Band Legend

Byron Larkin and Stan Kimbrough

Actually a pretty easy name- I would imagine George Kerchik would do for a pronunciation. Let's hope he plays like Drazen Petrovic.

The real question is how much would you pay for Final Four tix if the Billikens are one of the four. My wife's answer and my answer would be radically different.

Hey, maybe I was a bit flippant with my prior post, and your circumstances are none of my business, but I can't remember any billiken great that has suffered more slings and arrows on this board than Yuri. Has he made some bad decisions- I'm sure he has, but for pure entertainment value he wildly exceeded my expectations. He just happened to play for us at a time when college basketball became the wild west, and I can't blame him for trying to squeeze every penny out of his talents.

You've restored my faith in musicians-

You can criticize him all you want- that's part of his job description, but did you grow up dirt poor? It might affect your decision-making a little bit.

Too early for me- I graduated in 1986, and played at games from 1984 to 1990 approximately. I can't stress enough that we started out with what was really a pretty top notch jazz band with a bunch of people who either became professional musicians or could have if they wanted to live that lifestyle. We also had a great time; there was a trap case we rolled in that was filled with cold beer- something tells me you couldn't get away with that these days. The Kiel auditorium was an awesome place to play and watch basketball as I'm sure all of the Olds on this board will agree.

Sorry for the double post

I have some time (sitting around for an hour before a high school graduation starts) so I might as well give a little band history lesson. The band in it's present incarnation started around 1983 or 84, when the jazz band started playing at games. I don't know whether Mike Beczcala suggested it or not- Perry could probably answer that question. Perry is the single person who has been in the band the entire time. We weren't affiliated with the trumpeteers - they were an earlier group. The jazz band was a class for credit- 1 hour per semester, that gave scholarships to at least some of its members. We were like a 15 piece band that played some of our jazz charts before and after the games and at halftime and pep band stuff during the games. We were mixed up and small, and it was really a blast. When we were in NYC for the first NIT finals we went to (which was my swan song with the band) we played Children of Sanchez at halftime and several New Yorkers came up to us afterwards and told us we were the best band they'd ever heard at a basketball game. Anyway soon after that the band was swallowed up by the athletic department and became strictly a pep band. I think Mike could pretty much get away with whatever he wanted to do because he really became an institution at SLU basketball games, and no offense to anyone but it's been all downhill since he left. If they want to kick Perry and Whitey and the like out of the band they're bigger morons than I thought they were.

I have some time (sitting around for an hour before a high school graduation starts) so I might as well give a little band history lesson. The band in it's present incarnation started around 1983 or 84, when the jazz band started playing at games. I don't know whether Mike Beczcala suggested it or not- Perry could probably answer that question. Perry is the single person who has been in the band the entire time. We weren't affiliated with the trumpeteers - they were an earlier group. The jazz band was a class for credit- 1 hour per semester, that gave scholarships to at least some of its members. We were like a 15 piece band that played some of our jazz charts before and after the games and at halftime and pep band stuff during the games. We were miked up and small, and it was really a blast. When we were in NYC for the first NIT finals we went to (which was my swan song with the band) we played Children of Sanchez at halftime and several New Yorkers came up to us afterwards and told us we were the best band they'd ever heard at a basketball game. Anyway soon after that the band was swallowed up by the athletic department and became strictly a pep band. I think Mike could pretty much get away with whatever he wanted to do because he really became an institution at SLU basketball games, and no offense to anyone but it's been all downhill since he left. If they want to kick Perry and Whitey and the like out of the band they're bigger morons than I thought they were.

Awesome book- I highly recommend it.

When I saw 18 replies to this thread I thought someone had tried the coffee and gave a review- no such luck. Lots of helpings of pettiness, though.

From my perspective it gives us a re-connection to the Majerus Era, which was a golden age of our Billiken Fandom, along with the Spoon years. I will definitely give this hire the benefit of the doubt.

I'd say he's bouncier than Yuri