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Texas A&M has been about as relevant to me as a hairbrush at a bald convention for most of my life.
To be fair, it's not like the Aggies have lit up the football field enough to catch this native Floridian's eye. Sure, I knew about R.C. Slocum's glory days in the early '90s, but after that, Texas A&M was just another average program—until Johnny Manziel swaggered onto the scene and became college football's rock star. I was hooked on Johnny Football's antics, and like many, I tuned in just for the spectacle. His Netflix documentary's success speaks volumes about his enduring allure.
But since landing in Texas on June 1, 2014, the Aggies haven't been much more than background noise to me. The last Texas vs. Texas A&M showdown was on November 24, 2011, and it feels like Justin Tucker is still running after his game-winning field goal. The football rivalry was dead. Sure, they battled for the same recruits, but not on the field. I knew the fans loathed each other, but covering three 5-7 Longhorn teams and hyping practice reps for young players before the "prestigious" Alamo Bowl was its own special kind of torment.
However, mark your calendars for November 30. The rivalry reignites at Kyle Field.
It is time for me to brush up on the Aggies.
On June 23, 2019, I wrote an unpopular column with a simple headline: “College football needs Texas and Texas A&M to renew its rivalry.”
Here is a portion of what I wrote:
“When you think about college football, there are historic rivalries that mean so much to the sport we love. Texas and Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown. Alabama and Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Ohio State and Michigan. “The beauty of Army and Navy. Notre Dame and USC. Florida State versus Florida and Miami. Clemson and South Carolina in The Palmetto Bowl. Georgia and Georgia Tech. Even the small schools have rivalry games.
“However, college football fans have been denied one of the greatest football rivalries since 2011. Each side has given reasonable explanations why this game has not been played again. However, it does not negate the need for this rivalry to be renewed. Pride has played a part. Ego is also to blame. Some fans on both sides will tell you good riddance. Other fans will say bring it on.
“College football needs Texas and Texas A&M to renew its rivalry.”
That column produced 17 pages worth of comments. I was called just about everything except a Child of God. Most Longhorn fans thought it was absurd to play Texas A&M again. Many of you were willing to help me pack and return to the Sunshine State. Others told me to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.
Five years later, here we are.
So, tell me about these Aggies.
Surely, it cannot be as bad as you guys have suggested for so many years.
I asked Chad Hastings, our resident Aggie, for a little help.
Anwar: "There is a dog cemetery with a clock?"
Chad: "Yes, all the dead Reveilles are buried at the North end of the stadium. The Corps puts fresh flowers on each grave for game days and there is a scoreboard on that end. It's so the Revs can "see the game". In the old days, there was a tunnel in that end so they could "see in" but when they closed the North end, the scoreboard was created. Wait, we're not done... When construction happened, they moved the Reveilles across the street to a different location. They put a temporary scoreboard over there too.
Comment: If the dog can use its powers to see through a coffin and the ground it's buried in, why can’t the dog see through the stadium?
Anwar: Aggie Yell?
Chad: "Midnight yell practice, 12 a.m. on a GameDay Saturday. Home games at Kyle Field, road games at a certain location in that town. When they played at Texas, it happened on the steps of the Capitol building. I assume that is what will happen in 2025. Yell Practice is basically practicing the yells and the yell leaders tell a story/joke or two. If you have seen something go viral from a yell leader, it's probably from midnight yell."
Comment: Oh, I am very familiar with tradition. I am sure this is a hit with the ladies.
Anwar: Something about you having to kiss somebody during a game?
Chad: “Not somebody, your date. Think about the history. All male school back in the day, and everybody is in The Corps. If you could get a date to come to the game, it might be your only chance for any action. So the tradition is simply when the team scores, so do you. Most just kiss on TDs and FGs. My dad sneaks a kiss on XPTs. He always joked that when he was there they kissed on first downs cause the team was so bad.”
Comment: Do cousins count?
Okay, I had to do some more research.
This is from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
--- Texas A&M has something called “Fish Camp”, a welcome camp for freshmen where they learn cheers and meet other Aggies?
I am surprised this occurs in Palestine and not Waco.
--- From the Yell Leader website: “When people want to know where the cheerleaders are during Aggie games, they quickly learn Aggies don't cheer — they yell.”
This is getting more cringeworthy.
--- Apparently, the Gig ‘Em hand sign began in the 1930s as an encouragement to “Gig”, or hunt, TCU Horned Frogs. And apparently, Aggies hiss and whoop instead of booing?
I guess weirding out your opponents is a form of intimidation.
--- I never knew the reason that an Texas A&M cadet pulled a sword was because an SMU cheerleader dared to step onto Kyle Field.
There are a few things I do not have an issue with.
--- The 12th Man does not sound bad. Minnesota, Iowa, and Baylor reportedly used the phrase before the Aggies. However, it does have a nice ring to it.
--- The Corps of Cadets “utilizes a military based cultural model to develop our students, there is no military obligation tied to your status as a cadet. In fact, over 60% of all cadets go on to work in the public and private sectors after graduation.” As a person who respects our military, I have no issue with the Aggies using it to better their students.
--- I like Billy Liucci - seriously.
Liucci has always been respectful to me, unlike some college football “reporters.” He has been helpful whenever I have asked for his input. I’ve been on his shows and vice-versa before the SEC announcement. I even did the Lord’s work and reunited Billy and Ketch in 2021.
