Yale Daily News

He had a problem with the profanity-laden wall but not with the huge phallic missile? This is a superb overreaction.

The YPMB is tasteless and classless and is a stain on Yale's reputation. This is a long overdue action.

This is my first football season here in New Haven, and I have been appalled by the YPMB's "uniforms" and, most importantly, their pathetic attempts at "humor" during half-time. I never expected such juvenile and trashy fare at an Ivy League institution.

doesn't sound too offensive. maybe you need to give us more details?

Eli Football: Perhaps if you could properly write/speak English, you would understand the YPMB's "humor." Do everyone a favor and stop going to the games.

It's my understanding that there was nothing racist or sexist or otherwise degrading or demeaning written on the YPMB's Berlin Wall Prop...just the "F" word and perhaps some other vulgarities. Provocative,yes, (Note to squids: It worked!), but they are onlyt words... Words which were no doubt echoing throughout Harvard Stadium, used by supporters of both teams.

George Carlin said, "There are no bad words, just bad thoughts" The ugliness is in the eye of the beholder.

In response to Eli Football Fan: The YPMB is a breath of fresh air. Your comments, in my generation, were nearly verbatim used to describe "Saturday Night Live" and Richard Pryor...

Mr. Duffy, free the YPMB! Tear down this wall!

-alum78

What is this, high school? Everyone needs to lighten up.

Anyone who can be offended by the Yale Precision Marching Band shouln't be in charge of them.

Tom is a generally reasonable guy: he'll calm down. It must be wearing, though, to work with such juveniles, the supposed creme de la creme of youthful academia.

Hang in there Duff!

I agree with football fan but have endured YPMD a few years longer as a player parent.

I have also attended many college football games for years. As for irreverent bands, I consider Rice U. as best. They're endlessly clever with extensive props and scripts where fans look forward to their performances. YPMD has had one tired script - bash Bush. I saw the Harvard show as surprisingly original.

It's remarkable that insulting an alumnus and U.S. President is acceptable but insulting your football rival isn't. But I simply add that to the long list of Yale double-standards when in comes to how they treat conservatives.

Mark this as a prediction: Bashing the president will now be off limits for YPMD but will be reversed when a Republican returns to the office.

Suspended "For Ever?" or until next football season? The bands "humor" was tired during the Nixon Administration. I guess they went for profanity since Political Topics will be off base until the end of the Obama Administration. Did the band realize the Berlin Wall has come down or would a cardboard cutout of Cuba or North Korea offended to many of the proffessors.

Another Question. How many of the members of the YPB acctually play a musical instrument?

As an alum who was unable to attend The Game, I, too, would be interested in more information about what was so shocking that it would elicit this response from Mr. Duffy. I cannot imagine Yale athletics without the YPMB, and I hope that this issue can be resolved quickly and the band restored to its rightful place in the stands.

Eli Football Fan: Humor, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I hope that you can respect that for many sons and daughters of Eli, the YPMB is a beloved institution. Plus, if hahvahd's reputation can survive THEIR wretched excuse for a band, I'm pretty sure Yale will be okay!

I hope that the situation will be resolved as soon as possible, so that the YPMB can take the field once more (or at least play at basketball and hockey games). Eli Football Fan, you should probably note that, regardless of what occurred afterwards, the Yale halftime show was much more witty and intelligent than anything Harvard could come up with. In other words, perhaps you should have stayed in Cambridge.

The fact that Mr. Duffy once taught at the Auburn Correctional Center is not lost on trying to understand his objections to YPMB's antics. Yale halftimes have always been a genuine mix of fun and stupidity - going back to the 1950's. Saturday was certainly no different. Yet total suspension from campus activities is not the answer. duffy would have done better to have ensured his presence prior to the halftime performace and inspect the props. Crying now is a bit late - and to be truthful, not a soul at the Stadium could even read what he deemed as offeinsive.

It's about time. Cancel YPMB for all football games. Why submit this tastelessness on the general public? If there is an embarressment to Yale, It's this group.

The band is the only reason I even went to football games at Yale (besides boozing). I find their tounge in cheek humor hilarious. Eli Football Fan - It's clear you are a townie who doesn't "get" what Ivy League football is all about. It certainly isn't about performance or fun tailgating (as this weekends game at Hahvahd proved). If you want to see dorks in stupid marching band uniforms with lame plumed hats marching around to some traditional music, go to a state school. WE're smart, funny and entertaining.

