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http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/11844867

This article is very demeaning, not only to people in marching band, but those who enjoy watching/hearing them perform. This guy is clearly acting unprofessionally and the only way I can see why CBS Sports is keeping this guy is solely based on the fact that he likes saying thing that enflame folks and sparks interest.

Being a member of a marching band, I really wanted to give this guy a piece of my mind but I cooled off and realized this guy isn't worth it and he's obviously not even listening to other's direct criticism.

His assertion that this guy's injury is solely the band's fault is asinine! I played football and got injured and didn't blame someone else. This guy was dumb enough to try to catch a pass that was REALLY out of bounds and got hurt...big deal...own up to it and don't blame it on someone else. You expect to get hurt in football and you even sign a contract stating that you won't hold the school responsible in the event that you die or are seriously injured...is EXPECTED to be hurt playing the game.

End of rant...haha

WOW...that was the most ridiculous article I think I have ever read (besides a few by our favorite writer). I'm sure those carts were probably back there during every other game, but accidents happen and it was just that...a freak accident.

It's a terrible place to have the carts, no doubt about it. And the guy should sue, and he should win, and Marshall should not stick their carts there ever again.

But all the crap at the end ripping on the bandies may have been a little overboard. Some of it is true, granted, but some of it was a bit over the top and uncalled for. He should've quit about halfway through the article.

It is amazing how reporters, journalists, commentators, ect. pass judgement so freely on subjects that they don't have to answer to. When was the last time you remember an individual from the media make a public or private apology for something they had reported in error (David McCollum, you are exempt from that statement). Probably a lot longer than since the last time you had some Wolf Brand chili.

True, but I do believe in the NCAA rulebook it states that the officials are responsible for addressing obstacles on the sidelines or possible hazards off the field of play, so it's not the "band's fault"...don't quote me on this, I'm relying on another person's research since I don't want to look up the rule myself...haha

The BMB has our drum major podium well off the field of play and well behind the visitors' bench...if a guy runs out of bounds in a full sprint trying to catch a ball that's well out of bounds and get's hurt running into it, is it our fault? No, it's his fault since he ran into it and since it was off the field of play. I mean, I gotta give the guy credit for keeping his eye on the ball but really...it's his fault. I played football and I wouldn't have sued someone else for something I did.

ok I'm sure you meant this to mean something else, but the way I interpret this is that you basically saying that guy should pay more attention going out of bounds than catching the football? Granted, I think the BMB is GREAT and I like hearing them at the games but there is a reason its called a FOOTBALL field and not a band field. These guys shouldn't have to worry about foreign objects in the way whether their on the field or out of bounds. Their job is to play football at the highest possible level.

Okay, okay we get it. The band has as much right to have their crap wherever they want because they are the almighty band. And if a football player, playing a football game in a football stadium on a football field, isn't smart enough to stop on a dime and not try to catch a football that's barely beyond the end zone, then he deserves to have his leg severed and should just man up and be quiet about it.

Come on.

Have you watched the video? It wasn't "well out of bounds". He was about a step beyond the end zone when he was catching the ball. And if you're looking up at the ball, running really damn fast, you're not going to know exactly when to stop and be able to stop in that little bit of space that Marshall has beyond the end zone.

It's more the university's fault for not having more space beyond the end zone and/or for allowing the band to have their equipment there than it is just the band's fault for choosing to stick their stuff right there. But it's not exactly the receiver's fault that his leg got mangled by some non football-related object just beyond the end zone .

I find it pathetic, but not at all surprising, that you would view it as the dumb football player infringing upon the band's area. It's attitudes like yours that lead people like Dodd to write things like he did. Stereotypes are formulated for a reason.

But if it helps keeps your panty-bunching to a minimum, I will say that as far as I can tell the BMB does a good job of not having its equipment in harm's way during play. Of course, UCA is blessed to have plenty of space on the sidelines and behind the end zone to keep something like that from happening. Marshall, with their little tiny area, needs to figure out something different.

On gameday, the band has little to no control where their carts and podiums go. the athletic departments at the vast majority of schools mandate that and the band puts their stuff where they are told. no band director should lose their job because of this. if that happens then marshall really thew someone under the bus since its easier to pick on the band and blame them than it is to fault athletic personnel.

most schools are getting more progressive with this. i know in the sec and many c-usa schools (marshall not evidently), athletics provide an equipment truck/utility van right next to stadium where staff members unload and put back up everything needed for pregame and then again for halftime. its a hassle but then the band can't be left to blame if an injury like this occurs. this also helps at the end of the game since the band staff isn't fighting thru crowds to move equipment.

Maybe I saw the wrong video...but I was pretty sure the ball was out of bounds by more than a step but I could have seen the wrong video.

All I was saying is that there is a rule that says the officials/refs are supposed to recognize objects that pose a threat even if they are outside the lines.

I by no means was trying to play the "almighty band" card that people seem to have assumed. I don't think band is better than football (and I think I even said that I played football in high school too). Don't put words in my mouth. Were the heck did you pull me saying that the "dumb football player was infringing on the band's area"??? Please don't read too far into what I say...I mean only what I say and nothing more. There isn't any hostility toward the football player himself other than I think it's dumb to sue the band for something he did (and I'm an ex-football player like I said earlier)...I posted this because the columnist totally blasted every band in the NCAA.

It's also easy to gripe at the band for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, which does happen. The band is an easy scapegoat. The band also doesn't really need to be at the football game at all. Those of you who jump to degrade the "almighty" band need to decide: all or none.

Trust me, the band doesn't show up for the fun of sitting in the stands and playing mindless work-ups of crappy 80s songs and endless hip-hop riffs b/c that's what they love; the on-field show is the point. That's what you rehearse for; they stands stuff gets relatively little attention.

And with the on-filed show comes the movement of equipment. If you've never been involved (& I would venture most of you on here have NOT) with staging equipment, it can be a nightmare. There is little space around the field of play to work with. Band equipment is big. Team equipment is also big. Bands make every effort (in my experience) not to interfere with what is going on during play, but at the same time rules dictate that as soon as the band is told to go on the field, they must go, or there could be consequences - to the team.

And every field of play is different. So every band has a different situation to work with. For instance, UCA has what seems to be an unusually large amount of endzone & sideline space. At UA, things are very close quarters. War Memorial is just a nightmare; not only is the area around the field small, but there are often cables running across the sidelines as well.

Don't be an "armchair drum major." A mistake was made, someone was seriously injured, but there was no intention. The equipment was where it was probably because someone was told to put it there, likely by someone nearly unconnected to the band. Being on the sidelines during a college game is nothing like HS, and it's not even like it may have been 10-20 years ago. Every move, every step, every shot, every pause by every actor is nearly 100% planned by someone with a headset somewhere.

So many people (on here & elsewhere) love to say "yea band!" (see another thread on this very forum, for instance) but in nearly the same breath will turn around and use the band(s) as a place to put blame.

A note to all of those types, reading and otherwise: Stop being such a damn hypocrite. You will complain when the band is there; you would complain when the band is not there. What's the solution?

Actually, I love the stands music (for the most part). I love just wailing away on "Presidential" or "Party Like a Rockstar" or any other loud, hip-hop song. We do actually put a lot of effort into the stands stuff...you haven't been around to see it since you graduated, but Smyth makes sure we know our stands music (though some students think they can just goof off on it and they make us sound bad). Now, don't get me wrong...the half-time shows are great and the most fun part but I LOVE the stands stuff just as much if not more...though "Conga Bear" isn't my favorite piece and we seem to play it too much...but thats the only gripe I have.

Other than that, I completely agree with you. I wasn't try to blast the football player, like it may have come off to a few people as that but I wasn't. I was blasting this columnist (and apparently some folks on here who like to put words in my mouth) who took a subject and completely derailed it by puting every person in a NCAA band (or their fans) on blast. He has every right to make an opinion but you don't approach it like that. He's just wanting people to be pissed off and draw attention to the article so he can get more "hits".

Look at my words and don't draw assinine opinions from them...I say what I mean and I mean what I say...that's all...no hidden agendas here.

For those that agree with the coloumnist...cool, but don't say things that aren't true or you can't back up with something. I can back up everything I said except it was my OPINION that the guy was far enough out of bounds that he should've slowed down or changed course (and wide recievers should know where the boundaries are anyways...it's like a 6th sense to them). That's the only thing I can't "back up with proof" since it's an opinion...

I find it a little sad of the infighting amongst us Bear fans about something that happened that we had no control over. Things happen every day that are regrettable that we can't control but I see little good in attacking ourselves just to state an opinion. It was an accident - no malicious intent I'm sure. Could it have been avoided - yes. Could it happen again, somewhere else - yes, and probably will.

I kind of look at it this way - should goalposts be removed because of possible injuries? Should sideline benches be removed for the same reason? Just how much room is warranted around the playing field to be considered totally safe? We'll all be in our graves before that question is asked, answered, and acted upon.

It's a tragedy that the kid had to suffer such an injury but to sue the school is pretty lame I think. To say it might have ruined a career in the pros and cost him millions of dollars is probably a long stretch considering the ratio of college players that even make the pros.

The lesson learned here, even though it is hard for a young kid involved in collegiate athletics to comprehend, is to always have a "plan B" for life.

Now, if this incident were to happen at UCA then I say you guys go at it. What happened at Marshall - out of our control. Obama spending our money like a cowboy on prostitutes in Dodge City on a Saturday night - out of our control- for the next three and a half years anyway. You get the point?

I 100% agree with you. I really meant to say something along those lines but I guess I got a little defensive when stuff got taken outta control. I think the idea of suing someone over something that wasn't in anyone's control (other than the guy himself) is a bad thing. Americans have tended to pass the buck on someone else it seems, over the past few decades. You don't go about this situation by name-calling or degrading fans or blaming kids in the band for "ruining" this guy's life. This wider reciever and columnist have some growing up to do, as do most of us on here it seems (including me). Is it sad that this guy got hurt? Yeah, but you don't approach the situation by blaming others...you stick it out and go to rehab and get better and heck, you may actually get better! Also, thinking that he's gonna get drafted...that's a stretch...you can't rely on that possibility.

Believe me, if the band was out on the field or if one of the band members was driving a band cart and hit this guy, I would stick up for the football player but since he hit a stationary object that wasn't being opperated by someone and he just didn't see it...not gonna stick up for him.

Also, for future reference...please folks, don't assume that since I stick up for band members that I automatically think band is more important than football. Thats like me saying bad things about your profession when I really don't know much about your profession. I am a true football fan! I even wear my Troy Aikman jersey that I got 10 years ago!!! I LOVE football and especially UCA football.

1. Love Bears and BMB...BMB an important of game day and every fan I know loves to hear and watch them perform.

2. When I saw the video of the incident during the season I wondered about the placement of stuff around the field...that is usually not the band's decision at stadiums. It seemed awfully cramped in the endzone.

3. This time it was band stuff but look at all the crap around the field on the sidelines. There are plenty of obstacles for players to watch out for.

4. I would say band members are in far greater danger as they gather at half time to perform than players. Not many band members wear pads. I have seen high school stadiums especially where if I were a band director I woud refuse to let my kids be on the sidelines as there is absolutely no place to go when a player comes crashing off the field.

5. I have never been in band but relatives have and it is not easy to be in the heat wearing heavy uniforms and hats with an instrument, especially the larger instruments, then march a precision show actually playing music.

Yeah, we generally don't have much say as for where our stuff goes. It's pretty much left up to other people not in the band but thankfully our stadium has beaucoup amount of space! Most of our stuff is not anywhere near the sidelines.

When we played UAPB last year at War Memorial, one of my fellow tuba players got hit by a football player and it messed up our Korean War era tubas we play on. He was going for a pass and went out of bounds and his momentum kept him going...plus where these band members were, there was only about 3 feet between them and the sideline. I made sure I was behind the goal post and had plenty of room to move if I had too...but alas he didn't. He was okay and the player was too but it goes to show you how easily something like that can happen (and now we have 1 tuba less to play on...but I digress...haha).