UNT vs. SMU

megagreen · July 12, 2006

Let me just say that I love a good rivavlry, but let's not grow this thing into an unhealthy obsession (at least until we show them the wrong side of a tail- whuppin' once or twice.)

The example I use is Texas-Texas A&M. Texas A&M is a great school with a fine athletic tradition, but isn't it sad that they've developed such an unhealthy obsession with the University of Texas?

It permeates their existence. Just listen to their fight song (battle waltz, war hymn, whatever you want to call it.) Instead of telling me how great their school is, it tells about beating Texas and sawing off horns. Really? Seriously?

It seems to me that they care more about beating Texas than anything else and Texas cares about winning national championships more than anything else. Which school would you say is accomplishing this feat with greater regularity?

I realize that the rivalry is more one sided right now in most sports than in the past, but I've always had the feeling that Aggies hate Longhorns more than Longhorns hate Aggies. From where I sit as an unbiased Mean Green loyalist, Longhorns see Aggies as more of a nuisance while Oklahoma is the real rival.

This brings me to my point. SMU probably views us more as the nuisance while TCU is the rival. We should set our goals much higher because I truly believe that our ceiling is much higher than SMU can even dream about.

Just to clarify, I love making fun of Aggies, but only bexause it is an excellent institution. The fact that they feel like they have to measure up to Texas in every facet of college life just seems unnecessary to me. They have nothing to prove. As a state flagship institution, they should be better than that.

Just my thoughts....

-Megagreen

GMG!

GreenFlag · July 12, 2006

Wrong, it's healthy to hate the Mustang.

emmitt01 · July 12, 2006

It seems to me that they care more about beating Texas than anything else and Texas cares about winning national championships more than anything else. Which school would you say is accomplishing this feat with greater regularity?

The Aggies are. They've beaten Texas many many many more times than Texas has won a national championship.

adman · July 12, 2006

Let me just say that I love a good rivavlry, but let's not grow this thing into an unhealthy obsession (at least until we show them the wrong side of a tail- whuppin' once or twice.)
The example I use is Texas-Texas A&M. Texas A&M is a great school with a fine athletic tradition, but isn't it sad that they've developed such an unhealthy obsession with the University of Texas?
It permeates their existence. Just listen to their fight song (battle waltz, war hymn, whatever you want to call it.) Instead of telling me how great their school is, it tells about beating Texas and sawing off horns. Really? Seriously?
It seems to me that they care more about beating Texas than anything else and Texas cares about winning national championships more than anything else. Which school would you say is accomplishing this feat with greater regularity?
I realize that the rivalry is more one sided right now in most sports than in the past, but I've always had the feeling that Aggies hate Longhorns more than Longhorns hate Aggies. From where I sit as an unbiased Mean Green loyalist, Longhorns see Aggies as more of a nuisance while Oklahoma is the real rival.
This brings me to my point. SMU probably views us more as the nuisance while TCU is the rival. We should set our goals much higher because I truly believe that our ceiling is much higher than SMU can even dream about.
Just to clarify, I love making fun of Aggies, but only bexause it is an excellent institution. The fact that they feel like they have to measure up to Texas in every facet of college life just seems unnecessary to me. They have nothing to prove. As a state flagship institution, they should be better than that.
Just my thoughts....
-Megagreen
GMG!
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Do you understand why A&M hates Texas? I went to NT so I might not be spot on here but the gist is this:

Texas legislature creates A&M as the first public university in Texas. They stick it in the middle of nowhere, in fact the only thing there is a train station, hence the name, once the university is built, of College Station. The legislature in their wisdom didn't want a bunch of college kids (men at the time) running around muking things up in the state capitol. Then it clicked. Someone realized what a boon a university is to a town so they create a second public university and name it the University of Texas. So the aggies contend and maybe rightfully so that A&M is the true university of Texas because they were the first. So basically they felt slighted by the Texas legislature and UT as many on this board feel slighted by smu for all of their "conspiracy's" against NT.

