UNL Marching Band Cancels Trip to Holiday Bowl

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Updated: 7:20 PM Dec 26, 2009 UNL Marching Band Cancels Trip to Holiday Bowl The Nebraska marching band has canceled its bus trip to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, citing poor road conditions. Posted: 6:54 PM Dec 26, 2009 Reporter: Associated Press Email Address: desk@1011now.com

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The Nebraska marching band has canceled its bus trip to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, citing poor road conditions.

Band members were told of the cancellation on Saturday. University spokeswoman Kelly Bartling confirmed that the trip was off.

The band had been scheduled to perform at Wednesday's Holiday Bowl, which pits Nebraska against Arizona.

Bartling says the team was supposed to leave Saturday night, but pushed back the departure time in hopes that road conditions would improve. Band officials also looked at changing the travel routes, but a winter storm had closed major routes west.

The Nebraska football team is already in San Diego, having flown there on Christmas night.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Eric Location: Lincoln on Jan 6, 2010 at 04:59 PM

The fact the band was scheduled to bus to San Diego instead of fly in the first place is ridiculous. The University couldn't charter a plane to fly the band out to the bowl games (like they did when I was in the UNL band in the 80s) yet they can find the money to give Carl Pelini a nearly $175,000 raise?????? Please......

Posted by: Joe Location: Lincoln on Jan 4, 2010 at 09:26 AM

It is something that is wrong totally wrong. The University makes hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from the football games and the band is a big part of the support of that team as the are to most of the athletic departments activites. They should of put up the money and flown them down there. Being a band alum I have been there done that before back in the 70's. Rode the bus for 40 hours and the team flys to the game. It is wrong and it is time the school does something about it.;l!!!! A huge fan but a very unhappy alum.

Posted by: Ray Location: South Lincoln on Dec 31, 2009 at 11:38 AM

It is simple, liability of driving all those kids in that weather? Get real. Then if something happened you same people in history would be all over the UNL Athletic Dept. for taking the risk. That cost would be unreal. Have you ever attempted 300 tickets to San Diego in one day? Plus cargo? Out of Lincoln or Omaha? You don't think Dr Tom and company didn't think of all the different scenarios? How do you think they got to the place they are at and stay there? Oh wake up. This is why some of you shouldn't vote.

Posted by: CJ Location: Lincoln on Dec 30, 2009 at 11:11 PM

Well at least with the funds that they ended up saving by the band not going, put it in account and add to it with next years allocation and fly the band out instead of using buses anyway. They flew to the BSC game, isn't the bowl game more important? Those band members put in a lot of time on the field and really do support the team.

Posted by: Joe Location: Lincoln on Dec 30, 2009 at 07:00 PM

How embarrassing that the University of Nebraska band won't be at the bowl game. Where are the alumni members and alumni association contingency funds to supplement the necessary transportation costs to get the band to the bowl game??? It is equally embarrassing that fans would be content with a local high school band representing the University at a bowl game. What's wrong with this picture??? Everything!!!! How embarrassing!!!!!!!

Posted by: Brick Tamland Location: San Diego on Dec 30, 2009 at 09:18 AM

I don't know what we're yelling about. Loud noises!

Posted by: to to lincoln on Dec 29, 2009 at 08:07 PM

i bet if you ask the players they could care less if the band is there or not. it's the fans yelling and cheering that gets the team pumped up to play, not the band. haha, and you really think the band had any type of contribution to us winning the missouri game?! ha, the power wasn't out the entire game.

Posted by: Rob Location: Elmwood NE on Dec 29, 2009 at 06:40 PM

To leave the UNL band in Lincoln is unthinkable. Somebody did not try hard enough to solve this problem. I am a UNL band alum and know about the hundreds of hours of practice and sacrifice for no course credit it involves. I always said that only the bowl trip made the season's committment worthwhile. There are hundreds of thousands of dollars budgeted for this trip that had better be used to reward the band some other way. Shame on you if you keep that money at the band members's expense.

