What were your UT football beginnings?

[Surly Bevo 25778]

In 1975 the sperm of  a 1970 graduate met  the egg of 1970 graduate (both Srs during 69-70 so yea we were good).  It's science.

[mvlonghorns 287]

My dad went to UCLA and I grew up a Bruin fan, mostly watching basketball because Football was pretty tragic for them. We hated USC though and I remember being ecstatic watching Vince win the 2005 Rose Bowl to deny those fuckers a third straight championship. Then I grew up and was accepted to UT in 2012 and have been a huge fan ever since. Unfortunately it has been rough sledding this far.

[Texasrocks 2253]

I'm a t-shirt fan, but my paternal grandparents met at UT. We have a ranch in the hill country and spent every Thanksgiving there. There was no TV so my grandfather would listen to the aggy game on AM radio. I was probably 8 or 9 when I started listening too and became a lifelong UT fan. I went to Trinity, which was division 3, so continuing to follow UT was pretty easy.

[RGBIII 23020]

Enough said 

[Cairn Horn88 8502]

My sis dated Terry Don Phillips, who played with his bro Loyd Phillips at Arky….i remember watching Texas play Ark and eventually winning NC in 1963.  Terry Don went on to be AD at Ok St and Clemson.  I was hooked on Horns, coming to school in ‘69…What an exciting year, to say the least.  Some kid, from my hometown, named James Street was the QB!  Watched him play at Clark Field, with Burt Hooten.  Have had season tickets since ‘69.  All my kids, wife and SIL/fam all went to UT.  Bleed burnt orange.  

[South Austin 53260]

36 minutes ago, LonghornSean said:

My mom and her siblings grew up in Austin. Their dad (my grandfather) was an influential professor at UT Law school as well as successful intramural flag-football coach and was also involved in various athletic department and NCAA affairs. Some of you Shaggy olds that went to UT law probably know of him. He has a namesake in the UT QB room currently (no relation).

Your granfather was a badass, and a legal legend.  Respect.

36 minutes ago, LonghornSean said:

I don't remember for sure which game was my first to see in-person, but my first memory of going to a game is the Notre Dame game at DKR in 1996 when I was in third grade.

That was my first year of law school.  Gotdam you're young/I'm old.

36 minutes ago, LonghornSean said:

The season tickets have now been "grandfathered" to my name and I don't have any intention of letting them go.

I'm guessing this happened because of who your dad is.  Not that I don't begrudge UT allowing those tickets being passed down to you, but I've heard of so many people who've tried to do the same, only to learn that UT's policy is pretty strict in that season tickets can be passed on to surviving spouses, but not to kids or any other kin.  Which sucks, and is why we should've put our tickets in my name instead of my dad's back in 1996 when we first got season tickets.

[South Austin 53260]

5 minutes ago, RGBIII said:

Enough said

No, we can say more, like rotate your fucking picture.

[RGBIII 23020]

Just now, South Austin said:

No, we can say more, like rotate your fucking picture.

I only rotate in your mom unfortunately 

[mwaadeeb 1370]

Both folks, sister and me. Had a copper Eyes of Texas music (pull-the-string) box on the wall by my bedroom door that my dad would pull when he left the room every night, and a signed DKR Story book on my bedside table. 

[South Austin 53260]

8 minutes ago, RGBIII said:

I only rotate in your mom unfortunately 

Sorry, man.  Other woman will come along for you.  Someday.

[TwiceHorn 32103]

55 minutes ago, LonghornSean said:

My mom and her siblings grew up in Austin. Their dad (my grandfather) was an influential professor at UT Law school as well as successful intramural flag-football coach and was also involved in various athletic department and NCAA affairs. Some of you Shaggy olds that went to UT law probably know of him. He has a namesake in the UT QB room currently (no relation).

Anyway, my mom's family had season tickets forever basically and after my immediate family moved to Austin I've been a Longhorn ever since.

