College Station - Advice

[BermudaSooner]

Who's headed to College Station? First time for a football game down there. Any advice on parking, eating, or anything else (like don't walk on some grass or something).

Anybody going to the Boomer Bash at the A&M Student Rec Center? Is this worth it, or find some other place to get BBQ?

[Dwight]

I'm going for the first time, too. I'm gonna get there early (~12:00) and find somewhere to park. Then I'll eat and walk around

[yermom]

parking is kinda standard. get there earlyish, find someplace close. i don't remember it being too expensive to park on campus

if you want to walk to the bars and stuff, i'd park on the NW part of campus somewhere.

this is pretty cool, all the P's are parking lots. notice the Dixie Chicken:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Kyle+Field,+College+Station,+TX&sll=35.200834,-97.427082&sspn=0.029457,0.038581&ie=UTF8&hq=Kyle+Field&hnear=Kyle+Field,+College+Station,+Brazos,+Texas+7 7844&ll=30.615127,-96.341858&spn=0.031024,0.038581&z=15

[badger]

I've gone in a bus, so no advice on parking or eating, but here goes:

1- ID yourself as a Sooner fan. OU shirt, OU hat, OU everything. That way, you will not be ordered to act silly by those Aggies around you if you aren't participating in the stupid yells.

2- Don't wear your hat inside the memorial building. Don't walk on the grass, especially near old guys in lawn chairs that tell you not to walk on the grass, and wear your OU hat backwards at the game so that nobody tries to knock it off during UNCOVERRRRRRRRR

3- Do not do any chants during their alma mater. The band accidentally fired up Boomer Sooner during theirs a few years back and I think a few wanted to fight over it.

4 - Save any Aggie jokes or anti-Aggie talk for this side of the Red River. They are very easily offended and they outnumber you in College Station. They talk big when they have the numbers, even if they don't have the numbers on the scoreboard.

Enjoy the game... because the atmosphere is not that enjoyable.

[jumperstop]

2- Don't wear your hat inside the memorial building. Don't walk on the grass, especially near old guys in lawn chairs that tell you not to walk on the grass, and wear your OU hat backwards at the game so that nobody tries to knock it off during UNCOVERRRRRRRRR

I hate the not wearing a hat inside the memorial building. Just cause I want to wear my hat to a football game and not caring it around the whole time I'm inside, doesn't mean that I hate all the troops that ever died serving from aTm. I got yelled at twice about this cause after I took it off I put it back on out of habit cause I don't ever just carry my hat, there is a place on my top of my ****ing head for that. Sorry this just really pissed me off. Do what ever traditions you want, but don't expect visiting team's fans to care about **** like that as much as you do. Probably won't be going back there for a while.

[StoopTroup]

Avoid standing in lines....

http://www.40acressports.com/images/aggies-squeeze.jpg

[badger]

It was bad when I went down there six years ago, but I heard that the bully mentality of that stadium has gotten progressively worse, where if some don't want to partake in all of the stupid traditions (that I've heard are not all really traditions) that the people around them will chastise them mercilessly till they either leave (with TWO PERCENTER yelled at them, of course) or give in. This is why it is essential that you identify yourself as 100 percent Sooner so they write you off as some arsehole visitor who wouldn't respect their traditions enough to participate or something.

We've always known this, but Aggie just ain't right. They're much nicer outside the stadium though. Once you're inside, prepare for hell.

[Dwight]

I don't understand all the talk about not walking on the grass. Are there signs that specifically tell you not to? I'm not gonna walk across campus on a tiny sidewalk when there's a gigantic field of grass that cuts through all the pedestrian traffic.

[BermudaSooner]

I don't understand all the talk about not walking on the grass. Are there signs that specifically tell you not to? I'm not gonna walk across campus on a tiny sidewalk when there's a gigantic field of grass that cuts through all the pedestrian traffic.

I think their dead dogs are buried there or sumpin'

[bakerjrb]

I don't understand all the talk about not walking on the grass. Are there signs that specifically tell you not to? I'm not gonna walk across campus on a tiny sidewalk when there's a gigantic field of grass that cuts through all the pedestrian traffic.

Actually, it's only the grass around their Student Union - it's considered to be part of the memorial to those Ags killed in military service.

Surely, if we get worked up about whether to say "Brave" or "Sooners" at the end of the National Anthem, we can, as visitors, respect A&M traditions that honor soldiers who died in defense of our country, can't we?

Live on, University.

[StoopTroup]

I think their dead dogs are buried there or sumpin'

They bury their GFs weenuses there.

[AggielandAggie]

You can rest easy about the Memorial Student Center(MSC), and the grass around it, as it is under construction until 2012 and the only grass visible that is considered part of the memorial is not really an area you will likely go to.

There is grass that is nice around the Corps area, and I try to not walk on it just because it is not littered with random walking paths, but this is not the memorial grass.

If you are in a Sooner section, don't worry about overzealous Ags concerned with the fake tradition of "uncovering" for Yells.

I live in Bryan and love the great variety of local restaurants in my city as opposed to over abundance of cookie cutter chains in College Station. If interested I can let you know about some places in both cities that might not be so crowded.

