Any organization that has managed to ward off the icy hand of death as long as the Cal Band is bound to have quirks of some kind, and as it happens, the trombone section has plenty of traditions we happily bequeath unto newer generations of members. Here are some of them (you might want to use the bathroom before starting):

Woah Bones: Before the Cal Band madly stampedes to the steps of Sproul Hall to put on the noon concert before home football games, the trombones engage in a holla endearingly known as a "Woah Bones." After the eldest member gives a rousing pep talk to the section, we get in a huddle and shout something like, "Woah Bones, beat the Cardinal!" What follows a "Woah Bones" is optional, and usually depends on the mood of the section at the time. Sometimes it can be a "yo momma" joke, but often it's something less sophisticated, as we wouldn't want to sound pretentious or anything. A "Woah Bones" can also be used any time it's appropriate to show that the trombone section is super-great (not that everyone doesn't already know that the trombone section is super-great, naturally). Also, if appropriate (and when wouldn't it be?), an explicative follows the latter part of a "Woah Bones." For example, it may be something like, "Woah Bones, Beat the Trojans, B*tch." I love how it makes it less shocking when I put in an asterisk instead of the real letter, don't you?

Leading the March-Up Parade Block: Immediately following the noon concert, the band parades from Sather Gate to Memorial Stadium in a huge parade block, the trombones being in front, with a hundred and ten cornets close at hand. We're followed by rows and rows of the finest virtuosos; the cream of every famous band. And who better to lead this block than the trombone section? Yeah, I can't think of anyone better either (except for maybe the clarinets, oh wait, that really didn't work out). With the Drum Major setting the pace, the trombones lead the rest of the band through campus.

During March-Up: During march up, the percussion section plays several cadences, and the band responds with different movements and shouts. While the band reacts the same to many of the cadences, there are a few cadences for which each section reacts uniquely. Here are examples the trombone section's unique reactions (feel free to stand up and practice them on your own):

The Usual: This is the default. The marcher at the front of the left file is responsible for calling out each of the trombone reactions. If the left guide doesn't say anything, this is what is done. During this cadence we dip our trombones on beat one and kick out our left legs on beat three.
Karate Kick: A variation on The Usual, we dip our trombones on beat one, and do a karate style kick on beat two while screaming 'Yah.'
Joe West: Inspired by an alumnus who recently graduated, we pelvic thrust on beat two and scream 'Ungh.' A Ripple Joe West can also occur, following roughly the same procedure as the Ripple Spin (explained below).
Ripple Spin: At the specified time we spin in sequence, starting from the right file, a new person spinning every beat. The spin, in theory, should move down the line to the left and then reflect back to the right guide in the number of beats that the cadence allows.
Yo-Yo: We basically drop our trombones from a parallel position to the ground, to a position in which our arms hang lazily at our sides. Then, like a yo-yo, we snap them back up to carry position. The vocals involve groans of relief when the trombone is dropped, and high-pitched "woops" when we snap out trombones back into place. Vocals are fun. Yay.

Sledge: This cadence follows the cadence 'Bass Drums', and as per the left guide's wishes, we do one of the following in response to the cadence:

Horsey/Ride It: This movement involves mounting one's trombone as if it were one of those horse heads on a stick, trotting, and moving one's hand in a circular motion as if holding a lasso. There is argument as to whether the vocals should be "Horsey, Horsey" or "Ride It, Ride It," so both usually occur when this movement is called up.
Churning Butter: For this movement, we hold our trombones upright, with the slide perpendicular to the ground, and move our trombones in a circular movement, as if we were churning butter. The vocals for this movement are "Churn It, Churn It." Every now and again we'll engage in double time churning it, just for kicks.
Justus: Modeled after a trombone alumnus who once ran this way, we hold our trombones, with arms straight, far out in front of us, and step in double time, bringing our knees up to our waists. The vocals are "Justus, Justus."
Robot: As the name implies, we hold our trombones upright, and do the Robot. The vocals are "Robot, Robot."
Jon Stan: Inspired by another alumnus, we hold the trombone in carry position, turn to the left and say "What", turn to the right and say "What," and then point to ourselves with our free hand and say "You like?" Don't ask.
Fishing: Basically we make the movement of casting, and then the movement of reeling the fishy in. The vocals are: "Cast, Release".
Rowing: We hold our trombones in a vertical position, and move them like we're rowing. The vocals are "Stroke It, Stroke It."

