Southern Women and Our Words on Southern Nights

Although I was born in Texas and am geographically considered a natural-born Southern woman, I came from a mixed marriage between a Yankee and a Southerner. It never bothered me that I didn’t seem to have a Southern accent (unless various phrases and words I used gave me a distinctive speech pattern), as I am who I am like everyone else is who they are. We all speak based on who all we grew up around, who we heard speaking to us, reinforcing our understanding by loving intonations of various words being said and our learning to pronounce them similarly. When in Rome, and all…

Growing up in San Antonio, I remember the newscasters had what was then called Midwestern voices, where you weren’t going to hear any harsh northern pronunciations or any southern lilts in the words as they were read off the teleprompters. As I grew, I remember Mom saying that “the more Midwest you sound, the higher your salary would be on TV.” Never had I contemplated being a TV newscaster; however, random facts, once known as flotsam and jetsam, stayed safely in my brain for future recall at the strangest times. My high school class of 21 people was diverse but with few exceptions, I don’t recall deep southern accents spoken by my classmates, so I never gave it much thought.

Once I arrived at Texas A&M for school, though, I was certainly in for a shock. My freshman math class the first summer (nerd alert: takes a calculus class in the summer) was a wakeup call. Our teacher was fresh out of college and the only language he spoke as a grad student was Math. He was from Dallas but for all the words he said, it was blahblahblah Math. So, there were lots of questions from my fellow students.

I listened interestedly as students from all over the state posed their questions. Intonations, rate of speaking, and numbers of syllables in words once familiar were puzzling. Where were these people from? There was one fellow named Max who asked a question of the prof: “In equazhun three, you have some pa-ren-tha-seas there and I cain’t figger out wazzup they’re.” I was stunned, and then immediately sympathetic. I was sure he had a speech impediment. My heart was opened, and I thought about how brave he was to ask his question.

The prof couldn’t quite determine how to answer his question, and so the guy next to Max decided to help out. When “Jerry” asked the question, I swear he sounded exactly like Max! The words he spoke and how he spoke them blew my mind. There were two of them! Oh, bless their hearts. God love ‘em. How brave they were!

After class I went up and smiled and asked, “Where y’all from?” having fallen gently into the pattern of Texan talk. One smiled back and said, “Monahans.” From the blank look on my face, Max said, “It’s not too far from Odessa.” Ah, I made the connection and smiled. They didn’t have any speech impediments! They were from West Texas! I was the one with the impediment…in my brain. Clearly I’d grown up in the big city and was limited to observing Texas accents on television, many spoken by actors from New York and California. Oh well. That was my first memory of what it was like to be a true Texan, from the south, or any other distinctive quality about the world of the Texas Aggies I would ultimately enter and remain in for the rest of my academic career.

In my childhood, I enjoyed doing voices of various TV characters that amused me, and the wilder the better. In my repertoire was when Cher played the lady in the laundromat, Laverne Lashinski, whose gum-snapping witticisms and hand waves (punctuated with “Oh honey, let me tell you!”) were filled with a tinge of naughtiness, her cat-eye glasses perched at the end of her nose, and a leopard-skin costume collection that Bob Mackie outdid himself to produce. I had Laverne down cold.

Same with Carol Burnett’s Stella Toddler (“Please don’t hurt me!”). There's no question that Carol's voices made the character but there's also no question that Bob Mackie's costume designs brought those characters to life!

Her Mrs. Wiggins was another favorite of mine. Before classes started in the mornings, many of us would sit around the cafeteria and chat about what was on TV the night before. The sketches known as “The Family” produced the greatest memories and giggles. I had Eunice Higgins to a ‘T’ and could switch in and out of Eunice and Vicki Lawrence’s “Mother Harper” (Thelma) seamlessly.

Other people play piano concertos from memory…I remember things that make me laugh. Oh well. Another product of my wildly misspent youth in the school library.

My repertoire grew to include Cher’s “Sadie” and my poor victim as the preacher was my dear friend Bobby, whose stalwart patience for my routines was my home base.

I started a list of phrases I’d never heard growing up, but that I heard regularly here as I “grew up” in my years of studying at A&M. An early favorite came from someone whose name escapes me, but she used to say, “I hear tell that….” Meaning someone had told her and now she was telling me. I thought that was adorable!

I did have one southern expression down cold, though: "Lick of sense." When I was 10 years old, I heard that phrase in Bobbi Gentry’s song, “Ode to Billy Joe.” You know, “It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty, delta dayyyyy.” Yeah, that one. Anyway you go on into the song and there was a phrase, “Well, Billy Joe never had a liquorsince, pass the biscuits pleaseeee.” I remember my sweet neighbor Susan’s mom, Dolores, driving me to the dentist appointment one summer day while Mom was at work and that song came on the radio.

I asked Dolores, a true Southern girl, what she was singing, and she said, “Oh you know, a lickofsense” and I said, “No, I’ve never heard that. What is she singing?” “Lickofsenselickofsense.” By the confusion on my brow, she said, “He was slow, he didn’t have one bit of common sense about him.” Oh. OH. OHhhhhhh! Finally, breakthrough. Thank goodness for Dolores, because Mama didn’t have a clue what Bobbi Gentry was singing either!