[MamaMia]

They will not welcome you.

You will not be welcomed to any tailgates unless they are OU tailgates

They will not allow you to wear anything on your head.

The visiting section is so high up that you had better bring binoculars

The visiting section is so high up that there are bats

The visiting section is so high up that they actually have a couple of first aide rooms for people with medical problems such as asthma, heart problems and muscular or bone ailments

Do not step on the "sacred field", not even accidentally. They will attack you.

Bring lots of sanitary lotion

[CaliBornSoonerBred]

I've posted this in all the "who's going to CS" threads. I do live here for a few more months and have a damn good tailgate that I go to. They are all good ags at ours. Dm me for any other questions. I posted all the food options in the last thread

[PalmBeachSooner]

I don't understand all the talk about not walking on the grass. Are there signs that specifically tell you not to? I'm not gonna walk across campus on a tiny sidewalk when there's a gigantic field of grass that cuts through all the pedestrian traffic.

It's a military thing and all services adhere to it. One of the first thing they told us in boot camp is you do NOT cross the grinder. It's bad jubu.

[oudavid1]

I would dare anyone, anyone to try and make me do any f(bleep)king chant.

[yermom]

who shows up not in OU gear?

they've always been cool to me though.

[trwxxa]

Do not step on the "sacred field", not even accidentally. They will attack you.


They gave this up several years ago. Anyone is allowed on the field at the end of the game once the players are off.

[85sooners]

:rcmad: :rcmad: :rcmad: :rcmad: :rcmad: :rcmad:

[JLEW1818]

yermom where u gonna be ? let's drink

[yermom]

no clue. i'll be there, but driving from and then to Dallas. i'm not likely to be drinking much. that drive after the game at like midnight BLOWS

we should find the maroon bus again.

[caseysooner]

Since when did the corps of cadets become a member of the department of defense?

[A Sooner in Texas]

I live in Bryan and love the great variety of local restaurants in my city as opposed to over abundance of cookie cutter chains in College Station. If interested I can let you know about some places in both cities that might not be so crowded.

Christopher's World Grille is amazing, but not cheap.

[sluggo sooner]

Since when did the corps of cadets become a member of the department of defense?

I do not know the answer to that question, but I do know that aTm is one of 6 universities in the country designated as "Senior Military Colleges" by federal law. It probably has something to do with that. I'm not sure exactly what that means, either, except that it’s more than just ROTC.

I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express though.

[A Sooner in Texas]

I do not know the answer to that question, but I do know that aTm is one of 6 universities in the country designated as "Senior Military Colleges" by federal law. It probably has something to do with that. I'm not sure exactly what that means, either, except that it’s more than just ROTC.

I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express though.

A friend's son graduated from aTm this summer and was in the corps all four years. He graduated as a commissioned Army officer and will be shipping out to Afghanistan before long.

[BoomerJack]

The previous comment about the Texas aggie jokes is right. Not only will they get mad at you, you'll have to spend anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour explaining each joke to them.

[AggieGirl2005]

I do not know the answer to that question, but I do know that aTm is one of 6 universities in the country designated as "Senior Military Colleges" by federal law. It probably has something to do with that. I'm not sure exactly what that means, either, except that it’s more than just ROTC.

I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express though.

A&M was established as a military school, like the Citadel or VMI, and only relatively recently (60s) demilitarized. Basically, A&M must:
-establish a corps of cadets
-provide military training and courses
-maintain military standards similar to those of the federal service academies.
Half of the corps cadets become commissioned officers after they graduate.

Technically, all A&M students have to be a member of the corps, but nowadays the 96% of us NOT in the corp receive a waiver from the university.

I'm sure that's more than you ever wanted to know...

[Cinco Ranch Cougar]

It's electric to the extreme. Fans could not have been nicer - rowdy, standing all the time, yelling all the time - but they were courteous. IT is a GREAT place to watch football and I have always said that if a team's won/loss record was predicated on their fan's enthusiasm then A&M would never lose more than a game or two.
Not a fair comparison because I don't want to bring down the Ags, but the game time experience is light years ahead of being at Lubbock or Austin, and I have been to both.
I have a lot of Ag fans and they like me as an OU grad and fan. The feeling is mutual. I will be anxious to see how you like the game.
It will be a close game.

[BoomerJack]

AggieGirl2005: Doesn't Tex AM commissioner the most officers to military branches than any other institution other than the service academies?

[humblesooner]

The A&M experience will not be a bad one. Their fans are very cordial. Even in the stadium, we always have Ags come over before the game just to talk - find out where we are from, what we think of their campus, etc.
If this is your first time in College Station, you will be impressed by their enthusiasm. You will also be impressed by their military band at halftime. If you haven't seen it before, be sure to stay in your seat and watch.
However, if it is not your first time (#9 for us), you won't even notice the enthusiasm and will think that the halftime program is boring - same-old same-old - because it never changes.
Enjoy your trip and the game.
Hope you don't run in to the occasional asshat that is present at any stadium you go to (that includes the Fock).

