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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 1977)
UBjisuMO uojaipuad ssaiunop ■loBajpo^i Page 12 THE BATTALION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1977 Faul Arnett Is playing worth it t Vol. 71 8 Pages Success is counted sweetest by those who ne er succeed. To comprehend the nectar re- quires a sorest need. Emily Dickinson We broke from the huddle with a high pitched, “break! I sauntered wide right, confident that this play would win the game for my fifth grade flag football team. Quarterback Scott Clark barked the count like a baby chihuahua, “Down, set, hup one, hup two, HIKE! The magic word had been spo ken. I bolted to the right side of the field, then broke my pattern over the middle leaving the defender grasping at air. Looking back over my shoulder, I saw a Bobby Lane style end over eiid pass falling in my direction. A surge of excitement welled up in my body as the pass neared my out stretched hands. But excitement was replaced with sickening dispair. The ball fell through my 10-year-old fingers, bounced off my knees and skittered harmlessly to the rock-hard turf. I had lost the game. My father was the only friend I had for the next couple of weeks. The following day at practice my friends named me ‘Choke. Fear of being called a quitter was the only thing that kept me in football for five more years. Those long afternoons were the worst ones of my life. . . . . .Some 12 years later I stood behind the Texas A&M football team as the final seconds of the Michigan-A&M game ticked away. Some players shuffled imaginary dirt underneath their feet, others looked at the scoreboard in hopes that the 41-3 reading would disap pear. “This is one week I don t want to to any classes, quarterback Curtis Dickey (No. 22) breaks off tackle for an eight-yard gain. Dickey will need to do well in the Arkansas game if the Ags are to do well. Kick off for the Saturday afternoon affair is 1:30. Battalion photo by Pat O'Malley Begin the countdown By Mark Patterson Battalion Staff The countdown has begun. Though the A&M-Texas game is still three weeks awax anyone near New Braunfels this weekend would have thought the game was being played this Saturday. The respec tive fans have already drawn their battle lines. It was as if their actions this weekend would decide the out come of the football game. It was almost an impossibilty not to be caught up in the rivalry and spirit display ed by the A&M -Texas fans this weekend at Wurstfest. Mixed among the smell of sausage cooking and the odor of spilled beer, was the constant drone of Aggie y ells and Texas counter y ells. Each school was well represented by loud, boisterous fans lay ing claim to a Southwest Conference football championship for 1977. And unfortunately it sometimes went beyond a verbal battle. On a few occasions the y elling and festivities were interrupted by a confrontation between two fans who were squared-off ready for battle. Though fighting is unwelcomed anywhere people are enjoying themselves, it s a safe bet it will be in attendence when thousands of people consume hundreds of gallons of beer. But luckily the fighting was held to a minimum and the majority of the asssaidts between the football fans was verbal. I was fortunate to secure a posi tion above the walking level, allow ing me to view the congregation as it traveled in it s oval path around the warehouse. And since I was wearing a “Kiss Me-I m An Aggie button I was greeted with the thumbs of fel low Aggies as they passed below The Texas fans greeted me (with other hand gestures' with the “hook 'em Horns sign. The Aggie fans came up with a cheer that the Texans greeted with a deaf ear. The rhy me of “Here we go. Three in a row became one of the A&M crowd s favorite as the evening were on. Texas, showing no originality, stuck with the traditional “Were number one. Their 35-21 victory over Houston that afternoon made the claim a little more legitimate. Anyone who has made the claim that football is a dull sport, would have been overwhelmed by the Wurstfest crowd Saturday night. Aggie and Longhorn football fans have historically been bitter rivals and it was obvious by their actions and boasts this weekend. And this is only the beginning. David Walker said after the game. “It s really embarrassing to lose so badly. It’s times like these that make me wish that I d never picked up a football. Shades of that fifth grade game danced in my head. I asked myself then, and I ask it now. Is it really worth it? Here are a group of guys facing this horrible pressure week after week. A game that is supposed to be fun, has transformed into a pressure cooker. Fun has been replaced with win. “There is nothing more glorious than the thrill of winning, coach Emory Bellard said. “Likewise, there is nothing more sickening than losing. Bellard is not the only coach with this belief. If he and other coaches like him are to keep their jobs, then they must produce. But because of this pressure to produce, coaches throughout the country have ruined the game of football. This is not something thal pened yesterday. It occurred coaches started recruiting. Will birth of that horrible word cant death of college football. So who is to blame for this ine abl e demise? Certainly nol coaches. If they weren t undei constant pressure to win, lln doubt that the college foo Frankenstein would have ever born. So who is the guilty culpi Vnil . . .He is you and me. Yes we are the ones; the fair weather fans. The gameIw into a business is our fault, not Bellard s, not David Walkers, even Bichard Nixon s. Can any thing be done tostop doubt it.” ft wasn t worth it to me in the grade to suffer the slings and arts of outrageous fortune. I fee same wav some 12 years later. |new orl merited by problems, never gav ge that sj ighborhooc and the < arter. Force, 35, I persons thout res is I counts of Police saic looting his jflHEAlC CILAJfjf ogress un hen the hi CLASSY CUTS FOR CLASSY PEOPLE Veronica Jerry Judy Elise Val Lynnell 209 E. UNIVERSITY 846-4771 In the George Green Tower American Tourister otan Onlyl 2 days left to shop Palm Beach An anmu iown for b uddy hoot campus i The centc re was ran “It’s goni ;en built,’ icWilliams red pots.” mtuan pr id truekin )-foot-ta Bonfire 1 ipt for IS ras assassii es’ love fo rat the Ur nterpiece efore the ' It calls fc lent and i ave ahead re at site Iwy. 21 a 8-wheeler ronzin ailing goc RACK SALE ments or at 846-90' As our semi-annual rack sale draws to a close, we find there is still an excellent selection of quality shoes by Jarman, Allen Edmonds and French Shriner As our we are reducing all shoes on racks to one low final offer, price. The foil :oday'; s cc, will be op voter seel Brazos C< VOTING 1 Milliea 2. Welllx 3. S.P.J.! 1 Carvei 5. Fellow 8. Edgi 7 Steep South 9. A&M Buildii P fc ALL SALE SHOES NOW $1R90 WHILE THEY LAST • Discontinued Styles and Short Lots • Not All Styles in All Sizes • No Phone Orders, Please! • All Sales Final DOWNTOWN BRYAN 'Distinctive Clothes for men" OPEN EVERY THURSDAY TILLS P.M. Math sends a home o Blakley, sky’s nn< tentiona Matl exacting ley. “We which \ eompet "eering dents n he said Com failures math c Englisl Bi Wl Damon Christian Dior Joel Higgins Arrow Dai his ne Promi: faxes ( m the “Te neithe Texas “Th state t Peopl, goven same earnei