I don't remember for sure which game was my first to see in-person, but my first memory of going to a game is the Notre Dame game at DKR in 1996 when I was in third grade. Although I did not get to attend UT, I've now probably been to around 200 football games. But my granddad did not let anyone attend a game without first knowing the words to the Star Spangled Banner and the Eyes of Texas. That love of Longhorn sports came from my grandfather, and my mom and her generation.

The season tickets have now been "grandfathered" to my name and I don't have any intention of letting them go.

I guess gramps was always a frustrated football fan, having to endure Ivy League football during his academic career.  Although, I suppose back then it wasn't quite the dramatic step down that it is today.

How was he as a grandfather?  He was among the most intimidating men I have ever been in the presence of in whose presence I have ever been.  Did he wear three-piece suits to the games?  On Christmas morning?

ETA:  Writing about Charles Alan Wright, I cannot end a sentence in a preposition.

Edited September 17, 2021 by TwiceHorn

[LonghornSean 4107]

1 minute ago, South Austin said:

Your granfather was a badass, and a legal legend.  Respect.

That was my first year of law school.  Gotdam you're young/I'm old.

I'm guessing this happened because of who your dad is.  Not that I don't begrudge UT allowing those tickets being passed down to you, but I've heard of so many people who've tried to do the same, only to learn that UT's policy is pretty strict in that season tickets can be passed on to surviving spouses, but not to kids or any other kin.  Which sucks, and is why we should've put our tickets in my name instead of my dad's back in 1996 when we first got season tickets.

Thanks man.

I'm a bit fuzzy on the details but from what I remember, the LHF account was initially transferred to my grandmother when my granddad passed in 2000. Sometime later when we asked about transferring them to me, LHF was going to require a six-figure donation to do so which we probably wouldn't have done. But eventually at some point later we were offered the chance for a one-time transfer if we relinquished our membership in the 200-Horns club (now the centennial room). So we kept out great seats in Section 5 but have lesser club access. It may very well have had to do with my grandad's legacy, but yeah it ended up being a pretty sweet deal.

[LonghornSean 4107]

8 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

I guess gramps was always a frustrated football fan, having to endure Ivy League football during his academic career.  Although, I suppose back then it wasn't quite the dramatic step down that it is today.

Yeah I suppose so. He was also an Oilers fan and hated the Cowboys so the 90's weren't great for him there either.

He was around during DKR's hay day at least.

Edited September 17, 2021 by LonghornSean

[Izhmash 581]

Is it the offseason already?

[South Austin 53260]

3 minutes ago, Izhmash said:

Is it the offseason already?

No, just Rice week.

[LonghornSean 4107]

23 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

How was he as a grandfather?  He was among the most intimidating men I have ever been in the presence of in whose presence I have ever been.  Did he wear three-piece suits to the games?  On Christmas morning?

ETA:  Writing about Charles Alan Wright, I cannot end a sentence in a preposition.

I was 13 when he passed so my memories aren't that plentiful. Yes he definitely was intimidating in stature and everything, took manners and procedure very seriously (as you would expect). But at home really he was family man and a jokester, liked being silly etc.

I honestly don't recall how he dressed to games. Somewhat formal from what I remember although I don't think it was a suit. It's funny you ask about Christmas, he absolutely loved Christmas and gift-giving. Though Christmas morning was procedural too, gifts opened in rotation one at a time youngest to oldest.

My mom has had some of his old home movies digitized. Here you see him browsing a playboy. There's plenty more on my mom's channel although you won't see CAW in them as much since he was generally the one filming.

 

[Jiggy-Z 3509]

Using old photos, schedules, and my memory, I placed my allegiance somewhere in the 1973 season when I was 6 years old.  At that point I didn't really understand what was going on so much, but it all seemed to be a big deal, so I got on board. Growing up in Austin, it was pretty much the default.

Where it really hit overdrive was in the fall of 1975.  My mom, knowing I was a fan, spotted a six pack display of Pearl Bear ( Could have been another brand, I still have the cans in my attic so I can check later), sporting the 1975 Texas Longhorns schedule on the back.  So she bought a six pack, and my twin brother and I were allowed to finish off the dregs of a few.  Not my first taste of the magic elixir, but what an association.  As someone famous once said..."Ah, how sweet the wine". 