Another favorite expression came from my adoptive grandma, aka MamMaw, who’d call me sometimes at 8:30 am if she had a question, and my late-night study hours were happening while she was fast asleep. If I sounded the least bit groggy, she’d ask, “Are you still laying up in the bed?” and I’d truthfully reply, “Yes, ma’am!” and she’d giggle and say, “It’s long past when you should have gotten up, so get going, girl!” and I’d promise her I would.

It was lovely to hear MamMaw's voice, even if it was to wake me up. She was the same MamMaw who insisted, 20 years later, that I call her when I drove back into town from Houston on business and had arrived home safely. I was in my 40s but I loved the fact that she made me call her to let her know I was safe. That was love. That was MamMaw. She wasn’t my blood relative, by the way. We adopted each other, thanks to her daughter-in-law and son who shared her very sweetly. I’ll have more to say on shared family later.

Another favorite expression I learned was “Momandem” and virtually all of you know instantly that you are reading the words “Mom and all of them” (in the family). When someone inquires about your well-being here, being polite Southerners they are all-inclusive, so they say “How are Momandem?” and you answer, “We are all doing well, thank you!” Or, if someone’s doing poorly, you break out that information at that time, too.

Sweet tea. Um. Is there any other kind? Oh yeah, unsweet tea. It’s when you grow up without sweet tea, you get started out on the wrong road of sipping brown water with virtually no flavor. Southern women make sweet tea, and if you’re fortunate enough, you learn exactly the right way to make it. Boil your water, get out your favorite tea bags (and that is a topic until itself…Lipton, Luzianne, Bigelow…. For another time), and steep them for a good while, then while your brew is still hot as a pistol, you open up a 5-lb bag of sugar and start slowly stirring your concoction. The more seasoned the cook, the more automatic the process, but the end product is worth it.

Homemade sweet tea is to die for. It’s basically a food group and if you have that and just a little of anything else, you’re all set! Through the years, I have been an iced tea afficionado, preferring this nectar to any soft drink by far. I will have much to say about iced tea in another post, but back to southerners and our tea. It’s just “home” for me. I’m not alone. I had to learn temperance, or unsweetened tea, for as much as I consume, but a little discipline is good for you. I call it going off the wagon when I drink the fully uncut sweet tea, but most of my favorite places offer “half and half” tea regularly on their menus. Pretty sure you won’t find that up north at the drive-thrus. I have lots more to say about drive-thru iced teas, for another time (Hint: HTeaO).

Kona — Okay, this one escaped me for a long time as several of my friends said that was where they were going to be and we could meet up there. I hid my ignorance on that one for years and just tried to find a friend to go with me so I wouldn’t be alone to guess where the kona was. Until I meet sweet Nita. Nita was a true Southern girl and she spoke so slowly but sweetly that you didn’t mind waiting for her to finish her sentence, but it was definitely slower than my usual motormouth pace.

Nita said that word first, in my memory, “kona,” when she described an intersection of two blocks and a store there. It didn’t register what she meant because I knew the store’s name. Finally, it was when my buddy Harold Presley was on the radio, playing Lou Vega’s “Mambo No. 5” one day, out of the blue it hit me….”Down to the kona”…..I heard it again!

“One, two, three, four five Everybody in the car, so come on, let’s ride To the liquor store around the corner…”

Bingo! You’d have thought I was Thomas Edison seeing the light bulb work for the first time, haha. My ear became better tuned. I just loved it when Nita said “corner.” Every time I hear “Mambo No. 5” now, I think of Nita, and smile.

I suppose it all “took,” my ear and new education in language skills after a long stretch of time living here.Just ask my friend Patti. When I see her number come up on my phone, I’m known to answer with a rather raucous response, “WAZZZUPPPP” to which she will reply (unless it’s business) with an equally splendiferous response and when we stop laughing, we begin to talk.

When I talk to my friends in Chicago, they tease me about my southern accent and yet, I swear up and down I don’t have one, unless it’s on purpose and for a character voice I’m doing…but we all fall into a groove that we love with and for the people we love, and we just tend to all blend in.

Oh, were that so...beyond simple speech patterns, the ability to blend. And that we could extend and expand that to better understanding of different points of view on various subjects…explored with interest rather than fear…with curiosity rather than concern…with respect rather than righteousness…as my dear brother from another mother, RC, would say, “I know that’s right!”

In the days to come maybe we can all take a page from TAMU Interim President Mark A. Welsh III’s playbook on listening…the more closely we listen to one another, and our hearts, the better we can hear what we are all saying, and welcome new ideas and thoughts different from ours without jumping to approve or disapprove. Just listen. It all begins with one person…no one person is as smart as all of us…my profs at A&M used to share that message with me all the time…back in the day.

Bidding you a good, southern night.

