UM helps band to march

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FAMU MARCHING 100

The University of Miami is going out of its way to ensure that when Florida A&M visits the Orange Bowl Saturday, it brings the hallmark of its football team: the marching band.
FAMU was not planning to bring the legendary band to the game because of budget constraints, according to UM senior associate athletic director Pete Garcia.
So Miami will cover an unspecified portion of the band's travel expenses.
The band's director, Julian White, declined to comment beyond saying that the ''Marching 100'' will perform at Saturday's game.
But Rattlers coach Rubin Carter, a former All-American defensive tackle at Miami, confirmed what Garcia said.
The FAMU marching band, once called the best in the country by Sports Illustrated, has been performing since 1892. The 300-plus-member band has played at the Grammy Awards and the Super Bowl, among other events.
''The choreography is unbelievable and the precision is unbelievable,'' Carter said. ``I want our football team to get to that type of precision.''
Garcia said he found out a few months ago that the band was not planning to attend the game. He said he called Carter directly and asked him to intervene, and offered the extra money about a month ago. Neither Garcia nor White would say how much the trip will cost Miami.
But Garcia said the band's halftime performance will be worth the expense. When asked how big of a crowd he expected for the game, Hurricanes linebacker Jon Beason said he wasn't sure. But he added, ``If anything, people will come to see the band.''
Miami Herald sportswriter Susan Miller Degnan contributed to this report

Big Ups to UM for That!