Ended up mostly watching on TV, except for a few Arkansas games and a few "band" days over the years.

Ended up in LHB for 85-88 and the team sucked.  Enjoyed the "Shock the Nation" tour while it lasted and I guess I technically finished BBA and MPA in fall of '90 so the Miami debacle didn't occur on my watch. 

CSB(re football team sucking): We always had tons of extra people that did not make LHB every fall and "those people", as I liked to call them, were usually swept up by the  men's basketball band as a fall back.  Womens' bball band was voluntary by game with regulars getting to attend playoff etc.  When I first made LHB the men's basketball team sucked, but later on in the early Tom Pender's years they were pretty good and entertaining at least. 

When LHB tryout results were posted there were lots of long faces with the directors coming up to the people that didn't make it encouraging them with some kind words and a "hey, you know you can always be in the basketball band".

With the reversal of fortunes between football and basketball, some of my friends and I drunkenly mused once that there would tryouts for the basketball band and the directors would swoop in on the unsuccessful with a "hey, you can always join the LHB on the football side and see if that helps for next year's luck on getting in the basketball band."  I guess you had to be there.

[SHOOTER12 8890]

T-shirt fan here, but was raised to be a longhorn fan basically from birth. My uncle, who my father had the utmost respect for graduated from UT in 1957 which was the year I was born. My uncle and father were very close and spent many hours talking about the University of Texas and UT football. So needless to say I got a great indoctrination into what the University of Texas was all about. I remember in 63 when Texas played for the championship my father was so excited I'm surprised he didn't have a stroke. All he could talk about for days and days before the game was Texas winning a championship. I'm glad to say that I was able to see all four championships in my lifetime and hope to see a few more. Got two daughters that went to UT although I never got to go because I was too big of a screw up. Of course it didn't help coming from a Podunk town with an alcoholic guidance counselor. When asking about how to go to college and get into college I was simply told pass your classes and apply. So of course nearing graduation I applied to Texas and got what was probably the world's quickest rejection letter. so I went to Southwest Texas State University with the intention of raising my grades and trying to get into Texas at a later time. Unfortunately life booze drugs and p**** got in the way. But I do bleed burnt orange.

The end 

P.S. I don't think there is anyone that has ever lived on this Earth that hated aggy more than my dad. He could see one or one would walk up and his face would just turn bright red wanting to stomp a mud hole in somebody.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by SHOOTER12

[Not a cat 5819]

9 minutes ago, SHOOTER12 said:

 Unfortunately life booze drugs and p**** got in the way. 

 

 

 

 

I just found my epitaph.

[Tylerocks 2603]

Parents met at UT in the early-mid 60's.

Dad is originally from Pennsylvania..he got his undergrad and played football at a small school up there.  Ended up coming down to Austin for his Masters and eventually his PhD.

Mom is from a small ass town in East Texas.  After a stint at Tyler Junior college, where she was an Apache Belle...she finished up at UT in Austin.

One of my mom's sisters, also a UT grad, had 3 daughters...all went to UT.

I was always decked in burnt orange from the time I was a kid...never any doubt where I would end up.

I was there mid 90's  (James Brown>Ricky)

 

[SpongeBob 22]

Guess, I am technically a tshirt fan?  I moved to Austin in 1984 and started following the team. In 1999 my son  was accepted and later graduated from UT and this when i became a true Longhorn fan.   Spoiled by Vince and Colt, and every darn year since, I drink the kool aid, only to be semi crushed by game 2.  Anyway, Hookem.  Beleiving in Sark

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SpongeBob 22]

Just now, SpongeBob said:

Guess, I am technically a tshirt fan?  I moved to Austin in 1984 and started following the team. In 1999 my son  was accepted and later graduated from UT and this when i became a true Longhorn fan.   Spoiled by Vince and Colt, and every darn year since, I drink the kool aid, only to be semi crushed by game 2.  Anyway, Hookem.  Beleiving in Sark.

