Maroon Weekly

By Cody Lillich, Sports Editor

Aggie spirit was showed to the entire world ten years ago. Twelve Aggies had died in the Bonfire collapse; several others were injured in the worst tragedy to hit our campus.

In the dawn hours after the collapse, students and student-athletes spontaneously showed up to help move the logs to reach the injured.

Aggies lined the field to leave special tributes to their fallen classmates, from stuffed animals to class rings, students lined up to remember those lost.

The spirit of Aggieland showed their support in a massive Midnight Yell, where over 50,000 entered Kyle Field to show their spirit and honor those who gave it all for tradition.

And on game day at Kyle Field, as state and Aggie flags flew at half-staff, something you never see, a silent Kyle Field crowd. From then on, the Aggies played on the field for not only the 12th man but the twelve men and women lost in the collapse, winning the emotional game on a touchdown in the fourth quarter and a fumble recovery to win 20-16.

You may not like the Texas Longhorns because of the rivalry that exists but in that one week in 1999 they showed their spirit and heart, joining with Aggies to grieve.

The Monday before the football game, something that is rarely seen – two groups of fierce rivals joined as one.

Aggies stood side-by-side with Longhorns, in front of a stage with a massive State of Texas flag in the background, people held candles and remembered the fallen and injured together. It showed the schools were much more than Aggies and Longhorns – but more importantly they came together as Texans.

And one another image from the game itself is a sight that brought Kyle Field to its feet and some to tears. The Texas Longhorn band, instead of just boosting their school song or marching all over the field, dedicated their performance to Texas A&M.

They played “Amazing Grace” and held the Texas A&M flag in line with their own school’s flag and at the end stood silent, taking their flag down and hoisting the A&M flag high to honor the fallen.

It is images like those that really show the Spirit of Texas.

Here we are ten years later, and a week ahead that will be filled with many emotions. 2009 will mark not only ten years since the biggest tragedy on our campus, but also 100 years since the beginning of the tradition that lit up the College Station sky every November showing the burning desire of the Aggie Spirit.