University of Illinois Marching Illini at 2008 Rose Parade

[generationll]

The Illini made it to a bowl game this season and thus saving Ron Zook;s coaching job

[dsdmonk12]

Those are some epic sashes.

[anf1014]

ah this is our fight song at my school. :D how awesome.

[rickytherockyroblox]

go oskee wow wow

[GaboArmando]

Hey this is my school Hymn! Nicee!

[360owner360]

haha my high school plays their fight song as our own, its so easy

[timmyboy316]

@360owner360 fight song or school song? Oskee Wow Wow is the fight song. This is Illinois Loyalty

[RyanFtheGREAT]

How big is the band?

[andyk10013]

@RyanFtheGREAT 350 plus

[lessthanjordan]

The Marching Illini definitely doesn't specialize in parade marching, but they are unmatched on the football field

[djt434s]

Unmatched? Come on. If you can't march in time and guide while marching in the street you probably can't do the same thing while changing directions on the field. They are OK on the field, but not unmatched.

[IMikeItLikeThat]

I could count the hours spent on practicing and even executing parade marching for the Marching Illini in one year on one hand. It simply isn't any sort of priority because it has no need to be. It's a field show oriented group.

Btw - I've seen the video plenty of times and never noticed anyone marching out of time. With over 300 out there, I'm sure there were a couple out of the nature of simple odds...but it makes me question your actual evidence for pretty much anything you say.

[IMikeItLikeThat]

Look up the Marching Illini Festival 2008 Pregame Parts 1 and 2, Festive Overture, Saints Hallelujah, and Three-in-One if you want to see decent quality videos of what a Marching Illini weekly performance typically consists of.

[cookiebella512]

haha, the piccolos cant really do the horn moves

[CW1223RAM]

Ew cheerleaders. I hate cheerleaders. At least the ones at my school. They're stuck up and disrespectful and have no appreciation with the people with REAL talent that can actually play instruments, read music, and stay in step with music, instead of bouncing around, doing stupid dances, and slowing the band down because they can't keep up with the REAL rhythm of songs.

[klote2314]

gotta agree with ya

most cheerleaders are seen a sluts

ur better of spending ur time on school

gymnastic's and stuff is fun tho

i just dont se the point in cheerleaders

they dont cheer me up lol

well they do but only in aperverted way LOL but for the rest they just annoying jumping around in ur screen while ur tryin to watch a match

good thing they dont have cheerleaders for soccer teams :D

[eMthegymnast]

i agree with you 100%.

[mbmaccin555555]

Lmao, couldn't put that in a better way. That so true though.

[metalicadude69]

hah im with you. whenever i see like little 1st grade cheerleaders im like oh look future whores in training haha.

[nes999]

i was at the u of i saduim yesterday watching dci freaking awesome

[mhstsax07]

This is our school fight song. Middlesboro H.S.

[1276epr]

I've got no connection to the University of Illinois, but to me, this march is a fine composition, both verse and chorus, one of the best college songs in our Big Ten, if not the whole country.

[hibob418]

As an Illinois alum that's been living in LA now for 4 years, I was truly embarrassed by the no-class, neanderthal-like behavior of USC fans at last year's Rose Bowl. I haven't been around a bigger bunch of low-life morons since I walked by the holding cell they use to sober up drunks at English soccer games. Yeah, you've got a great football team, but no way could the USC shitheads sitting near me even get into our school.

[eMthegymnast]

why sin't their drum major wearin a hat?

[deweygoat1]

That does seem rather peculiar doesn't it?

[fab624]

was reading the debate so I had to check out USC's band :) Illini has to have the edge here. Articulation and dynamic range much better than USC. Several sloppy sections in the USC song. Good job guys.

[TickleMeElmo55]

rowdyrod77 you obviously don't know anything about college marching bands and music or else you wouldn't be making yourself look like an idiot to those that do.

[Cyty]

The first decent snareline I've heard so far watching these videos. Good job guys. Why am I watching parade videos?

[Dave985033]

Where is the Bush/Cheney float? I've been waiting 8 years for it to arrive. Such an honor to salute a float where two of the most powerful people in the USA have cared for us and done so much good for us. I hope they have a restful, rich, and wonderful retirement for 100 years to come.

