I
The Battalion
SPORTS 8
Friday, December 1,1989
Sports Editor Tom Kehoe 845-
Alan
Lehmann
Sports Writer
Is yet another
Aggie tradition
in jeopardy?
With all the controversy surrounding
the sacred traditions of bonfire and
Elephant Walk, A&M’s biggest tradition
is in serious danger, and nobody seems
to notice.
The traditional battle with Texas is in
jeopardy of becoming an annual
laugher.
Although another easy victory over
the teasips would seem to do the Aggies
good, it could have far-reaching
negative implications. The other
traditions are important to campus life,
but where would we be without the
annual grudge match against Texas?
The rivals from Austin give us a
chance to join together, and put aside
our Greek-Corps-Cowboy differences
and unite against a common foe.
If the Aggies continue to pound the
Horns, you’ve got to wonder how long
before the Horns get frustrated and pull
out of the conference.
Rumor has it that they’ve already
gotten an offer to join the Southeastern
Conference, and if they keep getting
embarrassed by Southwest Conference
opponents, who could blame them for
leaving?
In years gone by, the annual gridiron
meeting between our two schools always
seemed to decide who would be going to
the Cotton Bowl, and occasionally even
decided who would top the national
rankings.
Even though the Horns aren’t a
powerhouse, and have had only one
winning season since 1985, they’re still
the biggest ticket draw in the SWC.
They’ve led the conference in home
attendance nine of the last ten years, and
since the Horns are a big draw on the
road, the SWC just can’t afford to let the
Horns go.
So, somebody needs to give the Horns
a little confidence, and this would be a
good year to drop one to the teasips. Not
that anybody wants to lose to the
invaders in orange, but as I said, the
Aggies have almost gone too far in their
mastery of the Horns.
The problem started in 1984, when
Jackie Sherrill out-coached Fred Akers
See Rivalry/Page 11
A&M,UT resume rivalry with pride on lint
By Clay Rasmussen
Of The Battalion Staff
The last time Texas A&M battled Texas
at Kyle Field, the Cotton Bowl and the
Southwest Conference championship were
up for grabs.
But things will be a little different when
the two meet at 3 p.m. Saturday in College
Station.
The SWC title won’t be decided. Arkan
sas wrapped that up last week with a win
Texas at A&M
• Site: Kyle Field (72.387 cap.)
• Kickoff: 3 p.m,
• Ranking: A&M (16th), Texas (—)
• Records: A&M (7-3), Texas (5-5)
• TV/Radio: The game will be na
tionally televised by ESPN; KTAM
(AM 1240)
over the A&M, while Texas’ 50-7 humilia
tion at the hands of Baylor sealed the
championship for the Razorbacks.
At stake in this 96th meeting between the
Aggies and the Longhorns is nothing more
than pride. Perhaps more importantly,
Texas Coach David McWilliams’ job could
be on the line.
McWilliams came under Fire from UT
Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds when he
posted a losing record last year. The possi
bility of another losing season this year
places McWilliams under more heat.
Dodds recommended a probe into Mc
Williams and his program after the Long
horns’ loss last Saturday. Dodds said the
probe will take place within 10 days of the
A&M-Texas game.
For 16th-ranked A&M, another game
awaits. The Aggies will take on the Univer
sity of Pittsburgh Dec. 30 in the John Han
cock Bowl in El Paso.
Texas’ season will end this weekend. It is
the second yqar in a row that the Long
horns have failed to secure a bowl bid.
Although the Aggies suffered an emo
tional 23-22 defeat at the hands of Arkan
sas last week, A&M coach R.C. Slocum
doesn’t think his team will have a difficult
time
“TI
Texas game) is a good test for us,” Slocum
said. “The Arkansas game took a lot out of
us, but when you get that close, those are
tougher to bounce back from.
“We thought we were going to win the
game, even in the last seconds.”
While Slocum expects his team to re
bound from their loss to the Razorbacks, he
expects the Longhorns to be out for blood
after their embarrassing loss to Baylor.
“I guess people expect us to win 60-0,”
Slocum said. “But that’s just not the case. I
fully expect Texas to bounce back. If we’re
not careful, the Baylor game could hurt us
more than them.
“We’re playing our No. 1 rival and I’ve
never seen Texas come out flat in this ball
getting ready for Texas,
fnis team has a lot of character and (the
game.
The Aggies must also contend with some
See Game/Page 11
Photo by Scott
Aaron Wallace (23) will be looking for opportunites like this one last year |J
when A&M meets Texas Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. at Kyle Field.
