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Texas A&M Aggies’ football introduced me to sports when I was eight years old. A small black and white Zenith television in my parents’ kitchen in Colorado Springs, CO, rendered me transfixed on the Aggies playing in the Cotton Bowl on a New Year’s Day.
The smell and taste of Thanksgiving Day have never been the same. Turkey, side dishes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, you name it, were always a reason to be grateful; however, Turkey Day was never complete without Texas A&M Aggies versus Texas Longhorns pigskin later that night. The programs don’t play each other any longer, but one can hope that their rivalry will be restored soon.
As Texas A&M University alumni — my Dad (Rudy) graduating with his BBA in Finance (1969) and my Mom (Gloria) with her BBA in Accounting (1970) — still, and always will bleed Maroon and White.
As their son, I have inherited the same Maroon and White blood flowing throughout my arteries and veins. Since that time as a young pup watching the aforementioned Cotton Bowl on a black and white TV, my heart has exponentially opened with abundance for anything and everything sports.
Basketball, football, baseball, hockey, the list goes on, have engulfed my life with love, passion, excitement, celebration, anger, sadness, and disappointment. For me, a full spectrum of emotions based on my admiration of sports — starting with Texas A&M football — have shaped who I am today.
Thanksgiving in 2020 is here, and during this utterly bizarre year amidst this awful COVID-19 pandemic, I’m grateful for Texas A&M pigskin first and foremost. Without its gargantuan impact over the years, I’d be a lost soul still awaiting the meaning and emotions that encompass this mortal life.
During the summer before my senior year of high school, my Mom and I decided to take a trip to Bryan–College Station, TX, so that I could get my first true glimpse of Aggieland in person.
With thoughts of following in my parents’ footsteps, I was fortunate enough to visit A&M’s absolutely gorgeous campus. Of course, my journey wouldn’t be complete without a peek at Kyle Field. Inside the “Home of the 12th Man,” tradition and mystique permeate the air.
Pardon me, Seattle Seahawks, your building and fan base aren’t home to the authentic 12th Man. Instead, you boast a tradition that’s way ahead of your time. Aggieland in College Station, TX, is where it started, and that’s where it ends.
I never attended Texas A&M University (founded in 1876). Instead, I followed my sister Jennifer’s roots and remained in my home state of Colorado. As a Colorado State University alum, I can still say that I’m an Aggie. Before its transition to CSU, the college founded in Fort Collins, CO, in 1870, was once Colorado A&M University.
Texas A&M football dates back to 1894. In my old room growing up in the Centennial State, I still have a Texas A&M Aggies’ pennant hanging below the main window with a 100-years of Aggie pigskin sticker (1894-1994) adhered perfectly in the center.
Now a grown man at 42, I want nothing more than to witness my very-first Texas A&M game at Kyle Field. My wife, Kim, knows that it’s No. 1 on my bucket list. My hope is that Nutmeg, our furry cat child, can be present with us.
Texas A&M Football is ranked #5 in the 1st #CFBPlayoff Rankings of 2020 👍🏻 #GigEm pic.twitter.com/4Sm4y2TlUk
— Tim England (@tengland_150) November 25, 2020
Head coach Jimbo Fisher, quarterback Kellen Mond & Co. will lead the Texas A&M football program into an SEC West showdown on Saturday against the LSU Tigers inside the most-friendly confines of Kyle Field. Firmly No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings, the Aggies (5-1) have a legitimate chance to sneak into the CFP at No. 4 if they’re victorious the remainder of their regular-season.
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends, and Gig ‘Em Aggies.
Until next week, be smart, stay safe, and stay healthy.
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