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To Texas A&M fans regarding your traditions
Posted on 8/6/21 at 9:11 pm
Posted on 8/6/21 at 9:11 pm
Truth be told, I like unique college traditions. I have many A&M friends and work colleagues who are A&M alum. I’ve been to >10 A&M games and a spring game at Kyle, and beyond (1999 Sugar Bowl vs Ohio State, 2009 vs Arkansas in Arlington).
Love 12th man, kissing your girl after a score, Aggie band is sharp, fish camp, and the cannon.
The yell leaders, though. I tried to appreciate this one. Conceptually. I really did. But I just can’t. At all. I actually cringe when I see them.
I know “either you are an Aggie or you just don’t understand” (or some such), but are all Aggies ALL IN for the yell leader tradition?
The “out scored” (no use of word “lose”), as in the Aggies we’re outscored tonight (dare not admit loss), not your best work either.
Overall, impressed by your unique traditions.
Love 12th man, kissing your girl after a score, Aggie band is sharp, fish camp, and the cannon.
The yell leaders, though. I tried to appreciate this one. Conceptually. I really did. But I just can’t. At all. I actually cringe when I see them.
I know “either you are an Aggie or you just don’t understand” (or some such), but are all Aggies ALL IN for the yell leader tradition?
The “out scored” (no use of word “lose”), as in the Aggies we’re outscored tonight (dare not admit loss), not your best work either.
Overall, impressed by your unique traditions.
19
Posted on 8/6/21 at 9:14 pm to Turf Taint
We just run out of time.
The rest of y’all care way more about yell leaders than we do. For the type of yells we do, it’s practical. We’re a pragmatic folk. They do a good job getting people loud and together.
Now it doesn’t mean we don’t love our dance team who are apart of the entrance at Kyle. We do have a competitive all cheer girl team as well. We’re technically the only school without male cheerleaders.
The rest of y’all care way more about yell leaders than we do. For the type of yells we do, it’s practical. We’re a pragmatic folk. They do a good job getting people loud and together.
Now it doesn’t mean we don’t love our dance team who are apart of the entrance at Kyle. We do have a competitive all cheer girl team as well. We’re technically the only school without male cheerleaders.
Posted on 8/6/21 at 9:15 pm to Turf Taint
Posted on 8/6/21 at 9:16 pm to DownSouthJukin
Posted on 8/6/21 at 9:16 pm to Turf Taint
quote:
The yell leaders, though. I tried to appreciate this one. Conceptually. I really did. But I just can’t. At all. I actually cringe when I see them.
I know “either you are an Aggie or you just don’t understand” (or some such), but are all Aggies ALL IN for the yell leader tradition?
I'm an Ag and I don't understand this specific one. A lot of us don't. It's pretty not straight.
I don't have a problem with any of the rest.
This post was edited on 8/6/21 at 9:38 pm
Posted on 8/6/21 at 9:17 pm to Turf Taint
A&M has some great traditions.
As for the male yell leaders, every school has them. Even the USC Trojans had a male squad to go with the more famous (and more beautiful) Song Girls.
I have no problem with schools having them...it's really a national tradition at schools across the country.
Back in the 1960's....
As for the male yell leaders, every school has them. Even the USC Trojans had a male squad to go with the more famous (and more beautiful) Song Girls.
I have no problem with schools having them...it's really a national tradition at schools across the country.
Back in the 1960's....
This post was edited on 8/6/21 at 9:28 pm
Posted on 8/6/21 at 9:30 pm to Turf Taint
quote:
The “out scored” (no use of word “lose”), as in the Aggies we’re outscored tonight (dare not admit loss), not your best work either.
We're just trying to be like Alabama.
Look at their perfect W/L record since the 2012 expansion. In 2012 they beat:
Michigan
W Kentucky
Arkansas
Florida Atlantic
Ole Miss
Missouri
Tennessee
Miss State
LSU
Selves
W. carolina
Auburn
Georgia
Notre Dame
In 2013, they beat:
V Tech
Aggy
Colorado State
Ole Miss
Georgia State
Kentucky
Arkansas
Tennessee
LSU
Miss State
Chattanooga
Selves
Selves
I could go on, but you get idea.
Posted on 8/6/21 at 10:10 pm to Turf Taint
Sad thing is Aggie can’t admit it’s weird AF because they are former students there and it’s sacrilege to say otherwise.
