Go read it here - it is worth your time: http://www.kstatecollegian.com/2015/09/09/aml-with-dr-frank-tracz/
Best quotes from Frank:
On inviting Shatner:
"Don’t be surpised if it happens."
On whether he ever expected to come to Kansas *personal favorite* :
"No, I didn’t. When I got the call to come interview here—I didn’t apply, they called me to ask if I would be interested because they needed a director to build a program here—I came out, got the job, and fell in love with the place. I thought I would stay a couple years and then go back to Ohio because that’s where all my family is. We fell in love with the place, the university, the students. I plan to be here until death, retirement or assasssination. I hope the latter doesn’t happen."
On prior approval:
"Good questions. I'm not real happy about the prior approval, but that's part of the sanctions and punishments I guess, so we're going to do that. I've been doing this over over 30 years and this is the first time something like this has happened, so I have a pretty good record I guess. The problem is that sometimes we're doing these drills to in the middle in the night and have to rush around the next morning to get things printed and finalized. I understand what they're doing, they're looking for what they consider wrong for lack of a better term. It won't stop our creativity, though."
On whether the story got out of control:
"I don't know if anything could have avoided this other than us not doing it. We're such a PC world right now; everything's recorded, everyone's got access to what they need very quickly and they're looking for things to create a controversy or give them leverage. It's a different world and if I made a mistake, it's not recognizing that. I learned and I won't do that again. It's too bad, people make fun of me all the time, all in good fun, and I can handle it. My bottom line opinion is that there's a lot more things in the world that we need to be upset about other than a marching band formation in the middle of Kansas."
On whether he damaged the value of a KSU degree:
"First of all, we didn’t damage anything. The K-State band did not do anything wrong, nor did I, and I take offense at the accusation that we did anything wrong. Folks who know this band know that we are the most ardent cheerleaders of this school that there is. There was nothing intended other than the Starship Enterprise taking on the space alien Jayhawk."
On whether the Sudler Trophy will be taken away:
"No, they're going to get it next week on Sept. 19th. That was the first thing that came through my mind, because that would have been devastating to me as I know how hard these students have worked. The chairman of the committee is going to conduct the Star Spangled Banner at the home game and the whole Sudler family will be there.
In fact, the trophy is sitting in my office right now, I dare anyone to come take it from me. It will be officially presented next Saturday, let the party begin!"
On whether the public can come support them during a practice:
"We will be outside next week. We are inside this week working music. Next week we will be outside working drills. As long as the weather holds up, we will be in Memorial Stadium Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons. If I may suggest, Friday would work well, as the Sudler people will be there, and there will be some excitement prior to gameday."
On tOSU Job:
"Thanks, Scott! To be honest, I was looking at K-State as a stepping stone to go somewhere else. I always had a dream to go back to Ohio State and to be the band director there. But as I got involved here, I began to realize that the students here are special, and started to think that this could turn into something very, very good, and that it woul be better for me to continue to develop and work this program as best I could because the reward personally and collectively would be much bigger if I saw this through, as opposed to going to another university that already had a top-notch program. The bottom line is that the appeal of building something has more allure to me than “buying” something."
Best quotes from Frank:
On inviting Shatner:
"Don’t be surpised if it happens."
On whether he ever expected to come to Kansas *personal favorite* :
"No, I didn’t. When I got the call to come interview here—I didn’t apply, they called me to ask if I would be interested because they needed a director to build a program here—I came out, got the job, and fell in love with the place. I thought I would stay a couple years and then go back to Ohio because that’s where all my family is. We fell in love with the place, the university, the students. I plan to be here until death, retirement or assasssination. I hope the latter doesn’t happen."
On prior approval:
"Good questions. I'm not real happy about the prior approval, but that's part of the sanctions and punishments I guess, so we're going to do that. I've been doing this over over 30 years and this is the first time something like this has happened, so I have a pretty good record I guess. The problem is that sometimes we're doing these drills to in the middle in the night and have to rush around the next morning to get things printed and finalized. I understand what they're doing, they're looking for what they consider wrong for lack of a better term. It won't stop our creativity, though."
On whether the story got out of control:
"I don't know if anything could have avoided this other than us not doing it. We're such a PC world right now; everything's recorded, everyone's got access to what they need very quickly and they're looking for things to create a controversy or give them leverage. It's a different world and if I made a mistake, it's not recognizing that. I learned and I won't do that again. It's too bad, people make fun of me all the time, all in good fun, and I can handle it. My bottom line opinion is that there's a lot more things in the world that we need to be upset about other than a marching band formation in the middle of Kansas."
On whether he damaged the value of a KSU degree:
"First of all, we didn’t damage anything. The K-State band did not do anything wrong, nor did I, and I take offense at the accusation that we did anything wrong. Folks who know this band know that we are the most ardent cheerleaders of this school that there is. There was nothing intended other than the Starship Enterprise taking on the space alien Jayhawk."
On whether the Sudler Trophy will be taken away:
"No, they're going to get it next week on Sept. 19th. That was the first thing that came through my mind, because that would have been devastating to me as I know how hard these students have worked. The chairman of the committee is going to conduct the Star Spangled Banner at the home game and the whole Sudler family will be there.
In fact, the trophy is sitting in my office right now, I dare anyone to come take it from me. It will be officially presented next Saturday, let the party begin!"
On whether the public can come support them during a practice:
"We will be outside next week. We are inside this week working music. Next week we will be outside working drills. As long as the weather holds up, we will be in Memorial Stadium Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons. If I may suggest, Friday would work well, as the Sudler people will be there, and there will be some excitement prior to gameday."
On tOSU Job:
"Thanks, Scott! To be honest, I was looking at K-State as a stepping stone to go somewhere else. I always had a dream to go back to Ohio State and to be the band director there. But as I got involved here, I began to realize that the students here are special, and started to think that this could turn into something very, very good, and that it woul be better for me to continue to develop and work this program as best I could because the reward personally and collectively would be much bigger if I saw this through, as opposed to going to another university that already had a top-notch program. The bottom line is that the appeal of building something has more allure to me than “buying” something."