[IMikeItLikeThat]

Illinois Loyalty isn't the most rousing of school songs, but it isn't the fight song anyway. As the oldest school song in the country, it's a song steeped in tradition, just like the Marching Illini. I'm curious as to what you think would be more entertaining. Using USC as a basis is a good way to get me to change the channel. But if that's what you like, I say more power to you. You like your style, Illini fans will like theirs. I'll just remember to bring earplugs next time we cross paths.

[IMikeItLikeThat]

LOL! A USC fan insulting the Marching Illini? That's a compliment for the Big Ten and Illinois, considering what trash you guys field year in and year out. Here's a thought: musicality and dymnaics. Blasting and blatting every count of every measure gets old...and fast. You're a laughing stock to anyone and everyone who knows anything about music. Hate to break it you.

[cubsfan9890]

gimme a break with all of this high school crap/general bad mouthing of the MI. people that know about bands, specifically college marching bands, realize that the MI is one of the very best bands out there, and when it comes to overall quality, size, and tradition of the entire band program, illinois can't be touched.

[iluvsomebody99]

yeah, this is my high school's fight song, as well. =] my band director was in this band, too.

[tommy1517]

I'm not gonna lie, this isn't super impressive. I think that our high school band, on a good day, is very comparable to this. Not saying we're better, but in the same league. We'll be marching in this parade this year too

[mhstsax07]

this is our high school fight song...and EVERYONE hates it! however, we play it a lil faster than the marching illini and the "go illini go" part is eliminated and replaced with a drum break.

[wiscobadger33]

Wow this is not a Big Ten Band...how embarassing

[orangeandblue0687]

No, I'm pretty sure it is. We were also awarded the Sudler Trophy for Marching Band Excellence in 1983, the second collegiate band to receive the honor. Tell Wisconsin to get theirs and we'll talk.

[SwearingLlama]

After my band, HMB did, I do believe :)

[orangeandblue0687]

Michigan's band actually was the first to receive it, not Iowa. You guys got it in 1990.

[SwearingLlama]

Ah, mkay. I was only going off of something I thought I heard this year (I'm a freshmen heh).

[IMikeItLikeThat]

"Embarassing"?

I'd call your band's recent headlines the real embarrassment for Wisconsin, the Big Ten, and all of the Big Ten bands.

[eMthegymnast]

were they bad?

[sdsu54]

sorry but this has gotta be one of the most laidback fight songs in the world...

[IMikeItLikeThat]

Illinois Loyalty, besides one of the oldest school songs in the country, isn't really designed to be rousing. "Oskee Wow Wow" is used for such occasions at the University of Illinois.

[lessthanjordan]

This isn't even a fight song, it's the school song

[tromboneking87]

The band still does that one on occasion, although in the 06 season, we changed it a bit so it was "1,2,3,4, who the hell *ARE* we yelling for? Illini, who? Illini, Oh..."

[80driverpackers]

Hey thanks for putting this on here, I wanted to watch the Marching Illini play, but I was busy doing something and unfortunately missed it.

[phantombugle]

this was my high schools fight song. pretty sweet. see you guys at Ford Field in Detroit, MI for football this fall, maybe. -WMU Bronco Band Member.

[Blitz44]

Don't take it personally tromboneking, we don't like anyone. I personally don't have a problem with you guys, but while in uniform its a different story. Maybe you can get along with the Cal band, because we purposely don't want to get along with any other band.

[bperera2]

What are you like 13....?

[Maxim86]

Yeah! Earn that terrible reputation Blitz! You gotta work really hard as a band to be so unified in your immaturity. I'd tell you to give yourselves a big ol' pat on the back, but I'm sure you do that enough already.

[BiggyBollocks]

Great attitude Blitz. Way to stand for everything that college athletics and music should be about! Why get along and show respect for one another when you can be antisocial assholes?

USC is a pretty good school academically, but you're athletic and music departments destroy your school's reputation by the minute. USC and the Miami Hurricanes are in a class of two in terms of thuggery and acting like assholes (thus destroying your respective school's reputations).

