My first recollection of Texas was from the 1969 Cotton Bowl game against Tennessee. I was nine years old and living in Tallahassee, Florida. I was a huge Seminole fan. My Dad got his BA, MA and PH. D. from FSU. I was also a huge football fan and watched all the bowl games. I clearly remember Big Bertha, Bevo and the entire spectacle of the Longhorn band. For some reason, I loved college football bands (my cousin was the Drum Major for the Florida State Marching Band). I was always attracted to the half-time show and the Longhorns fight song and alma mater kind of drew my attention. So it wasn't just the team, it was the entire aura of Texas football.
A year later I moved to Laredo. This was quite devastating to me at the time but all is well because I have life-time friends from down there and am now seriously dating a lady I met back in 1975 from my high school!
Anyway, I continued to follow college football and I arrived with my aforementioned affinity for the Longhorns. It just flat-out stuck with me. I saw the famous Texas-Arkansas game on TV and also the bowl games against Notre Dame. I was blown away by Steve Worster, Roosevelt Leaks and Earl Campbell. Darrell Royal was a larger than life icon and I remember Chris Schenkel and Bud Wilkinson calling some of their games along with the Prudential Halftime report. Texas WAS college football to me.
Later when it came time to go to college I was steered towards Trinity University which was a very fine college. I regret not going to Texas but was trying to find a new place where I didn't know anybody because I wanted a clean start away from my high school culture as many of my friends went to Texas.
I've retained my love of the school for all these years. And to seal the deal, I moved to Austin in 1994 and have been here ever since. Both of my children were born here. So there's some blood for me though none of us have gone to Texas.
And I can safely say I was never interested in Aggy. And my aversion only grew when I became familiar with their traditions. Sorry Aggy... I just don't get it... don't want to get... will never get it...
Hook 'em from you favorite T-Shirt fan...
Now you know why I called myself bystander.
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Last edited: Apr 15, 2019