With all the hype and hope surrounding A&M’s football team this year, it just occurred to me that we are missing one thing in our chase of the Big 12-2 and MNC titles this year: Bonfire on campus.
I’m no Bonfire historian. Hell, I never even went to cut or wore a pot (I’m a 3%er). I’m just an Old Ag who enjoyed going to the greatest pre-game tradition in college sports. From ’92 to ’97, I attended every Bonfire. I remember freezing my ass off when a sleet storm prevented the stack from burning quickly to the years when the stack fell in 8 minutes or less. I remember weaving through a crowd 40,000+ strong in the dark, surrounded by Ags, Old Ags, and their families, just to get a spot about 10 feet away from Bonfire’s log perimeter (the perfect distance to enjoy the view and heat). I remember waiting in line at the Taco Bell to pee as I made my way back to Duddley’s Draw on Northgate after Bonfire. And I remember the memorial in ’99, having driven into town for it from Ft. Polk, LA, while I served in the US Army. But mostly I remember that when Bonfire was on campus, we usually beat the school from Austin the next day ('92, '93, '94, '97).
It has been almost 12 years since Bonfire fell, killing 12 Aggies. Twelve is an oddly sacred number to us Ags. After all, A&M is home to the 12th Man. But New Army, despite having, from what I hear, some good off campus Bonfires, needs to experience the real thing. The team needs to experience the real thing. The alumni need to experience the real thing. The administration, especially Loftin, needs to experience the real thing. It is time for the A&M Board of Regents to get over their doubts and fears and authorize Bonfire to be held on campus once again. After all, if this is our last year in the Big 12-2 (as we hope it will be), and if the school in Austin wants to threaten to never play us again if we go to the SEC, let’s send them off the best way we Ags know how: with a Fightin’ Texas Aggie Bonfire on campus and a red-ass whoopin’ on Thanksgiving.
Gig’em!
Casey Brown, ‘96
