Good Bull

no that wasn't a tear..errrrrrr I must have got dust in my eye. I would never tear up after reading an article :|


Gig 'Em Aggies!

that article really made me proud to be an aggie.

2%ers, rent-a-friends, ct's... it doesn't matter after graduation or when the Ags take the field.

i really do love the maroon and white.

He's nothing. Don't worry about him. It's the Blimp next to him! The Blimp! When he puts on that mask, he'll blow your g*ddamn doors off!

If that article doesn't put some Aggie faithful on the right track, I don't know what will.

Speechless...

________________
Broken promises don't upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?

I got chills...

Loudest freakin', zone kitty killin' WHOOP!!! It is most definitely football season!!!! Damn, I've also got dust in my eye....

I am more proud than ever about having Fran here. He completely fits what an Aggie should be.

Beautiful article with revalations inside "a coach" "a man".
The strongest men are those who are strong enough to breakdown.
Coach Franchione and his family have many Alabama friends with admiration and respect. Some of their dearest friends traveled with Kim and Fran to Italy this summer.
My family and I look forward to his upcoming book. I hope the positives of relationships and successes at the University of Alabama and in the community are highlighted.
The UA team had a tight bond with Coach Fran. They were devastated and shocked by his decision. Their hurt was intensified when they were informed that Coach Fran would not be speaking with them about his decision. A paradox of the coach with whom they had shared a mutual respect and love. As time passed, word was that Coach Fran regretted that he did not address his faithful team. I know that many factors were included in an agoniizing decison. Perhaps the upcoming book will answer many unknowns. Nothing can satisfy or answer all.
As a fishbowl resident, albeit a totally different scenerio, I have empathy for the consequences and negatives on the invasion of privacy.
Also, I hope the Franchiones have peace and confidence in knowledge of an understanding by many, many of Alabama friends and fans.
Peace and Gig 'em

Beautiful article with revalations inside "a coach" "a man".
The strongest men are those who are strong enough to breakdown.
Coach Franchione and his family have many Alabama friends with admiration and respect. Some of their dearest friends traveled with Kim and Fran to Italy this summer.
My family and I look forward to his upcoming book. I hope the positives of relationships and successes at the University of Alabama and in the community are highlighted.
The UA team had a tight bond with Coach Fran. They were devastated and shocked by his decision. Their hurt was intensified when they were informed that Coach Fran would not be speaking with them about his decision. A paradox of the coach with whom they had shared a mutual respect and love. As time passed, word was that Coach Fran regretted that he did not address his faithful team. I know that many factors were included in an agoniizing decison. Perhaps the upcoming book will answer many unknowns. Nothing can satisfy or answer all.
As a fishbowl resident, albeit a totally different scenerio, I have empathy for the consequences and negatives on the invasion of privacy.
Also, I hope the Franchiones have peace and confidence in knowledge of an understanding by many, many of Alabama friends and fans.
Peace and Gig 'em

Some importatnt quotes from that article that struck me....

This puts aome things in perspective on how far behind we truly were in defense...

quote:

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Evaluating A&M's talent, Franchione and his assistants saw that their first priority would be to recruit better. At Alabama, Franchione's top two defensive squads ran the 40-yard dash in an average time of 4.7 seconds. At A&M he inherited a team whose top 22 defenders averaged more than 5.0 seconds in the 40. At Texas Christian, where Franchione coached before going to Alabama, he'd had 40 players who could bench-press 400 pounds or more. At A&M last year only four players could bench that. Worse, the Aggies had players -- a few of them starters -- whom Franchione had passed on when he was recruiting for TCU.

---

This makes me love the fact that I'm an Aggie even more!

quote:

---

Ray prefers to remember something else about the Oklahoma game. At one point he turned and glimpsed the other 12th Man, the student cheering section, still standing in the stadium, there to the end no matter the score. "That's the great thing about A&M," says Ray. "The 12th Man will never boo. It will never say anything bad against the team. And they stay up on their feet no matter what. If you're winning or losing, it doesn't matter. They're behind us always. It was cold and raining, and we were getting killed. There they were."

---

This makes me realize what a great kid we got in Stephen McGee...

quote:

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When the pressure was at its worst, McGee had trouble sleeping at night. As a boy he'd been a devoted fan of the Longhorns, but he could've been happy at several universities. He prayed for an answer and received one: Georgia or A&M. He prayed more, and finally it was only the Aggies. "I felt like A&M is where God wanted me to be," he says, "and so I came."