[tromboneking87]

However, I will say that I was very disappointed in the TMB's conduct. We were sitting in our buses after the parade, waiting to be shuttled to the stadium. USC's busses were right next to us. As we pulled out, the whole bus flicked us off. One of our buses said that the USC band mooned them, but I didn't see that. We in the MI were ready for an intense game, but were hoping that the bands could get along (like we do when bands visit us or when we visit others). But it was not to be.

[tromboneking87]

Should have played Illinois March. I don't care if there was a risk for the infamous "Loyalty/March", we should have done something else...

And about this whole TMB vs. MI thing, the whole issue comes down to the fact that the TMB is designed as a crowd-pleaser band (blat out pop so the drunk can be all "Dude, I know that song!) while the MI is designed around a more traditional style (playing music well). It's a matter of preference. If you like blatty bands, go ahead and listen to USC.

[TheMe14k]

The University of Illinois Marching Band and Flag Corp. are the best in the world!

Check out the flag team, the are very unique and make the Marching Band shine! They are a precise, immaculate marching band with hard working college students with pride!! Great job!! The band director is fabulous too!

[illiniwek410]

best marching band ever

[keaman61]

whose the band that played that pop song by cascada or something

[guidojimenez]

who ever said we had to be nice? When you have so many people, moreso locally in California than other states, that hate you.. We become more hostile and return that back to the opponent no matter if they are nice or not. Come gameday don't expect us to sit down for some tea and crumpets to discuss the upcoming match.

FTFO! BEAT THE cavaliers!

[MWDrill]

It's good to know that you've all taken the high road and done the mature thing.  Congrats. I hope that works out for you all.

[Maxim86]

Just a thought... but if you represent the feelings of the rest of the band then people hate you for good reason. If you WANT to be hated, stay the course buddy you're doing a great job, but don't expect people to shower you with praise or even show respect when you represent yourselves as a bunch of cocky a-holes.

[IMikeItLikeThat]

Man....just watching this again makes me winded from hearing Loyalty looped so many times.

[styxfan0504]

The sound of the video isn't that great and it doesn't do justice to one of the best marching bands in the U.S. The U of I band Rocks and they trump any college band there is, no question about it.

[HornGuy23]

Lastly, your own fans saw me in the bathroom and told me themselves that their band sucked compared to the MI and that we should be their band.

[HornGuy23]

If anyone thinks that our halftime show sucked then you must be deaf. The tv didn't do the band justice as the individual sounds came out because of the microphone being right front of some peoples bells, but when heard from the tv cameras by the press box, we may be the most musical marching band there is, not to mention our horn angles aren't 15 degrees below parallel. If the USC band is going to talk smack, they should at least be good, which obviously isn't the case

[MWDrill]

There is no need to boast on behalf of our program. There's nothing to justify. We did what we do as good as we could have done. Let others speculate as to how well our performance compares to others.

[HornGuy23]

First of all, U of I's music performance program is world renown, and so is our Marching Band.

[illinitpt21]

Great bands are recognized for superior marching and playing, but world re-known bands are respected for their excellence in marching and music that is presented with class on and off the field. It is unfortunate that USC chose to represent their university and its values in the way that it did at the Rose Bowl.

[MWDrill]

Well said, person I definitely know. :D

[illinitpt21]

Marching and music aside, I was disappointed and generally disheartened by the character and attitude the USC fans and band displayed at the Rose Bowl. They were disrespectful to the visiting Illini at the parade and throughout the game, representing their university through actions too immature to list. There was a lack of respect that emmanated from the organization that surprised even the least critical observer.

[djt434s]

it's good that you're both good in football and everything. but both usc and illinois bands got manhandled by missouri state AND that HIGH SCHOOL BAND from japan.

[MWDrill]

For future reference, it's often considered bad form to boast on behalf of the organization you represent; especially in terms of "manhandled".

The high school band from Japan was excellent from what little I have seen/heard. I bet they had a great time coming such a long way to perform and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate being represented in such a manner, do you?

[djt434s]

actually i wasn't in the band. i watched it on tv. and dont feel bad about being manhandled by missouri state, it happens a lot. my point was mostly for the usc mudslingers because i really dont like usc's band and they do need to be put in their place.

[mailpost21]

yeah, but usc has a horse...

[bandfreak13]

of course he says he loves the band, he's a public figure! no coach would ever say anything bad about any aspect of their employer. usc may be full of classless pricks, but no one is THAT stupid.

i was hoping the rumors weren't true and the usc band had a repertoire of more than just 3 songs. nope, i was disappointed.

