Playbook Optional with Daniel Gotera
Oct 13, 2026 · 26 min · 9 segments
Northwestern's new Ryan Field is an architectural masterpiece. But after attending homecoming, I walked away wondering something I never expected: **What happened to the Northwestern I grew up…
Daniel GoteraHost
Uh, but Northwestern, where do I begin? And I think the right place to begin on my thoughts with Northwestern are by giving you a little bit of context and history for me in relation to my relationship to the university.
Because people could be listening to this and will listen to this and be like, "Oh my God, this guy is just an old man yelling at clouds.
And I'm not saying that all the stuff that's happening at Northwestern is bad, okay? But to give you a little bit of context, my relationship with Northwestern goes back all the way when I was four years old or when I was a little kid.
Like I said, my dad graduated from Northwestern, so as a little kid, I would go to Northwestern games a lot, and I would experience Northwestern through a different lens.
I was somebody that went to games and was a part of the Northwestern University Marching Band family.
My dad was in the marching band, and later when I went to school, I was in the marching band.
So, like, any time I had a relationship with Northwestern, it was through that marching band lens.
And when you're in the marching band, and when you're part of that family, you see things a little bit differently when it comes to Northwestern, or really when it comes to any type of college football atmosphere, right? So the band at Northwestern dates back years, decades, have been going to Northwestern football games, have been playing at Northwestern football games for a long time.
And if there's one group that has been loyal and has supported the Northwestern University football rec- program more than the marching band, I'd like to find them, because the marching band has been there almost since day one.
In fact, there was a time when people would go to the games, not to watch the football team.
Uh, but Northwestern, where do I begin? And I think the right place to begin on my thoughts with Northwestern are by giving you a little bit of context and history for me in relation to my relationship to the university.
Because people could be listening to this and will listen to this and be like, "Oh my God, this guy is just an old man yelling at clouds.
And I'm not saying that all the stuff that's happening at Northwestern is bad, okay? But to give you a little bit of context, my relationship with Northwestern goes back all the way when I was four years old or when I was a little kid.
Like I said, my dad graduated from Northwestern, so as a little kid, I would go to Northwestern games a lot, and I would experience Northwestern through a different lens.
I was somebody that went to games and was a part of the Northwestern University Marching Band family.
My dad was in the marching band, and later when I went to school, I was in the marching band.
So, like, any time I had a relationship with Northwestern, it was through that marching band lens.
And when you're in the marching band, and when you're part of that family, you see things a little bit differently when it comes to Northwestern, or really when it comes to any type of college football atmosphere, right? So the band at Northwestern dates back years, decades, have been going to Northwestern football games, have been playing at Northwestern football games for a long time.
And if there's one group that has been loyal and has supported the Northwestern University football rec- program more than the marching band, I'd like to find them, because the marching band has been there almost since day one.
In fact, there was a time when people would go to the games, not to watch the football team.
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