Texas Aggies Need Not Fear Diversity or Any Future Changes

[Photo: Image by pressphoto on Freepik]

Fifty Years After His Passing, Gen. James Earl Rudder’s Words Ring True and Powerful

The words of Gen. James Earl Rudder '32 are shared today, marking fifty years since this true American and Texas hero passed away in 1970 at the age of 59. Thanks to the generosity of his son, James Earl (Bud) Rudder, Jr. ’62, we can review Gen. Rudder's keynote speech for Aggie Muster, April 21, 1956, on the Texas A&M campus. At the time, Gen. Rudder was serving as Texas Land Commissioner, where he’d been in charge of whirlwind-level changes, revising the Veterans Land Program, which had been previously, “under scrutiny for mismanagement and corruption.” [Photo courtesy of James Earl Rudder, Jr., used with permission.]

Bud noted, “With no formal Aggie Muster events (this year), it was a good time to recall Dad’s words at the 1956 Muster at A&M. They are indeed especially relevant as our country responds" to COVID-19. Continuing, “To sit idly by in these challenging times would dishonor his memory. We must find ways to be part of the solution locally, statewide, and nationally. Every effort large or small matters.”

The four pages of Gen. Rudder’s Muster speech follow; click each page once to enlarge the image for easy reading. The experience of being able to “hear” today from one of Texas A&M’s Aggie son is a gift unto itself. Even more powerful is the sense of how prescient Gen. Rudder was then, and how his words ring true still today. [Click each image once to enlarge and read page.]

"The spirit of those dedicated to a cause can be a most powerful influence in any endeavor."

"If there is no unselfish, conscientious, honest American who is willing to serve, there is always someone with purely selfish motives to fill the vacancy. Political hacks, special interest groups, power-mad bosses and others who would use our government for selfish motives are constantly looking for opportunities to move in and take over. Their chances of success are directly proportionate to the number of Americans who take no interest in the affairs of government."

"For years, Aggies have been building a fine reputation for leadership in almost every walk of life. In civilian pursuits, as well as on the field of battle, they have given our country a large share of the leadership which has paved the path of progress."

"We must seek ways to improve our State and our Nation. Many problems lie before us--important problems such as the water shortage, the need for bringing more industry to Texas, the need for keeping our government the servant of all the people, the need for solving as many problems as possible on the lowest practical level of government. Standing out above all these is the need for men of honesty, integrity and common sense in the halls of government."

By virtual unanimous consent, in the hearts and minds of Texas A&M University former students, faculty, and staff, perhaps no individual exemplifies the values and integrity of all things that are good and true and right about Texas A&M than its most influential alumnus and leader—Gen. James Earl Rudder ’32.

This brilliant, stately young man from Eden, Texas, was born May 6, 1910, and accomplished more good in his 59 years on Earth, than anyone could have ever dreamed. For as long as men have come together to form a government to preserve the freedom of its citizens, a Constitution and Bill of Rights have created the stated ideals of citizen behavior. The state of Texas created the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in the Texas state legislature on April 17, 1871.

Under the Morrill Act (approved by Congress in 1862) “admission was limited to White males, and all students were required to participate in military training. Texas A&M history notes the influence of Gen. James Earl Rudder as president of Texas A&M in the 1960s as having “diversified the college, opening its doors to African-Americans and formally admitting women. Participation in the Corps of Cadets was also made voluntary.” Those three changes made it possible for Texas A&M to soar to dynamic new heights and set a leadership pace for Texas and beyond.

Rudder’s impact on A&M, and A&M’s impact on Rudder began in his student days, when he transferred from almost two years at Tarleton State University and entered A&M College in the “fall of 1930, enrolling in industrial education, with plans to be a football coach.” He graduated in 21 months, in June 1932.

A quick trip on his path of accomplishment found him commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in the U.S. Organized Reserve Corps. When called into service (he'd taken several additional courses in anticipation of his being activated, as has been written), his leadership of troops in the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of Hurtgenwald and his superior victory (despite being wounded twice) against the most astounding odds in the D-Day Ranger Assault at Pointe du Hoc Normandy in April 1944 secured victory for the Allied forces over the Germans as they established a beachhead there.

Honored with multiple awards, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the French Legion of Honor, the Silver Star, and the rank of colonel by the end of the war, he would achieve the ranks of Brigadier General and Major General in the U.S. Army Reserve by 1957. President Lyndon B. Johnson presented him with the Army Distinguished Service Medal in 1967.

Earl Rudder’s greatest accomplishments in life, though, would far surpass those found in history books, in the archives of our state and nation, and in the living history that continues to be taught to students enrolled in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets today. Truly, those are part of history, facts, details, and focus only on his military career.

There are many publications, books, and archives that hold the facts and details of his life of service to country and the state of Texas, and even more that contain details on all he did for Texas A&M. Better yet, when they are again open to the public (tentatively planned to open no sooner than May 8), the Texas A&M Archives in the Cushing Library have Gen. Rudder’s papers that are worth review.