But deep down, they know it’s weird.
But deep down, they know it’s weird.
Posted on 8/6/21 at 10:15 pm to idlewatcher
I’m an Aggie and I’ll admit that a lot of the stuff (especially with the Corps) is weird as hell. But I like most of the unique traditions that we have.
Posted on 8/6/21 at 10:16 pm to Turf Taint
quote:
The yell leaders, though. I tried to appreciate this one. Conceptually. I really did. But I just can’t. At all. I actually cringe when I see them.
Posted on 8/6/21 at 10:24 pm to Turf Taint
quote:
The yell leaders, though. I tried to appreciate this one. Conceptually. I really did.
They’re not meant for you or others to appreciate.
They’re a long standing tradition and are there for the student body—for a very specific reason.
Ags get that you “can’t appreciate it;” they aren’t too concerned.
The Yell Leaders aren’t going anywhere.
Enjoyed your post.
Posted on 8/6/21 at 10:26 pm to TbirdSpur2010
Anyone who has ever been through a "prop blast" can't complain about anyone else's traditions, especially 82nd Airborne, who were actually making gay porn in their barracks 10 years ago.
Posted on 8/6/21 at 11:14 pm to Turf Taint
Yell leaders are super weird. I never got it, at all.
Posted on 8/6/21 at 11:45 pm to Turf Taint
I was in the Aggie Band, and even some traditions I still don’t understand. The whole thing about nut-squeezing? I never did that and don’t know anyone that did.
There’s a weird dynamic in the Corps, or at least there was 20 years ago when I was there. There are even lesser known traditions that stay pretty much among Corps Units.
SEC fans may give each other shite, but can stick relatively together when some B10 or Pac 12 a-hole starts talking trash. The same thing happens in the Corps. The band members and the other Corps members mess with each other and give each other crap, but if an outsider starts messing with one, they’ll generally all stick together. I say “generally” because there are always a handful of shitebags that take it too seriously and really mess up.
There’s a weird dynamic in the Corps, or at least there was 20 years ago when I was there. There are even lesser known traditions that stay pretty much among Corps Units.
SEC fans may give each other shite, but can stick relatively together when some B10 or Pac 12 a-hole starts talking trash. The same thing happens in the Corps. The band members and the other Corps members mess with each other and give each other crap, but if an outsider starts messing with one, they’ll generally all stick together. I say “generally” because there are always a handful of shitebags that take it too seriously and really mess up.
Posted on 8/7/21 at 12:23 am to Turf Taint
Yell leaders are fine conceptually, what I don’t understand is why they act so flamboyant. Watching the yell leaders prance around like gay boys on the Jumbotron is just odd.
Posted on 8/7/21 at 12:27 am to Walnut
quote:
Yell leaders are fine conceptually, what I don’t understand is why they act so flamboyant.
Their moves had to be recognizable from far away (pre-jumbotron days) to keep everyone's in sync during yells. They're coordinating an entire side of the stadium while trying to remain in sync with each other and keep the student body on cadence, so exaggerated, synchronized motions are the way to go.
Posted on 8/7/21 at 12:31 am to TbirdSpur2010
That actually makes sense. I still think it’s pretty gay, but at least there’s method to the madness
Posted on 8/7/21 at 12:45 am to Walnut
quote:
That actually makes sense.
Yeah it's calculated. Looks like random prancing, I'm sure, but every movement is a signal to the student section for a yell or a particular part of a yell. Only way thousands of folks stay on cue.
quote:
still think it’s pretty gay
Which is kinda ironic, because the tail those guys pull is INSANE
Coeds out the wazoo, it's ridiculous. But again, makes sense given their history. The yell leaders were originally just meant to be guys goofing off for girls in the stands to laugh at. Still doing it years later, I suppose Posted on 8/7/21 at 12:47 am to Walnut
They wear white head to toe so they can easily be seen on the sideline (there are only five of em).
A&M uses many different yells (one of the main jobs of the 12th Man); each Yell Leader hand signal tells the students which yell is about to commence.
As TBird said, their movements/hand signs have to be large so as to be visible to everyone from those in the first row/first deck to kids way the heck up in the last row/3rd deck (stratosphere)—within seconds. That’s a huge area.