[silkysongboy]

usc band sucks? just ask Pete Carroll! He's said in MANY interviews how he LOVES the tmb! And i have no idea what fans you asked...cuz most usc fans love the usc band. Oh well...we're done with Illinois! On to the next game! Beat the Cavaliers!

[HempfieldBander]

The Marching Illini is the best thing that ever exsisted

[guidojimenez]

i was actually hoping the illini band would be better but you can barely hear them when they're out on the field. I had no idea they had already started their pregame when we were setting up our pregame RIGHT in front of them. So much for having a battle of the bands..

[bandfreak13]

probably because they actually point their horns up into the stands into the crowd as opposed to the ground (coughuscbandcough).

they had a much more overwhelming crowd response for both pregame and halftime than the usc band, despite only filling maybe a third of the stadium.

i have to say, usc has some of the worst fans i have ever encountered, but even they admitted their own band sucked.

face it, in a battle of the bands, usc would have been screeewed.

[tsilvagni]

i too was hoping the illini band would be better than they were. i understand that they were smaller than the usc band, but that's no excuse for their dull half time show which contained the worst rendition of "stairway to heaven" ever. and although usc can admittedly have unspirited fans sometimes, note that the illini fans were under the "box" where all the tv cameras are--the usc band had to face the opposing fans. it's sad that the first marching band ever isn't better than this.

[MWDrill]

And it's sad that you have nothing positive to say.

[CButlr86]

The Marching Illini has 350 members, how many does USC have?

It's all a matter of perspective. I know USC's band is rude to any competitor they face, so I'm not surprised.

I feel sorry for the other CLASSY Pac-10 bands out there. What an embarassment to have USC represent you in the Rose Bowl.

[IMikeItLikeThat]

You're either deaf or that's a plain lie. The pregame show begins with a huge hit on Revised Entrance. It was easily heard by anyone in front of the band, especially in the stands where the horn angles were directed.

Other than that, LOL at USC arrogance. You won no battle.

[MWDrill]

It's a shame that while Illini fans stayed to watch both performances and refrained from showing overt negativity towards the USC band (there are stupid, classless people everywhere, I know), the USC band and fans showed very little class and continue to do so even on the internet. Sad, really.

[MWDrill]

The Marching Illini had no intention to battle anyone, anywhere. Nor are we in competition with any other musical group. We simply strive to do our best and represent our University the best we know how. It's unfortunate that while we certainly appreciated the USC performance for its different style, the USC fans were generally very immature.

[MWDrill]

Thirdly, have you so little class that you would represent your own organization in such a manner? Do they teach you humility, spirit, and good will in USC's program? From what I could gather from being flicked off, spat on, etc., it certainly didn't seem like it.

While the USC band already had an unsavory reputation among many, I'm afraid your immaturity has really tarnished it further, in my eyes (not that I matter).

[MWDrill]

I did hear, however, that members of the USC wanted to instigate a "battle". Why? Is this common practice in the Pac 10?

[Maxim86]

It's ok, don't let this dick get you angry. The MI, unlike most other college bands, actually cares about sound quality and musicianship, not just blasting loudly in everyone's faces. We may sound quiet compared to a blatting POS band like USC, but everyone I have talked to, including several USC fans have said there is no comparison to the MI.

[cubsfan9890]

i was actually hoping the usc band would have some class and humility. here's a good example of just how "classy" they are: after i returned from the rose bowl, i was talking with a friend of mine about the usc band. my friend is in the notre dame drumline, and told me that the usc band is not allowed in the ND band room anymore because a few years ago they came and trashed it. Just another typical story of how rude and disrespectful they are.

[richstout]

I was in the first ever USC band to go to South Bend for the Notre Dame game (1973). We were kind of brash musically and with our display of rowdy team spirit, but the ND band graciously invited us to their room for a reception after the game to hang out. They were not as wild as we were, but I think we enjoyed their kind hospitality, and appreciated the gesture. It would be sad if things have gotten to a point where there's destruction for it's own sake.

[KTScott2000]

we were there...

the Illini fans had much spirit! check our short video of the fans...=]

the parade was great!!