Wow! After nothing for four months, here I go again! Maybe it has something to do with sitting around waiting in an airport or sitting on an airplane with few distractions. ; ;>) As I travel to watch the Horns, I just had to tell you how I became a Longhorns fan.
41 years ago, I had my first introduction to UT football. Gary and I were newlyweds and in college (Yes, I was married in college and, no, I didn't "have to" get married! Ha!). We were attending Texas Tech close to home for reasons relating to finances and parental wishes (At least in those days, when you got married while still "just a kid," you paid more attention to parental wishes). I have always been a football fan with some of my favorite memories being the Amarillo High School Golden Sandies football games. But, I was not prepared for what a Horns' fan I had married (Even if he was a TT student; sorry Red Raiders!). Turns out that Gary had been a die-hard Horns fan since age 10 when his first boyhood sports hero, Amarillo Sandies running back David Russell, left Amarillo for UT and the Horns football team.
The Horns came to Lubbock and we were in the stands. Gary told me before the game that the Horns fans will put their "Horns up" and sing "The Eyes of Texas." I didn't quite get this "Horns up" thing but, boy, was Gary right. Even visiting Lubbock, the Horns fans had their Horns up and yelled loudly! That night began a lifetime of being a fan of the Burnt Orange.
A year later, we were driving into Austin for Gary to begin law school and me to continue undergrad at UT. As we approached Austin and the Tower came into view, I must admit my love affair really began. But, did I love UT football or did I love even more the man who loved UT football?
As students at UT, we attended all the home games and even some away. I still remember like it was last week James Street's pass to Randy Peschel in the Big Shootout with Arkansas. The mob scene on the Drag in Austin that night was wild and crazy and so much fun. A few years later, as grownups with jobs and a little boy, we were sitting in the end zone with 2-year-old Curt watching the Horns with Earl Campbell. As Earl took off on a long touchdown run from near our end of the field running away from us, 11 guys in the other color jerseys were chasing him. Curt stood up and yelled, "Where is that man going?" Earl even came to visit my students when I taught at Lee Elementary. What a class act!
The "raising kids" years always involved driving from Houston to Austin on many Fall Saturdays. Gary's 50th birthday weekend celebration included a surprise party with friends and family in Houston on Friday night, a Saturday morning trip with friends and almost grown kids to Austin to watch the Horns play Notre Dame and fifth row seats to a Jimmy Buffet concert later that night. I had tracked down Jimmy's personal assistant and told him that we would be at the concert and asked her to ask Jimmy to wish Gary "Happy Birthday" from the stage. AND HE DID! "Happy 50th birthday, Gary Crofford, you old fruitcake”, he announced from the stage. I was ecstatic! And my husband was overjoyed! My son had assured me that Jimmy Buffet would not wish his dad happy birthday from the stage and I was wasting my time by calling. To this day, Curt says that I taught him a lesson about perseverance and having the audacity at least to ask!
That 50th birthday weekend celebration convinced Kristen that she wanted to be a Longhorn student. She was there during the Ricky Williams years and we, along with two 80+ year-old grandmothers watched from the stands as Ricky set a record and the Horns upset the Aggies. Kristen graduated from UT in 2002 and one of Gary's proudest moments was giving her a Lifetime Texas Exes membership for graduation. That and watching her receive her degree from beneath the Tower and singing "The Eyes of Texas" that beautiful moonlit night.
Four years ago, Vince led the Horns to Pasadena and the Rose Bowl for the championship but we had a grandbaby due at the very same time. When it was a girl, all my friends wanted her to be named “Rose.” “Bowl” was optional! Now, here we are four years later and Colt and all of the Horns have worked their way back to Pasadena. The funny thing is that we have two more new granddaughters this time and one of their middle names is “Rose.”
So, this year, the path seemed clear to head to Pasadena to watch Colt and the Horns but tickets were hard to find at anything close to a reasonable price. We, or rather I, had resigned myself to watching on television. But not my Longhorn-loving husband! So, we threw all caution to the wind and made last minute arrangements to go. Here we are leaving some of the coldest weather in years in Houston and headed to sunny Southern California!
My #1 grandson has become a huge Longhorns, and Colt McCoy, fan. For Christmas, we gave him a full Longhorn uniform, including an orange #12 jersey. When he woke up for kindergarten at 6:30 this morning his dad asked him what day it was. He replied, “it’s Longhorn Day!” The torch is passed! And, I would love a grandson named “Colt!”
Hook ‘em and Joys Ahead,
Cindy
P.S. Here are a couple of photos from the Rose Bowl. Please keep in mind that Gary took these from his I Phone!
