If any of this is wrong, tell me. Jim Cook (1993-96) has helped with a few of these, so we thank him.
What it is: After a mouthpiece, or piece of instrument
is dropped and makes that ping, we all say Beef really low.
Why we do it: for fun, why else
How did it originate: From Jim Cook: "We started calling
that moron beef the first time we met him. We used to make all the rookies
stand during our first meeting and tell us lots of information about themselves.
After listening to him banter about his damned cattle farm and how he would
bring us steaks during the season, one of the other rookies, "Booster",
just shouted out Beef to shut him up. For the remainder of the year anytime
anyone dropped anything, or started long boring ass stories.... the
term "BEEF" would echo throughout. Sad...but true."
A Side note: Other sections think they are as cool as us and say
this sometimes now too. Uncreative bastards.
What it is: Your hat is stolen during the homecoming
parade by drunken frat boy, you get your hat back by any means necessary,
and don't return to the band until you have it.
Why we do it: if we don't we are out of uniform.
How did it originate: I guess it happened before, so let
it be written, so let it be done.
What it is: We memorize our music for the show, including
the opposing team's fight song.
Why we do it: So we don't look like other bands who have to
carry their music with them.
How did it originate:We didn't want to look stupid a long time
ago, and it has been that way ever since.
What happens if you don't have it memorized: You memorize it
or else, or you play as much as you know and don't play the parts you have
no clue on.
What It Is: Taking your plume in your hand, starting
on your left and moving it to the right hten to the left and back right
around in a circle while slowly saying Ski-U-Mah. You need to see
it to understand the definition.
Why We Do It: No other section does anything like it.
How did it originate: About 1996, the basketball band was in
the Sweet 16, and some cheerleader from the 30's showed the trombones there
a cheer they used to do in the 30's. It became a Bone cheer when
we replaced the pom-pons with the plume of our hats.
What it is: The Bone Bus Bitch runs to grab a bus for
the Bones only! Occasionaly other instruments sneak on somehow...
He/she also enforces the bus rules.
Why we do it: So we get our own bus, wouldn't you do the same
thing?
How did it originate: I dunno? Somebody tell me.
What does the Bone Bus Bitch say: "Bone Bus, no singing, no
dooking"
Who is the current Bone Bus Bitch: Pam is the 2000
Bone Bus Bitch.
What it is: Taking somebody's mouthpiece out of their horn when we have short breaks.
Why we do it: To tell people they have to be careful of their instruments, and you are dumb for leaving it in.
What happens after a ninja swipe: See Endzone Toss and Spiking, also, if you have a nice person who swiped it, they may give it back with a warning, or they may make you play hide and seek to find who has it.
Most Important rule of Ninja Swiping: No Ninja-Swiping on Game Day.
How did it originate: Beats the hell out of me, if anybody knows I would like to know.
Why it is dead: Because of the new school owned trombones.
Spiking
What it is: Taking somebody's mouthpiece and pressing in vertically into the ground, thereby filling the mouthpiece with dirt.
Why we do it: To tell people they have to be careful of their instruments, and you are dumb for leaving it in.
What happens after a spiking: Owner of mouthpiece can be seen digging dirt out of mouthpiece.
How did it originate: Beats the hell out of me, if anybody knows I would like to know.
Why it is dead: Because of the new school owned trombones.
Endzone Toss
What it is: Taking somebody's mouthpiece and chucking it down the practice field, toward the endzone farthest away from the owner of said mouthpiece.
Why we do it: To tell people they have to be careful of their instruments, and you are dumb for leaving it in.
What happens after an endzone toss: Owner of mouthpiece can be seen running down the field.
How did it originate: Beats the hell out of me, if anybody knows I would like to know.
Why it is dead: Because of the new school owned trombones.
Saturday Morning Doughnuts
What it is: If you are one of the last 3 or 4 to friday night practice before a game, you bring doughnuts the next morning for Saturday practice.
Why we do it: Because if you miss doing it when you are assigned it, you have it for the rest of the year
How did it originate: Beats me, if you know, tell me.
Why it is dead: This tradition has been eliminated due to several factors such as the doughnut shops not being open at 7 am on a saturday morning.Bone Spins
What it is: We spin on our bones like baseball bats after the Gophers score.
Why we do it: Because the Gophers don't score that much.
What happens at a freak game: We all get dizzy and fall on our asses if the Gophers look like an actual football team, See last year, Iowa-Minnesota game.
How did it originate: From Jim Cook: "We used to do the bone-kicks, which I see you still do, just real spontaneously after touchdowns or field goals. Eventually Hitler Becher made us do this wonderful task. So we swtiched it up on him and started spinning around our horns. Because none of us liked being told what to do. Again, we were assholes. This proved not very smart during one game when we scored 59 points. Eventually Becher got pissed off enough he banned us from doing anything.... Glad to see you have reinstated that fun."
Why it is dead: The Bone Spins have been terminated because of the band's new seating arrangement and because of the new school owned trombones.