Yet, what's most important to know about Gen. Rudder remains in the hearts of Aggies everywhere—he was a selfless leader, committed to public service, fierce defender of truth, a man respected for giving and keeping his word, and a man who loved his wife and family and the extended family of Aggies fortunate enough to meet and know him as “their president.”

Outside military life, Gen. Rudder achieved legendary status for his mental acumen, his integrity and commitment to honor, dignity, and truth in all that he said and did. He respected and listened to differing opinions and made decisions based on hearing all ideas and collecting data until he was ready to decide, based on all the facts.

His service to the state of Texas included roles as Mayor of Brady, Texas, Texas Land Commissioner, Vice President of Texas A&M University and ultimately its President and then “President of the entire A&M System” (today known as Chancellor) from 1965–1970. President Rudder was one of the most popular presidents to live on the A&M campus (the home was bulldozed on March 10, 2020, after 55 years), and was visited often by young Corps students, who sought conversation and advice from time to time.

Although he died 50 years ago today, the influence of Earl Rudder continues to be shared, learned and understood by all students who enter what is now among the top five largest college enrollments nationally. The Rudder’s Rangers group of the Corps of Cadets is an elite student group of students preparing to enter Army Ranger School.

Walking into Rudder Tower on campus you'll find various administrative offices; enter Rudder Auditorium to enjoy national caliber entertainment; enjoy classical concerts in Rudder Theatre; and catch promising theatrical productions in the Rudder Forum. The City of Bryan hosts J. Earl Rudder High School and you get there, leaving the university campus by driving down Earl Rudder Freeway. Those are not the only things named for Gen. Rudder. Statues and monuments are dedicated across Texas in his honor.

It’s not the name on the outside of the building, but the heart, soul, and mind of the man behind the name to which we pay tribute today. Long may his words be heard, and far may his wisdom reach to continue to inspire generations to come.

In memorium, James Earl Rudder, Sr., May 6, 1910 — March 23, 1970

Determination, Leadership by Anriel Howard and Jasmine Lumpkin Drive Aggie WBB 69–59 Victory over LSU

Every single practice, every single game of the 2017–2018 season so far, two players have stood head and shoulders above the others in terms of leadership and preparedness for the Texas A&M Women’s Basketball team: Anriel Howard and Jasmine Lumpkin. Last night’s competition with LSU showed just how vital these players are to the Aggies' winning (16-5, 5-2 SEC) record.

The primary reason that Howard and Lumpkin were named Co-players of the game had little to do with the great numbers they put up. Yes, Anriel was high scorer with 21 points and 14 rebounds. And yes, Jasmine had 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists (which is almost a triple double!), but it’s not about those numbers that these two leaders kept the game alive until their teammates could get reset and play ball.

Rather, it was the indefatigable spirit of Anriel Howard, taking care of business, sticking to the plan, not letting humiliating play by teammates who were being outplayed by LSU get her down. That was one of the X-factors. The other was that Jasmine has always been the quiet strength who does things on defense that most people miss. Head Coach Gary Blair has said as much before in weekly radio shows at Rudy’s BBQ on Monday nights, but come next Monday night, he’ll be able to say, “I’ve been telling you all along about Jasmine Lumpkin.” Those fortunate enough to be part of the final attendance of 3506 saw how true it was last night.

It’s not basketball statistics, it’s basketball IQ that has those two key players where they are supposed to be. They’re determined, unflappable, and most of all—generous team players. It’s a win for all the team when they show up to practice and play on the court. It’s their professional office workplace and their attitude shows it.

It’s not taking away a single thing from any other player on the team going out and giving her best and still failing. It’s that Marine on the bottom of the pyramid who gives you a leg up to get over the fence, a back to put your foot on and sturdy foundation on which to carry you until you get your game back.

LSU’s game plan began by assigning two smaller LSU players to stick to Khaalia Hillsman like epoxy, and they did their jobs. Hillsman did a good job of shaking them when she could, but for the most part, LSU had double-teamed her. How this manifested itself was that the plan to get Hillsman the ball was basically taken away.

That left four other players who were responsible for getting the points on the board. But, in the first half, it was a tad shy of Ringling Brothers’ Barnum and Bailey Circus, as the chase to catch up to the turnover balls as LSU ran away down the court with so many balls made you think you were watching all the clowns getting out of the clown car and trip over each other running around the car.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, LSU had two key players who my seatmate called “Jump Shot Girls,” as they didn’t seem to miss. Raigyn Louis and Ayana Mitchell were those jump shot girls, and Mitchell was a leader in rebounding as well. The duo also named 3 steals apiece. The only thing that the Aggie women did consistently through the game was to take away LSU’s chance at the three, leaving them wanting, making only 2-17 attempts. The Aggies, though, didn’t fare much better, posting 1 for 8 stats. Clearly the Tigers took away the Aggie three, that which the Aggies didn’t take away on their own.

