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TSU's "Ocean of Soul" Suspended Over Hazing Incident

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by ima_drummer2k, Sep 28, 2012.

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ima_drummer2k Member

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I was at the SHSU vs. TSU game last night and was really looking forward to seeing them. Now I know why they weren't there.

Here's a pic of our halftime entertainment:

College football game with no bands (SHSU's wasn't there either because they apparently had a wind ensemble concert) = no atmosphere whatsoever. Felt like we were watching an organized scrimmage. We left during the 3rd quarter.

Texas Southern University suspended its renowned Ocean of Soul marching band as officials investigate alleged hazing.

The incident was reported on Wednesday to school authorities, prompting a campus police investigation, a news release issued late Thursday said.

"While it is not known at this time how many students were involved in this incident, it is believed to involve one section of the band," the statement said, adding that school officials will "take appropriate action."

The suspension canceled Thursday's scheduled band performance at TSU's football game against Sam Houston State University at BBVA Compass Stadium. One band member who preferred not to be identified said members did not learn about the suspension until Thursday's pregame rehearsal on campus. At least a handful of Ocean of Soul members attended the game out of uniform.

When approached at BBVA Compass Stadium late Thursday, TSU President John Rudley declined to comment. Higher education officials nationwide have been on heightened alert for band misconduct after last year's hazing-related death of Robert Champion, a drum major of the famed Marching 100 at Florida A&M University.

TSU has made attempts to educate its students about the dangers of hazing.

"The university presented multiple training and informational sessions to band members and other student organizations," the release said.

Under Texas law, hazing and failing to report hazing are crimes. An institution can be sanctioned if its officials condone, encourage, commit or assist hazing. Those convicted are guilty of a misdemeanor; the charge becomes a felony if the hazing results in death.

TSU alumni were supportive of Rudley's decision to shut down the band while officials investigate the hazing charge.

"At this point, we know very little about exactly what has happened," said former TSU drum major Ricky Georgetown, now pastor of First United Methodist Church in Brazoria.

He declined to comment on whether there was a culture of hazing during his band tenure from 1987 to 1991.

"These kind of actions do not represent what the Ocean of Soul is about and, more importantly, what Texas Southern University is about," he said.

Julia Askew, president of the national alumni association, said the many calls, emails and texts she received were roundly in favor of the suspension.

"We are standing by the university and our president's decision 100 percent," she said.

Putting the Ocean on ice comes as another blow to TSU, under a cloud as its football program deals with an NCAA compliance probe, and a dampens excitement about the football team's inaugural season on new home turf - the sparkling BBVA Compass Stadium. TSU homecoming, when the Ocean of Soul becomes the star of the annual parade and darling of the festivities, is five weeks away.

Darryl Williams, a Prairie View A&M University band member in the late 1980s and early 1990s, said it's unfortunate the TSU band has to suffer for what has been described as the misdeeds of a few.

"At the same time, I can understand the administration … wanting to halt everything," said Williams, a University of Houston graduate student who is formerly the band director at Yates and Westbury high schools. He assists the Prairie View Marching Storm woodwinds section.

What was once considered "initiation" has fallen out favor because of Champion's death and other violent interpretations of band rituals.

"They have to put the brakes on everyone and it's teaching everyone a lesson that this type of behavior is unacceptable," he said.

LINK
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#1 ima_drummer2k, Sep 28, 2012

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LOL @ interviewed peeps dancing around the questions... :grin:

#2 SwoLy-D, Sep 28, 2012
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A lot of the traditional black colleges have ****ty football teams and many people show up only for the bands. There was only about 4,500 at the game last night and I assume that was with the presumption that the band would be there. I wonder how much attendance is going to fall off.

#3 Cannonball, Sep 28, 2012
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They say that Florida A&M have the best band, but they also got some **** for hazing.

I've only seen parts of the movie, drumline.

#4 Kam, Sep 28, 2012
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just when people are finally forgetting about the infamous Japan trip.

#5 DFWRocket, Sep 28, 2012
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DFWRocket said: ↑

just when people are finally forgetting about the infamous Japan trip.
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Infamous? ...Japan trip?

#6 Uprising, Sep 28, 2012
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I was there too. Halftime was awful; definitely ruined it. Plus us getting our ass whooped 50-6. I did see Moses Malone though; he wouldn't take a picture though.
Sucks man, the Ocean of Soul is great. One of my classmates said it was just one person that screwed it up for everyone. Now they're suspended indefinitely, as well as potentially losing scholarships.

Rough time to be a Tiger.

#7 Firebomb525, Sep 28, 2012

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I can't imagine going to a high school or college football game without the bands.

#8 A_3PO, Sep 28, 2012
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A_3PO said: ↑

I can't imagine going to a high school or college football game without the bands.
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Are you going to the game to cheer the team or something else?

There's a game going on in the field.

#9 SwoLy-D, Sep 28, 2012
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SwoLy-D said: ↑

Are you going to the game to cheer the team or something else?

There's a game going on in the field.
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To each his own. Read what the two guys who went to the game said.

For me, no bands at a non-NFL game would be a huge boring bummer. Maybe it's been a while since you attended.

#10 A_3PO, Sep 28, 2012
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Kam said: ↑

They say that Florida A&M have the best band, but they also got some **** for hazing.

I've only seen parts of the movie, drumline.
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Southern University's Human Jukebox is the best band in the Country. You can see them on NBC Sports Network (formerly Versus) on Saturday when Southern plays Florida A&M at the Georgia Dome (2:30pm).