It’s weird. We all get that. But they serve a purpose/aren’t there as eye candy.
A&M uses many different yells (one of the main jobs of the 12th Man); each Yell Leader hand signal tells the students which yell is about to commence.
As TBird said, their movements/hand signs have to be large so as to be visible to everyone from those in the first row/first deck to kids way the heck up in the last row/3rd deck (stratosphere)—within seconds. That’s a huge area.
It’s weird. We all get that. But they serve a purpose/aren’t there as eye candy.
This post was edited on 8/7/21 at 12:48 am
Posted on 8/7/21 at 1:40 am to Turf Taint
Like many Aggie traditions, Yell Leaders started back when we were an all male military school long ago. There were no women at A&M outside of a few exceptions up until the '60s. 100 years ago male cheerleaders were very common as many colleges had few if any women, A&M very much resembled The Citadel at that time.
At A&M it started as kind of a joke. A group Seniors essentially told some Freshman to put on white jump suits and get a crowd fired up before a game. The Freshman did a great job and got everyone riled up so the Upper Classmen decided they were going to take over. Yell Leaders started becoming an elected position and soon became the most highly contested student election on campus as they became the most recognized people on campus.
My Dad was a Head Yell Leader in the '50s. Back then that meant he was also in charge of building Bonfire and he was put on Corps Staff which ran the entire Corps (and everyone was in the Corps back then). He went on to be Class Agent for 50 years. The group of men that have been Yell Leaders is actually quite impressive and there are some incredibly successful folks from high powered attorneys to multiple President's of the 12th Man Association which funds the AD. Rick Perry was a Yell Leader as well. At my Dad's funeral they had 17 Former Yell Leaders show up from the Class of '48 to Present and we ended his Celebration of Life with a Yell Practice.
Some of the movements have continued to get exaggerated over time. My Dad actually got annoyed with it, they didn't used to be so animated. Things change over time. When I was in school it was still the top elected position by far. All of the Yell Leaders also got more women than anyone else I knew, if they showed up at a party they literally could pick who they were going to bang that night.
I get why it seems weird as hell from the outside. As A&M is now 65k students with equal M/F ratio and only about 2k in the Corps the tradition has gotten further and further away from where it began and a smaller and smaller percentage of Aggies have any connection to where the school came from.
I expect at some point it will probably die or be changed to the point it is unrecognizable. Probably when a woman wins election to one of the 5 slots. I love the Dance Team and hope they can continue to find a role for them and they should.
I know a lot of SEC folks will never get it and that's fine, Aggies generally DGAF about people thinking they are weird.
At A&M it started as kind of a joke. A group Seniors essentially told some Freshman to put on white jump suits and get a crowd fired up before a game. The Freshman did a great job and got everyone riled up so the Upper Classmen decided they were going to take over. Yell Leaders started becoming an elected position and soon became the most highly contested student election on campus as they became the most recognized people on campus.
My Dad was a Head Yell Leader in the '50s. Back then that meant he was also in charge of building Bonfire and he was put on Corps Staff which ran the entire Corps (and everyone was in the Corps back then). He went on to be Class Agent for 50 years. The group of men that have been Yell Leaders is actually quite impressive and there are some incredibly successful folks from high powered attorneys to multiple President's of the 12th Man Association which funds the AD. Rick Perry was a Yell Leader as well. At my Dad's funeral they had 17 Former Yell Leaders show up from the Class of '48 to Present and we ended his Celebration of Life with a Yell Practice.
Some of the movements have continued to get exaggerated over time. My Dad actually got annoyed with it, they didn't used to be so animated. Things change over time. When I was in school it was still the top elected position by far. All of the Yell Leaders also got more women than anyone else I knew, if they showed up at a party they literally could pick who they were going to bang that night.
I get why it seems weird as hell from the outside. As A&M is now 65k students with equal M/F ratio and only about 2k in the Corps the tradition has gotten further and further away from where it began and a smaller and smaller percentage of Aggies have any connection to where the school came from.
I expect at some point it will probably die or be changed to the point it is unrecognizable. Probably when a woman wins election to one of the 5 slots. I love the Dance Team and hope they can continue to find a role for them and they should.
I know a lot of SEC folks will never get it and that's fine, Aggies generally DGAF about people thinking they are weird.
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