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Retro Joe's Job: Drum major marching with Norfolk State

The year was 1992 and Joe's Job had been going strong for six years.  I was invited to try out as a drum major with the Norfolk State Marching Spartans.  

The year was 1992 and Joe's Job had been going strong for six years. I was invited to try out as a drum major with the Norfolk State Marching Spartans.

Talk about a challenge! We turned it into a two-part series. Part one was practicing on campus at Norfolk State. Part two was the actual game with Virginia State at Foreman Field, one week later. I'll never forget the date: October 27, 1992.

On the field at halftime, the feeling was just surreal. I had a nine-minute routine to go through and I had two captains flanking me and they put me in the middle, and named me Commander Groove. The audience was just cracking up.

The music was special and the dancing was outstanding. I think I made the comment that 182 out of 183 were fantastic. Yes, there were that many students in that performance.

"Go Joe! Go Joe! Go Joe!" was the chant as I even had to dance to my seat with my two captains.

Of the 1,500 Joe's Jobs I've done at WVEC-TV in 31 years, this one with Norfolk State goes down as the most popular. Over the years I have had more people comment on this one than any other Joe's Job. And I loved it!

"Don't quit your day job, Joe," was pretty much the sentiment of the president of NSU and his wife Dr's Harrison Wilson and Lucy Wilson. Great people.

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