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When you think of school spirit, it’s customary to think of stadiums awash in school colors, spine-tingling chants, and deep-seated hatred for the rival school’s (obviously) inferior traditions. But in Texas, “spirit” comprises all that and more. This week, while we examine the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University- College Station, we learn of traditions and campus lore as large as the Lone Star State itself.  In a world of hand signals, slang, and centuries-old cheering teams, the Texas-Texas A&M rivalry pervades all nuances of life.

1. Mascot Matchup

Texas- Bevo the Longhorn, a particularly menacing-looking brand of cattle, is the pride of UT. The school’s colors, white and burnt orange, are an homage to Bevo’s hide.  Bevo has made the rounds at several important functions, including the inauguration of President George W.  Bush. Should you ever find yourself in conversation with someone from UT, say “Hook ‘em, horns!” and flash the Longhorn hand signal.
Texas A&M- The Aggies–short for agriculture, as per the school’s name–also have a catchphrase and hand signal. It’s commonplace in College Station to sign off by saying “Gig ‘em!” and giving the thumbs-up.  Their official mascot is an American collie named Reveille, who is addressed by the student body as “Miss Reveille, ma’am,” since she is considered a Cadet General in the Aggie cadets.

Three credits to: Texas, where Bevo has the presidential seal of approval. Read More »

Texas. Everything is bigger and better, so the story goes. The Lone Star State is known for it’s world famous Bar-B-Que and long list of notorious murderers. Usually they are separate headlines, but not today.

Neighbors of Timothy Wayne Shepherd of Houston, wondered about the cloud of black smoke and horrid odor that leaped from the balcony of the 27-year-old’s apartment, according to news.yahoo.com

“The smell was awful,” said Louis Evans, Shepherd’s neighbor, who also became alarmed after seeing a blaze shoot out from the grills. “I was wondering: What is he burning? Not cooking, but burning. There is a difference.”

As it turns out, Evans was right. Shepherd was not cooking anything at all, but rather burning the remains of his girlfriend, Tynesha Stewart, a 19-year-old Texas A&M University student. Read More »