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Opening Up for the Buckeyes: The TBDBITL

September 2, 2012 / By johnbeagle / In Ohio State, the ohio state university / Leave Comment

The Ohio State Marching Band is called TBDBITL for a reason. Because they are the best damn band in the land. Yesterday I went to the opening of the Buckeye football season. The band is all-brass and percussion, unique among all larger universities.

The band was originally formed to provide music for the cadets to march to. Ohio State had a large military school component.

Competition is Strong
Today, the band consists of 225 instrumentalists. 192 of these create the block band that is seen at every home game. The other 33 members are called alternates. These are members of the band who challenge the regular members every week for a spot in the 192-piece block. So every home game is a chance for the alternates to on the field. This ensures that only the best in the land get to play.

One more reason why, The Ohio State Marching Band the Best Damn Band in the Land.

My Seat at OSU Stadium

September 8, 2008 / By John Beagle / In football, Ohio State, osu, stadium, the ohio state university / 2 Comments

Ohio State 012, originally uploaded by John Beagle.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a stadium in college football that is as well-recognized simply by its shape. The OSU stadium is laid out in the shape of a horseshoe and has a capacity to seat 89,841 screaming fans. Source: OhioStateTix.com

I sit in row 9 (not bad) near the bottom of the “U” is a good place to watch the Ohio State Buckeyes. This game, against Ohio University, was an “All Ohio College Football Game” one that hadn’t been played since 1999.

A new cheer that involves fan interaction was started this year with Youngstown State. Every time Ohio State gets a first, the scoreboard announcer says, “Gain of (blank) on the play and that’s another Buckeeeeeeeeeye … (crowd response) first down.”

Now its the second game, and I agree with Buckeye Commentary blog poster who says, … for the love of all things Ohio State, stop the call and response first down announcement from the scoreboard. Stop it. Right. Now.

Still, Buckeye games are fun. Tailgating is even funner.

The Next John Beagle

May 16, 2008 / By John Beagle / In ACT, Middletown, Ohio State / Leave Comment

John Beagle is my son and I am proud of him.

He scored a near perfect in math on the ACT test. He is a cook at the Red Onion Restaurant, working under Chef Gary Heinz, who was the Chef at the Maisonette, a five star restaurant.

Johnny, as we all call him, played Monroe HS soccer for four years and was top scorer in his division. He has recently taken up golf and expects to beat me this summer. I said no way.

Johnny will go to the Ohio State University this fall. He has been accepted into the Honors program where he will figure out what kind of engineering student he wants to be.

The video is from a speech he gave at the Middletown Community Foundation Awards Banquet in May of 2008. Johnny has been a active member of the MCF for 3 years.