A&M was founded in 1876. UT in 1883. OU in 1890 even though they weren't a state university yet because they weren't even a state. So it stands to reason that A&M would hate Texas. It's alot like cross town high school football rivals in a sense. As for Texas seemingly caring more about OU than A&M don't be fooled. UT wants to beat A&M just as badly but they're so conceited the only thing they can do is turn a nose and act as though OU is a bigger deal.

untgirl04 · July 12, 2006

Do you understand why A&M hates Texas? I went to NT so I might not be spot on here but the gist is this:
Texas legislature creates A&M as the first public university in Texas. They stick it in the middle of nowhere, in fact the only thing there is a train station, hence the name, once the university is built, of College Station. The legislature in their wisdom didn't want a bunch of college kids (men at the time) running around muking things up in the state capitol. Then it clicked. Someone realized what a boon a university is to a town so they create a second public university and name it the University of Texas. So the aggies contend and maybe rightfully so that A&M is the true university of Texas because they were the first. So basically they felt slighted by the Texas legislature and UT as many on this board feel slighted by smu for all of their "conspiracy's" against NT.
A&M was founded in 1876. UT in 1883. OU in 1890 even though they weren't a state university yet because they weren't even a state. So it stands to reason that A&M would hate Texas. It's alot like cross town high school football rivals in a sense. As for Texas seemingly caring more about OU than A&M don't be fooled. UT wants to beat A&M just as badly but they're so conceited the only thing they can do is turn a nose and act as though OU is a bigger deal.
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My Dad is an Aggie, so I've lived with this stuff my whole life. I'd say that's a pretty close assessment. It's also why you'll hear all Aggies (and a great many others) refer to the University of Texas as tU. And although Texas at the moment appears to want to really push the rivalry with OU, there's still plenty of resentment between Austin and College Station. In the past (and maybe today to a lesser extent) Texas fans were known for being really horrible. My dad's told stories of Texas fans dumping buckets of urine on Aggie fans when they play at DKR. While they can't get away with that stuff today, it's just as good indication of where some of the animosity comes from.

As to the war hymn, TAMU adopted that song back when rivalries were what really kept football popular. I think you could honestly say that the TAMU/Texas rivalry has had a major place in history in terms of the state of Texas's current obsession with football. And TAMU won't change the war hymn now because it's tradition. And we all know how they feel about tradition...

DallasGreen · July 12, 2006

First verse of UT fight song " TexasFight, TexasFight--it's good bye to A & M"

I agree that SMU is not a rivalry for NT--IT'S AN ALL OUT NO HOLDS BARRED WAR!!!!!!!!!

LongJim · July 12, 2006

Do you understand why A&M hates Texas? I went to NT so I might not be spot on here but the gist is this:
Texas legislature creates A&M as the first public university in Texas. They stick it in the middle of nowhere, in fact the only thing there is a train station, hence the name, once the university is built, of College Station. The legislature in their wisdom didn't want a bunch of college kids (men at the time) running around muking things up in the state capitol. Then it clicked. Someone realized what a boon a university is to a town so they create a second public university and name it the University of Texas. So the aggies contend and maybe rightfully so that A&M is the true university of Texas because they were the first.

Makes for a good story, but unfortunately for Lassieland...:

(full text here.)

"The University of Texas originated in 1839, when the Congress of the Republic of Texas, in an act locating the seat of government, ordered a site set aside for a university. A subsequent act the same year allocated fifty leagues (231,400 acres) of land to the establishment and the endowment of two colleges or universities.

Whether because of frontier conditions, scarcity of money, a feeling that higher education was the concern of the rich who ought to pay for it, or disagreement as to where the university should be located, nothing more was done by the Congress or by the Texas legislature until 1858. That year the legislature made financial provision for a university by appropriating for the institution the fifty leagues granted in 1839, $100,000 in United States bonds remaining from the $10 million paid to Texas in the Compromise of 1850, and one section of land out of every ten reserved to the state in grants made in aid to railroads and a navigation company.