Hackemack’s small-town values pay off in big way
By Alan Lehmann
Of The Battalion Staff
Photo by Mike C. Mulvey
Texas’ Ken Hackemack looks on in
When the Texas Longhorn defense trots
onto Kyle Field Saturday afternoon, even
the folks in the cheap seats will be able to
spot Ken Hackemack.
Standing 6-feet-10 inches tall and weigh
ing 310 pounds, the senior defensive tackle
is huge even by major college standards.
After sitting out the A&M-Texas games
the last two years because of knee injuries,
Hackemack is eager to finally get a shot at
the Aggies.
“My main personal goal (this season) was
to stay healthy enough to play in the A&M
game,” Hackemack said. “It bugs me a lot
that we’ve never beaten A&M.
“There are a lot of Aggies back home,
and I’d really like to win this one so I could
go home and make them eat their words.”
Injuries have cost Hackemack eight
games over the last two years. After prom
ising starts both seasons, his sophomore
season ended with a medial colateral injury
to his left knee in the TCU game.
His 1988 season ended when he suffered
the same injury in the Arkansas game.
Still, Hackemack doesn’t cry over his bad
luck.
ured that if it’s meant to be, then it’s going
to happen.”
If some things are meant to happen,
Hackemack playing football is one of them.
He had the size to be a star even when he
was a high school standout for Bellville, a
town of about 3,000 located alxiut 60 miles
west of Houston.
“Being from a small town is different,”
he said. “I think that being from a small
town, made me want to try harder to suc
ceed in football. . . and school.”
Hackemack had to work even harder to
come back from the devestating knee in
jury. However, he not only came back, but
according to Texas Coach David McWil
liams, he has improved his pass rush.
But Hackemack hasn’t seen enough im
provement to suit him.
“I knew that I’d have to work on my pass
rush, and it hasn’t been good so far,” he
said. “I’ve improved, but we’ve played a lot
of teams that have used the three-step
drop, and I haven’t been getting to the
quarterback.”
Houston’s 47-9 romp this year.
“I don’t really feel cheated by all the inju
ries, just dissapointed,” Hackemack said. “I
never have asked, ‘Why Me?’ I always fig-
Hackemack said that his other goal was
to lead the line in tackles. He’s managed to
succeed in that category, racking up 47
tackles (22 unassisted).
Texas had hopes of going to the Cotton
Bowl after promising upsets over Okla
homa and Arkansas.
However, the Horns blew their role as
conference leaders when they suffered
drubbings to Houston (47-9) and
(50-7).
“It’s pretty hard to get over it, becaunl
you keep wondering what happened,”n
said. “Still, the practices this week haitf
been really relaxed and that’s helpederafl
the memory.”
Now facing the final game of his colkpl
career against A&M, a team that TckI
hasn’t beaten since he was a junior in hijl
school, 1 lackemack sees the gameasadul
lenge.
“T he A&M offense is great, theyuseaw
of tricks and influences,” he said. “Wt'ii
going to have a tough time stoppingiIku
because they’ve got a great offensive line |
Although he-will never realize hisoreel
goal of playing in tlie Cotton Bowl, Hadel
mack’s hope of continuing his careerintll
National f ootball League is still will*
reach.
“I’d love to play in the NF
“I’ve got a shot at it. I’ve been healthy
year, but bad games against Tech aJ
Houston will hurt my chances.”
Although Texas won’t play in abowltll
year, he doesn’t think the loss of exposul
will hurt his chances with the NFL.
“There are always the senior bowls," sal
Hackemack, who'll he attending thejapj
Bowl. “I’m really excited about goinglojil
pan.”
And if the A&M spectators are
E ressed by his size, just imagine how
e'll look to the Japanese.
he sail
,1
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U\
Yearbook pictures are
being taken
at
693-0054
1804 Valley View
Across the K-Mart Parking Lot
in College Station
AR PHOTOGRAPHY
707 Texas Ave, Suite 120B
Mon-Fri, 9am-5pnn
Juniors, Vets, Meds, & Grads
are welcome through Friday, Dec. 1!
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Stroll through the vineyard and taste
the award winning wines of
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Tours Saturday, December 2
Sunday, December 3
By Reservation
Retail Hours:
Mon-Fri 8-4:30
Saturday 10-5
£ Directions to Winery 1
if 1) Exit Hwy 6 qt Hwy 21
£ 2) Travel east 2ml. to Wallis Rd. *
J 3) Follow Signs to Winery' £
Sunday 12-4
778-9463
t****************» Paul and M © rril1 Bonarrigo75