Go YPMB - you guys are timely and hilarious

Agreed on the Band...they are a bunch of juvenile tools who embarrass us every Saturday. Their jokes are only funny to them. I wish we had a more organized, well-dressed bunch of people out there, which would be more representative of Yale.

So being offended is unreasonable?

The YPMD is a student group who puts its political views to music. Such a student group has a right to exist but doesn't have a right to the football halftime as their entitled venue of expression.

I'd like to see the athletic department survey ticket holders for their views.

To T.R.:

You'd be surprised at how many band members are talented musicians. Many people in the YPMB are also members of the Yale Concert Band, Yale Symphony Orchestra, and/or various a cappella groups. These people look to the band as a fun way to relieve the stress of each extremely exhausting Yale week. Don't be so quick to judge.

For the YPMB (note the B) to be disciplined for the profane words used on the wall can be understood, even though I do not agree with the severity of the punishment. The profanity on the wall was a mistake of a couple members who thought it wouldn't be visible from the stands and that there would be enough "graffity" to cover up any specific painting. However, for any of you to use this as a time to criticize the rest of their shows and their humor is unacceptable. I can understand profane words as a poor representation of Yale as school, but the band's scripts, props, and topics of field shows are anything but a "stain on Yale's reputation." I am sure that not everyone in the band agrees with every point of every script, but they, as intelligent individuals, get the humour, as does most of Yale and most of the crowd. To be the band that they are, they cannot expect to please everyone because SOME people will like Bush, SOME people won't like Obama, SOME people will be against gay marriage. However, we are a liberal institution, and the band represents an important view, and asks the world to look at some issues differently. Again, using the word Fuck isn't typical for them, but that is the only thing that is being punished, not their usual shows. They pride themselves on what they do and on being different. The other bands insult the rival school at every game. It is lame. Yale is unique in that our band addresses real issues. Even if it's not a traditional expression of opinions, it should be respected.

@ Football Parent

did you even watch the halftime show at The Game this year? their show was full of insults against Harvard...

I don't know who the "YPMD" or the "YPB" are, so maybe some of you commenters above should proofread your complaints before posting them.

The YPMB is a rare source of humor and creativity on the field. The last thing Yale needs is a big-ten-wannabe Q-tip band that plays the same three marches at every game and walks around at right angles. The YPMB's uniforms (black shoes, white pants, Yale-band-issued blazer) make formations clearly legible on the field and are not compromised by the embellishments added by band members.

I guarantee we will see shows making fun of Obama's administration for the next four years. Football Parent, if you had attended any games four years ago, you would have seen no shortage of halftime shows making fun of Kerry's bid for the presidency. And if you're the same football parent who tried to tell off the marching band for making fun of Sarah Palin a few weeks ago, it's high time you lightened up.

Before you go bashing on the band while knowing very little about what even transpired, consider the reaction the YPMB gets from the crowd: the crowd laughs. While certainly not everyone will appreciate the same humor, the YPMB hits the nail on the head with an irreverent sense of wit, usually rooted in very topical events. (Considering football season coincided with election season, this may be the basis of the comment about a "tired script", but I disagree completely that their ideas are unoriginal.) They're never offensive purely for the sake of being offensive, either- those times that they toe the line of what's appropriate, they do so while making something hilarious.

The YPMB is a huge part of Yale athletics; maybe not the most prominent part that gets the most glory, but they're always there providing some laughs for football season, some pep for all the games they attend, and they cheer way louder than anyone else I've seen at any event.

For the record, I was looking at some photos of the halftime show during the game and nothing inappropriate is even visible from the stands. Maybe this has been blown out of proportion?

But still, Go YPMB!- Even if there's some drama and a few haters who like to bash over the internet, I know you guys will come through alright.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN6GR1EDWf4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxjlji9wNE4

First, this is an overreaction to profanity that was NOT visible to at least of most of those in the stands. Second, while I don't believe the YPMB has very effective skits (can be difficult to hear/read), the criticism here is unwarranted. The skit this weekend made fun of COMMUNISM, not conservatives. Sure, it poked fun at those conservatives who called Democrats communists/socialists in the past election, but it wasn't exactly conservative-bashing we saw on Saturday. These guys work off very little rehearsal time and with limited resources--give them a break.

