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Jimcs50
03-23-2005, 10:49 AM
Texas A&M rebuilding atmosphere


Texas A&M will never be a basketball school. Not like Kentucky, Duke or North Carolina, where basketball outweighs the other sports 2 (million) to 1. It’s the way of things in Texas, where the Aggie men’s basketball team could win back-to-back-to-back national championships, and A&M fans would still care more about football than hoops.

It’s the same way at the University of Texas. Or at Baylor. Or at Texas Tech.

And yet in one season, first-year A&M coach Billy Gillispie has brought back what so many old-timers remember, an environment where basketball can thrive.

Question: Have you ever heard of “The Wall?”

Many of you have, but I hadn’t.

Then early this season an e-mailer regaled me with stories of former Aggie greats Vernon Smith, Rynn Wright and Rudy Woods who, over the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons, powered A&M to a 50-17 record and the school’s second Sweet 16 berth.

In the first round of the 1980 NCAA tournament, Smith, Wright, Woods (“The Wall”) and Claude Riley (“the Crockett Rocket”) led A&M past Bradley, 55-53. In the second round, the Aggies upset North Carolina, 78-61, in double overtime. It’s the only time A&M has won two games in the same NCAA tournament, and it’s one of those pockets of history that easily got lost during the decade leading up to this season.

For 10 years, A&M men’s basketball all but disappeared. In fact, it might have been less embarrassing if it had. Several Aggies played great games at times, and Aggieland will always be proud of several of the players who wore maroon and white from the 1994-95 season to the 2003-04 season. But for all of their efforts, those 10 teams couldn’t notch a single winning season.

What happens during a period like that affects more than just the people involved with those teams. It buries history and tradition, the good stuff like “The Wall” and the winning seasons and the conference championships.

Over the last two weeks in the corridors of Reed Arena, A&M began putting up team photos of all the Aggie squads (men’s and women’s) that qualified for national postseason tournaments. It’s good that they’re going up now, but they should’ve been up years ago. Yet it’s hard to blame anybody for steering clear of Reed Arena until this season because, except for graduation, there wasn’t much worth seeing.

This is what Gillispie and his Aggies have done. By putting together the school’s best season since “The Wall” went 26-8 in 1979-80, Gillispie’s team has reopened Aggie basketball for business. People are buying in, too. A&M officials expect a sellout crowd Wednesday night at Reed Arena when the Aggies host St. Joseph’s in the NIT quarterfinals. If it happens, it will be A&M’s fourth sellout this season.

And while the turnaround has obviously been good for Aggie basketball, it also has been good for Aggie athletics in general.

“Anytime A&M’s name is in the public eye in a positive manner it’s good,” A&M head football coach Dennis Franchione said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s academics or athletics.”

Aggie basketball games often serve as a centerpiece event during A&M football recruiting weekends. Franchione and his staff also held two “junior days” at A&M basketball games, giving high school juniors a chance to get acquainted with the football program while enjoying Aggie basketball victories over Texas Tech and Kansas State.

“When you bring recruits for visits and they go to a nice basketball weekend, to a game with a good atmosphere, it’s a positive,” Franchione said.

How much Aggie basketball can help Aggie athletics is hard to quantify, but there’s no question it helps. After football, men’s basketball is the biggest advertising outlet in college sports, and A&M is back to putting its name out there in a positive light.

Will it be enough to turn A&M into a basketball school? Barring an alien invasion of Kyle Field, no, A&M will never be a basketball school. But Aggie fans will support basketball, and the more they do, the better A&M sports will be overall.

IcemanCometh
03-23-2005, 01:06 PM
basketball will never replace meat judging

Ballcox
03-23-2005, 01:20 PM
Yeahhh! Another a&m related post about their powerful basketball team, can I go to sleep now? Someone wake me up when this program actually accomplishes something.


respect the 'fro :fro

Jimcs50
03-23-2005, 01:45 PM
Yeahhh! Another a&m related post about their powerful basketball team, can I go to sleep now? Someone wake me up when this program actually accomplishes something.


respect the 'fro :fro

Hey, this is a good article and should make the sports fan feel good. It is nice to see some positive things going on in sports given the current fare we have been reading and hearing about all over the sports wires lately.

sorry if I put you to sleep.