The same act placed the university under the control of ten administrators: the governor, the chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, and eight others nominated by the governor. Secession and the Civil War prevented the act of 1858 from being carried out, however. Indeed, a great portion of the university fund derived from the sale of the fifty leagues granted in 1839 was diverted to the general needs of the state and was not fully repaid until 1883.

The Constitution of 1866 directed the legislature to put the university in operation at an early date. In 1871 the legislature established the Texas A&M College, but the university was still postponed. The Constitution of 1876 specified that the legislature, as soon as practicable, was to establish, organize, and provide for the maintenance and support of a "university of the first class" to be located by vote of the people and styled the University of Texas, for promotion of the study of literature and the arts and sciences."

Edited July 12, 2006 by LongJim

pollock · July 12, 2006

I don't really consider SMU a rivalry, I just hate their damn guts and will only be satisfied if we stomp a mudhole in 'em.

I'm gonna blow my vocal chords out yelling at that game.

Varsity · July 12, 2006

they're so conceited the only thing they can do is turn a nose and act as though OU is a bigger deal.

Wrong.

Review the histories of the Texas-OU rivalry and the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry and you will see why Longhorn fans view OU as their chief rival.

Edited July 12, 2006 by Varsity

CMJ · July 12, 2006

What I used to see from Texas fans was a generational thing. Folks who were students when A&M was dominating, or at least competitive in the rivalry viewed A&M as the chief rival. Those that went to school or became fans when Texas regularly beat A&M view Oklahoma as the main rival.

Makes sense to me.

emmitt01 · July 12, 2006

And we all know how they feel about tradition...

Yes we do. If it's done more than twice it's a tradition.

Recent additions to Aggie traditions include, but are not limited to:

Showering

Tying one's shoes

Sleep

Referring to the Dixie Chick as "five star dining"

Blinking

VideoEagle · July 12, 2006

Yes we do. If it's done more than twice it's a tradition.
Recent additions to Aggie traditions include, but are not limited to:
Showering
Tying one's shoes
Sleep
Referring to the Dixie Chick as "five star dining"
Blinking
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I have serious doubts any Aggies have EVER showered twice! I don’t think they have tied their shoes even once - unless you count those Velcro shoes.

Edited July 12, 2006 by VideoEagle

Objective Aggie · July 12, 2006

When I went to A&M, it was all about beating Texas(1987-91). And we were pretty good at it (beat them 4 out of 5).

As I "grew up", I realized that there is more to life than beating Texas. In 1998, a watershed event occurred. There was debate near the end of the season (we were 9-1 at the time, losing only to FSU) about which was more important, beating Texas or winning the Big 12 title game against KSU. A divided camp if you could believe. Well, suffice to say, everyone understood that despite losing to Texas (Ricky Williams went wild and the horns held off our late rally), beating KSU and earning a Sugar Bowl berth was WAY more important.

I would say the "biggest" game each year has rotated to OU, Va Tech, Notre Dame, and Texas. Each year it is different. Texas is not make or break for the season. Still a rival, still animosity, but not the all or nothing it once was.

By the way, I still to this day hate Texas. At least the teams. I have many Longhorn friends. I respect them. I have hired them. I have worked for Loghorn. I think it is a tremendous school. But I still enjoy them getting beaten, even if by LSU. Meanwhile, I root for the othe rten schools on the Big 12 preety rigourously.

As far as comparing oursleves to Texas, right now we have no choice. Our previous administration left our athletic program to flouder while Texas thrived. we are just now getting competitive across the board, but it is useful to compare yourself to your neareast competition. To me, our peers would be Texas, OU, and LSU. Large state schools who aspire to compete in all sports. Unfortunately, all have won football titles in the last five years while we hav claimed a galleryfurniture.com Bowl victory over TCU. (sigh)

LongJim · July 12, 2006

I realize that the rivalry is more one sided right now in most sports than in the past, but I've always had the feeling that Aggies hate Longhorns more than Longhorns hate Aggies. From where I sit as an unbiased Mean Green loyalist, Longhorns see Aggies as more of a nuisance while Oklahoma is the real rival.
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Most Horns view aTm as similar to your crazy redneck nephew or brother-in-law. For all the antagonism and rivalry, aTm is still 'family'--sort of. You want to whip them, but the rivalry is a bit more fun.