Perhaps Mr. Duffy could be persuaded to suspend the football coaching staff as well. Some of what they have paraded on the field this year does not reflect well on the university of the fine young men who play on the team.

Don't be so quick to judge or condemn your audience either. You're a performing group subject to feedback yet you chose to shoot the messenger.

Although I don't always "get" their half time show, I do appreciate their effort and the support they show the team. It is too bad that there were offensive words on the banner but I don't agree that the punishment fits the crime. As far as their performances in general, if someone doesn't enjoy them, half time is a good time to get something to eat!

The YPMB has been well received at the pre-game tailgate with the football parents.

Both the suspension and the reaction on this page are flatly absurd.

Whether or not the YPMB is generally funny or creative is entirely beside the point, unless we're also going to suspend the football team for not doing what it was supposed to do (and band members aren't recruited).

The graffiti wasn't legible from my place in the stands, but even if it had been it wouldn't have been the only time Game attendees encountered profanity. College students are mature enough to handle a few bad words, thank you. So are alumni. I'd be a little more sensitive to a desire to protect hypothetical children if there were more than a handful of children at the Game, but there never seem to be.

Opposing censorship is a matter of principle, not taste. Yalies throw that Voltaire quote around way too often for the anti-YPMB comments here to be at all representative of undergrad sentiment.

I think my favorite YPMB story comes courtesy of my mother's memory: when Yale and Vassar were thinking of merging back in the late 60s, the (televised) YPMB show had the band separate into a Y and a V, with the stem of the Y repeatedly marching into the formation of the letter V. Apparently, that caused some real outcry.

I am a football parent and a conservative and a fan of the YPMB. The true football spirit they demonstrate and the dedication they show is a fundamental part of the Yale football experience. Showing up in the rain and cold and never waivering in thier support of Yale is inspiring and fun to watch. Thank you YPMB. As for the liberal message they convey, anyone who forgets that they are young and full of well intended heart should take a moment to reflect on the educational process they are going through. Many a young liberal will become an older conservative just the many former Hippies who are now parents and business owners trying to make thier way in the World and provde for thier families. I was at first also offended by some of the halftime messages only to remember that they are encouraged to be outspoken when the parroting the liberal mesage of thier instructors. Suspending the YPMB for profanity which was likely seen by only a few given the cold and wind which made it difficult to pay attention anything is an awfully short sighted action. Yale should treat this as an opputunity to educate students about responsibility in delivering any message, a lesson Yale could use its self. FREE THE YPMB

I believe that the problem lies with Tom Duffy. If he feels that his professional reputation is on the line with every script and prop, then he should take a look at them PRIOR to halftime! Either HE fell down on the job and didn't supervise his group appropriately, OR the over-18-and-therefore-legal-adults who comprise the YPMB are responsible for their own public expression, and his reputation is not sullied by their actions. In either case, the group should not be suspended. This punishment is particularly inappropriate as the Squids (Props people) who painted the Berlin Wall prop don't participate in the (now cancelled) winter sports activities at Hockey and Basketball games. As a Band Alum, I will be suspending my annual donations until the Band is reinstated. Free the YPMB!

If anyone here thinks that Harvard's band is better, then you should have gone there. When I realized during Camp Yale my freshman year that our marching band had more to do with being funny and having fun than with being pretentious and parading around in silly outfits, I knew I'd chosen the right school.

Also, there seems to be something fishy about Duffy's assertion that he didn't "approve" the props in question. He had ample opportunity to check them out and make sure they were appropriate, and I would be really surprised if the band wouldn't have painted over whatever was objectionable if he had made his concerns known--after all, the point was the wall itself, not the graffiti. It definitely sort of seems like he's punishing them after the fact without having given them fair warning beforehand. I would be very interested in seeing an article that detailed the whole "approval" process.

The YPMB is a disgrace. Yale needs a Cornell style ensemble.

It should be pretty clear by now that the comments on yaledailynews.com are representative primarily of fringe crazies who spend a lot of time reading message boards. (See: Any inter-Ivy article, any story involving gay people, etc. etc.)