[AggieGirl2005]

AggieGirl2005: Doesn't Tex AM commissioner the most officers to military branches than any other institution other than the service academies?

Yup, you are correct. 25,000 brownie points for you :)

[sluggo sooner]

If it's your first time to a game in College Station and you have the time, I'd go over to the corps of cadets area and watch them form up for marching into the stadium.

Also, I have to disagree with the poster that said the ag tailgaters won't offer you a beer. I went down to a game one year with my old dad and the ags gave him so many beers that . . . well, let's just say I had to do all the driving on the way home.

Be careful if you are driving down I-45. It appears that most of the small towns along I-45 fund their treasuries through giving speeding tickets.

[tfoolry]

I don't care to be around that many people participating in demented cult-like activities so will be watching the game on TV.

[MiccoMacey]

1) I lived in College Station for two years. Frebirds and the Dixie Chicken are two restaraunts everyone already knows, but the two best places to eat are C&Js BBQ and Koppe Bridge (there are two locations of each restaraunt). Koppe Bridge has excellent hamburgers, and C&Js is about the best BBQ around. Look for both, but especially try the ribs and BBQ turkey from C&Js.

2) I was at the 2002 OU-A&M game, and only one person made any disparaging comment after the game. And he was soundly rebuked by a whole gaggle of other A&M fans for taunting. Most of what you hear about "rude A&M fans" is from Texas fans.

3) You are not expected to know, much less required to participate in any A&M ritual. Again, most of this is folklore spread by Longhorn fans.

4) They will knidly request you take your hat off inside their Student Union. Since the grass will be shut off to passerbys, there's no need to "stay off the grass". Except at Kyle Stadium. They ask you to stay off their field.

Not once have I ever heard someone "scream" at someone else to comply or follow any rule or tradition. Except the Kyle Field rule (there's a picture on the internet with a sword and an ROTC goofball).

But seriously...is it too hard to do something that's asked of you, that others take as revered, when it's as simple as removing your hat, or staying off someone else's grass? If you have issues with this, I have almost no fear of saying you have muuuch larger issues in your life.

5) You will be treated as kindly as you treat others. Very rarely in life have I ever found this not to be the case. It'd be the exception to the norm if you were treated hostile for no reason.

[badger]

who shows up not in OU gear?

:D i know, but if it starts raining, the yellow and blue ponchos come out in full force at Owen Field. Yellow? Blue?!?! wtf.

[Seamus]

Surely, if we get worked up about whether to say "Brave" or "Sooners" at the end of the National Anthem, we can, as visitors, respect A&M traditions that honor soldiers who died in defense of our country, can't we?



^ ^ ^ This.

[cjames317]

I understand the Memorial Student Center is under renovation. Did that change the Corps' march-in route? The band and assembled Corps units march in formation through campus into Kyle Field, beginning 1 hour before kickoff. If you like parades, it's a good one.

[StoopTroup]

:D i know, but if it starts raining, the yellow and blue ponchos come out in full force at Owen Field. Yellow? Blue?!?! wtf.

Signs of the bandwagoners? :pop: :D

[yermom]

i have a red poncho i haven't broken out yet :D

usually i have the clear emergency ones

[Landthief 1972]

So do they keep the corks in the upper deck, or the spinner bait?

[AggielandAggie]

Corps march-in is the same route. To me, the lining up and step-off at the "Quad", and the march to the stadium, is much more entertainijng than the actual march-in viewed from inside the stadium. You can always watch the formation and step-off, hang around a few minutes outside of Kyle, then enter and still see the tail end of the marching while warm-ups are occuring on the field.

[badger]

You ever watch that movie Shaun of the Dead where they all act like zombies to avoid being devoured by them? That's College Station. Act like a mindless zombie, make a bunch of moaning noises (like the sound of the letter "a") and put your arms out in front of you (do whatever arm motions the zombies wearing white on the field are doing) and have a vacant expression like the zombie head coach has on his face. Keep this up till the zombies leave, or they will eat your brain.

[Dwight]

I like to parkour. Will the Keep Off the Grass rule prevent me from doing so?

[ouwapiti]

one correction......step off parade starts 1 1/2 hrs before game time.......the small towns on highway 6 are the worst about lining their towns coffers.....dont speed thru riesel, marlin, CALVERT, or hearne

[Sooner_Tuf]

I have always had fun there. You can't hardly walk by a tailgate without them offering you liquid refreshment. They party hard and have always been really friendly to me.

[StoopTroup]

http://image.allmusicimport.com/sdimage/disk8/1009741.jpg

[AggieGirl2005]

FYI it's not ALL grass that's protected, just the grass around the Memorial Student Center. It's not that big of a deal - the other 98% of grass is available for your tailgating pleasure.

[picasso]

Be sure and wear a cap into the student union.


-Beano the Chin

[StoopTroup]

FYI it's not ALL grass that's protected, just the grass around the Memorial Student Center. It's not that big of a deal - the other 98% of grass is available for your tailgating pleasure.

I've spit on the other 2% a couple of times. There's absolutely no difference it's all grass.