PS.   I was accepted into UT Law school, but decided not go as I was already 40 and semi entrenched in a tech career.  SO I was almost a longhorn.   PS. My wife is a lawyer, and from what I have seen about lawyers, judges, trials....I am glad i did not go to Law School.

 

Just now, SpongeBob said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zone Read 299]

My dad graduated from UT in 1941.  Was in his first semester of his master's when Pearl Harbor was attacked, he resigned his position as editor of the Daily Texas and enlisted.  After the war he settled in NYC to do a Madison Ave advertising gig.  Years later I came along.  I had been to the campus a few times visiting from NY and loved it, but had no interest in football whatsoever.  When I graduated high school, I had never been to a high school, college, or pro game.  Transferred to UT after doing 2 years in a shitty upstate NY school.  

First day in Austin in 1981, potluck roommate from the metroplex asks me if I'm going to the game on Saturday.  I tell him I wasn't planning to.  He said "you don't come to UT and not go to football games."  He took my ID and put it in with his group and drew for tickets. I didn't argue with him, figured I should check out the craziness at least once.

Come Saturday, I could not believe all the tailgating and pre-game stuff.  I entered the stadium and was blown away by all the colors, pageantry, traditions, the band, everything.  It was love at first site.  Went to pretty much every home game and quite a few ou games during my student days.  Went to the Cotton Bowl where we lost to Georgia and missed a shot at the NC.

Fast forward to 2006.  Best game I had ever been to up to that time was the Michigan Rose Bowl.  1 year and 4 days later I went to an even better one.  I've had season tickets for 25 years.  Tomorrow I'll go to the game and meet my 3rd generation senior Longhorn twins sitting in the student section for drinks afterwards.

[Whatever 700]

1989 Rice game. My uncle (Dad’s brother) was a student at UT and he took my first cousin and I to the game. We were fans before but after that game it was set in stone. It was the game where we scored with like 2 seconds on the clock but the clock went to zero and the fans rushed the field, only to retreat for one more play. After the game we played cup football on the field.

I’ve been to at least 75 games in my life, including 17 in the Cotton Bowl on the 2nd Saturday in October. My oldest son has been to 4 and will attend his 5th tomorrow.

[Ignatius 4150]

On 9/17/2021 at 12:29 PM, Spider2YBanana said:

When I found out our school ID's were our SSN I kinda freaked out. Like, wtf? I lose shit all the time and now I have to keep this shit?!?

Lol that’s funny; I was a freshman in ‘85 and was like “What a great idea! This way I’ll always know my student ID”

They used to post exam scores for ScanTron classes as a printout with your full SSN and your grade outside of the exam room (i.e. big fucking Jester Auditorium, green room in Garrison, massive Burdine room, FAC history of rock ‘n’ roll room, etc)

Edited September 19, 2021 by Ignatius

[Gidnik 3505]

My dad drove my mother to walter reed army medical center in a burnt orange and white ford maverick with a longhorn on the hood. 

[SuckitKevin 979]

     My Dad was a poor farmer who joined the army because he couldn’t afford college. He was stationed in Arkansas and saw the ‘59 game. After that he was hooked. We grew up rooting for the Horns. My earliest memories are watching Earl in the mid 70’s. 
     Then one of my best friends from high school was a walk on 89-90 season. I’d go up and party with him quite often. I was a student at UTSA. 
   Now my son is a freshman at UT living the dream.

[Knoxtnhorn 6312]

1 hour ago, Ignatius said:

Lol that’s funny; I was a freshman in ‘85 and was like “What a great idea! This was I’ll always know my student ID”

They used to post exam scores for ScanTron classes as a printout with your full SSN and your grade outside of the exam room (i.e. big fucking Jester Auditorium, green room in Garrison, massive Burdine room, FAC history of rock ‘n’ roll room, etc)

I remember that - as a student of the 90's.  I couldn't have told you one number of my SS# until college.

