The Panther football team has two games under its belt and will play its home opener this Saturday at O’Brien Stadium.

Despite two losses this season, things change when the Panthers play at O’Brien. I’m looking forward to seeing what the Panthers have in store for the home crowd this season.

One thing I am really looking forward to is something that is often overlooked – the Marching Blue!

The marching what? The marching band is one of the biggest organizations on campus. It practices a lot. You can’t go outside on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday afternoon without hearing it. You get awakened on game-day mornings by the band’s dress rehearsals.

The band is the half-time entertainment and a spirit group. In all of the post-season thank yous, those involved are thanked for the team’s success – the players, the fans, the spirit groups. But by spirit groups, most people are referring to the cheerleaders and the dance team. What about the marching band?

Maybe its because I’m a two-year veteran of the marching band and I know how hard the members work, but I think they deserve more recognition. I’ve been involved in music for a good portion of my life, and I would still be in the marching band, except I had to give it up in order to work in my major.

The marching band has already logged more practice hours than most people spend practicing anything, and its only the fourth week of school. Members endured extreme temperatures for the whole week before school started, and since, to put together some great shows.

This year, the marching band is preparing five different shows, one for each of the home games. The first one for this weekend will be the traditional patriotic show. Coming later in the semester will be a 70s funk show, a 70s trumpet show, a Wayne’s World show and an anniversary tradition show in honor of the 75th anniversary of Eastern’s marching band.

The marching band has performed at Chicago Bears games and will perform this year at an Indianapolis Colts game and it will also perform an exhibition at the annual marching band festival on Oct. 5.

On game day, you can hear the band coming. Its morning rehearsals are often the early wake up call to students who stayed out too late on Friday night. Then an hour before kick off, the band lines up and marches into the stadium, setting off car alarms and chanting its spirited cadences.

The marching band is as much a spirit group as the cheer leaders and the dance team, despite the lack of recognition. During each quarter, the band can be heard playing fun music from the stands, cheering together and being generally crazy. Members are tired and hot in those heavy uniforms, but they still stand and cheer when no one else is standing and cheering.

Call me a band geek if you want to, but I’m looking forward to seeing the band’s first performance this Saturday. Maybe it is because I was in the marching band for two years and I know how hard it is. Think about it: It takes a lot of effort and coordination to march into several formations in step while playing music you have memorized.

I’m still involved with the marching band through my band service sorority and I think it is sounding and looking great.

So go to the football game this weekend. Tailgate, cheer with the cheer leaders and Pink Panthers, eat nachos from the concession stand. But make sure to stay for half time and see the Marching Blue of EIU.