Chloe Jackson for the Tigers dealt 38 minutes of pure frustration to the Aggies as she got one of the team’s 2 threes, along with 14 points, an assist and a steal. Turnovers were the biggest dish of the night, with 12 by the Tigers and 14 by the Aggies. Thing is, it seemed like most of the Aggie turnovers happened in the first period of the game, and we were bound on a course to disaster, yet Howard and Lumpkin were determined not to let that happen.

The SEC provides some of the toughest competition and grittiest play, or at least those of us in the SEC fanbase seem to believe that as fact. Prior to the game, LSU came in tied with A&M at 4-2 in SEC play.

But, lately, it seems to be a rerun of “The Chennedy Carter Show,” where Carter would forgo a lot of passing and just try to carry the team on her back to the “W.” It was disconcerting to see the young freshman wearing her emotions outwardly, sitting slumped on the bench at times, towel over her head (until she later put it around her shouders), or appearing collapsed with disinterest against the scoring bench when waiting to get back in the game after a rest.

Yes, she’d battled flu-like symptoms to play and was still in there trying to make things happen, which she definitely did in the second half. Carter was great on free throws, as was Hillsman, and their combined 12 free throws were a reason the Ags won by 10 last night. Coach Bob Starkey noted that Carter did some great things in the second half for sure. She's definitely a major national talent in the making, but she's a maverick who can learn from the upperclassmen. She will, to be sure.

Hillsman, on the other hand, was a leader by example last night, and was ready to spring back into action, having played 38 minutes, again, with two Tigers seemingly always by her elbows. She had one technical foul, but oh well. You try playing four quarters with two Tigers on your six and not express a tad of frustration.

Kudos to redshirt junior, Caylinne Martin, whose two minutes showed a lot of promise and great attitude coming off the bench, very refreshing to see. Undoubtedly, Carter’s spirit and will to win are great attributes. The rest will work itself out in time, and that’s a coach’s thing, not a fan’s thing to bother with. What fans can do is to see the value in the unsung heroes and sing about them a bit more, so to speak.

And fans can also get up from their home TV sets and get over to Reed Arena if they are in town, because the difference a crowd makes, to each of these young women, is the true X-factor of how these players feel they contribute to Texas A&M Athletics. No athletes work harder than the Aggie women’s basketball team.

Ticket prices are very affordable; last night was $1 hot dog night. In addition to Coach Blair’s basketball skills, he’s also found a way to get someone to listen, and now water is now only $2/bottle. This makes the difference between bringing a family of four to a game, or not. Free parking for women’s games (but not for men’s games) is also another visible pro in the list of reasons to attend. And then there’s Anriel Howard, always a reason to attend in person.

Last night, everywhere you looked, Anriel was getting the rebounds that others might have retrieved, if only they had Anriel’s relentless ability to focus on her objective. Every ball is important, every play matters, and she can reset after an unfair call without it showing on her face.

Similarly, Jasmine Lumpkin on defense is so fun to watch; she was right in the face of every LSU offensive player, the omnipresent immovable force that was going to make your day perfectly unpleasant if you thought you were going to score. Lumpkin is where she’s supposed to be, guarding, and you don’t always see that if you’re focused on offense all the time. Lulu McKinney is always a dynamic addition to the game, even if her minutes aren’t always long. Her leadership skills contribute where you can’t see them on the court, and they’re important.

Per a recent press release from David Waxman, Asst. Athletics SID, McKinney was just named to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s 16th annual “So You Want to Be a Coach” program, who will travel to Columbus, Ohio, for a three-day workshop, a very prestigious choice. Selection is based on academics, contributions to women’s basketball on and off the court, resume and written recommendation from their head coach.

Now, for Danni Williams. This young lady has major talent, and no matter what she’s personally able to bring to the game each night, she is 100% team-oriented. As a senior, she’s a leader, and she’s susceptible to being double-teamed as well, as opponents do their best to keep her from her signature three-point shots. Her short shooting last night and one key three-pointer totaled 9 points, but her attitude was far beyond the value of her numbers. Whenever her teammates were shooting second free throws, she worked her way to the basket to be in position for an offensive rebound and she did come up with four defensive rebounds.

Before the season ends, Williams’ consistency will stabilize, once the voices of so many well-meaning people, offering their opinions on how she can regain consistency subsides. Williams does not have a superstar ego, and she has a fierce work ethic and more leadership by example. First in, last out of the gym for practice.

Kayla Wells, a freshman with great promise as a key, calm shooter, played 3 minutes and got 3 key points for the team, and thanks to these two players, there’s 1000W of can-do spirit she brings to the game.

Now, that’s a bunch of numbers tossed about and yes, the Aggies won by 69–59 but it was neither easy nor pretty. At times it was ugly and to a person, three of the Aggie coaches were the most animated, vocal, and well, coaching from the sidelines loud and clear last night. The first period was the Titanic, the second period was a Carnival Cruise (with intermittent power outages), the third period was a Disney Big Red Boat ride of adventure, and the fourth period was a Princess Cruise, with slightly smoother sailing. Overall, the passengers were a tad seasick but happy to reach the dock again.

