My loyalty is to Texas, having grown up in Austin and attending school there. My Aggie either and I would watch the game together, sometimes screaming so loud we were told to tap the brakes. Bets were placed--usually a cold beverage or a round of golf. No matter who won we had a mutual respect for each others teams. I think the fans will miss this but the high toned athletic directors and chancellors wont because they simply don't care about tradition. It's all about money now.
As for the teams they will find someone to fill in the spot on their schedule but creating a replacement rivalry will be difficult.. A&M will find no friends in the SEC and in the near future no immediate rivalries. Teams need a natural rival--someone to recruit against, despise, and just plain hate. Who will they have as a rival now--Arkansas or LSU? Both are geographically close to College Station and are mutual recruiting possibilities. It's been 17 years since A&M played Arkansas in the Southwest Conference. Most people don't remember it.
Texas states they will fill the spot on their schedule with someone else with ease. Networks will money whip them and probably recommend a slew of non Big 12 teams for the to play on Thanksgiving. but it won't be the same. No build up, trash talking, bonfires, or Aggie jokes. Playing Texas Tech or TCU won't have the same magic for me. Wouldn't it be ironic if Mack Brown or DeLiss Dodds got LSU to play Texas every Thanksgiving? Poor A&M would be left sitting home Thanksgiving out of the spotlight.
So goodbye A&M. Change the lyrics to your war hymn and start working on your media guide for 2012. You might start with a thank you to Texas in the preface. The rivalry made you relevant--giving you precious TV time to a captive audience
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