Favorite Memory as an Undergrad Here at SLU

[bonwich]

Didn't SLU have a jazz band during the Grawer years?

I recall going to the NIT games at Madison Square Garden and this jazz band accompanied the team. For some reason I remember them playing McArthurs Park. A nice song (kind of lenghty) but not really a get psyched basketball song.

Sometime after I got out of grad school, circa the 81-82 season, they actually started checking my expired student ID so I started coming in the Kiel stage door with one of my friends who played bass and guitar in the pep band. After a while he took pity on me and gave me a tambourine so I wouldn't have to wait for him to get in. So yes, there was some sort of pep band roughly around that time.

[Adman]

Sometime after I got out of grad school, circa the 81-82 season, they actually started checking my expired student ID so I started coming in the Kiel stage door with one of my friends who played bass and guitar in the pep band. After a while he took pity on me and gave me a tambourine so I wouldn't have to wait for him to get in. So yes, there was some sort of pep band roughly around that time.

Yes, the Band was still around in the Grawer era. They made the trip to Madison Square Garden for the NIT finals. Mike Beczkala was running it by this time but can't recall if it was still the Jazz Band under the auspices of the Music Department or if it was already changed to a Pep Band.

[Adman]

Thanks. I knew a member of the Jazz Band, and a member of the Rent-a-Band. After the renegade band started playing at the basketball games, sometimes the Rent-a-Band would join in playing the song at the other end. But the renegade band only was able to play a few songs- When the Saints Go Marching In, Eat 'em Up, and that pep song where the fans chant at the end, "Let's go Bills" or "S-L-U." At Michigan, they chant "Let's go Blue" to the same song.

For some reason the Rent-a-Band sat clear at the other baseline of the court, far away from the students, who sat on the floor on the baseline at the other end.

When I was a freshman, Ernie Hays played the organ at both the SLU basketball and hockey games. Marquette came to town that year with a great team led by Bernard Toone and Sam Worthy, and coached then by Hank Raymonds, a former SLU player. Marquette was 2 years removed from winning the National Championship. Marquette brought its Band to the game, which was on a Saturday night and drew over 10,000. Marquette won 71-51. The Marquette Band was playing the Marquette Fight Song, "Ring Out a Hoya" after the game. Ernie Hays cranked up the organ in the rafters and drowned out the Marquette Band with his organ version of "When the Saints Go Marching In."

Re the reported incident, see the NY Times archive story in Post #52 above in this thread. The reported incident was over Christmas Break, on the same trip after the Butler game in Indianapolis (a SLU win no less). And when we returned for the second semester at SLU, all Hades had broken loose. I had been apprised of it before we returned to SLU for that second semester.

Thanks for the link to the NYT story. What was the fight about? Anyone know?

[Bay Area Billiken]

You should have been at some of the Echodome games in the late '70s when we had ice storms. There was one game in particular that we spent yelling requests to Ernie Hays (who was above the press box about 100 feet up) -- and he played every one.

Was that at the famous ice storm hockey game? At that game, some of my then fellow freshmen friends from 6G ran the penalty box. I think Taj remembers that game.

Also, for what it's worth, I had a typo in an above post- my recollection is that Monte Poole lived on 5G, not 5C. 5G was our arch-rival in the intramural battles.

[slubilliken09]

My favorite game by far was the Xavier game at the Cintas Center in 09. Even though we got blown out, the 5 of us sat right behind the Billiken bench. Not only were we able to listen to all of Rick's comments throughout the game, the 5 of us we able to piss off the whole Xavier student sections. Just another reason why the Billikens fans are becoming the best in the A10: that kind of thing would never happen at the Chaifetz. Looking forward to next season and hopefully I can watch all the games online or on TV from back home.

I was there too, right behind the bench as well. I agree how we were able to piss off the whole XU student section.... My favorite was "UGLY! UGLY! UGLY!" and having that one girl get so terribly offended. Awesome.

[adamtodd]

I'm glad this is the topic that gets my first post, because this memory will forever fill me with joy.

During the 2008-2009 season we played Charlotte at home. As many know, Chaifetz provides great student seating. Nowhere is this more apparent then the two front row seats about 4 feet away from the end of the opposing teams bench. My buddy and I would often drink copious amounts of the arena's finest Budweiser and double fist most of the game. This liquid courage would allow us to be a menace to the opposing bench.

During the game my buddy and I were giving Bobby Lutz a lot to hear. Usually we'd just yell his name and ask him what he was doing on a basketball court because of his lack of size and facial hair (he looks like a baby). Right before halftime we could see we were really making Lutz mad as he would gawk and stare at us unflinchingly. When halftime came around we could always yell at all the players and coaches as they would run through the tunnel. During this game, Bobby Lutz turned to the St. Louis Metro cop on duty and said, "Kick these guys out!" Lutz is pointing at us and snarling and very pissed (we did eventually beat the 49ers that game). What followed was the cop telling my buddy and I that we could get arrested for "disturbing the peace at a sporting event." I called bs and nothing happened. He did advise us to quit while we were ahead (with the beer and Lutz, I assume). The cop then stood right next to us the entire second half to make sure we were good boys. We weren't but that's how we always are.

The best part of the story comes the next home game. I believe we played and beat St. Joe's. Anyway, the seats we normally sit in are barricaded off, therefore we have to sit in the next row. I mean there is literally a barrier separating those seats from the rest of the student section. It was like a smack in the face, get such a great rise out of a coach, but don't expect to sit in those seats again.

I will always remember that game fondly.

[Runnin'Billiken]

I'm glad this is the topic that gets my first post, because this memory will forever fill me with joy.

During the 2008-2009 season we played Charlotte at home. As many know, Chaifetz provides great student seating. Nowhere is this more apparent then the two front row seats about 4 feet away from the end of the opposing teams bench. My buddy and I would often drink copious amounts of the arena's finest Budweiser and double fist most of the game. This liquid courage would allow us to be a menace to the opposing bench.

During the game my buddy and I were giving Bobby Lutz a lot to hear. Usually we'd just yell his name and ask him what he was doing on a basketball court because of his lack of size and facial hair (he looks like a baby). Right before halftime we could see we were really making Lutz mad as he would gawk and stare at us unflinchingly. When halftime came around we could always yell at all the players and coaches as they would run through the tunnel. During this game, Bobby Lutz turned to the St. Louis Metro cop on duty and said, "Kick these guys out!" Lutz is pointing at us and snarling and very pissed (we did eventually beat the 49ers that game). What followed was the cop telling my buddy and I that we could get arrested for "disturbing the peace at a sporting event." I called bs and nothing happened. He did advise us to quit while we were ahead (with the beer and Lutz, I assume). The cop then stood right next to us the entire second half to make sure we were good boys. We weren't but that's how we always are.

The best part of the story comes the next home game. I believe we played and beat St. Joe's. Anyway, the seats we normally sit in are barricaded off, therefore we have to sit in the next row. I mean there is literally a barrier separating those seats from the rest of the student section. It was like a smack in the face, get such a great rise out of a coach, but don't expect to sit in those seats again.

I will always remember that game fondly.

That game was awesome. You guys' performances were epic. Fantastic job. Bobby Lutz is a crybaby and a girl. I watched his whole sh*t fit that day and loved every minute of it. Too bad he won't be around next year to return to the 'Fetz. It almost makes me sad.