So, Can We Restart The A&M Rivalry Now?

Assuming the Dodds' speculation is true, it looks like the crumbling regime in Bellmont will be cleaned out and replaced. A new athletic director likely means a new coach, and a new coach probably wants to befriend the fan-base. Well buddy, here's how you do it:

GET TEXAS A&M ON THE SCHEDULE.

In my family, watching the Texas-A&M game was more than just football, it was tradition. It would rotate between homes, but dinner was always scheduled around Texas football. I remember one year, at my cousin's ranch, listening to my grandmother shout obscenities at the television after Colt McCoy threw an interception to an Aggie. Growing up, I was told to "study hard" or I would be "sentenced to four years in College Station." This summer, when my uncle passed away, a close friend of his, an Aggie, eulogized him at his funeral. He talked about tradition and family. He told the congregation about the Texas-A&M game in 1974, where my uncle, a Silver Spur, and him, a Corp cadet, were featured on ABC's broadcast to show how deep the blood runs in this rivalry. He finished his eulogy by giving the congregation the Hook'em Horns sign.

Forgive me for not being so complimentary of Dodds and his tenure, but I found his stonewalling of this rivalry to be indicative of his character. He placed himself in front of Texas football, in front of tradition, and in front of the thousands of Texans everywhere who believed that there was more than just "football" about this game. Children in this state are growing up not knowing about a historic rivalry because children in the front office (at both schools) decided that they had the right to step in front of 100 years of tradition. They believed that they were bigger than Texas.

I am a student at the University of Texas with no desire to stay on campus for Thanksgiving break. I am repulsed by the idea of playing a different Texas school, every year, at DKR. That isn't right. I had already given up; in my head DeLoss Dodds was going to outlive us all and never retire. Fortunately, for us, he has retreated into a consultant position. Hopefully, on this subject, his influence is minimal.

For the past year, we have solemnly dealt with A&M, sedated by apathy, as Aggie success overshadowed our mediocrity. It was not always like this. Texas used to combat bad seasons with big wins over our little brother in Bryan. Now that change is coming; let it start with this. Renew the rivalry. Thousands of Aggies and Longhorns are sick of waiting.