Lucky for Homer he wasn't a fan of college sports:
One day after claiming the ignominious title as the nation's No. 1 party school, UT launched an unrelated campaign urging sports fans to play nice.
The concept of the "Texas Fans Make Us Proud" initiative is to make that statement a fact and not just a plea, said Jim Boon, executive director of Texas Exes, the alumni group leading the charge.
Be prepared to see the slogan for fans of the 2005 national football champions on hotel banners, T-shirts, buttons, game cups and flashed across the giant video screens at games.
"Be aware that your actions have an impact on children," advises the
campaign. "Foul language and demeaning comments toward the opposing team are unacceptable."
Hey Jim, you might want to remind "the children" that Vince Young is gone. UT will be lucky to finish #4 behind Ohio State, Notre Dame, and LSU. We may not have another chance in our lifetimes to heckle opposing teams with our own teeth and without the aid of Geritol Plus, so kindly shut the hell up and allow us our well-earned digs at our opponents.
Just ask University of Oklahoma alum Kevin Niyah about the plastered Longhorn fan with the cigar hanging out of his mouth at a memorable OU-Texas match in Dallas.
As the crowd watched the game outdoors on a big-screen TV and UT neared victory, the fan set a paddle on fire and began swinging it wildly, said Niyah, president of the OU Club in Austin.
Sparks singed the face of a female OU fan, and police officers pulled out handcuffs after the man uttered a slur under his breath instead of an apology, Niyah said.
First of all, I certainly don't condone setting things on fire in the stands (unless it's the fuse on a bomb to be hurled at Matt Leinart), but a Sooner trying to claim the high ground with regard to behavior at the Red River Shoot-Out is like an LSU fan complaining about pre-game Jack Daniels consumption. I've been to enough Texas-OU games to see fans from both sides who'd be right at home in the bleachers at an Oakland Raiders game.
Perhaps someone simply called Niyah's name and he assumed they were jeering.
"It seems that over the last 20 years or so society has made it fashionable or even acceptable to behave poorly," said Boon, who doesn't want fans to lose their passion for the game.
"We do want them to be respectful of the officials. We want them to be welcoming to visiting teams. We'd like them to watch their language," he said. "If they drink, we'd like them to know their limit."
20 years ago would seem to coincide with when Mr. Boon (BBA 1969) reached middle age, so all this makes a lot more sense.
Finally, our comrades to the east have to chime in as well:
Former Democratic State Comptroller and Aggie John Sharp confesses he's left games early to avoid thousands of victorious UT fans chanting "poor Ag-gies" over and over.
Perhaps UT's fate will change, and the school can take a play from the Aggie playbook, he said.
"At Texas A&M, we have a tradition," he said. "Although we are often outscored, we never lose."
Sounds like loser talk to me, John. Do us all a favor: eschew your sweet 50-yard line seats for a spot in the horseshoe next Thanksgiving and then talk about that famous tradition of Aggie class.
That, and you might try...I don't know...beating us one of these years.
“At Texas A&M, we have a tradition,” he said. “Although we are often outscored, we never lose.”
Even if we have to stab an opposing team’s cheerleader to prevent a loss, we never lose…
I was yards away from the Aggie Corps member who pulled his sabre during a football game in the mid-80s. I remember friends of mine in the late 80s who were in the Longhorn Band describing dodging bricks hurled at them as they marched into the stadium in Little Rock. I had my car damaged (antenna in a knot, wiper blades bent back) when I made the mistake of parking on A&M campus with my UT parking tag hanging from the mirror.
In comparison, isn’t drunken heckling just a harmless part of the agenda? “Give ‘em hell, give ‘em hell, make ‘em eat shit!” See? That didn’t hurt at all.
If John Sharp is really offended by “poor Aggies,” shouldn’t he care that those poor fascist-in-training Aggies are not exactly known for being such good sports themselves. Hell, they mention sawing Varsity’s horns off in their damn school song. Now that’s some focused hatred.
Fight (turns light on)! Fight (turns light off)! Fight (turns light on)! Fight (turns light off)! Fight (turns light on)! Fight (turns light off)! Fight (turns light on)! Fight (turns light off)! Fight (turns light on)! Fight (turns light off)! Fight (turns light on)! Fight (turns light off)! Fight (turns light on)! Fight (turns light off)!
I am shocked, shocked to find that there is drunken redneck football hooliganism in the state of Texas.
I’m shocked, shocked to learn that there is drunken redneck football hooliganism in the state of Texas
Classic Aggie holier-than-thou whinning about what poor sports hail from every other school. Unfortunately, I’m in grad school at A&M now and have to hear that crap every other day…..
That’s low Pete, low! Kicking a dog (in this case A&M) when it’s down. College football is cyclical and t.u. will get theirs in a few years when Mack has run everything into the ground. I remember the bad years before Jackie Sheryl and I remember the good years during his and the early-Slocum era. Meanwhile, I will grin and bear it knowing that for the time being, the Ags have been out recruited and out coached over the last few years. The Ags will come around.