Ballcox
03-23-2005, 02:03 PM
Jim, I'm just giving you a little grief on this. I know this back and forth started with the other a&m thread you had. What you need to know is that I'm a UT fan, have been since my earliest memories. One of the characteristics of lifelong UT fans is that we don't particularly like or care for a&m fans or thier respective athletic teams, at all. Now, on my end, this isn't a personal deal. I don't wish for a&m athletes to get hurt, for their plane to crash or for a&m fans to suffer in any way (unless it's in losing to UT). It just comes down to the fact that I don't particularly care for anything related to a&m, just like some Spurs fans don't care for anything related to the Lakers. Now you have a better idea of where I'm coming from when I respond to a&m related threads, and I'll continue to respond to them in this way, it's not personal, it's just a deep rooted dislike for all things a&m-make sense? Have a good one!

respect the 'fro :fro

Jimcs50
03-23-2005, 04:50 PM
Jim, I'm just giving you a little grief on this. I know this back and forth started with the other a&m thread you had. What you need to know is that I'm a UT fan, have been since my earliest memories. One of the characteristics of lifelong UT fans is that we don't particularly like or care for a&m fans or thier respective athletic teams, at all. Now, on my end, this isn't a personal deal. I don't wish for a&m athletes to get hurt, for their plane to crash or for a&m fans to suffer in any way (unless it's in losing to UT). It just comes down to the fact that I don't particularly care for anything related to a&m, just like some Spurs fans don't care for anything related to the Lakers. Now you have a better idea of where I'm coming from when I respond to a&m related threads, and I'll continue to respond to them in this way, it's not personal, it's just a deep rooted dislike for all things a&m-make sense? Have a good one!

respect the 'fro :fro

I was just busting your balls......I am not an Aggie, but have lived here since 84, so have became a fan through osmosis. I used to root for UT when they had Earl, but my team is Maryland for the most part.

That being said, I am impressed with the Aggie traditions and the class they show at all sporting events. They are different from any other fans I have ever experienced, and I have been to every ACC arena and a lot of Big 12 ones in my lifetime.

tlongII
03-23-2005, 05:31 PM
I was just busting your balls......I am not an Aggie, but have lived here since 84, so have became a fan through osmosis. I used to root for UT when they had Earl, but my team is Maryland for the most part.

That being said, I am impressed with the Aggie traditions and the class they show at all sporting events. They are different from any other fans I have ever experienced, and I have been to every ACC arena and a lot of Big 12 ones in my lifetime.

You guys should be giving props to Texas Tech!

jalbre6
03-23-2005, 06:02 PM
You guys should be giving props to Texas Tech!

Yeah, probably. I just can never get excited about Tech in any sport. It ain't because of Bobby Knight and his big mouth or Mike Leach running up the score. When Texas loses to them, I usually am disappointed that the mighty Longhorns got punked by those little pissants from Lubbock. When we beat them, it's nice but not anything unexpected or rewarding. I'd venture to say that most Aggies feel the same way.

To me, Tech and Baylor occupy about the same level of respect. Even when they beat Cal in the Holiday Bowl, my thought process wasn't that Tech played well, it was that Cal didn't show up. Same with beating Gonzaga over the weekend in hoops. Beating OU or A&M in any sport is something I can smile about. Beating Tech is just something the team is supposed to do.

Ballcox
03-23-2005, 06:11 PM
Yeah, probably. I just can never get excited about Tech in any sport. It ain't because of Bobby Knight and his big mouth or Mike Leach running up the score. When Texas loses to them, I usually am disappointed that the mighty Longhorns got punked by those little pissants from Lubbock. When we beat them, it's nice but not anything unexpected or rewarding. I'd venture to say that most Aggies feel the same way.

To me, Tech and Baylor occupy about the same level of respect. Even when they beat Cal in the Holiday Bowl, my thought process wasn't that Tech played well, it was that Cal didn't show up. Same with beating Gonzaga over the weekend in hoops. Beating OU or A&M in any sport is something I can smile about. Beating Tech is just something the team is supposed to do.

