Jeremy Teaberry - 2000
The couple of stories that I have both revolve around MSU. The first one entails the now infamous everlasting final second of the 2001 UM-MSU game in East Lansing. I will never forget the entire band, and about half of the crowd, staring at the scoreboard, scratching their heads wondering how the game was not over. That has to be truly one of the worst moments in sports history. The second MSU story took place my last season. The band traveled to East Lansing in 2003, and as the visiting band, was to perform first at halftime. Unbeknownst to us, the MSU Athletic Department had decided to honor some past basketball players at halftime, including Magic Johnson, before allowing the bands to perform. As the announcer finished, the former players took their sweet time exiting the field. Professor Nix was tired of waiting and ordered the band onto the field. For this particular game, the band come onto the field in several long lines from the sideline, and I happened to be right on the 50. As we marched onto the field, the honored basketball players got the picture and started to make their way off. I assume that they must have thought that band members would get out of their way, which, I am sure, is what caused Magic Johnson to be surprised as I plowed right into him. I, as all band members, had been taught to never step around something, and to always keep moving forward, so that's what I did. Magic had some fairly unpleasant things to say as I passed him, but I'm sure he didn't form a complete sentence . . . he did go to MSU after all.
Lastly, I remember walking across the field at commencement and being surprised as my fellow classmates were acting excited about being on the field. I couldn't see why it was so exciting, but it dawned on me that not everyone had the distinct privilege of being in the MMB and marching across the field week after week.
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