With all of the vitriol and good ole’ fashioned hate flowing around both boards, I just wanted to take the time to extend a preemptive Texan welcome to all of you ladies and gentlemen who will be making your first trip to Aggieland. Living in the Dallas area and being out of state for a law school competition means that I, unfortunately, will be unable to attend this weekend but trust that my fellow Ags will greet you warmly.

I made the trip to Death Valley for the LSU/West Virginia game two years back and had a blast. It was an awesome scene, amazing passion, and generally had all the hallmarks of a great college football venue. I have to admit, when Callin’ Baton Rouge came on the big screen, I initially chuckled, but quickly realized that (in some odd way) it actually worked in firing me up for the game.

In an effort to return the favor, allow me to enlighten you on some tips of a successful Aggieland visit.

1.) We Aggies are weird. Yes, I will outright admit that some of our traditions will seem bizarre to you, completely fair but there is a saying that we have; “From the outside looking in, you could never understand it. From the inside looking out, you could never explain it.” I won’t try to convince you that all of our traditions are reasonable or logical, but they are a part of what makes A&M unique and (almost) all of them have a great story and significance behind them. Feel free to ask about any of them and I will try (albeit likely in vain) to explain the story behind it.

2.) Go to Midnight Yell. If you have never seen it before, it can be a pretty awesome spectacle. Yes, the jokes/stories you hear will likely be corny and lame (see point #1), but seeing 40,000+ students roll into a stadium at midnight for a yell practice is something to take in at least once.

3.) Have a beer (and a burger) at the Dixie Chicken. “The Chicken” is an Aggieland mainstay and (purportedly) holds the world record for amount of beer served per hour. Great “Texas” atmosphere, cold beer, good food.

4.) Check out the Bonfire Memorial. The Aggie Bonfire can sometimes be a source of some very irreverent jokes between fan bases. However, once you realize the scope and the passion behind this tradition, this may not be the case. The Fightin’ Texas Aggie Bonfire was a cherished tradition for over 100 years and the collapse of 1999 was a devastating tragedy. The memorial is definitely worth seeing while in town.

5.) Remember the “golden rule”. While in Tiger Country, I did not encounter a single problem with any fan. This likely had a lot to do with the fact that I wasn’t making an obnoxious drunk arse of myself. As Aggies, we pride ourselves in being a hospitable, friendly, and generally kind fan base. Yes, you may run into some drunken fools who may attempt to give us a bad name, but take the time to look past that, and I trust you will find an atmosphere that will leave you wanting to come back.

Hope that some of that helps. I am thrilled to be a member of the SEC and am already anxiously planning my road trip to Baton Rouge next year. Drive/fly/travel safe and enjoy your visit to Aggieland.

Gig ‘Em.