Photo by Matt Sachs, TexAgs
Texas A&M Football
What's An Aggie? The modern face of Texas A&M
Would you have stood ready with E. King Gill?
Would you have stood guard with Pinky Wilson?
Do you still stand for the Aggie Code of Honor?
These questions are asked in response to an email that appeared in my inbox about six months ago. An elderly gentleman who’d attended Texas A&M back when women weren’t allowed and Kyle Field had just one deck posed a perplexing question.
What is an Aggie now?
Of course, he didn’t mean, 'Is an Aggie a farmer?' or a mascot, or even a Texas A&M student. That’s too easy.
Rather, he seemed concerned that the high standards of conduct once required of Aggies had become compromised by all the societal, philosophical and numerical changes that have occurred since he graduated from Texas A&M.
TexAgs
The question of what Aggies stand for has recently been raised even in the football realm, to varying levels of agreement.
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The Aggie Code of Honor mandates that ‘Aggies do not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those that do.’ Does that still apply today? Or is it just a quaint notion of times gone by?
When accusations surfaced a year ago that Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel violated NCAA rules by selling his autograph, there seemed as much — if not more — concern locally whether those accusations could be proven rather than if they were actually true.
That was just one controversial incident. No proof ever emerged that Manziel broke rules. Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t. We don’t know.
Here’s what we do know. Isaiah Golden and Darian Claiborne were very good football players who were dismissed from the team for lying and stealing.
That would indicate the Code of Honor still applies.
But when a state university grows from an enrollment of a few thousand to about 50,000 in a relatively short period of time, adds women and welcomes diverse cultures, then some venerable ideals may be interpreted differently and new philosophies may be considered. Issues once seen as black-and-white now might have shades of gray.
That brings us back to the original question.
Beyond a student or alumnus, what is an Aggie now? Are there still common characteristics? Aside from that unique ring or a maroon shirt, how is an Aggie identified?
Perhaps I’m not qualified to suggest an answer. I’m not an Aggie. I never had the honor of attending such a fine, proud institution. I can only say what I believe an Aggie is or should be.
The vast majority of Aggies I’ve known are conservative, honest, hard-working and compassionate people with impeccable integrity.
Nobody is perfect. Some will fall short of those characteristics. Some will do so deliberately because they have different values.
Still, I’ll admit a certain feeling of confidence when I see the familiar phrase: “Aggie owned and operated” on a local business. Perhaps I’m naive, but that gives me a reassurance that I will be treated honestly and fairly.
That doesn’t really answer the question, though, does it?
Aggie Athletics
Do the traditions A&M has always held dear still stand with the current mix of today's students and former students?
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What is an Aggie now?
There no longer may be a definitive answer. Over time, politics can change. Ideals can change. Values can change. No one should be required to follow a specific agenda.
Still, at the core I doubt Aggies have changed too much. One can probably find and define an Aggie with this series of questions:
An Aggie now would still answer yes to most — if not all — of those questions.
At least, that’s what I think.
But if those questions seem too easy, I’ll ask a final one that figures to be much more perplexing.
Would you have eaten the list?
Would you have stood guard with Pinky Wilson?
Do you still stand for the Aggie Code of Honor?
These questions are asked in response to an email that appeared in my inbox about six months ago. An elderly gentleman who’d attended Texas A&M back when women weren’t allowed and Kyle Field had just one deck posed a perplexing question.
What is an Aggie now?
Of course, he didn’t mean, 'Is an Aggie a farmer?' or a mascot, or even a Texas A&M student. That’s too easy.
Rather, he seemed concerned that the high standards of conduct once required of Aggies had become compromised by all the societal, philosophical and numerical changes that have occurred since he graduated from Texas A&M.
TexAgs
The question of what Aggies stand for has recently been raised even in the football realm, to varying levels of agreement.
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"The question of what Aggies stand for has recently been raised even in the football realm, to varying levels of agreement.","MediaItemID":36933}
When accusations surfaced a year ago that Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel violated NCAA rules by selling his autograph, there seemed as much — if not more — concern locally whether those accusations could be proven rather than if they were actually true.
