Stanford Marching Band's Top 10 Controversial Moments

Let's take a ride with one of college football's most famous marching bands, shall we? It's a wild ride, at that. The band doesn't really march—the members scatter. Or run like crazy from one point to another. It all depends how you look at it. Beer helps.

But they do put out some of the best sounds in the country, all while mocking anything that has any shroud of decency or respect.

Ladies and gentlemen, we give the crowning ten best moments of the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band.

Warning: some images or descriptions may contain graphic material not suitable for some viewers.

10. Stanford vs Washington 1986

The date: October 11, 1986.

The location: Stanford Stadium

The controversy: A band member was caught urinating in public during a performance. On the field. Or was he? Stanford's band denies this happened (http://lsjumb.stanford.edu/about/press/) and some accounts say two members—who very drunk post game—relieved themselves in a grassy corner of the field.

Grassy Field Theory?

No. 9 Stanford vs USC 1986

The date: October 19, 1986

The location: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

The controversy: After the public urination incident at the Washington game the previous week, Stanford continued on its rampage and spelled out no "NO BALLZ" during a halftime performance. Because of this incident and the one preceding it, the band was banned from traveling to the UCLA game.

You would think these academic overachievers could spell correctly, no?

No. 8 Los Angeles County Courthouse, 1994

The date: 1994

The location: Los Angeles County Courthouse

The controversy: Around twenty band members skipped rehearsal and instead showed up outside the LA County Courthouse during jury selection for the murder trial of OJ Simpson. The band was disciplined by the school for several things, not withstanding their rendition of The Zombies' "She's Not There."

One of Simpson's attorneys (Robert Shapiro) called the band's behavior "a new low in tasteless behavior."

It's so hard to decide, though. There are so many lows to choose from.

No. 7 Stanford vs Notre Dame 1991

The date: October 5th, 1991

The location: Stanford Stadium

The controversy: The band's drum major dressed up as a nun (including full habit) and conducted the band with a wooden cross. After the halftime performance, an Irish fan ran on to the field and grabbed the habit off of his head. When the drum major got into a scuffle with the fan after retrieving his habit, the fan told him, "you're going to hell for this."

The University of Notre Dame temporarily banned Stanford from its campus after this incident.

Were they forgiven?

No. 6 Stanford vs BYU 2004

The date: September 11, 2004

The location: Stanford Stadium

The controversy: The band decided to take aim at Mormons this time around. The Stanford dance troupe, known as Dollies, were dressed in wedding veils during a halftime performance. The band manager knelt in front of each Dollie and proposed, while the band's announcer described the scene as "the sacred bond that exists between a man and a woman... and a woman... and a woman... and a woman... and a woman."

So this is how "Big Love" got its pilot?

No. 5 Stanford vs USC 1994

The date: October 15,1994

The location: Stanford Stadium

The controversy: The band entered Stanford Stadium in a Ford white Bronco and drove around the stadium's track at a low rate of speed. "Bloody" hand prints were all over the Bronco, in reference to former Trojan OJ Simpson's alleged crime scene.

Stanford still can't forgive OJ for leaving San Francisco for the Southland.

No. 4 Stanford vs San Jose State 1992

The date: September 26, 1992

The location: Stanford Stadium

The controversy: The band was asked by the Athletic Department to fire its announcers after one of them said over the stadium's loudspeakers at half time, "No chuppah, no schtuppa."

What the heck is a schtuppa?

No. 3 Stanford vs Notre Dame 1997

The date: October 4, 1997

The location: Stanford Stadium

The controversy: The laundry list for this game is long and illustrious. One band member dressed up as a Catholic Cardinal—while another was in a devil costume—and acted out a fight on the field.

The band's show, "These Irish, Why Must they Fight?" was the subject of racial and religious overtones. But the band didn't quit there, they also did a Riverdance formation and a Potato Famine joke.

Notre Dame responded to the mockery of their religion and ethnicity by banning Stanford from all Notre Dame games until the year 2000.

Are the band members' photos on a wall at South Bend Airport?

No. 2 Stanford at Oregon 1990

The date: October 27, 1990

The location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon

The controversy: The band decided to do a spoof on how logging has affected the Spotted Owl's habitats, this time on the road, away from the somewhat safe confines of Stanford Stadium.

Knowing how nature-loving Oregonians feel about endangered species despite having a huge logging undustry, the band infuriated the entire state by performing in a chainsaw formation, and changing the word "Owl" to "AWOL."

The Governor of Oregon "banned" the band from stepping foot in the state of Oregon, although that later was rescinded.

How embarrassing is it when your governor tries to ban something from entering a state and he has no power to do that?

No.1 Stanford vs Cal 1982

The date: November 20, 1982

The location: California Memorial Stadium

The greatest controversy of all: With four seconds left in the Big Game, Stanford kicked off to Cal with a 20-19 lead. Cal ending up winning the game 25-20 after completing five lateral passes and knocking down Stanford Band trombone player Gary Tyrrell.