Hip Hop Cadence: During this cadence, the percussion section plays three different hip-hop songs, and the entire band grooves. Here's how the trombones (most triumphantly) show the rest of the band how it's done:

Peaches and Cream: This is just a warm up. All the trombones groove however they want to, just to show that even when we don't have something choreographed, we're still the funkiest section in the band.
Next Episode: Upon the countdown, the trombones turn around and give the audience a little hands-on-the-knees-looking-back-booty-shakin' action. It's amazing.
Move B*tch: During this song, the bones represent by swinging their horns around and steppin' to the dope beat. This is either accompanied with vocals that are true to the original song, or a chant of "Go Bears, We got the Axe" or something along those lines.

The Titanic Song: Because we're in the front, we get to set the key for The Titanic Song, a thoughtful ballad telling the tragedy of Titanic's fate. Basically, right guide lets out a note, usually Bb, but if they're feeling saucy, they'll let out a nice B; saucy, because it takes a lot of effort to transpose when you're only singing. After the note the entire trombone section counts down, and the song begins. After the song ends, the trombones continue singing the best part of the song regarding the fate of the Titanic II. The rest of the band yells at us for doing it, but naturally it's just because they're jealous that they can't sing it too. As you can imagine, this whole episode is highly comical and not offensive in the least.

Kicking the Cone: As we explode out of North Tunnel for our pregame show, two trombone oldmen "Kick the Cone." We replace the two rubber orange cones that mark the end zone with vinyl "foot-friendly" cones before the show starts. Then, as the primary wings of the wedge come out of the tunnel, the two trombones on the end try to kick the cones into the seats. Needless to say, it takes a good deal of practice, though sadly, disgruntled fans, weary of less-than-exemplary cone-kickery, sometimes send the kickers hate-mail, complete with whimsical faux-anthrax substances, such as baking soda, or even baking powder.

Traditions Outside of Game Day

Slide Covers: In a scene reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting gone terribly, terribly wrong, we all sit around a sewing machine and put together fabric sleeves that wrap our slides. They're blue with gold lettering, and say "California" on one side. The other side can say anything, although the standard is usually "Golden Bones". These are made before Davis Picnic day so that we can look better than all the other trombone sections at the battle of the bands. And if we look better than all the other trombone sections, does anything else really matter?

Headchoppers: During the song 'Everybody's Everything' we engage in a pretty intense horn-flash called 'Headchoppers'. We stand in a line from tallest to shortest, and count-off the directions that we turn first when the guillotine-fest is reached in the music. For eight measures every other person will go left on beat one, back to middle on beat two, down on beat three, and back to middle on beat four. While those people are doing that, those in between those people will be doing the opposite: down on one, middle on two, left on three, middle on four. This means that while one person is down, the other person's slide is over that person's body. If you aren't on count, you get hit in the head, hence the name "headchoppers." The results are amusing, although it looks better for the audience when we don't screw up.

Showering: In a common-sense algorithm used to bring good luck to the football team, our youngest member showers before each game. The catch is, he or she has to shower with a special object bequeathed unto them by the youngest member of the previous year. If the youngest member fails to shower with the object and the team doesn't do well in the game, (read: 'sucks') it is obviously that member's fault. NOTE: THE MEMBER IN POSESSION OF THE SPECIAL SHOWER ITEM SHOULD BE SURE TO BRING IT WITH THEM ON THE BAND'S ANNUAL TRIP TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

Trombone Ties: Because trombones are the coolest, we wear ties the Friday rehearsal before the game, and the morning of the game to bring luck to the team. If the youngest member has showered with his or her shower "buddy," and someone forgets to wear their tie, it is the tie-neglecting delinquent's fault if the football team does not do well at the game. (Does this make sense? Of course it does. All traditions do).

The Cucumber Dance: At FTP check-in, we teach the incoming members "The Cucumber Dance." This dance requires a little coordination, and the ability to count up to at least five (most humanities majors can reach at least six). With certain movements that are far too complicated to explain here, the vocals "a yuga, a kuga, a yuga yuga, a kuga kuga, a yuga yuga yuga, a kuga kuga kuga, etc." are shouted. We continue to count up as high as we can with the vocals while speeding up, until the dance falls apart. Lots of fun!

Rolly-Poly: During FTP and sometimes during onsets of boredom throughout the marching season, the trombones (and other sections) will shout comical things about other people loud enough for the whole band to hear. Movements accompany the vocals, "Rolly, Poly, Hey ____, you're a ____!" Needless to say, this is an excellent way of procrastinating at FTP, and hilarity often ensues when sections spar verbally back and forth utilizing Rolly-Poly protocol.

Pantsing: Pantsing is what happens to you when you...oh...ho ho! But I jest! This is college, not kindergarten!