That Mean Columbia Marching Band Has Been Un-Banned From Performing At The 0-9 Football Team's Last Game

You did it, Deadspin readers! Or at least our friends at the Columbia Spectator say you did it:

Two days after the University athletic department informed the marching band that it wouldn't be welcome at Saturday's season-ending football game due to its behavior at last weekend's matchup in Ithaca, the department has reversed its decision, telling the band on Thursday night that it would be allowed to participate in the game as usual. [...] The story of the ban broke Wednesday on Spectator, and quickly incited unanticipated media attention. After getting picked up by Deadspin on Wednesday night, it quickly spread to hundreds of news sites, including ESPN, the Associated Press, and the New York Times.

You'll recall that the band had been banned from the 0-9 football team's season finale because they made jokes about the team losing and the fans boozing. Now national media attention has compelled the school to change its decision. According to Spec, some alumni threatened to withhold donations if the band's ban stood. And money talks at Columbia, particularly since the football team isn't good enough to inspire donations.

I'll share one half-correction, half-inspirational email we got from a former Columbia football player:

As a former football player for the Light Blue (CC'94), I would like to inform you that Jason Garrett (and his mentally-challenged brother Judd) only attended Columbia for one year since their father was offered a football staff position and they all bounced back to Princeton after their freshman year when father got canned (for apparent incompetence... AT COLUMBIA!). I did hear many rumors that Jason was balls-deep into Brooke Shields during that era but I have no video/photo evidence. The best part is that Jason was the QB of the Princeton team that "broke the streak" on Oct 8, 1988, so as far as I'm concerned I'd like to say to him "Thanks" and "Suck It™." Anyway, my point is that he did not graduate from Columbia.

And for the record, I think the CU Marching Band is hilarious. If the Athletic Dept doesn't want to fund them properly and force them to be a "club" activity, then they should suck-it-up when the team under-performs (or is it "non-performs") and take their lumps. Regardless, I'm sure they'll show up in some fashion and do their thing but for all of the things wrong with the Columbia Football program, the Marching Band ain't one of them.

Amen. Now get to it, band geeks, and mock those jocks.

Athletics reverses band ban [Columbia Specator]