Kyle Field itself is not a memorial.
The 55 American flags around the top of the stadium and the large flag poles are specific memorials.
We hold Kyle Field dear and we protect and defend it, but we don't revere it as a memorial like the MSC.
We're, in fact, not even completely sure which of two illustrious Mr. Kyles that it's named for.
Our fish chase the Yell Leaders across it.
Boot line takes place on it.
Some people stand on it at Midnight Yell Practice.
We used to play touch football and toss frisbees on it.
Our elephant walk included going on the field.
Amorous students hook up on it.
I used to take my kids down on its edge to watch pregame warm ups before going to our seats.
Other schools' fans celebrating on it when we get outscored should be prevented by police (not Corps ODs) to prevent fights.
But I think our team calling down our students to sing and sway alongside them after a big victory is fine.
The students weren't out of control or doing dangerous, destructive things as has happened elsewhere like by Tech and Baylor.
I didn't go down myself, but it looked pretty cool to me.
Stop the intrusive overuse of the Jumbotron, let the Aggie Yell Leaders and the FTAB once again be in charge of the Aggie Spirit with more yells and more music and, IMHO, have some Aggie girls like the Aggie Dance Team on the sidelines of Kyle Field being young, pretty and enthusiastic about Aggieland to better show off our current student diversity.
They can shake pom poms, be spirited and hump it and yell at the Yell Leaders' direction and even perform a dance routine to canned musioc at halftime on Kyle Field before the FTAB does their thing.
Especially when the visiting team doesn't even bring a marching band, as so often happens, because that extra time is now given to Jumbo.
All that, IMO, would make the Kyle Field gameday experience even better.
JMO.
BTHO tu!!!!
Where you will be warned about and prevented from going on their Joe Jamail Field before or after a game and arrested if you insist upon doing it.
Here are some other posts about Kyle Field:
http://www.agtimes.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=70045&highlight=kyle+fieldhttp://www.agtimes.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=70071This is how I learned about cover or uncover, how I did it both in and out of uniform, and how I still do it:
I was in the Corps.
The Corps is in uniform at football games.
The uniform includes a hat.
After march in, the units are dismissed to watch the game.
The members of a unit take off their cover and wildcat as a unit.
The underclassmen then continue to do their class wildcat up the ramp into the stadium.
Uncovering allows the otherwise uniformed cadets to maintain a reduced state of military bearing, so they can loudly yell, wildly wildcat, enthusiastically chase down and carry out yell leaders and wantonly kiss their dates during and immediately after the game.
If an American flag passes by, you cover and salute it.
Same thing when the stadium's American flag is raised and the Star-Spangled Banner is played.
Within the stadium (or any other building) you otherwise remain uncovered, unless you increase your military bearing and courtesy to report to a real active duty military officer.
If you just pass by an active duty officer while you are in a reduced state of military bearing, you just say, "Good afternoon, Sir."
You don't put your cover back on or salute, if you're at/in a dance, store, bus, library, classroom or private home, etc.
Even if the Army (Navy, AF, CG) officer is still covered.
All this is within Kyle Field or any other building or place where reduced military bearing is in use.
When you exit Kyle Field, the cover goes back on, unless you're carrying a yell leader to the fish pond or following the FTAB to aftergame yell practice.
If you're doing that, celebrating and/or singing, you continue until the yell practice is over.
Aggie fish don't whip out while they are uncovered, unless they want to or are called upon by an upperclassman.
Afterward, you cover and go about your normal business in full uniform.
Kyle Field is not and has never been a memorial.
It certainly is a place to show respect and the flags around the stadium do memorialize our war dead, but the MSC and the other dedicated monuments and flags around campus are our actual memorials.
I think all men and women should remove their cover in the MSC.
If a woman is wearing a veil, I would think she could be exempted from this.
I have and will discreetly remind hat-wearers to remove their cover in the MSC and I hope if I ever forget to uncover when I enter, that some Aggie will courteously remind me.
I don't make a big deal of it if someone is wearing their hat in the MSC, either by mistake or by conscious choice.
I'm no longer in the Corps and nowadays, most Aggies don't wear uniforms.
Those not in uniform can wear a hat in Kyle Field.
They always could.
I do it regularly.
I take it off and place my hand over my heart for passing American flags and our national anthem.
I remove my hat and stand for all alma maters, including The Spirit and our opponent's school song.
I remove my hat and hump it when doing our yells.
Then I put it back on to shade my head and eyes.
If it's hot, I might take it off.
I wear it to show my school pride during our fight song, when I sing and sway with my fellow Ags for the War Hymn.
I used to always take it off when we prayed before games and I still do if a moment of silent meditation is called for.
In short, those in uniform who are not on duty in Kyle Field can enjoy a time of relaxed military courtesy and bearing while watching the game.
Anyone else can wear a hat or not, their choice.
If they wear hats, I think they should take it off to show respect for Old Glory, The Star-Spangled Banner and even when talking to ladies and old men, if they so choose.
Those on duty in the stadium, like our ODs, policemen and state troopers, wear their complete uniforms to show their continuing on duty status.
I actually don't care much for the image of anyone in uniform twirling a spirit towel, but I certainly wish our ODs wouldn't do it.
They are in full uniform, covered and still on duty.
I won't ever complain about any Aggie showing school spirit because that's a good thing, but I personally wouldn't choose to be seen twirling a towel while wearing a saber and a cool cavalry campaign hat.
This is how I remember learning the various ins and outs of cover and uncover.
BTW, it once was a Senior privilege to stand on the wood of the seats in Kyle Field.
And back then, it actually was wood and not aluminium.
Sergebutts were often granted wood privileges by Seniors.
This could be given to any Junior by any Senior.
I remember that sometimes the Senior class would take the entire Junior class' wood privilege away.
Nothing would be said aloud for the underclassmen to overhear, the Seniors would just pass the word and the Junior class would comply.
If someone was hurt on the field you could sit down while the 12th Man was silent, until the injured player got up or off the field.
Back then, many non-regs would comply with class privileges too.
By choice, with some enforcement by non-reg upperclassmen.
Gig 'em, FAST FRED '65.
Before the world wide web, village idiots usually stayed in their own village.
[This message has been edited by FAST FRED (edited 12/1/2010 4:24p).]
