The things that make aTm unique

When compared to other teams in CFB, there is something very unique about aTm. They view themselves as Tier 1 perennial contenders even though they have never won anything, ever, in history, to establish themselves as Tier 1. They watch how the Georgia, Bama, Ohio State type fans behave and try to mimic that behavior because that's what they think they are supposed to do as a Tier 1 team. It is their only point of reference. They want to be associated with and respected the way those other programs are and refuse to acknowledge that they have done nothing to earn that recognition. So, they copycat the teams and fan bases that are perennial contenders. They have never been that, so they don't inherently know how to behave.

Aggie fans think their view of Bama, Georgia and other Tier 1 programs is horizontal, not vertical. When referring to teams that are yearly contenders, they say "we" instead of "them". Even in current times, when they can openly buy the best recruiting classes, they simply don't have the DNA as a program to convert that into being a contender. This is why they disappear from the message boards after an upset loss. They cant reconcile that they aren't a cream of the crop program and certainly don't want to view the evidence from up close. They know they don't belong in the conversation but force themselves into it with fake confidence. They suffer from imposter syndrome.

Other teams seem to know their place regardless of conference. Take Arkansas and South Carolina for example. Both are expansion teams for the SEC. Neither have won anything that would indicate that they are moving towards Tier 1 nor do the fans act like it. They know their place. They are happy to have 9 win seasons and compete. Even the occasional 10 win season doesn't have us claiming every new year is "the year" we reach the mountaintop. We don't aggie, we just compete and work at it.

This isn't a bad thing. When they do pull from their own creativity for how to behave, we get the midnight yell practice, milkmen cheer leaders, jizz jar traditions and sword wielding cadets that get pancaked by people in street clothes at the 50 yard line. If that's our options, I would prefer they continue with the copycat method. Let them practice in front of the mirror after watching another team win a championship. The alternative is ugly. I just find it interesting that this is the thing that makes them unique.