Agree with you on that jalbre6, not a big deal when we beat Tech, but it sure as hell does piss me off when we lose to those guys! Also, Jim, I figured you were just giving me some grief, I don't take it personally. In my response above just wanted to give you some of my distorted reasoning about my responses regarding a&m. Being a lifelong UT fan will do that to you! I already knew from reading your previous posts that you're a pretty level headed guy, you tend to make concrete points and back them up with facts (unlike some other posters). Talk at ya later!

respect the 'fro :fro

Jdspur20
03-24-2005, 12:19 AM
once again, UT fans prove how little class they have when it comes to talking about other universities. jalbre6, you show no class calling them pissants from lubbock. why insult a good college town and a good university? and insulting baylor as well? you show little class by stating these things. i'm not asking you to give props to Tech, because, frankly, Tech fans could care less about what big mighty UT thinks of them. why do you guys think that everybuddy is trying to get UT's approval??? get over yourself. personally, i like UT, i just don't like classless fans like yourself.

Jimcs50
03-24-2005, 10:23 AM
It matters not......A&M lost last night to a team that used every second of the shot clock before shooting the ball....the game put the aggies to sleep.

St Joes shot 30% and won the game.

Maryland will kill them.

samikeyp
03-24-2005, 10:41 AM
I remember the 1987 SWC tourney when A&M was the 8 seed and won the whole thing. Classic. I think that Shelby Metcalf should have the court named after him.

I think what JD meant to say was some UT fans. I say that because I am a UT fan and do not think they way that he was implying all UT fans do. As a Longhorn fan, I remember their ineptitude in basketball as well. They won the NIT in 1979 and didn't do much else until 1990 where as a 10 seed they made it into the Sweet 16(with current Spurs broadcaster Lance Blanks) and have had a good program ever since. First Tom Penders and now Rick Barnes have done a great job with Longhorn Basketball, just like Billy Gillespie is doing with Aggie Basketball.

Ginofan
03-24-2005, 01:51 PM
Bad night last night...first the Spurs lose then I find out the Ags score. By 7 points ugh! But anyway, that was a very nice article Jim.

It's amazing how the team has turned around in just one season. On the Ag board I visit (Texags.com) there's actually more activity in the basketball section than there has been in the football section (where most of the time the offseason football activity seems to be more exciting than the basketball season going on right then lol). I went to my first A&M basketball game this season (went to 2 all season) and I just couldn't get over the atmosphere of it all. I have nothing to base it on since I have never been to another big time college's arena but I just have to say that A&M has such "togetherness" there in Reed it's unreal. It's like being at a Spurs game with 3000 of your closest friends that are just as rabid about the team as you are. The yells, the cheers, the chants, the signs, the sway, the game...it's just all wonderful. I can't wait for next season!

samikeyp
03-24-2005, 02:06 PM
It's like being at a Spurs game with 3000 of your closest friends that are just as rabid about the team as you are.

Reminds me of the Hemisfair Arena.

Jdspur20
03-24-2005, 06:16 PM
I remember the 1987 SWC tourney when A&M was the 8 seed and won the whole thing. Classic. I think that Shelby Metcalf should have the court named after him.

I think what JD meant to say was some UT fans. I say that because I am a UT fan and do not think they way that he was implying all UT fans do. As a Longhorn fan, I remember their ineptitude in basketball as well. They won the NIT in 1979 and didn't do much else until 1990 where as a 10 seed they made it into the Sweet 16(with current Spurs broadcaster Lance Blanks) and have had a good program ever since. First Tom Penders and now Rick Barnes have done a great job with Longhorn Basketball, just like Billy Gillespie is doing with Aggie Basketball.

yes,thats what i meant, if you read my last statement correctly in the prevous post, it explains it.

jalbre6
03-24-2005, 07:22 PM
once again, UT fans prove how little class they have when it comes to talking about other universities. jalbre6, you show no class calling them pissants from lubbock. why insult a good college town and a good university? and insulting baylor as well? you show little class by stating these things. i'm not asking you to give props to Tech, because, frankly, Tech fans could care less about what big mighty UT thinks of them. why do you guys think that everybuddy is trying to get UT's approval??? get over yourself. personally, i like UT, i just don't like classless fans like yourself.

I didn't ask for your approval. UT probably hasn't asked for it lately either. I don't see what class has to do with the fact that I care more about beating OU and A&M than Tech or Baylor.

