Editor's Note: Three years ago the College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences (LAS) chronicled Ted Brimeyer's first days as a freshman
member of the Cyclone Football "Varsity" Marching Band on the
Iowa State University's web site.
As he enters his senior year, LAS revisits Brimeyer, who is now one of three
drum majors in the marching band.
Three years ago in late August and early September you couldn't go onto
the Iowa State web page without reading about Ted Brimeyer.
Daily, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences chronicled Brimeyer's first
days with the Cyclone Football "Varsity" Marching Band. From the
time he checked out his mellophone to his first days learning the pre-game
and half time band routines to finally game day.
It was an experience that brought him a lot of notoriety.
"I had quite a few e-mails from random people who talked about how
much they enjoyed the series," Brimeyer said. "Others could come
up to me on campus and ask if I was the Internet.
"The response was overwhelming," he said three years ago. "My
in-box on my e-mail was literally flooded with notes from people I knew
commenting (on the series."
Brimeyer even heard from his old pre-school teacher whom he hadn't spoken
to in years.
He couldn't even escape the publicity when he went back to Ames High School
for Homecoming that fall. Copies of each of the articles were posted in
the Ames High School band room.
"It was very strange for me in a way," he said, "because
I've always been the type of person who doesn't brag on himself."
But Brimeyer also thinks the articles benefited him.
"It was good for me because everyone in the band knew who I was even
though I was just a freshman," he said. "I also think because
my name was out there - I was the guy on the web site - it gave me more
recognition when I tried out to be a drum major."
If his fellow band members were jealous of all the attention he received
they didn't mention it to him.
"They loved reading the articles," he said. "They would tell
me ‘finally people realize what it is like to be in the marching band.'
"People see us in our uniforms and watch us on the field and think
that's all there is. They don't realize all the hard work that goes into
each and every show."