The aTm alums I know are some of the best people I've ever met, and some of the truest friends you could ever want. I enjoy talking football with them during the season.

OU is different. IMO, No Texan who supports athletics in ANY Texas-based school should pull for OU in ANYTHING. EVER. Their athletic success is bad for Texas schools--including UNT.

Having said that, I also enjoy sparring with my Sooner friends--(my 85 year old next door neighbor is a die-hard.)

No lie, she's in a wheelchair, and called me several times on the phone to tell me to take down my UT flag flying on the porch on game days. "If I could get over there, I'd take that thing down and burn it." she told me.

In fact, for Christmas, she got my wife some nice wind chime or something, and I opened my gift from her, and she had bought me an OU Christmas stocking!

I personally think that UNT should keep building the rivalry with SMU, and also schools like Texas State, Arkie State, and Tech. The more rivalry games with teams in Texas, the better for the program.

There is a thread right now at a UT board about that 1988 game, and the more mileage that can be pulled from that game as motivation, the better. Those kind of things are what build rivalries. The next thing UNT needs to do is try kidnapping BEVO, or painting Scrappy's head at Jones SBC. Hell, Rice is notorious for that kind of thing, and they never win anything.

I'd like nothing better than to see the score of the 1997 game at Jones painted in GREEN on the parking lot, or something. Why the hell not??

Eagle1855 · July 12, 2006

I'd like nothing better than to see the score of the 1997 game at Jones painted in GREEN on the parking lot, or something. Why the hell not??
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LOVE THIS IDEA.

pollock · July 12, 2006

No lie, she's in a wheelchair, and called me several times on the phone to tell me to take down my UT flag flying on the porch on game days. "If I could get over there, I'd take that thing down and burn it." she told me.
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God, I love college football.

gangrene · July 12, 2006

The example I use is Texas-Texas A&M. Texas A&M is a great school with a fine athletic tradition, but isn't it sad that they've developed such an unhealthy obsession with the University of Texas?
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So you'd be opposed to kidnapping Puny or Petunia (whatever SMU calls their pony mascot) and branding him with 14-7 (last time we beat SMU in 1990) the day before our game on September 9???

good_ken · July 12, 2006

So you'd be opposed to kidnapping Puny or Petunia (whatever SMU calls their pony mascot) and branding him with 14-7 (last time we beat SMU in 1990) the day before our game on September 9???

I wouldn't be opposed to kidnapping their pony and branding the Safeway logo onto the pony's backside.

LongJim · July 13, 2006

So you'd be opposed to kidnapping Puny or Petunia (whatever SMU calls their pony mascot) and branding him with 14-7 (last time we beat SMU in 1990) the day before our game on September 9???
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THAT would be AWESOME!

untwillrise · July 13, 2006

You heard it here first if UNT covers a 17 point spread against UT i will get other freinds together to mule-nap SMU's mascot. i put my word on it.

rivalries and tradition are not poped out of thin air they are created, so that jackass better watchout.

GangGreen · July 13, 2006

Theme Song for the Game: "Watching your Mustang Burn" by Jack Ingram

Forget branding. Make enough glue for the Poontangs to reconnect the wiring in their locker room.

gangrene · July 13, 2006

You heard it here first if UNT covers a 17 point spread against UT i will get other freinds together to mule-nap SMU's mascot. i put my word on it.
rivalries and tradition are not poped out of thin air they are created, so that jackass better watchout.
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I don't want anyone to get in serious trouble with the police or the university but that would be an event to remember...the stuff legends (and rivalries) are made of (everyone knows BEVO's story and that happened 90 years ago). This is the kind of thing that could really create some buzz around this game. Imagine the media attention something like this could generate...

Forgive my ignorance of SMU mascot policy, but does anyone know if the live pony actually travels to away games? If not, this may be something we keep in our back pockets until next season when we play at SMU.