Joyous and non-music related!

Pilgrim · November 25, 2012, 12:51:45 PM

I'm sympathetic to A&M and I'm glad their year turned out better. I confess that frankly I wasn't comfortable much of the time I spent at TAMU, and was happy to escape to Colorado. What kept me there was finishing my PhD, which took longer than it should have. TAMU is politically to the right of Ghengis Khan (which was a challenge to me) and I did not find that innovation was welcomed there to the degree that I expected.

Frankly, I think it was a lousy thing for A&M to leave their rival Texas in the Big 12, and I'm really surprised they did it. IMO they don't belong in the SEC and I don't think they will be consistently competitive there.

I guess this breaks the rule of not saying anything unless you can say something nice, but it's not a one-sided picture. I found Texas to be a fascinating state, and TAMU to have great strengths and an admirable sense of what they are and where they are going. I just wasn't culturally in place at A&M. It's a wonder I survived 13 years there.

TBird1958 · November 25, 2012, 01:37:33 PM

Al, I really wish I could have taken a shot of a guy's camper I slowly overtook on the freeway coming to work this AM.
It was the standard sort of off white with a bit of brown trim, but he had WSU logos all over it, with large ones on the doors and hood. He also had a custom plate EL COUG and was wearing red and gray fleece!

Go Cougs!

dadagoboi · November 25, 2012, 02:26:08 PM

Quote from: Pilgrim on November 25, 2012, 12:51:45 PM
Frankly, I think it was a lousy thing for A&M to leave their rival Texas in the Big 12, and I'm really surprised they did it. IMO they don't belong in the SEC and I don't think they will be consistently competitive there.

Being in the SEC with the money and prestige it brings will help A&M recruit...and the SEC only wants one school per state in spreading their expansion tentacles. I think A&M will do OK and am glad the Gators don't play them next year.

Lightyear · November 25, 2012, 03:42:59 PM

Quote from: Pilgrim on November 25, 2012, 12:51:45 PM
I'm sympathetic to A&M and I'm glad their year turned out better. I confess that frankly I wasn't comfortable much of the time I spent at TAMU, and was happy to escape to Colorado. What kept me there was finishing my PhD, which took longer than it should have. TAMU is politically to the right of Ghengis Khan (which was a challenge to me) and I did not find that innovation was welcomed there to the degree that I expected.

Frankly, I think it was a lousy thing for A&M to leave their rival Texas in the Big 12, and I'm really surprised they did it. IMO they don't belong in the SEC and I don't think they will be consistently competitive there.

I guess this breaks the rule of not saying anything unless you can say something nice, but it's not a one-sided picture. I found Texas to be a fascinating state, and TAMU to have great strengths and an admirable sense of what they are and where they are going. I just wasn't culturally in place at A&M. It's a wonder I survived 13 years there.

Yup, TAMU is supposedly one of the most conservative, student body wise but I think leadership/faculty could be included as well, major universities right there with Brigham Young. As for them moving - just follow the money. Football is HUGE here in Texas and this season alone will help them recruit like they've never done before and bring in more money. Certainly a degree from A&M, in certain disciplines, is a golden ticket to very good job here in Texas - engineering comes to mind for one. I am not a graduate but I have a brother who is a certifiable Aggie

Pilgrim · November 25, 2012, 04:52:06 PM

Quote from: TBird1958 on November 25, 2012, 01:37:33 PM

Al, I really wish I could have taken a shot of a guy's camper I slowly overtook on the freeway coming to work this AM.
It was the standard sort of off white with a bit of brown trim, but he had WSU logos all over it, with large ones on the doors and hood. He also had a custom plate EL COUG and was wearing red and gray fleece!

Go Cougs!

That's a Coug for ya! Betcha he was coming back from the game after celebrating for another day or so!

Quote from: Lightyear on November 25, 2012, 03:42:59 PM
Certainly a degree from A&M, in certain disciplines, is a golden ticket to very good job here in Texas - engineering comes to mind for one. I am not a graduate but I have a brother who is a certifiable Aggie

I earned my PhD at A&M, but it was in a humanities discipline. Besides, the ring on my third finger has a crimson stone and a big-ass Cougar logo on it!

One thing I can say I learned at A&M is how pervasive school spirit can be. I'm definitely a stronger Coug after having been subject to so many hard-core Aggies.

Dave W · November 25, 2012, 05:16:45 PM

Hitler sure wasn't happy about the Aggie-Longhorn rivalry ending, and he predicted a hard time for the Aggies in the SEC.

(NSFW subtitles!)

dadagoboi · November 25, 2012, 05:50:43 PM

Who wudda thunk it...Adolf alive and kicking in College Station.

Pilgrim · November 25, 2012, 06:28:38 PM

Dave, I laughed all the way through that video. That HAD to be written by an Aggie...it rings too true not to. I've seen that video used for a dozen different things, but that one is the best!

That's pretty much how I felt...I just could not imagine it. I remember that a couple of years before, there was thought of A&M and t.u. splitting conferences, and I recall hearing that there was discussion in the TX legislature of passing legislation to force them to stay in the same conference. Evidently that was just a rumor, as it certainly didn't come up when A&M went to the SEC.

Dave W · November 25, 2012, 11:12:25 PM

Al, you must be right that an Aggie must have written it. The guy who sent me the link last year is an old high school classmate/UT alum, we sure wouldn't have thought the Ags would do so well in their first SEC year.