That was just one controversial incident. No proof ever emerged that Manziel broke rules. Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t. We don’t know.
Here’s what we do know. Isaiah Golden and Darian Claiborne were very good football players who were dismissed from the team for lying and stealing.
That would indicate the Code of Honor still applies.
But when a state university grows from an enrollment of a few thousand to about 50,000 in a relatively short period of time, adds women and welcomes diverse cultures, then some venerable ideals may be interpreted differently and new philosophies may be considered. Issues once seen as black-and-white now might have shades of gray.
That brings us back to the original question.
Beyond a student or alumnus, what is an Aggie now? Are there still common characteristics? Aside from that unique ring or a maroon shirt, how is an Aggie identified?
Perhaps I’m not qualified to suggest an answer. I’m not an Aggie. I never had the honor of attending such a fine, proud institution. I can only say what I believe an Aggie is or should be.
The vast majority of Aggies I’ve known are conservative, honest, hard-working and compassionate people with impeccable integrity.
Nobody is perfect. Some will fall short of those characteristics. Some will do so deliberately because they have different values.
Still, I’ll admit a certain feeling of confidence when I see the familiar phrase: “Aggie owned and operated” on a local business. Perhaps I’m naive, but that gives me a reassurance that I will be treated honestly and fairly.
That doesn’t really answer the question, though, does it?
Aggie Athletics
Do the traditions A&M has always held dear still stand with the current mix of today's students and former students?
{"Module":"photo","Alignment":"right","Size":"large","Caption":"Do the traditions A\u0026M has always held dear still stand with the current mix of today\u0027s students and former students?","MediaItemID":26300}
There no longer may be a definitive answer. Over time, politics can change. Ideals can change. Values can change. No one should be required to follow a specific agenda.
Still, at the core I doubt Aggies have changed too much. One can probably find and define an Aggie with this series of questions:
- Would you have stood ready with E. King Gill?
- Would you have stood guard with Pinky Wilson?
- Do you still stand for the Aggie Code of Honor?
- Did you attend Fish Camp?
- Did you do the Elephant Walk?
- Do you attend Muster?
- Do you wear the ring?
- Do you or did you stand through football games?
- Would you have branded Bevo?
- Would you have saved and adopted that black-and-white dog?
- Would you or did you make the trip to New Orleans for the 1939 Sugar Bowl?
- Would you have served in World War II? More than 20,000 Aggies did.
- Would you have gone to Junction?
- Would you have come back?
- Would you or did you stay through the Hurricane Game?
- Would you or did you welcome Hugh McElroy?
- Did you wait outside Rice Stadium in ’73 to confront the MOB?
- Would you or did you help construct the Bonfire?
- Would you or did you rush to help when the stack fell?
- Did you weep when Brian Gamble raised his arms skyward?
- Would you have helped Rodney put coins back into that malfunctioned vending machine?
- Did you mourn Rodney?
- Would you have helped Joey Villavisencio distribute Christmas gifts to the underprivileged?
- Did you mourn Joey V?
- Would you have proudly worn a red, white or blue T-shirt on Sept. 22, 2001?
- Did you?
- Did you welcome Kevin Sumlin?
- Would you have rescued the kitten on Wellborn?
- Would you have joined the “Maroon Wall?”
- Did you?
- Would you have agreed there are no strangers on this road?
- Would you have donated or volunteered to help after the West, Texas explosion?
Aggies still embrace tradition. They’re still compassionate and still willing to serve. An Aggie now would still answer yes to most — if not all — of those questions.
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Regardless of culture, religion or political views, an Aggie now is probably like an Aggie always has been. They’re still proud. They still embrace tradition. They’re still compassionate and still willing to serve.An Aggie now would still answer yes to most — if not all — of those questions.
At least, that’s what I think.
But if those questions seem too easy, I’ll ask a final one that figures to be much more perplexing.
Would you have eaten the list?
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