Hullabaloo, Caneck, Caneck

What exactly is a caneck? What does "Gig-em" mean? Who needs to practice yelling?

All this and more was to be answered with a trip to Texas A&M University in Bryan, TX. We took a drive a few Saturdays back to see the Aggie football team take on the Idaho State Vandals and also with the purpose of working in a campus tour for our H.S. Junior.

A&M, formerly the Agriculture & Mechanical School of Texas was founded in 1871 and bills itself as the oldest public university in Texas. It is certainly one of the biggest with an enrollment of 46,000+ students and a campus spanning 5,200 acres. It is in the middle of nowhere, lost in between Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. Although a nice campus and a great school, the tour was so-s0; however, the football experience was unbelievable.

The Aggies have more traditions than you can shake a stick at. There is (or was) bonfire, the 12th Man, the huge marching band, the Corp of Cadets, the sway during the fight song, the pronounced disdain for the Longhorns, and of course, the idolatry bestowed upon Miss Reveille (the school mascot, a collie).

The Ag's refuse to refer to the University of Texas as anything other than t.u. In this part of Texas, you better be sporting maroon an not burnt orange. Ironic that the fight song begins with "Goodbye to texas university" for the Ags are soon to depart for the SEC and the longtime Thanksgiving game with UT will be no more. It is a shame what money will do - the A&M / UT rivalry is one that should never be compromised.

Here is a view of the student side of the stadium. Seems like every student goes to the game.


To the right is another stand - same size - where the alumni sit. Our seats were in a similar sized grandstand in the end zone - all in Kyle Field holds over 83,000. And in 2011, they will fill it for every home game. The noise and atmosphere is incredible.

At half time the 300 member strong Fightin' Texas Aggie Band takes the field and trust me, no one leaves their seats. When the band cranks out the first few notes of the Aggie War Hymn, it sends shivers down the spine. Here they are in the Block T formation.


Thanks to to Destopanimation95 for this nice compilation which captures the spirit of Aggieland and arguably the best fight song in all of college football.