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NOTE: we have a couple handfuls of writers for Good Bull Hunting and a good chunk likely disagree with what you're about to read. Carry on.
By now you have likely heard of Ryan Guillen, a member of the Texas House of Representatives, that introduced a bill on Monday night that, if passed, would require Texas A&M and Texas to play annually. Ryan Guillen is an Aggie.
This type of political action isn't the first of its kind. Auburn and Alabama went through a similar process a half a century ago or so. While this is probably just a politician trying to get his name some ink, it is also the off season, and people need stuff to banter aimlessly over.
Before we dive in, let's just get all the points that have been beaten to death out of the way:
- Texas A&M left the Big 12 - a league that Texas found a sudden fondness and loyalty towards once their realignment options dwindled.
- The Big 12 is a good league. So is the SEC.
- Texas A&M took an opportunity it had been eyeing for years. Most critics thought this move was program suicide. Early returns are positive.
- Texas makes gobs and gobs and gobs of money and they are happy to tell you all about it - just not through the medium of their television network.
- Texas A&M thinks that Texas needs the Thanksgiving game because of a teetering conference and a program that could be nicely described as shaky.
- Texas thinks that Texas A&M needs the Thanksgiving game because they are "little brother" and LOLZ AGGY.
- Texas is still Texas and will be just fine. So will Texas A&M. What does "needing" a game even mean?
- Both fan bases are wrong, and I don't care to get into the nitpicking of this.
- Texas claims eternal scoreboard in the series while neglecting what eternity means.
College football is a hell of a lot of fun. Chances are, if you're reading this in late January, you get a lot of enjoyment out of the sport. Part of what makes it so damn fun is the hate. I'm not talking malicious hate either. I'm talking good ole, competitive release in a game and trolling loved ones. A game most of us don't possess the skills to play at the elite level. Yet, a game.
I love the SEC. I love the move for Texas A&M and would have loved it even if we went 4-8 this year. I also love rivalries. You know why college is so much better than the pros?
Rivalries.
Watch the NBA. They're all buddies and it is just a silly free agency jigsaw puzzle. The NFL is a polished product, but none of the players care nearly as much about a rivalry as the drunken fans in jerseys.
You and I grew up watching a football game on Thanksgiving, and hell, I'm from Colorado. There is a good chance you work with Aggies and Longhorns. Lots of them. You probably have diehards from both schools in your family. It's fun, isn't it? Often maddening, but fun. The rosters of Texas A&M and Texas are kids that grew up with this rivalry and grew up playing against each other.
Plenty (most?) of Aggies are brazenly fine with never seeing the Longhorns again. They'll tell you we're on to bigger and better. Texas A&M would be just fine as a school and program if we never played Texas again. Be that as it may, my opinion is passionately in favor of playing again and playing again soon.
I tweeted earlier that "College football shouldn't be left to bureaucrats and suits. It's supposed to be fun and you should play the teams you dislike." I firmly believe this. Isn't that why we play and love sports? Our buddy Wescott Eberts at Burnt Orange Nation reported on this story earlier and the piece got over 150 comments (some insane) in less than a couple hours. Deloss will tell you that the MackBrownTexasFootball.com schedule is full until (insert year clap clap). God forbid North Texas or Maryland get told years in advance that plans change.
Are we going to bicker on the internet or play football? Let's do the latter (ok, both). It's just a game and it's a helluva great time. This game is going to be played again and it will be fantastic.
Give me Texas and BTHO t.u. and peacocking state legislators.
P.S. Johnny is a better football player than Vincent and it isn't close.