[F250 29204]

1 hour ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

I remember that - as a student of the 90's.  I couldn't have told you one number of my SS# until college.

Same. I went from having to look at my card to memorizing the number during the first round of registration.

 

 

[T-shirt Sip 2207]

My father was an uneducated, Mexican diesel (John Deere) mechanic in a small south Texas town that obviously dealt with many white aggy ranchers on a daily basis. He said 100% of them were assholes that always disrespected him and looked down at him. His hate for these fuckers steered him towards Longhorns sports. He said he loved to ask them if they happened to have watched the game (which Texas won) regardless of sport just to fuck with them. That was his little “fuck you” to them. We could never afford to go to games but we sure watched the Horns on TV every opportunity we had. That love for Longhorns sports was passed down to me. 

[F250 29204]

3 minutes ago, T-shirt Sip said:

My father was an uneducated, Mexican diesel (John Deere) mechanic in a small south Texas town that obviously dealt with many white aggy ranchers on a daily basis. He said 100% of them were assholes that always disrespected him and looked down at him. His hate for these fuckers steered him towards Longhorns sports. He said he loved to ask them if they happened to have watched the game (which Texas won) regardless of sport just to fuck with them. That was his little “fuck you” to them. We could never afford to go to games but we sure watched the Horns on TV every opportunity we had. That love for Longhorns sports was passed down to me. 

[T-shirt Sip 2207]

[sith_horn 2533]

12 hours ago, Knoxtnhorn said:

1) The librarian at Heights Elem in Richardson always played the Texas and OU fight songs RR week.  She was a Sooner; I was a Texan, so Eyes for me.

I attended J. Frank Dobie Elem off Spring Valley and Coit.

Grew up a fan of the Dallas Cowboys in DFW which spurred my interest in football as a boy. Started watching bowl games and became a fan of college football in general. Loved the pagentry and watching blue bloods play. The SWC season games were televised locally and I gravitated to the longhorns as my favorite team. No one in the family had any connection to UT. When I came of age to go to college and started looking at in-state schools with good engineering programs, I naturally considered Texas and it was ranked highest. I applied to Texas, aTm and UT-Arlington. Was accepted to all three but the Texas letter was the one I coveted, so it wasn't any contest where to go.

 

[DalTxHornFan 3130]

I grew up in Austin and pretty much thought that Coach Royal hung the moon from the git go.  First game attended was in 1968 vs. SMU in the end zone knothole section with a bunch of kids from my neighborhood.  Both teams were ranked, but Longhorns won handily.

Moreover, I was very impressed with the SMU twirler!  Priorities! 

[DeweyCox 366]

My love for Longhorn Football was born in 2000. I was a 23 year old working at a wilderness camp for troubled youth males. The young men in the program were mostly from some really rough backgrounds and I thought it would be really cool for them to get to see up close and personal the value of brotherhood, teamwork, being a part of something bigger than just self. So, I called the UT athletic dept and asked if I could bring the boys over to observe. They welcomed us with open arms! Mack and Co. let us in to observe a team meeting and had a couple of the players guide us around the weight room, stadium and even had a couple players give a little motivational talk. Lots of studs on that team. It was an amazing day that I’ll always treasure. I believe it had a positive impact on every one of us, and to this day I am still filled with Longhorn family pride.

[tx 3 putt 78736]

several aunts and uncles were grads, then a cousin was a walk on in the early 90's. that was pretty cool. I was supposed to come up and room with him. made a last minute choice to go small school and straight into engineering. never looked back 

[Guadaloopy 11139]

I didn’t grow up in a Longhorn family.  Mom and Grandfather have degrees from UH.  But I grew up Luv Ya Blue and Earl was my favorite player. I was even more of a baseball fan, so the ‘83 CWS run sealed my love of all things Longhorn.  Begged my parents to take me to my first Longhorn football game at the 1987 Bluebonnet Bowl vs Pitt.    
 

