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Texas A&M chancellor takes cheap shot at Texas Longhorns

By Josh Criswell

Sep 13, 2014; College Station, TX, USA; A Texas A&M Aggies helmet rest on the field prior to the game against the Rice Owls at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2014; College Station, TX, USA; A Texas A&M Aggies helmet rest on the field prior to the game against the Rice Owls at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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You would think after three years separated from their bitter rival, the Texas Longhorns, that the Texas A&M Aggies would have moved on, but apparently not as one of the university’s higher-ups recently took a shot at their former in-state rival. 

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Can these two schools just kiss and make up already?

The Texas A&M Aggies and the Texas Longhorns have not played each other on the football field since 2011, and a large reason why one of the oldest rivalries in college football will not start back up any time soon is because of the stubborn administrators and boosters from each school. The Aggies’ chancellor John Sharp is the latest higher-up from either school to add fuel to the fire, and in doing so, he comes off like a bitter ex-girlfriend.

Sharp spoke with The Texas Tribune last week on the possibility of playing the Longhorns, and he took several shots at their rival during the interview.

"“We asked them to play,” Sharp said. “I will say there is less enthusiasm among the Aggie network now than there was back then. We have new friends and we like playing LSU and we like playing these folks.”"

Theses comments are harmless, and a classy administrator of a state university would stop there. At least most would think.

The Aggies have already replaced their annual Thanksgiving Day rivalry with a showdown against the LSU Tigers, so you would think they had moved on. Chancellor Sharp even said above that there is less enthusiasm about the rivalry, so one would assume that we could just stop with the petty jabs towards each other and move on.

Then again, we are talking about a school whose war hymn has an entire verse dedicated to the Longhorns, so why stop the obsession now? Sharp’s next comments would further illustrate the pettiness of the feud.

"“We’re hopeful that sometime in the future there will be a bowl game that we’re able to play in, you know, if [Texas] gets there. But the great thing about playing us is that you can get on real TV if you play us.”"

Texas A&M and the University of Texas are both at fault for the falling out between the schools. For a school administrator like Sharp to continue to make jabs shows the reality of the situation; that Texas A&M has yet to rid themselves of the little brother syndrome that the Longhorns have instilled in the Aggies over the years.

It is pretty bad when the SEC and the Aggies reportedly would refuse to play in a bowl game with the Longhorns last season. Then again, when you look at the recent history between the teams, it is easy to understand Texas A&M’s cockiness.

The Longhorns were 9-3 against Texas A&M since the turn of the century, before the series ended when the Aggies bolted for the SEC. Since then, Texas A&M has experienced a little bit of success in their new conference, while the Longhorns have taken a step back to say the least.

I understand that taking shots at your rival is nothing new to sports, and often times it makes for high-intensity games on the playing field. Until these two schools can settle their differences, however, it would probably be wise, and more gracious, to not have your school’s chancellor taking shots at the other team.

Especially when you do not plan on playing them anytime soon.

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Here is the full video of Sharp’s interview:

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