Manny Laureano

Ya gotta love it...

A few weeks ago, the trumpet section and Doc were approached about playing the national anthem at a Vikings game while Doc was in town. The Vikings even went so far as to cancel an opera singer they had tapped to be there in order to have Doc play. Doc said he would only do it if the trumpet section were involved and that's how this all started.

When Doc got here he was besieged by requests for this appearance and that appearance and it got to be too much so he asked to bow out of the Vikings game leaving the MO trumpets to do it. Also, our regular third player, Doug Carlsen, also had to bow out at the last moment. Not to fear, as our old third player was going to be at the game anyway and was happy to be asked. So, Ron Hasselmann was once again a member of the section!

All the arrangements were made and we got to the Metrodome about 9:30 for the early mornng soundcheck. It was very cool to hear that amount of sound fill the joint up through the miracle of sound technology. We were told that it had to be 1' 35" or less or the guy organizing it would get fired due to advertising fines from television commercial contracts.

It came in at 1' 34" flat.

We were escorted upstairs and treated to a WONDERFUL breakfast buffet but not before Chuck Lazarus noticed the Vikings cheerleaders. It was like watching a cubscout being given the keys to the local Toys R Us store. HE said "Wouldn't it be cool to get a picture with them for Showcase magazine?" Showcase is the glossy program you get when you come to hear the band play at Orchestra Hall.

So, we enjoyed a leisurely brunch, shot the breeze, and saw a few football celebrities that were there like Jerry Burns, the old coach of the Vikings. At 11:35 we went back to the filed and naturally ran into a gaggle of cheerleaders getting ready to descend en masse to the field.

I grabbed Chuck, wiped away the drool, and brought him up to where the girls were and said to the closest one, 'Excuse me, but would you please say hello to my friend here before he has a major meltdown?" They smiled and lavished much attention on Mr. Lazarus. Immediately, a camera came out from somewhere and we wre having our pictures taken with the lovely lasses. I had to laugh when the lady taking the pictures said "Please scrunch together a bit more..."

No problem.

She snapped picture after picture and I said "Do you think that's enough? How about eight or nine more just to be sure?"

We went to our holding area and awaited the moment. The moment came and it was very exciting. I never tire of the chance to do that. It's still a big honor to do that and I hope it never loses its luster, playing the anthem. It would have been nice if someone had remembered to tell us there would be firework going off during the "...rockets red glare " section but it was fine, no problem.

We were given seats near the end zone on the field and watched the game for about an hour. It was the first football game I've ever been to and I thoroughly enjoyed it for the little time I was there.

At one point Rob Muller, the coordinator for such things, crooked his finger at me and asked me to accompany hm somewhere. I had no idea where we were going. He took me to the endzone so I could watch a few of the plays from about as close up as you could get. He said "Okay, stay here... the girls will be coming on in a second."

Huh, girls?... wha..?

The next thing I knew, it was the end of the 1st quarter and right in front of me the entire cheerleading team (about 30 of them) performed this rather wonderful dance for me (seemingly). I felt like the King of Persia for about 2 and a half minutes. It sort of felt as though I should be saying "Okay... yes... that one, that one, that one... this rather lovely one over here and, uh, yes, the two over there for later."

It was great.

Then it was time to get back to reality and the final Christmas show with Doc back at the hall. The Vikes lost but who cares. I had a ball and I hope they ask us back soon.

ML

Mikey

Hummina hummina............


I will be expecting an autographed picc. I bet Doc will really regret bowing out of that opportunity...


(And Chuck L. needs a cold shower......)






M.

davidjohnson

all trumpeters deserve such fine treats!!!

dj

rjzeller

Are you kidding? After reading that, I think I need a cold shower.

Manny engenders an unhealthy level of envy yet again....

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There are 10 kinds of people in the world: Those who understand binary and those who do not.

MrClean

As they say...

"This thread is useless without pictures!!"

Rgale

We're waiting for the pictures!
Don't let us down, Pasha Laureano....

And having heard Lazarus' album, I think he has now justly recieved the kind of thanks that any trumpet player would really appreciate!

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Listen to your inner voice before it says ,"I told you so".

Solar Bell

PICTURES PLEASE!!!

Otherwise, how can we believe you?

Boy, when you first picked up that trumpet in the 4th grade...did you ever imagine?

-cw-

__________________
Chuck Willard
The Willard of Oz

"Don't be afraid to see what you see."
Ronald Reagan

trumpetmike

MJ

Show us the Pics Manny!

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40cal

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“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day so that my child may have peace.”

Thomas Paine 1737-1809

“That’s all the bullets we had, or we would have shot him more,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd