Tag Archives: Texas A&M

Posted on October 14, 2015 | Leave a comment

Wednesday, October 14, 2015 – And Then There Was Coach Stallings – Part Two of The Alabama-Aggie Connection

Paul “Bear” Bryant was not the only Texas A&M football coach who won the war of player attrition and changed the way people think and work. The Aggie Football team had 132 players when 30 year old, first year head coach Gene Stallings arrived in College Station in December 1964. When the Aggies opened the season against the University of Houston in October there were 57 players listed in the program.

Bryan Eagle – Oct. 11, 2015

The members of Stallings’ first team celebrated their 50th year reunion the weekend of October 11 2015.

Bryan Eagle – Oct. 11, 2015

Like Bear Bryant, Stallings was called in to change the football attitude at Texas A&M. Like Bear Bryant he believed in hard work and physical demands. Stallings was a Junction Boy and was an assistant to The Bear in Alabama and now he was coming home to his alma mater to be the head coach.

Stallings had the players take a physical education class for those wanting to be coaches. He taught it. As player Jim Singleton said “Junction was two weeks. But we had to put up with him for a whole semester.”

Stallings converted four rooms on the second floor of G. Rolle White into workout rooms for the spring training and drills. In the fencing room (there was a fencing room?) players ran in place for 15 minutes. In the wrestling room there would be 15 minutes of drills. In the third station, the players head butted each other. In the fourth room they “rested” while they lifted weights.

In 1965 the Aggies went 3-7. In 1967 Stallings and The Fighting Texas Aggies won the Southwest Conference. The Aggies won The Cotton Bowl in 1968 beating Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide of Alabama.

The Cotton Bowl would be Stallings’ only bowl victory as head coach at Texas A&M. After a stint in the NFL, he would take over the head coaching position at Alabama from Bear Bryant in 1990 and win the National Championship in 1992.

While there are those who know Coach Stallings for his football greatness, it is his greatness off the field that also makes a difference. His only son, John Mark Stallings was born with Down syndrome. John Mark, also known as “Johnny” died on August 2, 2008 due to a congenital heart condition. Two facilities at the University of Alabama are named for the younger Stallings. The Stallings Center that serves as home to the RISE Center for young children with disabilities was built in 1994. The equipment room in the University of Alabama football building was built and dedicated to Johnny Stallings in 2005.

Gene Stallings – A great man on all fields of play. http://coachgenestallings.com/

Oh – one more thing – BTHO ALABAMA!

Material taken from The Bryan Eagle, Sunday, October 11, 2015

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Posted in College Football, Education

Tagged Alabama, college football, Crimson Tide, Gene Stallings, SEC, Texas A&M, Texas Aggies; football

Tuesday, October 13, 2015 – The Junction Boys – And The Legends Begin

Posted on October 13, 2015 | 4 comments

Tuesday, October 13, 2015 – The Junction Boys – And The Legends Begin

When it comes to football The University of Alabama and Texas A&M University are more closely aligned than TAMU and tu ever were. You might call the Bama/TAMU connection a critical junction in college football.

Someplace between San Antonio and El Paso in the Texas Hill Country is a town called Junction, Texas. In 1954, the newly hired football coach of Texas A&M, Paul, Bear, Bryant took approximately 100 players into the wasteland of Junction for a football camp to toughen them up. The Texas Hill Country was experiencing the worst drought conditions in history. Temperatures hit the 100 degree mark before noon each day. Note this drought was surpassed only by the recent Hill Country droughts as the worst in Texas history. The “field” was dirt, rocky and filled with sticker burrs. Practices began at 8:00 am and ended at 11:00 PM daily.

Those who were there at the end of the ten days of the camp are called The Survivors or The Junction Boys. Those who remained formed the core of the undefeated unit that won the 1956 Southwest Conference championship.

The 1954 Texas Aggies went 1-9 for the season. It was Bear Bryant’s only losing season as a head coach. Yet, he would always cite his 1-9 A&M team of 1954 as his favorite.

Bear Bryant would leave Texas A&M to take the head coaching and Athletic Director positions in 1958 at Alabama. He took one of The Junction Boys with him as an assistant coach – a fellow from Paris, Texas named Gene Stallings. Read about Coach Stallings tomorrow.

Read the full story in The Junction Boys: How Ten Days in Hell with Bear Bryant Forged a Championship Team by Jim Dent.

Oh yeah – one more thing- BTHO Alabama!

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Posted in College Football

Tagged Alabama, college football, Crimson Tide, Gene Stallings, Paul Bear Bryant, Texas A&M, The Junction Boys

Monday, October 5, 2015 – Monday After Saturday College Football Awards

Posted on October 5, 2015 | Leave a comment

Monday, October 5, 2015 – Monday After Saturday College Football Awards

Our Monday after Saturday College Football Awards are brought to you today by the word “amphigory.” Amphigory is a noun meaning “a meaningless or nonsensical piece of writing, especially one intended as a parody.” A quote – “it is the mother of all miscellanies, aka an amphigory, a medley, a pot-pourri, a gallimaufry, a salmagundi, and omnium-gatherum, a vade mecum, a smorgasbord. Robert McCrum, “God bless you Mr. Schott, The Guardian, December 7, 2002. (Dictionery.com)

Yes, all of those words will be on your assessment exam because they so describe Here’s What I’m Thinking and I have no idea what most of them mean. – Vade mecum?

But if that don’t describe the chaotic weekend of college football… Here is your ado, so further it by reading on.

To the horrible broadcasters of the Texas Aggie/Mississippi State game on the SECN – Brent Mushmouth and Jesse Palmer. What is the deal? Are you somebody’s brother-in-law? Son-in-law? Do you have video of people? I am not certain, Mr. Palmer, but I think you are supposed to give equal time to both teams. Did you not even pick up an A&M media guide? You get the Mute Button Award.

The Most Points Award goes to the Baylor Bears 63- 35 over Texas Tech. I do not think these bears are going into hibernation anytime soon.

However, it is a tie for Ugliest Uniforms between those bleached-out TCU lavender tops and the drab grey, olive and yellow uniforms of Baylor. Who is your uniform rep? Stevie Wonder?

There are several Poo-Poo Undies Awards that go to:

Michigan State
Ohio State
Oklahoma State

For having close games and scaring the poo out of your fan base. That # 1 Spot is looking very shaky, Buckeyes. Larry Culpepper is watching.

FYI – It was accurratte, that the officials from The Big 12 apologized for the bad calls by the referees. They were not accurrette when they established the line of scrimmage. The Spell Check Award goes to The Big 12. Is that accurratte?

The Pepto-Bismol for Dismal Awards goes the teams that were upset: These are:

UCLA – by Arizona State
Ole Miss by Florida
Notre Dame by Clemson
The State of South Carolina by Floods

Speaking of Dismal – The Train wreck Award goes THE University of Texas. I have no other words to say save – it could get worse. OU+CH = OUCH next Saturday. Next week UT players can tweet at half-time and call for Uber to come pick them up and just head on over to the State Fair of Texas.

Auburn wins the Dionne Warwick award for knowing “the way to San Jose.” Now do you know the way back to the SEC?

The Rain and Let’s Build an Ark Awards goes to:

Ole Miss vs Florida – the Florida team had the flu all week; the Swamp floods and the Rebels sink.
Notre Dame vs Clemson – Death Valley floods and the Irish sink.
Georgia vs. Alabama – The Tide was even Rising from the sky.

And to The Crimson Tide of Alabama I am giving them the William T. Sherman Award as they “…sing the jubilee; hoorah, hoorah, the flag that makes us free; while we sang a chorus from Atlanta to the sea – While they were marching Through Georgia.”

And to The Fighting Texas Aggies – I am awarding the Reveille is so much prettier than Bully Award. Not to mention she does not drool and she wears clothes.

The QB of the Game Award goes to Kyle Allen of Texas A&M. The stats on passing leaders:

D. Prescott 20-34 for 210 yards.
K. Allen 25-41 for 322 yards, 2 TDs.

Or as Palmer would say: Prescott was edged out by Allen.

The Aggies have an open date next Saturday and Alabama entertains the Pork and beans from Arkansas.

But then … Coming to Kyle Field on a station near you – Alabama vs Texas A&M – October 17. BTHO Alabama.

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Posted in College Football, Misc., Native Texan

Tagged Alabama, Baylor, Big 12, College Football; Texas Aggies, Crimson Tide, Ohio State, Oklahoma State University, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Longhorns, The University of Texas

Friday, October 2, 2015 – Snarky Friday Football and Big Boy Pants

Posted on October 2, 2015 | 1 comment

Friday, October 2, 2015 – Snarky Friday Football and Big Boy Pants

This weekend is time for the college football teams to put on their big boy pants. Jeb Bush was not referring to football when he said he would be putting on his big boy pants. (Such articulate presidential candidates we have.) He was referring to Donald Trump’s comments about him and Marc Rubio. Still I suppose that is better than Donald Trump screaming bull!#$% during a professional speech. What a diplomat he will make. But back to football.

Campus tour 7.5.2014 2014-07-05 099 (800x600)

Intellectual salon of College Station where Texas A&M students and Former Students spend hours drinking in knowledge.

These are the games that have meaning. These are the teams that can upset the best offensives and defenses. These are the games that begin to count toward championships, trophies and bowl games. Now it is time to bring “Your “A” GAME”’ to every game.

Our Saturday morning begins with THE University of Texas vs TCU @ 11:00AM on ABC from Fort Worth. Could be a bloody Mary morning for either team and on national TV too! Fear the Frog and Hook’ em Hippies! Stay Strong. You can do this!

Don’t forget to toggle over to West Virginia and Oklahoma on Fox1 @ 11:00. Time to start looking at the Sooners and the Mountaineers.

The 2:30 time slot goes to Texas Tech and Baylor on ESPN2. Should be a high flying, big scoring game in Arlington at Jerry World. Watch out Baylor; Coach Kliff always has something up his GQ sleeve. There is always the State Fair and fried butter.

But the 2:30 time slot of great interest goes to the TIDE of Alabama and the Bulldogs of Georgia on CBS in Athens. Athens – so named after the ancient Grecian city. Watch out for Poseidon – the ancient Greek god of the water. Poseidon carries a three-pronged weapon called the Trident. It can create earthquakes, tsunamis and destructive tidal waves.

Poseidon was also known to cause certain forms of mental disturbance. I guarantee you that if this Poseidon Adventure turns Alabama and the Crimson Tide upside down, and they lose 2 games, there will be all forms of mental disturbances in Alabama and in the SEC.

At 3:00 one can watch Kansas State University and Oklahoma State University from Stillwater (that is in Oklahoma) on Fox 1. One can also tune into San Jose and Auburn on the SECN. Or one can take a nap in preparation for the six o’clock time slots.

I guarantee Uncle Will Muschamp and New England poet named Auburn Tigers – if you take this game long and into the Aggies’ game that follows, we will come after you!

Better be up and prepared for the 6:00 games. How many screens do you have? All of these games could be worth watching. I have a smart phone; two tablets, four TV’s and ESPN3.

Arkansas and Tennessee at 6:00 on ESPN2 from Knoxville. Coulda, shoulda woulda been a good programming move early in the season, but now I bet ESPN executives wish they could switch to LSU and Eastern Michigan. (Read: bigger viewing audience = more$$$= more exposure for LSU’s Leonard F.)

LSU/Eastern Michigan @ 6:00 on ESPNU from Baton Rouge. Run Leonard Run! Leonard Fournette is fun to watch.

Ole Miss and Florida @ 6:30 on ESPN from Gainesville. Let’s see if the Rebels bring their waders to the Gators in The Swamp. Never trust a team from Florida.

And The Fighting Texas Aggies host the Mississippi Bulldogs in Kyle Field at 6:30 on SECN. This could be confusing – both wear maroon and white. Both have live mascots. Bully and Reveille? A bulldog and a princess. But Dak Prescott? Now he is scary. Are Mississippi State fans going to bring those damn cow bells?

Going to be a test – leave pennies!

BTHO Mississippi State. WHOOP!

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Posted in College Football, Politics

Tagged Alabama, Baylor, Big 12, college football, Crimson Tide, Leonard Fournette, LSU, SEC, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Aggies, The University

Monday, September 28, 2015 – A College Football Weekend for the Ages

Posted on September 28, 2015 | Leave a comment

Monday, September 28, 2015 – A College Football Weekend for the Ages

It was indeed a college football weekend for the ages. I know the Aggie/Arkansas game alone aged me at least two years. With the chaos that reigned, we do not need an ado to further, so here are my Here’s What I’m Thinking Monday after Saturday College Football Awards.

Our Monday after Saturday College Football Awards post is brought to you by the word “minimax.”

No, minimax does not refer to the old chain of grocery stores in the South. Neither does it refer to a feminine hygiene product. It is a “noun that means a strategy of game theory employed to minimize a player’s maximum loss.

This is the principle of minimax: assume that the worst may happen and act accordingly; remember that lightening always strikes twice in the same place. This is a basic law known to all successful gamblers. William S. Burroughs, The Adding Machine, Selected Essays, 1993.” Sunday’s Word of the Day – Dictionary.com

It was also the game strategy employed by the Arkansas Razorbacks against Texas A&M. But first, please have the following teams line up to receive The Poo Poo Undies Award. This award is given to the following teams for scaring the crap out of its fans and/or for just crapping out completely.

LSU – Otto the Orange proved much harder to squeeze that originally thought.
TCU
Texas Tech
THE University of Texas
Oklahoma State University
Texas A&M
Ole Miss – Really? Vanderbilt? BTW – Vandy, you get The Ugly Helmet Award. How many more designs can you put on a football helmet?
Alabama – not exactly scary, but the Tide is still a bit low.
Oregon

Please have all of the centers and kickers – yes field goal and punters – line up for The What’s the Point Award for missing crucial field goals and extra points or creating safeties.

Otto the Orange from Syracuse
Texas Tech
THE University of Texas
Texas A&M

The Most Points Scored Award goes to Baylor University. Yes, 70 to 17 is impressive, but it was still Rice. But given the way the other Big 12 teams are playing maybe it’s all gravy from here on out for the Bears.

The Duck Duck Gone Award goes to Oregon for losing to the soaring Utah Utes.

The Dumbass: Do Your Homework Award goes to the half-time announcer who asked “What’s a Ute?” The University of Utah uses Ute as a nickname with permission from the Native American Utes Tribal Council. In 1996, again with permission from the Ute Tribal Council, Utah introduced “Swoop” – a red-tailed hawk, a bird indigenous to the state of Utah.

Speaking of Ducks, the Tide Rolled over the Duck Dynasty from UL Monroe. The Tide still seems to be low and/or rolling out. Ouch – AP Poll Ranking – # 13 – with Georgia in Athens this weekend. UGA!

The Free Falling/Uncle Will Muschamp Defense Award goes once again this week to Auburn. This is what happens when your mascot is named after a dopy New England poet.

The Why Are You Still in the Top 5/6 Award is shared by TCU and Notre Dame. Really? I know the Frogs are injured and barely hopping, and you barely won

On a botched snap by Texas Tech that resulted in a safety
On a freak Tippy Tippy Bang Bang in the last seconds
You almost allow The Band play with multiple laterals and
Your defense allowed 52 points from an unranked team.

And Notre Dame? Just because the Pope has been in the United States does not mean you should be in The Top 10.

And to THE University of Texas – Yes, the refs were from The School for Blind and Visually Impaired; yes, there are still many burnt orange bright spots, but I must give the Horns the Streets of Laredo Award:

So beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly and

play the death march as they carry me along.

The award for Does this Three -Point Margin of Victory Make my Ass Look Big? goes to TCU and Coach Gary Patterson.

Two individual awards this week: First to the Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes for heroic and knee hurting courage to give your all.

And to Leonard Fournette of LSU I am giving the Wow, You Are Fun to Watch Run Award. Could there be another Heisman Award headed toward the LSU Tiger trophy case?

And now may I have the final awards’ package?

Arkansas – the state that gives us Mike Huckabee and The Clintons.

Minimax – “noun that means a strategy of game theory employed to minimize a player’s maximum loss.

Was this your coaching strategy, Coach Bielema? Playing keep away from the opponent’s offense almost worked. The thing about the hurry up and spread offensive is – when you don’t have the ball, the other team scores quickly and often.

The Assume the Worst May Happen Award goes to Coach Bret Bielema of Arkansas. The worst did happen.

The Poise under Pressure Award goes to The Fighting Texas Aggies.

Lighting Always Strikes Twice in the Same Place Award goes to The Fighting Texas Aggies.

So it wasn’t exactly an “ass-kicking in Dallas.” I guess you are saving yourself for the remainder of the SEC.

Stop Whining: You Lost – Maximum Loss Award goes to the Razorbacks of Arkansas. See you next year.

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Posted in College Football, Native Texan

Tagged Alabama, arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Big 12 Conference, Bret Bielema, LSU, Oklahoma State University, Ole Miss, SEC, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Aggies; football, Texas Tech, The University of Texas

Tuesday, September 22, 2015 – Three Down and More to Go

Posted on September 22, 2015 | 2 comments

Tuesday, September 22, 2015 – Three Down and More to Go

There is a story on Yahoo this morning that lists the 33 best college bars in America. ttps://www.yahoo.com/food/the-33-best-college-bars-in-america-129221427571.html

I have no idea what the selection criteria were, but I certainly would have liked the assignment to determine the bars. Especially if it involved visiting each one.

Here are three I have visited.

Texas A&M Dixie Chicken In the A&M community, your college ring isn’t truly “blessed” unless it’s been through the Aggie Dunk. That involves ordering a 32oz mug off Dixie Chicken’s taps, bathing your ring in that beer, and then chugging the glass for good measure. It’s the kind of bar ritual only a college mainstay like Dixie Chicken has going for it, even if it was born out of accident.

Hmm. I seem to have several photos of The Chicken. It would almost suggest that I spent much time there.

University of Texas-Austin Cain & Abel’s The name would imply this bar is home to a UT-Austin chapter of Fight Club, but when you’ve got $1 beers every Tuesday, it’s all brotherly love. Cain & Abel’s is best known for its Texas Teas (a riff on the Long Island) and H-Bombs (Hideous liqueur and Red Bull). They’re frequently on special, and frequently the cause of regret the next morning.

Sorry, no photo available. Probably one of those “Deny it unless there are pictures” times.

Oklahoma State Eskimo Joe’s Don’t be alarmed by the maniacal grin on that guy in the sign. It’s just Joe, and he probably looks like that because he dipped into EJ’s always $2.50 well drinks. The bar/restaurant/clothing shop has been an integral part of OSU since it first opened its doors in 1975 – the proof is in the annual anniversary bash, which is so big, it regularly spills into the streets. Stillwater’s “jumpin’ little juke joint” also has a long history of live music. Acoustic nights are every Wednesday, but if you’re more into the electric scene, you can catch those acts on the weekends.

Must plan a road trip to Nebraska.

University of Nebraska Duffy’s Tavern If you’ve never seen one of these in the wild, did you even go to college? You definitely didn’t go to Duffy’s, which raises the bar on the undergrad Saturday night go-to by boasting 29 different fishbowls. Those are $14 during Monday happy hour, but the best special might be Tuesday’s $1 tallboys. Mostly because it’s called Dad’s Beer Night.

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Posted in College Football, Misc.

Tagged College Bars, Dixie Chick, Eskimo Joes, Oklahoma State University, ring dunk, Texas A&M

Friday, September 18, 2015 – Your Saturday College Game of the Week Football Schedule

Posted on September 18, 2015 | 1 comment

Friday, September 18, 2015 – Your Saturday College Game of the Week Football Schedule-

For the third week of college football, here are the games I will be watching. In my ever attempt to enlighten and inform you, here is a schedule and posted on the ESPN App.

Baylor has an open week. The photo is the last lit score board in Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco.

Texas A&M vs Nevada @ 11:00 AM on SECN @ Kyle Field. College Station. Who plays football at 11:00 in the morning? I hate the 11:00 AM games because it is difficult to stay awake for the afternoon games. Reminder: Pick up more vodka and bloody Mary mix.

Auburn vs LSU- @ 2:30 on CBS @ Tiger Stadium. Baton Rouge. Tiger, Tiger burning bright; Please give Muschamp’s defense a fight.

Northwestern State v Mississippi State – @ 3:00 on SECN @ Davis Wade Stadium. Starkville, Mississippi. Be sure to watch for my relative on the Northwestern sidelines. My cousin is the defensive coach. He will be the really good looking one. You know it comes with the family. Let’s go Demons!

Texas Tech v Arkansas @ 6:00 on ESPN2 @ Razorback Stadium. Fayetteville, Arkansas. What goes well with tortillas? Pork.

Oklahoma State v UTSA @ 2:30 on FOX1 @ Boone Pickens Stadium. Stillwater. Go Pokes!

TCU v SMU – @ 7:00 on FSN @ Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth. Really? Who does your scheduling, TCU? The Pillsbury Dough Boy? How much does strength of schedule count?

Cal v Texas – @ 6:30 on Fox @ DKR Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas. THE University wanted to play in the Pac 12. Now is your chance to show them what you got.

Ole Miss vs Alabama @ 8:15 on ESPN @ Bryant-Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Hotty Toddy and Roll Tide.

And now what could happen after last week’s ESPN programming fiasco. Here is the possible ESPN schedule.

If you are watching the Aggie/Nevada game @ 11:00 on the SECN, you will be switched at half time to ESPN3. This allows those of us who do not want to watch and pay for it on our computers to watch the game as it buffers along.

The Auburn /LSU game will be transferred to another ESPN station as soon as ESPN buys out CBS giving it a monopoly on college football. This deal will occur during a critical series with minutes left to play in the game.

At 4:46 the Northwestern/Mississippi State will move to ESPNU ensuring only those who chose to pay for more sports on their cable are able to see the game.

At 3:26 the Oklahoma State/UTSA game will be moved to an ESPN sister station, yet to be available to viewers.

At 4:52 the Northwestern/Mississippi State game will move to ESPN2. This game will run long and the Texas Tech/Arkansas match up will be moved to SECA. I am not sure if cable TV has made it Lubbock or the state of Arkansas.

At 7:15 the Cal/Texas game will move to The Longhorn Network, which probably nobody in California receives.

At 8: 07 the TCU/SMU game will be taken off the air and replaced with the Monmouth vs Wagner game from the Big South Conference.

At half-time with the scored tied between Ole Miss v Alabama, ESPN and the decision-makers there will replace what could be the game that says much about what will happen in the SEC with the Sacramento State vs Weber State game or the Northern Iowa vs Cal Poly game. These are schools that no one cares about unless your child goes there.

I hope your team wins. I hope ESPN does not jerk us around like last weekend and BTHO Nevada!

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Posted in College Football

Tagged Alabama, Auburn, College Football; Texas Aggies, Crimson Tide, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Texas Longhorns, The University of Texas

Monday, September 14, 2015 – May I Have The Pigskin Envelope Please?

Posted on September 14, 2015 | 1 comment

Monday, September 14, 2015 – May I Have The Pigskin Envelope Please?

Today we open the Monday after college football awards program with the largest award ever given.

To ESPN – I give the Screaming, Streaming, Scrambling, Where the hell did MY football game go Award? This goes to every programming executive and decision maker for making the worse decisions in the history of college TV football. Your asinine decisions caused fans to bunny hop to networks and stations many people do not receive and pay for streaming on your computer when it was originally on their TV for FREE. I hope your server melts with protests and the appropriate heads roll and get called on the proverbial carpet. This was wrong, wrong, wrong. Unless you want ESPN to stand for Extra Special Pissed Off Network, never do this again.

Since it was Cupcake Week there were many high scoring games. High Scores Awards go to:

Boston College 76 to O over Howard

Ole Miss – 73 to 21 over Fresno State

TCU – 70 to 7 over Stephen F. Austin

Texas Tech 69 to 20 over UTEP

Baylor – 66 to 31 over Lamar

Texas State – 63 to 24 over Prairie View A&M

Note to all: You do know these points do not carry over like your phone minutes? I am thinking Ole Miss, Baylor and TCU, you are going to need some of those points later.

The Defensive Award for the week goes to Uncle Will Muschamp and Auburn. It took Auburn an overtime and luck to beat Jacksonville State that only had a 2% chance of winning. Looking forward to seeing you in College Station in November. Did you know Texas A&M has a new defensive coordinator, Uncle Will? Perhaps you have heard of him – John Chavis?

Worst Uniforms Award goes to TCU. Were the jerseys supposed to look that way or did someone dump a 50 gallon drum of bleach into the laundry?

Worst Helmut Award goes to TCU also. Those looked like one of those sponge paintings on Pinterest done by a kindergarten craft class.

The Slow, Lethargic Start Award is shared between Baylor University and Alabama. Baylor – they are bears. It takes them awhile to get moving, but once they do…get out of the way. It took a bit of time for the Tide to Roll. The Tide appeared to be out as they did not score THAT many points against a cupcake team. I am afraid Alabama started three deep into the roster.

The Welcome Wagon Award goes to Ball State University for scheduling the first game home game in the newly renovated Kyle Field. Yes, the stadium holds more than most rural town populations in Texas.

Atrium at The Bush Library

Ball State also receives the Way to Hang Tough Award and Never Give Up Award. This is awarded even though the Aggies were four deep into their roster and I heard the Navasota Rattlers were about to suit up to finish the game.

The Young Frankenstein Award for It’s Alive! (as in the Big 12) goes to the Sooners of Oklahoma for defeating Tennessee in double OT.

The HEARD It Through the Grapevine Award goes to THE University of Texas at Austin. I think this is what the alumnae what to see. Don’t care if it was Rice. It built confidence. Stay Strong.

The Tumbling Tumbleweeds Award goes to every team who took a tumble in the rankings. Special Awards go to:

Oregon – Duck, Duck, SPARTAN!

The Corporal Maxwell Klinger, Holy Toledo Award goes to Toledo University for for turning Arkansas into bacon bits.

To the Georgia Bulldogs – A win over Vanderbilt and Miss America too!

And a special award goes to the wives and mothers of football players. I am calling this award The Penny Award because her husband played for LSU who defeated Mississippi State in the closing seconds. Next week her son’s team where he coaches, Northwestern State in Natchitoches, plays a really pissed off Bulldog team. Go Demons. And Penny? Go shopping and do not watch.

BTHO of Nevada. Who?

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Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged Alabama, Baylor, Big 12, college football, college football uniforms, ESPN, LSU, SEC, TCU, Texas A&M, The University of Texas

Posted on May 12, 2015 | 1 comment

Tuesday, May 12, 2015 – The Oldest Living World War II Veteran

Did you know the oldest living World War II veteran is 109 year old Richard Overton? And he lives in Austin, Texas. Mr. Overton served in the all-black 1887th Aviation Engineer Battalion from 1942 until 1945. Unfortunately, I only know Mr. Overton via the news.

Did you know that World War II veterans are passing away at a rate of almost 900 PER DAY?

With Memorial Day approaching, I think about all who serve and sacrifice. Notice the present tense is intentional.

If I were to die today, I would be proud to say that I knew Major Thomas W. Matthews. You will hear more about him and two others from World War II in the coming days. Lieutenant Matthews was a pilot. After the war ended, 70 years ago this month, he went to the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College in College Station and became a veterinarian. He practiced until he was in his late 80’s. He rose the rank of Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserves.

Here is a photo of Dr. Matthews and me at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.

It was taken on the maiden Honor Flight from Austin, June 2012 taking veterans to visit their World War II Memorial. This photo was in the Texas Aggie magazine of March/April 2013. It was said that Dr. Matthews showed the picture to any and all at every VFW meeting and anyone who would stop and listen. I heard he carried the magazine with him at all times. Dr. Matthews passed away at age 90 July 15, 2013, shortly after the magazine came out.

What can you say you have done for a World War II veteran, Purple Heart recipient and hero?

You can read about Dr. Tom and his life at http://www.purpleheartaustin.org/matthews.htm

Joseph Heller’s book, Catch 22, is based on the airmen stationed in Corsica with then, Lt. Matthews.

If nothing else, remember all who served and pray for all who continue to protect us and keep freedom for us. If you see a soldier today, pat them on the back and say “Thank you.” They are indeed, The Greatest Generation.

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Posted in Uncategorized

Tagged Honor Flight, Texas A&M, The Greatest Generation, World War II, World War II veterans

Thursday, April 30, 2015 – A Bucket List Item Checked Off

Posted on April 30, 2015 | Leave a comment

Thursday, April 30, 2015 – Farewell to the First Lady of Aggieland

From Reveille VIII’s retirement party – April 29, 2015.

Bucket list item – photograph with Reveille VIII – check.

Miss Rev will pass on her title of first lady of Aggie to Reveille IX at Final Review on May 9 and retire to the Stevenson Companion Animal Life-Care Center. She is the first Reveille to do so. Her predecessors retired to the homes of A&M alumni or veterinarians.

New bucket list items – photograph with Reveille IX and NCAA National Football Championship trophy.