Jdspur20
03-25-2005, 01:16 AM
I didn't ask for your approval. UT probably hasn't asked for it lately either. I don't see what class has to do with the fact that I care more about beating OU and A&M than Tech or Baylor.

first of all, calling them pissants from lubbock is pretty classless, second, you look at them as second class. it doesn't matter weather you like beating ou and atm more, i nkowwhat you meant, the fact is you look at tech as second class. and the remark i made about UT's approval on things, thats all i ever hear when it comes to other universities. they always(some not all) feel like they have a right to either give other teams praise, or bring them down and spit in there face, and from reading your previous post, thats the Impression i got. look, i like UT, i've always routed for them, i just don't appreciate rude and classless remarks. oh, and one more thing, don't even critizise mike leach for running up scores when UT has done that a number of times. thats a major conradiction if i've evern seen one. c'mon.

jalbre6
03-25-2005, 10:15 AM
i just don't appreciate rude and classless remarks.

You must not read the other forums too much, then. Or most things that come out of Leach's and Knight's mouths. Wasn't this Bobby's take on rape, "If rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it."?

Look, As a UT fan I consider OU and A&M rivals. The other nine teams in the conference are just league competition. Sometimes good competition, sometimes mediocre competition...depending on what the sport is. When was the last time Tech had a 10 win season in football? The mid-70's? The last time they won two games in the NCAA tourney was like 95 or 96, and if I remember correctly, they violated some rules and the trip was vacated.

What it sounds like to me is that you're one of those overly sensitive Tech fans/alumni that hate it when they think UT fans/alumni are looking down on your beloved Red Raiders.

samikeyp
03-25-2005, 12:44 PM
JD, I did read the final statement of the post you are referring to. (thanks for the condescension, BTW) You were referring to Jailbre. The statement I was referring to was the opening statement of that post where you referenced "UT Fans". All you explained (based on what was typed) was that you were condemening all UT fans to a similar mindset then you singled out Jailbre.

jalbre6
03-25-2005, 12:54 PM
JD, I did read the final statement of the post you are referring to. (thanks for the condescension, BTW) You were referring to Jailbre. The statement I was referring to was the opening statement of that post where you referenced "UT Fans". All you explained (based on what was typed) was that you were condemening all UT fans to a similar mindset then you singled out Jailbre.

Well, if my being singled out is inevitable, I'm going to relax and enjoy it.

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

samikeyp
03-25-2005, 12:57 PM
:lmao

true true. :)

Jdspur20
03-25-2005, 10:11 PM
You must not read the other forums too much, then. Or most things that come out of Leach's and Knight's mouths. Wasn't this Bobby's take on rape, "If rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it."?

Look, As a UT fan I consider OU and A&M rivals. The other nine teams in the conference are just league competition. Sometimes good competition, sometimes mediocre competition...depending on what the sport is. When was the last time Tech had a 10 win season in football? The mid-70's? The last time they won two games in the NCAA tourney was like 95 or 96, and if I remember correctly, they violated some rules and the trip was vacated.

What it sounds like to me is that you're one of those overly sensitive Tech fans/alumni that hate it when they think UT fans/alumni are looking down on your beloved Red Raiders.

wether that comment came directly out of bobby knights' mouth, is unkown, that was probibly most likely misquoted by the hated media. i personally haven't heard anything of that nature from him, but if he said it, i'm sure he regrets it. why should i feel bad for that comment? i didn't say it, so why are you calling that classless when it has nothing to do with me? for the second time, i understand you consider ou and atm ad UT's rival, i'm not arguing with that, i'm arguing about the rude comments towards tech. and about your comments that im a overly sensitive tech fan is not true by all means, i just don't appreciate mud getting thrown in my face by someone who thinks there high and mighty because there a UT fan, and they think they have the right to insult other universities and treat them like second class. doing so is rude and inconsiderate. i like UT and respect there sports programs, i rute for them against anybuddy besides tech, i just don't appreciate obnoxious comments. as for tech's football and basketball programs, yes your right, its been since the 70's or 80's since they won 10 games in a season, but they have had winning seasons and battle UT, atm, ou, and many other porgrams near texas for the battle of recruitment. plus, they've been bowl eligible the last 11 or 12 years in a row. which is a pretty good streak. look there not a UT or OU or usc or lsu, or whatever, but there a pretty decent football program, that is getting better each year since leach showed up in a very tough conferance. and as for your comments about the basketball team, you can thank Mr. James Dickie for those violations. knight is still trying to pull techs basketball program out of the whole dickie put them in.
jalbre6, let me ask you something about UT, do you like Mac Brown? he's have several 10 win seasons in a row, and, the impression i've got from so many UT fans(not all, and not from you) is that they don't like mac brown and doesn't think he's worth UT's wait, whats up with that??? the man has won several games since he;s been there? what do u think?