There will always be some prudes (sexually or politically) who object to these types of bands. If there weren't such reactions, the bands wouldn't be quite so much fun. If they try to be on the edge, sometimes they'll go over. For those who aren't familiar with the type of band, try googling "scramble band" and read up a little on them. YPMB has a scandalous proud tradition among them. YPMB, take your lumps, try to avoid true crassness and keep it up.

Those slandering the name of the YPMB as being a "stain upon Yale's reputation" might want to get off their high horse and take a look around before surrendering to their supposed righteous indignation. By condemning the band as such, you merely reveal your own arrogance and perverted sense of elitism at this high and mighty "Ivy League Institution." In the midst of the rather obnoxious stunts pulled by the Pundits or the Men of JE, Residential College cheers rampant with profanity (TD and SM anybody?), to insult the shows of the YPMB is nothing short of pretentious and ignorant. In case you hadn’t realized, Ivy League Institution or not, this is a college, and as such, the YPMB is remarkably mild in their antics and mischief, choosing to merely toe the line of what is or is not appropriate and bring what laughter and good cheer to the fans that they can. Doubtlessly, some may take offense at their shows, which is unfortunate, but you can’t please everybody. As for those who would challenge their musical abilities, I merely direct you to the words of DC '10 (Comment #18).

The YPMB faithfully attends countless athletic events in a great show of support for the Bulldogs. They sacrifice hours of their time spent in rehearsal and preparation, not to mention the Saturday mornings in support of Yale, braving all sorts of awful weather and early call times. How many of you could say the same? How many individuals opted for the warmth of their beds or an extra day at home over Thanksgiving break rather than attend the miserably wet game against Princeton or the equally miserable windy game at Harvard? The YPMB is a source of much-needed laughter and enjoyment, all the while loyally supporting our Bulldogs to the very end. While others might desert the stands or abandon their seats in disappointment before the conclusion of a game or match, the YPMB remains until the very end with relentless and unyielding support, come what may. Kudos to you, loyal Members of the Yale Precision Marching Band. Would that all of our Yalies were so dedicated and loyal as you, and would that all the fans were open minded and appreciative of your wit which aspires nothing more than to bring a smile to your faces.

I disagree with anyone that says YPMB's humor is too profane and "taints" the Ivy League. If anything, the comedy is way too intellectual (half-time shows and communism don't really mix).

More penis jokes!

Please, Mr. Duffy, get a life.

This news broke my heart.

I didn't read the wall, but whatever was written on it can't be any worse than what the band cheers or even what the band insinuates through cheers, props (I mean, did anyone see that missile??), and the scripts.

The YPMB suspension is completely inappropriate. If the band is getting silenced for this incident, it sounds like they'd have to face a complete attitude reform before being re-instituted. That reform would be a terrible letdown for Yale students and alums.

"free the ypmb" seems to be a theme.

t-shirts anyone?

http://www.customink.com/designs/freeypmb/11084849-2326357?cm_ven=hotlink&cm_cat=1&cm_pla=Body_img&cm_ite=designfront

It was actually one of the saddest moments when I realized there wasn't a 'traditional' marching band at Yale.

Don't get me wrong, some people in the YPMB are funny. But as a whole, I don't think much would be missed if they weren't around.

As for comments like this:

"If you want to see dorks in stupid marching band uniforms with lame plumed hats marching around to some traditional music, go to a state school. WE're smart, funny and entertaining."

Wow. Elitist little snob. It takes hours a week of dedication to perform those shows. You're making fun of them for going to a state school and performing with grace and dedication? It's one thing to say that you don't like that and that's fine, but to denigrate it?

I assure you one thing: I know many who would rather see eight minutes of a performance with passion, dedication, talent and precision than some scatter band and their funny jokes.

BR10, just because the YPMB doesn't place a premium on precision doesn't mean they don't have passion, dedication and talent. JE11 said it well - how many other students get up at 7 am on a Saturday to support our Bulldogs? And you don't think much would be missed if they weren't around? The YPMB is the largest and loudest cheering section at any football game before we play Princeton and Harvard. Whether or not one likes their irreverent style of humor, the YPMB halftime shows take up less than 10 minutes of each game. They cheer for its entirety - no matter how bad the weather is or how bleak our team's prospects may be - which is not something to be belittled.