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/lpA2qcSEwKY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

#11 Mr.Scarface, Sep 28, 2012
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SwoLy-D said: ↑

Are you going to the game to cheer the team or something else?

There's a game going on in the field.
Click to expand...

I'm with 3P0 and the other guys. Bands help set the atmosphere at HS & College games.

#12 DFWRocket, Sep 28, 2012
ima_drummer2k Member

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SwoLy-D said: ↑

Are you going to the game to cheer the team or something else?

There's a game going on in the field.
Click to expand...

You're going to the game to cheer the team and take in the atmosphere. No bands = no atmosphere. They were piping in TSU's fight song over the loudspeakers. Pathetic.

Can't complain about it though, since Sam didn't bring their band either. Or their cheerleaders or dance team. WTF? The game probably should have been a Saturday instead of a Thursday night.

Mr.Scarface said:

Southern University's Human Jukebox is the best band in the Country.
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"Best" is a relative term, of course, as there are many different styles of marching bands. But that was pretty good. Thanks for posting it.

I'll never forget when TSU came to Sam Houston while I was there. It was Halloween night and they did a tribute to James Brown and Freddie Kruger. :grin: We had to follow that up with our tribute to Aaron Copland.... Yeah, that went over real well...

#13 ima_drummer2k, Sep 28, 2012

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ima_drummer2k said: ↑

I'll never forget when TSU came to Sam Houston while I was there. It was Halloween night and they did a tribute to James Brown and Freddie Kruger. :grin: We had to follow that up with our tribute to Aaron Copland.... Yeah, that went over real well...
Click to expand...

that reminds me of High School - while the other Schools band was playing "It takes 2 to make a thing go right" our band was playing the Addams Family theme. yea..we looked pretty dumb.

#14 DFWRocket, Sep 28, 2012
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My brother marches tuba there and he's been at band practice everyday .......

#15 eveluvsrox, Sep 28, 2012
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ima_drummer2k said: ↑

I'll never forget when TSU came to Sam Houston while I was there. It was Halloween night and they did a tribute to James Brown and Freddie Kruger. :grin: We had to follow that up with our tribute to Aaron Copland.... Yeah, that went over real well...
Click to expand...

The Ocean of Soul was great at the first game I went to, also the first game at the BBVA Compass stadium.

To honor those who passed, they did renditions of the Space Odyssey theme (For Neil Armstrong, not sure if this is where the song is from but its instantly recognizable), "I want to Dance with somebody" for Whitney Houston, and the Jeffersons theme song (For Sherman Hemsley, aka George Jefferson). Also did renditions of "Poison" by Bell Div Devoe, "Work Hard Play Hard" by Khalifa, "Ladies and the Drinks" by Trey Songz, and one other that I think was before my time. It was a classic, as many people knew it.

This is a real shame. Puts a damper on the games. Really lacked atmosphere last night, besides the awful performance by TSU.

#16 Firebomb525, Sep 28, 2012
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Uprising said: ↑

Infamous? ...Japan trip?
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Band went to Japan in the early 90s, some members did smash and grabs on stores there.

#17 Poloshirtbandit, Sep 28, 2012
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"The Marching Storm" of Prairie View A&M University. I was in the band back when I was in college. Thank God this stupid stuff didn't happen to us back then and the one's who are in the band now.

#18 Homey the Clown, Sep 28, 2012

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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DZvFhCyBKtk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

#19 glad_ken, Sep 28, 2012
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-Link-

HOUSTON - Ten members of the Texas Southern University marching band will face punishment for an alleged hazing incident, FOX 26 News has learned.

Sources tell FOX 26 that those band members will be suspended for the rest of the year from the university and permanently removed from the band.

The students will also have their scholarships revoked as a result of their actions.

The full marching band will have limited performances as a result of the hazing investigation with out-of-state performances reviewed on a case-by-case basis, FOX 26 has learned from the university. The Ocean of Soul Marching Band will not perform as scheduled in the Battle of the Bands in Atlanta, Ga.

Band members not involved in the alleged hazing incident may have their suspensions lifted, but the university will impose other restrictions on them.

These sanctions come after members of the TSU band were accused of a hazing incident in September.

Punishment for the affected students include community service and anti-hazing workshops.

TSU released the following statement on Tuesday in response to the suspensions:

A Texas Southern University Management Task Force, led by President John M. Rudley, has levied some stiff penalties against members of the University's Ocean of Soul Marching Band. Several members of the band were found to have been involved in elements of hazing.

Student members, guilty of hazing, will be immediately suspended from the university, in addition, they are permanently removed from the university band. All guilty students will have their band scholarships revoked. Some scholarships totaled in the tens of thousands of dollars. An individual band scholarship could be as much as $10,000 a year. The suspensions and revoking of scholarships are effective immediately. These sanctions are subject to appeal by the students.

The university is looking at lifting the band suspension for those members who were not involved, but with restrictions. The band, approximately 180-students strong, will see their performances reduced and performances closely monitored. Out-of-state-travel will be decided on a case by case basis. The university has canceled performances at a Thanksgiving Day Parade and has removed itself from the competition for the Battle of the Bands in Atlanta. Band members will also have to perform community service, including anti-hazing workshops at area high schools and at community events.

The university took these actions to send a serious message to students, that there is "o" tolerance for hazing at the university. Additionally, officials feel "we still have an obligation to those students who were not involved in this incident," stated TSU's Spokesperson Eva Pickens.

The university management task force is comprised of employees from the university police department, student services division, human resources, and the university communication and community affairs department.
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TSU also hit with NCAA penalties

#20 J.R., Oct 9, 2012

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