jalbre6
03-26-2005, 02:24 PM
jalbre6, let me ask you something about UT, do you like Mac Brown? he's have several 10 win seasons in a row, and, the impression i've got from so many UT fans(not all, and not from you) is that they don't like mac brown and doesn't think he's worth UT's wait, whats up with that??? the man has won several games since he;s been there? what do u think?

I like Mack, especially because I know what a joke the program was becoming under Mackovic and McWilliams. He's worth the wait. It took Bowden, Spurrier, and Carroll a while to grab national titles. Most programs lately seem like they have to grow into powers, not just flick a switch and start playing in the Fiesta Bowl. UT fans saw Stoops get one almost immediately and started bitching. The truth is, Bob Stoops is a great coaching talent and OU was fortuante to get him, as they were rotting away under Blake much like the Horns were under previous coaches.

With Brown, Franchione at A&M, and Stoops up at the evil empire, it's a great time to be a UT fan.

samikeyp
03-27-2005, 11:37 PM
actually that comment is known...I have seen the interview. It was an interview with Connie Chung.

Mr Dio
04-24-2005, 07:52 PM
I am impressed with the Aggie traditions and the class they show at all sporting events. They are different from any other fans I have ever experienced.

The couple of UT football games I've been to recently when they played aNm those fans you speak off must've been absent. They showed NO CLASS & were doing nothing but cuss & shout how good they were going to be next yr.

I'm sure every school/city/state, etc.. has fans with no class & you stick around & you'll see them start up with their personal attacks. I for one am quick to talk trash but I've usually seen no class from aNm fans. Exceptions like Jim are around though, few & far between BUT around.

Aggie Hoopsfan
04-24-2005, 11:56 PM
:lol yeah that's it we're the ones cussing about next year. Whatever.

mookie2001
04-25-2005, 12:06 AM
i really do like the aggies, i always root for them whenever theyre not playing texas,i think their hardcore fans and football tradition represent texas and big 12 football well
theres also alot of really hot chicks in College Station and you can bring in liquor and drink it too to the dixie chicken-imagine that
i still cant comprehend why everyone loves bush so overwhelmingly much, and why 80% of all girls and 40% of guys drive mustangs in College Station, but those are other topics
i usually always agreee with aggiehoopsfan too about spurs stuff, but not so much politics

but
what do yall think of the corps?


a few good aggie friends of mine say these guys are really big assholes who are an blackeye on the whole school, and they dont like the fact that theyre always shown on games like the whole school is military-homoerotic extremists

thoughts?

Aggie Hoopsfan
04-25-2005, 01:09 AM
still cant comprehend why everyone loves bush so overwhelmingly much, and why 80% of all girls and 40% of guys drive mustangs in College Station, but those are other topics

Actually that's not true. A good 50% or more of the women drive SUVs now :lol

On the Corps: they have good apples and bad apples, just like everyone else. It's just a lot easier to recognize who they are seeings they're in uniform.

mookie2001
04-25-2005, 01:15 AM
oh yeah
just on my experiences they always seem to think theyre gods gift to aggies
ive had words with a few of them on a early northgate morning

Mr Dio
04-25-2005, 08:43 AM
yeah that's it we're the ones cussing about next year. Whatever.

Actually, it's more like, wait til next year again!
:lol :elephant :lol :elephant :lol :elephant

Willinsa
05-12-2005, 03:13 PM
Actually, it's more like, wait til next year again!
:lol :elephant :lol :elephant :lol :elephant

I have been hearing that since 2000.

Aggie Hoopsfan
05-12-2005, 06:54 PM
mookie, I've had words with a few, and I went to school there.

There's definitely a few who get a little too locked into the whole "Corps is the only thing that matters" mindset.

violentkitten
05-12-2005, 08:01 PM
fucking sellout

3rdCoast
05-24-2005, 01:16 AM
Friend of mine goes off to A&M normal, comes back at XMAS break as a skinhead. :pctoss