All of the Ivy bands with the exception of Cornell's are an embarassment to the league.

None of the bands seem to know how to read the crowd, and play appropriate stadium music. I am shocked that the football coaches and athletics directors allow them to come to the games. The atmosphere might be better with canned NFL-style stadium music.

Better dead than red...

Wow. As someone who really doesn't pay attention to these things very much but is glad my friends have fun in the YPMB, I had no idea there were so many people out there who cared so much about the stateliness of our marching band. Seriously guys? I agree with the people saying that the YPMB sacrifices a lot of their time and energy in order to provide school spirit ... their sense of humor just seems like such a weird thing to get worked up about.

On an unrelated note: YDN? Why are you reading band emails? That seems kind of inappropriate, unless one of you is on the band ... but wouldn't that be a dual role?

To Larry Gipson and the rest of the YDN, I believe that it was very inappropriate to make such news public. As a member of the YPMB panlist, I was under the impression that Mr. Duffy's message was to be internal and that he was going to address the problem after Thanksgiving break. It was not meant to be public. More controversy is being caused than necessary.

The comments on Harvard's article are much more sympathetic towards our band than a lot of Yalies who've posted here are...

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=525595

Yes, how dare the Yale Daily News report "news" that concerns "Yale" on something resembling a "daily" basis?! Gipson should have waited to cover this story until all concerned parties had settled on which lies they wished to convey to the rest of us.

#46 and #48--

While I agree that none of us really has the right to decide what "news" the YDN should or should not publish, the YDN's practice of finding stories from sources that many of us would consider private (emails to panlists, for example) is somewhat shady. They do this sort of thing a lot, and I, for one, wish they wouldn't. I think it betrays the YDN's status as a student publication, and is considerably less professional than making an effort to talk to the people involved.

I think it's a mistake to believe that anything any YDN staffer has access to is fair game--most groups don't scrutinize their panlists to make sure no one from the YDN is reading their e-mails. Just because you're on a group's panlist doesn't mean you have the right to betray a group's privacy.

You sound like a "conspiracy theorist."

I'm a huge Yale football fan, but I have to agree that the YPMB is a bit of an embarassment. I love their enthusiasm, but it would be nice if they could be a little more precision and a little less scatter (Princeton, Penn, and Harvard's bands seem to have found a better balance). Having people who don't play instruments but just dance around on the field is pretty foolish. And the uniforms look very unkempt. I am envious of Harvard's big red flag with an 'H,' which the players run out on the field behind. Why can't we have something similar? I guess that's more a cheerleading thing. However, YPMB should definitely keep up the witty halftime humor, it's great!

I'll never understand the appeal of "traditional" bands. What is it about marching in lockstep that people like so much? I can promise you that scrambling is much more fun to do.

People like whoever posted comment #41 should keep in mind that these are Yale students under discussion. Like all Ivy League students (including Brown students), they have an abundance of intelligence and wit, but an alarming deficiency of free time. This allows us to write funny, literate scripts, but prevents us from drilling for hours and hours so we can look like we're going off to invade Poland or whatever. Scramble bands play to our strengths and minimize the impact of our weaknesses.

One more comment to outraged commenters: You call this vitriol? PLEASE. When the Princeton Band accidentally walked on the Citadel's magic road, now THERE was some righteous anger on display. Amateurs.

On an ending note, just let me say that the Harvard Band are a bunch of tools. They probably said some stuff way more worthy of outrage than some tiny words written on a fake wall.

I was directed to this article and am procrastinating furiously.

Anyway, what #51 said about other bands finding a better balance, at least in the case of Princeton, is clearly ridiculous. With only minimal offense intended towards the YPMB, Princeton's band is generally considered to be far more outrageous with their antics (try googling Princeton Band Citadel).

In reference to the incident itself I feel quite sorry for the YPMB. Even had they spelled out the obscenity on the field, I think this censorship is over the top. The majority of people at football games are students and alumni, who clearly should be capable of dealing with profanity. And honestly if you bring children to a college football game, its beyond wishful thinking to hope they wont be exposed to profanity.