Never seriously considered applying to any other school and started my time on the 40 in the fall of ‘90 and we shocked the nation.  The UH game was euphoric.  Been chasing that high ever since.  

[TankedBevo 2504]

My grandpa was class of 1955. Every waking moment of my and my siblings lives were consumed with being a Longhorn. Aggy jokes out the wazoo every Saturday. Was wrapped in a hook em onesie when I was born. I didn't make it there but still root as if I did. 

He passed away in 2015 

[28jcollins 53]

My father played on the '69, '70 Natty teams so I never had a choice to cheer for any other team growing up. Rebelled for a while but I got interested when Ricky was becoming a star, and then was all out addicted watching Major play QB. By 2005 I made it to my first game, got to see Vince in action with my own eyes which I am thankful for. Watching the title game was one of the greatest moments I shared with my father. It's been a heck of a fun ride being a fan of the team, and I'm strapped in and ready for whatever is ahead!

[ImissWallyPryor 9046]

All y’all’s stories told on a fan message board can’t top this. Starts at 00:23.

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by ImissWallyPryor

[mininghorn88 2338]

It did not hit me as a "fan" until I attended my first game as a high school senior when I went to the Texas/Rice game in September 1983 and watched Edwin Simmons break a long run.  I was sitting in the upper deck with my then girlfriend and her family.  Her dad was a Federal Judge and a UT grad so he had always talked the school up.  Plus my girlfriend would be attending UT in a couple of years and her sister would be there as well.  Up until that moment it was just a school that I had been accepted to. That was also the first time that I had sat foot on the campus.  We had toured the campus earlier on Saturday.  I was definitely hooked!  Being that I was a first generation college attendee I really did not know what all was going on.  I had several scholarship offers to play baseball elsewhere but none of the schools offered the degree program that I was interested in.  My dad was not exactly thrilled that I passed up the opportunity to play baseball.  To this day I believe that it still bothers him a bit.  Nonetheless, both of my parents are proud of what I have achieved albeit it is more reserved with my dad (due to his upbringing).

I enrolled in the Fall of 1984 and was blown away on the first day of class!  I thought that I was going to be in for a great sports ride as the Horns started the season ranked number 1 under Fred Akers.  We ended up tying OU in the rain at the Cotton Bowl and then went on a slide the remainder of that year and for the next subsequent years while in was in college.

As I age the more meaningful it is to me to be an alum from UT.  I cheer for them through thick or thin.  I have also learned, with age, to temper my expectations.

My daughter and son grew up being Texas fans and attending games and have the same passion for the school as well.  My daughter only really considered Texas as her school of choice.  She did visit some other schools just to appease the ex-wife.  I finally shut down the other school visits as it was a waste of time and money.  She graduated from Texas in 2014.  My son elected to go to and graduate from SFA because hunting and fishing were easier to do on the weekends (priorities I guess?).

I still make at least one home game and one road game (usually WVU) per year and also always go to the Alamo Bowl each year.

Hookem!

[justhookit 4207]

Dad was from West Virginia and got a scholarship to play basketball in the 60’s, otherwise I’d probably be a coal miner or railroad worker. Mom went to UT also so I was raised a Longhorn. Technically my first game was when my mom was 6 or 7 months pregnant but the first games I really remember well were the Earl years. I loved going down on the field after the games.

I nearly went to Claremont McKenna to play basketball, but a drunken RoundUp weekend changed my mind. I was at UT during the Gardere years so OU sucked, but other than the one shock the nation year we sucked.

I’ve never rooted for any other college team, and never will.

[52-80 19377]

never cared about Texas football until I stepped on campus.

 

Grew up in another state and the only thing I knew of UT was a guy named Ricky Williams kicking all sorts of ass. 

Then in TX I got brainwashed by a bunch of relatives and strangers to want to attend A&M. 

But I enrolled in UT and "we" won 10+ games every single season while I was there.... then I moved abroad and it's been fucking downhill ever since.