (1)
- holiday (7)
- homecoming (3)
- Honda Battle of the Bands (19)
- Houston Cougars (12)
- Howard Bison (3)
- i (1)
- Idaho Vandals (1)
- Illinois Fighting Illini (3)
- Illinois State Redbirds (1)
- Inauguration (2)
- Indiana Hoosiers (2)
- Indianapolis Colts (4)
- injury (1)
- interleague (1)
- Iowa Hawkeyes (7)
- Iowa State Cyclones (5)
- Jackson State Tigers (7)
- Jacksonville State Gamecocks (2)
- James Madison Dukes (1)
- Jersey Surf (1)
- Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (10)
- Kansas Jayhawks (1)
- Kansas State Wildcats (15)
- Kent State Golden Flashes (1)
- Kentucky Wildcats (2)
- lacrosse (85)
- Las Vegas Golden Knights (1)
- logo (16)
- Los Angeles Lakers (1)
- Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (5)
- Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (6)
- Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks (1)
- Louisville Cardinals (12)
- LSU Tigers (23)
- Madison Scouts (5)
- Marching 100 (8)
- Marquette Gold Eagles (1)
- Marshall Thundering Herd (5)
- Maryland (7)
- Maryland Terrapins (35)
- mascot (3)
- MEAC (7)
- media (14)
- Meineke Car Care Bowl (1)
- Memphis Tigers (6)
- metaphor (2)
- Miami Dolphins (1)
- Miami Hurricanes (10)
- Miami Redhawks (1)
- Michael Vick (3)
- Michigan State Spartans (9)
- Michigan Wolverines (16)
- Mid American Conference (2)
- Mid-Atlantic (1)
- Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (2)
- military (1)
- Minnesota Golden Gophers (6)
- Minnesota Vikings (2)
- mission (1)
- Mississippi State Bulldogs (8)
- Missouri State Bears (1)
- Missouri Tigers (5)
- mlb (12)
- MLL (8)
- MLS (1)
- Morgan State Bears (1)
- movie (7)
- MTSU Blue Raiders (2)
- NASCAR (3)
- National Battle of the Bands (3)
- National Signing Day (1)
- Navy Midshipmen (14)
- NBA (21)
- NC A and T Aggies (21)
- NC Central Eagles (1)
- NC State Wolfpack (12)
- NDSU Bison (1)
- Nebraska Cornhuskers (7)
- Negro League Baseball (1)
- Nevada Wolf Pack (5)
- New Jersey Nets (1)
- New Mexico Lobos (2)
- New Orleans Saints (4)
- New York Jets (1)
- NFL (56)
- NHL (6)
- NIT (3)
- Norfolk State Spartans (3)
- North Carolina (25)
- North Dakota State Bison (4)
- North Texas Mean Green (2)
- Northern Illinois Huskies (8)
- Northwestern Wildcats (6)
- Not Box 5 (1)
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (30)
- odds (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Ohio State Buckeyes (42)
- Ohio State Buckeyes' (1)
- Ohio University Bobcats (12)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (1)
- Oklahoma Sooners (18)
- Oklahoma State Cowboys (10)
- Old Dominion Monarchs (1)
- Ole Miss Rebels (11)
- Olympics (4)
- Oregon Crusaders (1)
- Oregon Ducks (17)
- Oregon State Beavers (3)
- Pac-10 (1)
- Pac-12 (8)
- parade (8)
- Penn State Nittany Lions (19)
- pep band (34)
- Pepsi Max (1)
- petition (1)
- Phantom Regiment (3)
- Philadelphia (10)
- Philadelphia 76ers (6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (35)
- Philadelphia Flyers (4)
- Philadelphia Phillies (5)
- Philadelphia Soul (1)
- pictures (2)
- Pittsburgh Crawfords (2)
- PIttsburgh Panthers (13)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (2)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
