Texas Football: Why the Texas A&M Aggies and the Longhorns Need Each Other

Texas and A&M need each other more than they think.

Although the Big 12 seems to be stable but on life support for now, with Oklahoma and Texas not moving to the Pac-12 any time soon, it seems that some traditions, like Red River Rivalry (or "Shootout" if you are a traditionalist) and Bedlam are safe.

But what about another rivalry that dates back to 1894? One that is so fierce and passionate that the schools' fight songs include insults to one another?

Yes, the Lone Star Showdown is another rivalry on the verge of dormancy due to the conference realignment hoopla. With A&M going to the SEC, and UT and OU still possibly leaving the Big12, one has to wonder what will become of this Thanksgiving Day staple (62 Thanksgivings to be exact).

Although both schools want to keep the match-ups intact in every sport, we don't know exactly what the effect of being in different conferences will have on the Lone Star Showdown. Even if Texas and A&M decide to continue the tradition, will the SEC and wherever Texas is, allow them to interrupt conference play near the end of the season to give us our Thanksgiving Day showdown.

Now, in all likelihood, the Lone Star Showdown is safe for now, since there is no official report from either school that this ancient rivalry is no more. A betting man would be wise to think that Texas OU would be gone before Texas A&M.

Let's have a look at what else losing the rivalry would mean for Austin and College Station:

First, both schools would have to think of what the loss in revenue would be, not just from ticket sales but for their communities in general. More fans can attend these games due to them being near to each other, which means hotel reservations increase, restaurants have more patrons, people have to buy gas, etc.

Now, towns like College Station and Austin are pretty well-set when it comes to revenue. However, I'd hate to see what would happen to places like Lubbock and Waco that depend on having big-name schools visit to boost their own economies.

Second, would they have to change the words to their fight songs? Aggie War Hymn and Texas Fight are two of 14 college fight songs that call out a rival. A&M's Aggie War Hymn seems dedicated entirely to beating the Longhorns:

"Good-bye to Texas University. So long to the orange and white"

"The eyes of Texas are upon you. That is the song they sing so well, (SOUNDS LIKE HELL!)"

"Saw Varsity's Horns Off!"

These lines would seem very ridiculous without the rivalry. On the other hand, for UT after the 2011 season, it really is "Goodbye to A&M", as they leave the Big 12 for the SEC in July, 2012.

Now, the big question is: Is tradition worth more than money? That is entirely one person's own opinion, but I wouldn't trade tradition so easily.