A&M honors its traditions
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BY STEVEN M. SIPPLE / Lincoln Journal Star
Rob Childress’ favorite Texas A&M tradition?
“I do really enjoy ‘sawing Varsity’s horns off,’ ” he says.
It’s OK if you’re confused. Unless you’re an Aggie, you would be hard pressed to realize “saw Varsity’s horns off” is a lyric that typically follows the spirited Aggie War Hymn.
“Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!”
“Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!”
Those are the first words of the Aggie War Hymn. Again, don’t be confused. It’s all part of the fun of being an Aggie, and part of the joy of attending a football game at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, among the most unique places in all of sport.
“With the many traditions that go on there, it’s really something to see,” says Childress, the former Nebraska baseball pitching coach who now serves as Texas A&M’s head coach.
“I would say it’s the loudest place I’ve been,” says Tim Cassidy, Nebraska associate athletic director for football who worked for nearly 20 years at Texas A&M in various capacities.
The thing is, there’s a method to the madness at Texas A&M, a fact that sets it apart from many college football game days. For instance, Midnight Yell Practice is held the night before home games. As many as 40,000 fans often attend, as yell leaders unveil new yells and hand signals (called “passbacks”) to prompt those yells during games.
It should be noted that Texas A&M has yell leaders instead of cheerleaders. The five yell leaders, traditionally male, are elected by the student body.
“Everything is designed for the volume to hit at peak times,” Cassidy says. “When the quarterback gets under the center, the crowd’s doing its best to disrupt the audibles. Everything is more orchestrated, as opposed to when you have cheerleaders bouncing around and leading cheers.”
Says Texas A&M coach Dennis Franchione: “Our fans are educated. They understand football — they’re a lot like Nebraska fans in a lot of ways. They’re appreciative of opponents, yet they want to make it loud and difficult for them when they’re on the field.”
Childress, preparing for his second season at A&M, says he likes to send recruits to Midnight Yell Practice “just to feel the college environment here and the tradition that is so special.
“I love the camaraderie of what goes on on campus,” Childress says. “I mean, it’s a special thing, and all of the Aggies take pride in being an Aggie.”
No question A&M has unique traditions. From the 12th Man, to the Corps of Cadets, to mascot collie Reveille (the “First Lady” of A&M), to the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band — the traditions (click here for a list of some of them) have helped turn football into a way of life. Nebraska coaches and players will experience the Aggie game-day experience today when the teams meet at 2:30 p.m. in a regionally televised game (ABC).
Cassidy’s favorite A&M tradition was the Texas Aggie Bonfire, a massive structure that until 1999 was constructed and ignited each year the night before A&M’s game against blood rival Texas. The stack of several thousand logs collapsed in the early morning of Nov. 18, 1999, killing 12 students and injuring at least 27 others. The bonfire symbolized “the burning desire to beat the hell out of Texas.”
Says Cassidy: “It was just another reason for 50,000 A&M people to get together. It’s a real tight group of people.”
Childress is happy to report the 12th Man tradition — which dictates that the student body stands throughout a game, ready to help the team — spills into other Aggie sports.
“Our baseball facility isn’t the newest or nicest in the Big 12 Conference, but I really feel like it’s the best college baseball environment in the country when the game starts,” he says. “The 12th Man sits above the first-base dugout, and it’s extremely suffocating. I can honestly say I’m glad to be in the third-base dugout.”
As a “huge” college football fan, Childress says, he’ll be thrilled to be at Kyle Field today.
He only wishes he could’ve been at Midnight Yell Practice.
“I can’t find a baby sitter who’ll work past midnight.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
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