Letter to the Editor: It Seems Like Maroon Out Season Comes Sooner Every Year
I am a good, faithful Aggie man. I love my friends and my family, but most of all, I love Texas A&M.
So, naturally, football season means quite a lot to me. I love having the family come into town for the games. I love coming together with friends around the barbeque. However, there is so much about this special day that is focused on more than just what I want. Maroon Out is about us. That is what makes it so special.
Unfortunately, it seems to me like our society has started to shift its focus away from what really matters when it comes to Maroon Out. Instead of being about the people we surround ourselves with, for many, it has become all about possessions and consumerism.
It’s true: one of the most iconic features of Maroon Out—right down to the first one ever—is the maroon t-shirts. I am certainly not slandering the shirts themselves. I think we can all remember that amazing feeling that we all felt as kids when we rushed to open our drawers and don our Maroon Out shirts after a night of restless sleep. It is just such a shame that it becomes more and more about the shirts each year than what they actually represent: bringing everyone together and being thankful for all that A&M has provided for us.
Each year, it just feels like the game day marketing season begins earlier and earlier. Maroon Out is in November and I’m seeing advertisements for it as early as Labor Day. It makes me wonder what happened to this great nation. Our values are slipping away from us each and every day.
I know it isn’t just me noticing all of this. You go into Aggieland Outfitters and they have all of their Maroon Out decorations up so darn early. The shirts are there on the shelves before they have even put away the Texas A&M swimsuits. It’s ridiculous. I know all of this is a result of this participation-trophy-giving, PC culture movement going around, even down here in Texas. And don’t even think about feeding me this “Happy Holidays!” crap; it’s Maroon Out, dammit.
Please, let us work together to uphold the sanctity of Maroon Out. This Maroon Out season, as you hold your family close while the War Hymn plays and the grill crackles and pops, remember why you are there in the first place. The 12th Man—not the corporations and media profiting off our football beliefs—is the reason for the season.
—Bacon & Ags
It’s Sunday morning and you’ve woken up hungover and confused. “Man, last night’s house party was one for the books,” you think as you try and recall something, anything, about the party. The smell of bacon floats in from the kitchen, and you stumble over to see who’s cooking. You stand there in bewilderment— Bacon & Ags has cleaned up all of the empty bottles, cans, and Solo cups. He has cinnamon rolls warming in the oven, bacon on the stovetop, and an assortment of fruits on the table. You stutter, “Wow… I… uh… well,” but he cuts you off. “I just love a good brunch,” he says. “And since you threw such a great party, I thought the least I could do was clean it up and cook us some brunch! Here, I made some quiche— have some!”