- playoffs (65)
- PLL (1)
- podcasts (14)
- politics (9)
- polls (1)
- pop culture (2)
- Prairie View A and M Panthers (3)
- Preakness (1)
- preseason (2)
- Prince (1)
- Princeton Tigers (4)
- Pro Bowl (3)
- pros (1)
- Punkin Chunkin (1)
- Purdue Boilermakers (6)
- Queen City Battle of the Bands (5)
- quidditch (1)
- Radford Highlanders (1)
- radio (3)
- random thoughts (1)
- rankings (4)
- realignment (68)
- review (3)
- Rice Owls (4)
- RIP (6)
- rivalry (31)
- Ron Artest (1)
- Rose Bowl (8)
- rules (13)
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights (16)
- San Diego State Aztecs (7)
- San Francisco 49ers (1)
- San Jose State Spartans (2)
- Santa Clara Vanguard (6)
- scandal (1)
- schedule (1)
- SDSU Aztecs (1)
- Seattle Seahawks (1)
- SEC (26)
- shout-out (1)
- SMU Mustangs (5)
- soccer (15)
- South Alabama Jaguars (2)
- South Carolina Gamecocks (17)
- South Carolina State Bulldogs (3)
- Southern Conference (6)
- Southern Jaguars (11)
- Southern Miss Golden Eagles (4)
- Staccato (8)
- Stanford Cardinal (19)
- Stanley Cup (1)
- Stony Brook Seawolves (2)
- Sudler Trophy (11)
- Sun Belt Conference (1)
- Super Bowl (13)
- survey (1)
- SWAC (5)
- Syracuse Orange (14)
- tail (1)
- tailgating (32)
- Talladega College Tornadoes (4)
- Tampa Bay Rays (1)
- TCU Horned Frogs (13)
- Teal Sound (2)
- Temple Owls (11)
- Tenessee State Tigers (1)
- Tennessee Volunteers (12)
- Texas (3)
- Texas A and M Aggies (16)
- Texas Longhorns (13)
- Texas Southern Tigers (2)
- Texas State Bobcats (1)
- Texas Tech Red Raiders (4)
- the South (1)
- The Undersigned (10)
- theater (1)
- Toledo Rockets (6)
- Toronto Nationals (2)
- Tour of Champions (13)
- tournament (69)
- Tournament of Roses Parade (5)
- Track and field (1)
- tradition (4)
- travel (74)
- Troopers (2)
- trouble (2)
- Troy Trojans (2)
- Tulane Green Wave (3)
- Tulsa Golden Hurricane (4)
- TV (44)
- twitter (13)
- UAB Blazers (3)
- UAPB Golden Lions (1)
- UCF Knights (22)
- UCLA Bruins (6)
- UConn Huskies (6)
- UMass Lowell River Hawks (1)
- UMass Minutemen (5)
- UMBC Retrievers (90)
- UNC Tar Heels (27)
- UNCG Spartans (25)
- uniforms (25)
- USC Trojans (9)
- USF Bulls (87)
- Utah State Aggies (6)
- Utah Utes (7)
- UTEP Miners (1)
- UTSA Roadrunners (1)
- Vanderbilt Commodores (5)
- Vermont Catamounts (1)
- video (25)
- video game (1)
- Villanova Wildcats (2)
- Virginia Cavaliers (18)
- Virginia Tech Hokies (14)
- vision (1)
- VMI Keydets (2)
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons (24)
- Washington Capitals (1)
- Washington Commanders (2)
- Washington Huskies (9)
- Washington Nationals (1)
- Washington Redskins (8)
- Washington State Cougars (5)
- West Liberty Hilltoppers (1)
- West Virginia Mountaineers (12)
- Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (4)
- Western Michigan Broncos (5)
- WGI (3)
- Wichita State Shockers (2)
- Wilmington Blue Rocks (1)
- Wisconsin Badgers (14)
- World Cup (2)
- wrestling (1)
- WSSU Rams (2)
- WVU Mountaineers (7)
- Wyoming Cowboys (1)
- Yale Bulldogs (1)
- Year in review (8)
- Youngstown State Penguins (1)