---

quote:

---

"Whether it was 77-0 or 7-0, I knew a hundred percent in my heart that I was going to the right place, and no one was going to talk me out of it."

---

This lets us know that Fran is very sincere and REALLY REALLY wants this program to be the best...

quote:

---

Brad -- himself a coach, at Bacone Junior College in Muskogee, Okla. -- went in to check on him. Kim soon followed. "It's been a tough year," Dennis said. Then he broke down and wept as he hadn't since the day they buried Kim's father.

---

More good stuff about McGee

quote:

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Perhaps the most impressive Aggies player in spring ball was Stephen McGee, the Burnet phenom who'd graduated from high school early so he could enroll at A&M and join in the off-season program. Franchione and his staff had seen enough of him the year before to know that he was a special talent, but they were stunned each day by how impressive he was in practice. The starting quarterback, McNeal, was recovering from shoulder surgery and couldn't throw, so McGee stepped up and led the top offensive unit with a poise and maturity that belied his youth. The coaches didn't want to put too much pressure on the 18-year-old, but he looked better than good. He looked like the future. Maybe he'll even play when the Aggies host Oklahoma on Nov. 6.

---

I really really like Terrence Murphy

quote:

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For a moment Murphy wondered if they were making fun of him and his teammates. Could anyone really be that cruel? Didn't everybody lose big at some time or other? But then he realized that they hadn't come to condemn the Aggies. No, these people were being sincere. They meant it.

No longer was it so hard for Murphy to hold his head up.

---

"How many people can read Hexidecimal if you and dead people can read Hexidecimal? 57,006!"

Class of 11111010011! WHOOOP!

"Texas A&M didn't start Bonfire, Aggies did..."

I don't think we should try to forget that day. We should embrace it and use like our Texan forefathers did the Alamo.
They used as fire in their bellies to defeat the numerically superior Mexican army later at Santa Anna shouting "Remember the Alamo!" as their Warcry. I believe this will be a defining moment our program as we will use it as we make our comeback to competing for titles - then winning titles.
That was as worst as it could get last year and we are still here, not giving up and this season should show that. Next year will be even better in my humble opinion..
Our team should welcome our adversaries to "do
their worst, for we will do ours."
In pop culture lingo: "Bring it on! We ain't never scared!"

Franchione had the #1 defense in the nation in 2000 at TCU and the #3 defense in the nation in 2002 at Alabama.
THE WRECKING CREW IS COMING!
*****************************************************
"Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women."



[This message has been edited by TxAginAz (edited 8/12/2004 12:45p).]

Greatness. I too feel a sudden calmness and quiet confidence about Sept. 2nd after reading that article. I just think this team will be night and day from last year. Don't know what our record will be, but I am 100% sure we will be more competitive.

We are lucky to have coaches who are caring and devoted. That can only transfer to the players. We are also lucky to have leaders like T-Murph and McGee.

Beat the hell outta Utah!
Whoop!

"My centre is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I am attacking."

I thought it was a great read also. Speaks volumes of Terrence Murphy, who is a real class act, from not only this article, to what I have read that he has done in the off season, and to how he has carried himself off the field. He is just a great individual and I hope he has a great senior season. I think within the next few years , A&M will have a great competitive football program again.

[This message has been edited by Roy4President (edited 8/12/2004 1:19p).]

Excellent article....!

Amazing article.

Read it while listening to The Lord of the Rings soundtrack like T. Murph and it makes it that much better

Good article.

As for Bama fans.........the fact that they are still sending Fran hate mail should give them a hint that they are not entirely normal. I love football and A&M as much as anyone, but to treat someone that way is inhumane.

Jarrin' Jay nailed it.

The author, John Ed Bradley, played football at LSU from 74-79. He was 2nd team All SEC at center. He's a very good writer.

The author, John Ed Bradley, played football at LSU from 74-79. He was 2nd team All SEC at center. He's a very good writer.

Makes me proud that I'm a wannabe Ag.

Just finished reading it. Terrific. That's all you can say.

I believe in coach Fran. I enjoyed the way he called plays last year, and the type of balanced offense he likes to run. He didn't do the idiotic blast right, blast left, then pass on third and long. He clearly has immagination and you cant predict his (Koenig's) play calling. As soon as he gets the defense up to par, we will return to glory. I am proud that he is our coach!

