Robert Not Bob

Texas Fight, Texas Fight; And it’s goodbye to a&m…….

Good-bye to texas university; So long to the Orange and the White……

If you are from the State of Texas or have even ever been in the state, especially in the Fall, then there’s a pretty good chance you know these words are from the fight songs of the two flagship public universities in Texas. One lays claim to being the first public university in the state and the other claims to be “the university of the first class” in the state.

I am a proud graduate of the “university of the first class,” also known as THE University of Texas and as expected I have many friends that are as well. But I also have many friends (and a few family members) that attended that other university over in College Station. This scenario of “mixed friendships” and “mixed families” has created an intense rivalry both on and off the athletic field.

Believe or not I did not grow up a hardcore Texas Longhorn fan. I was actually more interested in the SMU Mustangs – growing up back in the days of the Pony Express. It was not until I chose to go to UT that my attention really turned to this crazy rivalry. My first in-person exposure to the heated rivalry between Texas and Texas A&M was in the Spring of 1987 during my senior year in high school. By that time I had been accepted to the University of Texas (I chose UT for it’s top ranked Accounting program, not it’s sports teams) and several of my friends had been accepted to Texas A&M. Somehow we convinced our parents to let us take an overnight road trip to College Station to watch a baseball game – without any parents tagging along. It was not just any baseball game; it was a baseball game between the Horns and Aggies.

I don’t recall the score of that game, but the Horns were pretty good that season so I am guessing Texas came out on top. But I do recall the feeling of being out of place in a sea of maroon and white and having a burning desire to talk trash to my Aggie friends when the Horns made a good play. Needless to say, one exposure and I was hooked on the rivalry.

Fast forward 25 years to the Spring 2012, the last year in which the Horns and Aggies will be in the same conference. And for the foreseeable future, the last year the two schools will line up against each other in any sport. I had the pleasure of watching the final baseball game between these two schools this past weekend in Austin with one of my newer Aggie friends – and a former Aggie Yell Leader at that. Texas A&M had already won the series thanks to two solid victories, but bragging rights for that final game were still on the line. As we watched the game we both talked about what a shame it was for such a great rivalry to come to a halt. The trash talk was kept to a minimum, although I did catch my friend mouthing the Aggie version of Texas Fight a time or two. For that most part we were just two guys watching “America’s pastime” – Texas-style.

Lucky for me, the Horns came out on top of the final game with a thrilling come from behind in the 9th inning 2-1 victory. Much like in football, basketball, volleyball, and softball, the Horns baseball team won the final regular season meeting against the Aggies. The Aggies do get to claim wins in soccer, a Big XII title in golf and more than likely conference championships in track, so there is some balance in perpetual bragging rights.

I found it fitting that the last sporting event I watched in person between these two schools was the same as the first sporting event I watched between them. It started with baseball and for now has ended with baseball.

I for one hate to see this rivalry end. Both schools will survive without it, but a little something will be missing. Coca-Cola has Pepsi; McDonalds has Burger King; Superman has Lex Luthor. It’s fun to have a rival.

One can only hope that in time, the two schools will agree to play each other again. Until then we can only hope for some chance meetings in post-season play and hang onto the memories of past contests. And if we are lucky, this is not the death of the rivalry but merely a temporary suspension. But for now, it is (much like the songs say) “goodbye” to the rivalry.

Hook’em!!!

And as painful as it is to type, Gig’em!!!