Posted by: Randy Location: Lincoln, NE on Dec 29, 2009 at 06:15 PM

Airfare to San Diego - $744 Ticket to the Holiday Bowl Game - $70 UNL Basketball AND the band - Priceless Glad one sport likes having the band there! To all of you who don't think the band is important at a game - look at Virginia Tech. It's sad that the excuse is that most of the band members couldn't get to Lincoln. Most of them were ALREADY here. They never wanted to foot the bill for the band to go to begin with or there would have been a back up plan. They KNEW the storm was coming.

Posted by: Scott V Location: Omaha on Dec 29, 2009 at 12:35 PM

Option 1: All Husker fans flying out to San Diego: Bring an instrument; Option 2: UNL can purchase tickets for Southeast High School Band members to attend and play at the game; Option 3: All Husker fans hum "Hail Varsity" in unison to fill in for the band. Problem solved! But seriously, this is disappointing.

Posted by: to lincoln Location: Lincoln on Dec 29, 2009 at 12:10 PM

Perhaps you misunderstand, but if the team is the only vital part, why should the fans even be there? If it's just the team, why bother with atmosphere? This is college football, not professional football. The band, cheerleaders, dancers, and fans are all part of the game and yes, it encourages the team. At Missouri, the band was all the team had due to the power outage. It was a silent game with no sound system, just the crowd, cheerleaders, and band. So, don't tell me they have no effect on the game's outcome. Also, the band and cheerleaders have plenty of duties to fulfill and rehearsals to do while down there. It's not like they get a free vacation like the football team. All the grunt work for the athletic department with no reward. What a shame.

Posted by: lincoln on Dec 29, 2009 at 01:17 AM

"They are just as much as part of the game as the football team and cheerleaders" Are you serious?!? Can the game be won without the cheerleaders? Yes. Can the game be won without the team? No. Can the game be won without the band? YES. Get over it, and stop saying the band deserves to go just as much as the team does. Did the band get the team to the Bowl Game? No. I went to all of the home games and the Big 12 Game. I made just as much of a contribution to the team winning as the band did. Does that mean I deserve a plane ride there? No.

Posted by: Travis Location: Lincoln on Dec 29, 2009 at 01:16 AM

I think Larry is right on track. KOLN why dont you do some investigative reporting. This Cook who lives in Texas becomes a big NU supporter. We fire Frank with a 9 and 3 season. OK but Bo was the natural choice. Then we bring in Callahan who could not have done a worse job. It was like he was trying to destroy our program. When the pressure came down and heads were about to role Pearlman renews Pederson and Callahns contract years before they expire locking us into huge finacial commitments. Then when Pederson and Callahan's heads start to role our Texas billionaire desides he won't give another dime if they go. Wow at that point it became pretty clear. Texas could not destoy us on the field but it sure looks like some pockets were lined in order to destroy our program. Thank God for T.O. and Bo. Harvey people are not as stupid as you may think. You need to pack your bags also.

Posted by: John Location: Grass Valley, CA on Dec 28, 2009 at 10:10 PM

Saddened to learn that the band is not felt to be part of the team. Every day we hear how the team is enjoying all the perks yet the band members are stuck home. Funny how arrangements were made to get the cheerleaders AND the dance team out there but not the band students. I feel for the seniors - first they didn't get a chance to go anywhere because Callahan did squat with the team, and now, they're shafted again because they're not considered "important enough". Truly sad that the university doesn't treat all students equally.

Posted by: Elaine Location: Lincoln on Dec 28, 2009 at 08:55 PM

I am very upset that Harvey Perlman nd Tom Osborne are so cheap that they won't pay for the band to fly to the bowl game. They should never have had to go by bus in the first place.They ought to know that the weather would be bad at this time of year. It seems strange that the cheerleaders and dance team were flown out today. It is heartbreaking after all the work that these young people haqve put in to their performances week after week. When Osborne was coaching the band always flew to bowl games. He doesn't seem to care any more.

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