No one had seen Coach Bob Starkey jump up and down from his chair to the sidelines faster than he did last night. It was, after all, LSU, and he knew exactly what he’d drawn up and exactly what the team wasn’t doing. He “communicated” it with gusto but when the team finally did get it together, it worked smoothly.

Kelly Bond-White was next on the up and down mode; like Starkey she tried to remain calm, but again, when you know the answer and they’re not following what you told them to do, you are going to become very visible on the sidelines. She was. A lot. One can only imagine halftime speeches, but they were reportedly brief and to the point. And effective. That’s a part of the experience 99% of fans don’t get to see unless they are present for the game. TV doesn't focus that much on the sidelines. Blair has his “tells” about how the game is going; there’s trouble if the suit coat comes off before the end of the first quarter.

Generally, but not always, if the coat is placed over a chair, he’s in biz-mode. If he throws it to Mike “Radar” Ricke, he’s perturbed but determined. If he slings or throws it to his right, not caring if it reaches Radar or not, there’s going to be trouble in River City. It wasn’t a few plays before his displeasure with his team’s play revealed itself. But they won and that’s what Hall of Fame Coaches do—they communicate. And they get results.

What was wonderful to see during this game was the presence of many former student athletes who could not attend the formal alumni reunion two weekends ago because they were playing internationally. That’s another thing that Coach Blair excels in, making sure his players leave with an Aggie degree for the future, and he stays in their lives beyond the degree, recommending them for international teams. He’s one who can speak personally to what each would bring to a team, and coaches listen to him.

(Photo credit: TCV Media).

The Jumbotron found Courtney Walker in the stands and on the visitor’s sidelines courtside were Courtney Williams, Achiri Ade, and Danielle Gant, all watching the game together, undoubtedly remembering some of the halftime locker room speeches they’d heard in their years here. They’re all playing overseas right now, and that means good income for them, and they deserve it, without question.

Building champions is far from a smooth, elegant process. It takes four coaches working all the time and the operations team behind them to “make the starmaker machinery behind a popular…” team (with apologies to Joni Mitchell) of winners. Today, the coaches are all on the road, recruiting, and then they get two days off before the Aggies get back to preparing for road contests vs. Vanderbilt (Jan. 28) and Tennessee again (Feb. 1), where we get to hear “Rocky Top” far more times than many can bear, but both games are on SEC-TV so tune in.

And, on Sunday, Feb. 4, at 3 pm, when the Aggies are home to play Auburn, they deserve our attendance. Start your Super Bowl party at Reed Arena, because frankly, this team deserves full Aggie support. Last night if you weren't there, you missed the most adorable children from Rock Prairie Elementary School sing the National Anthem, and the fantastic group of dance students, from cherub to young teens, from local MCM Dance Studio giving their all in robust performances that were treasured by all. This year's team is one to watch, count on that.

Reflections upon the life of Joe G. Hanover, Jr., Brigadier General, AUS Retired, Texas Aggie ‘40

The last time I saw my friend Joe, aka Joe Grady Hanover, Jr., Texas Aggie Class of ’40, Brigadier General, AUS Ret’d., was Friday, March 31. He’d only been 99 years old for six weeks, and his health at that age wasn’t going all that well.

Photo credit: TAMU AFS Network

Actually, he’d been in the hospital until he made them release him on March 30th. He told doctors his “42” group (actually the group was shared with him by his favorite sister, Sarah) was coming in from Dallas over the weekend, and he had entertaining to do. They’d planned this meeting for weeks. Imagine how well you’d do up against that argument, so there was Joe and his beloved caregiver, Michelle Caldwell, her sister, Patsy, his 42 group, and me (as a one-time invitee), in the party room of the Longhorn Tavern Steakhouse on Friday night.

As before any meal with Joe, he asked the group to grow quiet prior to the food being served so we could offer thanks. There are exactly three men in this town who I believe say grace as if they were in true conversation with the Heavenly father in “real-time,” and Joe is one of them. Joe never failed to offer thanks, fully and completely for all the blessings he saw in the world and around the table he was gathered. So many people have known Joe “all of their lives,” if they were born in Wheelock, raised in Hearne, were early friends with Joe at Texas A&M, served with him in the military or met him because he walked into their business offices on a whim one day to introduce himself and compliment the CEO on his landscaping outside his building.

Natural beauty and nature’s beauty were important to Joe. As District Engineer for the Texas Highway Department, in his ultimate position with the organization he joined immediately after graduating from Texas A&M, Joe took great pride in planning ahead for traffic that wasn’t even there yet. He had the engineer’s gift of seeing things in two and three dimensions before they were needed, while most of us are grateful to observe our closest natural environs that surround us.

It was on March 24 this year when Joe was again celebrated in The Eagle and on KBTX-3 for the 50th anniversary of the opening of the underpass of University Drive at Wellborn Road, a feat that took 10 years and the sum of $1,000,000. As Kelan Lyons’ story notes, it was “the first time two roads had been vertically separated in Brazos County.”