Liucci is a smart businessman. He provides Texas A&M fans with the content they want and understands that trolling Longhorn fans is also good for business. I know that will not prevent the “pink thing” from appearing in the comments, but I can only judge a person by how he treats me.
Let us get back on track.
From their midnight yelling sessions to their peculiar frog-gigging hand signs, it's safe to say the Aggies have a flair for the bizarre.
I can't help but wonder: maybe there's more to this Texas-sized spectacle than meets the eye. After all, if they can turn dog cemeteries into game-day shrines and transform kissing into a sport, then perhaps I've underestimated the power of the maroon and white.
As the countdown to November 30 looms large, I'm ready to embrace the madness of the Aggies with open arms.
I just will not yell it.
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
The internet is undefeated
He handled that so well
The spirit is willing, but the body is weak
Rodney went down, hard
Sports On A Dime
1. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin on the slight differences between his offense and Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian’s: “I think we've both evolved in the way that we coach and the way that our offensive systems are. I probably branched further away, where he would look a little more traditional like we used to, and that really came with the Baylor influence, and going to FAU with Kendall [Briles], and having [Jeff] Lebby with us at Ole Miss. We really kind of kind of moved away that way, styles and tempo.”
2. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer on Steve Sarkisian’s program at Texas: “, Certainly, over two years you can see, and following coach Sark, and our paths haven’t connected. But he was a Washington head coach at one time, too. I Understand what he’s done there with the program. He has done a great job, building it, improving it each and every year. And of course, I've seen that in the last two years. An extremely competitive team with a lot of talent. Great physicality and been through it now. Won some big games. Also, learning from the experiences that they've had together as a program. I know guys graduate, guys move on. But I can see the direction it's going so you know, giving some props to Coach Sark and what he's what he's building.”
3. Sarkisian likes to say they do not lead with NIL … but Texas will flex when necessary.
4. My biggest concern about the upcoming season is a potential letdown. Very few Texas fans acknowledge this team does have questions that need to be answered (defensive tackles, new receivers, pass defense, keeping the quarterback healthy, etc.) I hope this team’s floor is 10-2.
5. There are many reasons to believe that Alabama will not be the same without Nick Saban. However, flipping Duncanville quarterback Keelon Russell from SMU to Alabama is not one of them. Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian kicked the tires on Russell but chose not to jeopardize the commitment of KJ Lacey and never extended a scholarship offer to the Duncanville quarterback. Russell had offers from Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss, Oregon, and Texas A&M. We know Duncanville is an elite program. SMU is an ACC program. Oh, and Kalen DeBoer might know a thing or two about the quarterback position – see Michael Penix Jr. I do not know if Russell will emerge into a standout college football player. However, I do know his commitment to Alabama is far from laughable.
6. Texas may not be a program that slaps a corporate sponsor on the 50-yard line. Nevertheless, there will be plenty of programs that need money and will sell their fields to the highest bidders.
Check out a portion of an NCAA release this past week:
“On a recommendation from the Football Rules Committee, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Thursday approved allowing commercial sponsor advertisements on football fields for regular-season games in all three divisions, starting with the 2024 season.
“Under the new rule, the corporate advertisements can be placed in three spots on the field: A single advertisement centered on the 50-yard line is allowed in addition to no more than two smaller flanking advertisements elsewhere on the field. This could be done on a game-by-game basis or for the whole season.
“One rationale for the rule change is to align regular-season games in home stadiums with those already existing advertisement allowances for games played in the postseason bowl games and neutral-site games.
“This move also provides an additional revenue opportunity for schools that has not been available during the regular season.”
7. I do not blame the Alamo Bowl for trying. However, we never need to see Texas play in the Alamo Bowl again. Ketch and I once did a postgame show on December 31 when Texas defeated Utah on New Year’s Eve. We have done enough.
Here is a portion of CBSSports.com story:
“Texas and Oklahoma will not be considered for selection by the Alamo Bowl after its appeal to keep the SEC-bound blue bloods as a part of its existing contract was denied, according to The Action Network. Beginning this season, Texas and Oklahoma will participate fully in SEC bowl selection.
“The Alamo Bowl has two years on its contract to slot a Big 12 team against a Pac-12 team. The Action Network reported in February that Pac-12 teams will remain tied into the bowl contract instead of transitioning to the Big Ten's bowl schedule since the former has no other means of fulfilling the bowl contract.
“Unlike the Pac-12, the Big 12 has backfilled its departures with a number of new teams, jumping from 10 teams to 16 in just three years. The Big 12 will be able to easily fill an Alamo Bowl slot with its new membership, though four members -- Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah -- are still beholden to a handful of bowl contracts. The Alamo Bowl historically gets the No. 1 pick of the non-New Year's Six bowls for Big 12 and Pac-12 opponents.
“While the Alamo Bowl is regarded as one of the more well-run bowls outside of the New Year's Six, the bowl game drew ire from Texas fans. Between 2012 and 2022, the Longhorns played in the bowl five times in 11 years; they made a New Year's Six bowl only once over that period. The Alamo Bowl, played in San Antonio, is only 80 miles from Austin, minimizing its attractiveness as a bowl tourism trip for UT fans."
8. The months of December and January will be heaven on earth for college football fans
9. Adrien Broner was supposed to be the next Floyd Mayweather Jr. but became more focused on his fame and was never the same after losing to Marcos Maidana in 2023. If he was more “About Boxing” than “About Billions,” he may have enjoyed a more successful career.
10. Brad Stuver has my vote
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