"77-nothin', remember what it felt like" - T-Murph

Great article. How many college football blowouts have their been the last 20 years or so, and have any of those teams on the losing end ever been treated with such high esteem and respect? Says volumes about TEXAS A & M!

[This message has been edited by Big Al 1992 (edited 8/13/2004 10:39p).]

How anyone could feel anything but great is unreal.

There are some very important things one can take from this article.

1)Fran will not accept mediocrity. He is driven to success.

2)He has developed a deep affection for A&M.

3)He has overcome harder things in life than this past season and will develop A&M into a national power.

I personally think Fran is going to take A&M to the next level.

4)Our players hate to lose and desperately never want to experience another year like last year. They still beleive in themselves and each other.

5)The 12th Man is alive and well.

That OU game was definitely rock bottom for the A&M program. We definitely bottomed out on the bell curve. We cannot get any worse. It is near impossible.

The fact that we brought 16 walkons on the travel roster of 55-60 players that traveled to the OU game lets you know just how depleted our talent level was last year. Man, RC got his butt handed to him in recruiting the previous 3-4 years. We will be much improved this year with just the redshirt freshmen that have the system down (I am not including any true freshmen to make an impact, although I could be wrong here). But remember, we do not have the game day experience yet in D-1 for a majority of this talent that we will be playing this year. That takes time to develop. But at least we will not be outmanned now in any of our games (except for the KSU, OU and tu games because of their superior talent and more importantly their depth of talent).

We will go to a bowl game this year. Which one I do not know. But I truly believe there is no way in hullabaloo that we lose 6 games this year out of 11. We should be 6-5 for sure, maybe a little bit better. But definitely 6-5. Baby steps. Gain some experience. Let's take it one game at a time. And let it ride baby. The bell shaped curve is now on the upswing. And we have the right coaches in place to continue building what will become a great program once again. Let's not forget the AD and President who were instrumental in getting the coaching staff here in the first place. It all starts at the top and again, we have the right people in place to deliver us to the promised land. God Bless the Aggies. We have endured a lot of humility and embarrassment over the last few years. But it will be worth it. It has made us stronger and pulled us closer together. Through adversity we will prevail. Gig'em and beat the every living snot out of the Utes!!

quote:

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Honestly, it reminds me of what a few dumb horn fans would say to you in the early 90's. They used to make fun of you for losing the Cotton Bowl despite the fact you were beating us 10 of 11.

---

Great quote - We have our share of dumb Aggie fans over here.

Excellent post BTW - welcome to the board.

________________
Broken promises don't upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?

Thanks Trick.

I actually like this board better than hornfans. Hornfans has too many pop-up ads and is nowhere near as updated as this site.

Besides, it is more fun to chat with folks who don't agree with you than with folks who are on your side

Friendly oposition from opposing sides makes for good BB fodder. The problem is that both forums have their share of wanks that make the places unfriendly real quick.

I prefer the appearance of this forum over hornfans as well, but it needs a few more features to really set it apart.

Again, glad to have you... looking forward to disagreeing with you

________________
Broken promises don't upset me. I just think, why did they believe me?

I know the link goes to SI's on-line subscription page, but is this also in the current issue or will it be in a future issue you can buy at the newstand?

Chi-town...the article is published in the latest issue of SI that is on the newstands right now...

BTW....does anyone know or have the author's email address...I wanted to thank him for writing such a fantastic article..

Man... wouldn't it be something if next year's preview issue had another article about the Aggies -- back in the top 25 and contending for a conference title?

quote:

---

Evaluating A&M's talent, Franchione and his assistants saw that their first priority would be to recruit better. At Alabama, Franchione's top two defensive squads ran the 40-yard dash in an average time of 4.7 seconds. At A&M he inherited a team whose top 22 defenders averaged more than 5.0 seconds in the 40. At Texas Christian, where Franchione coached before going to Alabama, he'd had 40 players who could bench-press 400 pounds or more. At A&M last year only four players could bench that. Worse, the Aggies had players -- a few of them starters -- whom Franchione had passed on when he was recruiting for TCU.

---

Link, someone post a LINK to the article!

Someone e-mail me the text please

agracer at excite dot com

[This message has been edited by agracer (edited 8/20/2004 7:41a).]