Watch the KBTX video of the ceremony and see that two generals, Hanover and James Earl Rudder, were on that dais that day. Both gave a lifetime of service to Texas A&M, the state of Texas, and in military service to their country. Both are heroes to many, yet for different reasons. Age 98 had been much better for him, actually. Yet, it was only a few weeks ago that he was driving himself to First United Methodist Church on Sunday mornings.

Forever faithful to his church, Joe might not feel at 100% but if he was in town, he was in his Men’s Bible Class, likely the eldest member of his contingent, and then at 11 a.m. worship service in the sanctuary, surrounded by his family, Ragna Tolson, Tim, Holly, and Kate Scott, Pat and Mike (Holly’s mom and her husband), and family Lynn and John McKemie.

Up in the choir would be his favorites, Rev. David Henry, FUMC Music Minister and Choir Director, and of course Bill and Susan Birdwell, singing in the choir. Suzanne Smith would also be part of that family of worshipers. When Joe’s sister Sarah visited, she was right there in the pews with him, and when Bill’s sister Betty or daughter Bonnie and her family were in town, there they were with Joe in charge. After church, Joe would head out to a meal with his “lunch bunch” as he called them. They’d wind up at Buppy’s (often), Jose’s, C&J Barbeque, and wherever they were was where the fellowship was.

During the week, Joe had a schedule that was as far away from “retired” as you could possibly get. That was the secret of his youth—staying busy. First, you have to know that Michelle Caldwell, his adoptive daughter, was in charge of air traffic control and the only one who knew where Joe was, always. She had his cell phone forwarded to her phone so if he wasn’t at home, and if he didn’t answer his cell, she’d know about it. That was just one act of love for the man she adoringly called “Papa H.”

If you didn’t know she was family, or even when you did, Joe always beamed with pride as he told the story of love, about how Michelle’s mother, Patsy, took such loving care of his wife Lucille, particularly in the end of her life as Lucille’s battle with Parkinson’s grew long. I recall the first time I met Joe (and Lucille) was as a member of the FUMC Church Choir (remember they let anyone in). We had gone Christmas caroling to visit various church members in the hospital, in nursing and retirement homes, and David always made a special trip by Joe and Lucille’s as the evening wrap-up.

You’d hear Joe tell about how Patsy was taking wonderful care of Lucille, and years later, you’d hear how Michelle was taking wonderful care of him. He counted days, weeks and years and kept meticulous records of how he spent every day of his life. He had the journals to prove it. When the odometer turned “27” on the number of years Michelle had been with Joe, he just beamed. Her children also called him “Papa H.”

Just as sure as God is good, God had blessed Joe with a second daughter, and grandchildren as well. Joe and Lucille lost their daughter to cancer at a far-too-early age, and she and her husband had not had children at that point. In the past many years, Michelle would drive Joe to Dallas, and she’d spent the weekend with one of her daughters there, and then they’d drive back together. The bond of love they share was always so precious to see, as the example of a father-daughter relationship created that transcended age, race, and the definition of family as an entry on a genealogy tree.

There wasn’t a thing Joe needed that Michelle didn’t find a way to make happen. She knew his doctors’ appointments, knew his schedule, knew that his dear friend Johnny Bond would be by on which days to pick him up for lunch, or when she and Joe would go out to the American Legion Hall for coffee on Thursday mornings. He was a busy man. He’d been out at the farm in Wheelock, he’d be busy building picture frames (his own creation) to gift to friends with enlargements he’d had made and he’d be up at the church doing whatever was needed that he could, when he could.

Joe, Lucille, and Jocille Hanover were always an integral part of the church leadership at FUMC Bryan. In the “old days,” (60s, 70s, 80s) of the prime growth of the church, Joe and other local businessmen whose names are well known in the community were, literally, the pillars of the church. It was a day and time, friends, where there didn’t have to be slick campaigns designed to trick people out of “love gifts” for this, that, or the other for the church. One of the pillars would stand up and say, “there’s a need,” and after church, the business leaders would gather and get out their checkbooks and solve the problem with no fanfare, no fuss. Done and done.

In the 1990s as I was becoming part of that church, I walked into a church controversy where there was an opportunity to build a new parsonage for the senior pastor. Not everyone was united, riding aboard that train, but that didn’t bother Joe. Not only did he contribute finances, the retired civil engineer was over at the construction site, almost daily, supervising so much, including the laying of brick pavers in the back yard. Whatever he did, Joe was “all in.”

And now, as to how our worlds interacted that changed my life forever. It was two occasions in a Part A and a Part B way, separated by a decade. Out of respect for those with different opinions and hard feelings still lingering in the airstream…let me just say that he agreed with me on a matter of church business that was of a great concern to many in the church. Although he didn’t know me well, he listened as I made my case and was all in, ready to travel with me, meeting two others of us, in a meeting where he put his full power as a multidecade member of the church behind my statement of facts. He’d judged me through others’ and his seal of approval made it possible to be heard.

