20 years ago today. I remember exactly where I was when I saw the tragic news on Hornfans. Gig 'em Ags, fellow Texans, brothers and sisters.
Nice tribute Dion Every innocent life lost is sad . It is especially tragic when so many innocent young lives were lost in a preventable accident like that was. Very sad.
I think that incident was what propelled me to start posting on TexAgs. I stopped lurking and posting after 2011, but that was very "formative" in terms of how people interact online.
Yea, I have mixed feeling to the aggs. My brother in law is a prof there and one of my kids went there. Kid still likes Texas as much as the aggs. He never really got into football there and as a EE graduating highest honors he just didn't have time for it. He also worked with handicapped kids on Saturdays. I don't think all the aggs buy into the hate Texas culture anymore. School is more diverse than it was when I was in college. But try as I might once the ball is kicked I'm generally rooting against them. I try but just can't quite get over the hump. I was impressed with how we came together as a state that year, but not happy we didn't match their intensity in the 2nd half.
It's easy to read Texags and come away with the belief that is a Nazi youth group-think cult. But out of all the friends and family members I have known that attended there, I've yet to know an Ag that is 'red-***'. And I agree with you Wadster, the younger Ags are even less so with the hate. I've had a couple of my kid's friends attend there and refused to go to fish camp. I figured they'd catch hell and be labeled New Army or 2%'ers. But they said it was no big deal.
The bonfire collapse is on the same list as the Challenger explosion, 9/11 and Reagan getting shot . . . events that fall under the category of "I'll never forget where I was when I heard ...". Certain events clearly transcends any rivalry and this was one of them.
I had no idea there were so many candlelighters on HornFans. It was a tragedy ... preventable, save for the gross negligence and intoxication (which is the same) Not at ALL the same as the Challenger explosion. Space flight is risky. Building a burn pile ... not so much. Unless you're making other bad choices first, of course. I've given my sympathies ... I'd have let it lay.
My older 2 went to UT. 3rd child was a national merit finalist. 10K a year if he goes to aggs, nothing for going to UT. It was an easy call. 40K after tax dollars is a decent chunk of change when you are trying to get 4 through college debt free. Got a great job out of college so it was all good. He found a church he really liked, had a lot of friends, and went to like 3 games the whole time he was there. We joke about the education there, but he had no issues getting internships and a job which is why you are there. You can pretty much find whatever you want at all big universities good or bad. It's really up to the student.
... and 9/11? Really? being attacked by muslim fundamentalists is the same as an accident? no wonder we are going to hell in a hand basket.
The hate on Texags comes from the old dudes not as much from the young. I guess they call them Old Army. I have a lot of good friends that are Aggys, Alone or if they are out numbered, they are great. Start to get some alcohol in them or gather 3 or more and the redass comes out in full bloom. Start to hear about Ol Jackie, and Cart McCoy and then SEC SEC SEC and Whoop. That is when I start talking about 1939 and no conference titles since 1998
THIS I'd say ... with the 3rd they'd then do their wonder twin powers "activate" thing and just transform into some weird troll like creatures. Truth is ... the culture at UT has changed, too. Not all of it for the better. this is true ... a result of allowing women and ... not requiring all Corps members to enter the military. I mean ... we see weird script font ATM on TShirts which are anything BUT that awful putrid color they love. ... OK ... I've pushed this one to the top enough. Now I'm gonna do as I said I'd have done with the entire event ... LET IT LAY.
A day when all of Texas wept. My office manager at time had a daughter at A&M and I remember calling her that morning to make sure her daughter was ok and just thanking God when I heard she was.
But seeing the Aggies that I know look back on this tragedy is sad. Maybe they aren't "red ***", but none of them acknowledge that it was an idiotic and preventable disaster, and mourn the loss of Bonfire (which they all anthropomorphize like it's a person's first name) and how the tradition isn't the same now and blah blah blah. And then there was all the ******** that went on that weekend with calling the players throughout the night, "accidental" no breakfast at the hotel, etc. Showed what they really thought of Texas fans while we were showing solidarity with them, donating, band giving a stunningly perfect tribute, etc.