In life, you don’t always get the results you seek, whether you’re as right as rain, and do everything for the right reasons or not, because in the end when there are two sides, there can be residual resentment. That’s always the price you pay for standing up against a swelling tide of opinion who can drown you out by sheer volume, and yet they’re wrong (as I, and others, saw it). Joe didn’t care what others thought of him when he stood up, and I added that to my life lessons as well. I never forgot how he stood up for me…and I promised myself that one day should he need me (though that prospect was laughable and far-reaching), I’d be there for him.

The phone call from Michelle came in 2015, just as I’d finally carved out a week of ‘vacation’ to finish a project that was important to me. This is to say I’d already booked that time with something I’d been really waiting and wanting to do. My plans changed with that call and it would impact me and my schedule for the next 14 months.

Michelle said, “Hello Dawn, how are you?” I replied, “Doing great; how are you and how’s Joe?” “He’s fine,” she said, “and he has a question for you.” “Okay, put him on.” He said, “Dawn Lee, I have two cassette tapes here and they need transcribing. Do you know anyone who can transcribe them for me?” I said, “no, I’m sorry, Joe, I don’t.” The question was simple, right? So was the answer. I didn’t. Anyone who did that who I knew had retired from that work and the last time I’d done that was 1995 and that was a one-shot project that netted me about $.25/hour at the end. Never again!

Here’s the part you’ll laugh at. You’d have to know Joe. When he had something on his mind, and plenty of time to give it thought, there was no such thing as giving up. So, he continued. “It’s really important to me.” He had me at that sentence. I listened with a newly opened mind. “You see, in 1985, an A&M History Professor named Terry Anderson interviewed me and transcribed the interview. It was part of a project that had been funded by the Association of Former Students to interview Aggie graduates who’d gone on to achieve the rank of General or Admiral in military service to their country.”

“Hmm,” I said thoughtfully. “Well I was just sitting here in May (2015) and I got to thinking, it’s been 30 years since that interview and I’ve done a lot of interesting things in that time. I thought I might like to have that written down somewhere, too. So, I called up Dr. Anderson out of the blue and asked if he wouldn’t like to come by and maybe interview me again, and he said that yes, he’d like to do that.” Story continues. “I have here a written transcript of the interview in 1985 and these two cassette tapes and I’d like to have them transcribed. Michelle said you were the only person she could think of who would know exactly what to do.” I was really stumped. I’d not even been thinking about the work I did in the early 1990s with people who transcribed audio recordings and my mind wasn’t filling with solutions. I could only say to Joe, “Let me see what I can do.”

I checked with one friend and she’d retired, so no-go. Then I went online to see who might be available…the bad news was that the price for transcribing 120 minutes of audio recordings (not digital, so you’d need the latest in 1990s cassette transcribing machines) would feed a small city for a week. Oof. Now I was obsessed…how was I going to solve what had been his problem and was now my problem because Michelle told him I was the “only” person he knew who would know? Haha. Started trying to transcribe them myself. Three hours later, I had 250 words or, 5 minutes done. Doing the math, I didn’t have 180 hours.

I prayed. My friend, Carolyn, called and said she’d found her old machine and would come out of retirement to bail me out. Yes! So, it would take a few weeks, but I called Joe back with the good news and he didn’t seem as delighted as I was. He said, “I knew you’d find a way. Now all I need to do is get that printed out and then I have this other first part that’s printed and it’s bound. It’s a little old. Thirty years. And then maybe I can put them together down at (XYX store). They said they could put them together when the other is printed out.”

Hmm. I asked him what the print looked like, single-spaced or double-spaced so I could make sure the two parts were the same. He said, “Double-spaced, printed on one side of the page only.” “Hmm.” That started the avalanche of thought….1985. Printed out. That meant coil binding from back in the day. When I delivered the double-spaced new interview to Joe and Michelle, they were thrilled. I wasn’t.

For the first time, I saw the 1985 product that Joe had…a Xerox copy of a maroon aged (lightened by time) coverstock cover and a poor-quality Xerox copy inside, where you could tell it was a copy of a copy and it had vertical lines going down the Xeroxed pages. The 2015 copy was pristine, the font was different, and it was on a computer file. The 1985 model was from a “latest model” IBM Selectric. Typed by a departmental assistant no doubt. No computer file to merge or format. I asked Joe, “Is this your best copy?” He said, “Well, I’ve had a few copies made through the years, about 10, I think.” You know what’s coming next.

You’d have had the same reaction...I couldn’t just let General Joe have two completely different looking segments of the accounting of his life look like a train wreck. I said, “This won’t do.” That week of vacation quickly disappeared as I took Part 1 to my fave copy store, tried to have the pages imaged and scanned it, hoping to be able to do a fast reformat and font change, etc.

Apparently the latest in 2015 software is “allergic” to the IBM Selectric font from 1974. This meant retyping all of Part I. I turned on my favorite CDs and began typing. As I typed and read and typed and read, I was fascinated by the story of the man I knew from church, who I didn’t really know at all.

What began as a random good deed turned into a history lesson. I was touched by Joe’s life as a young man, his falling in love with his first-grade sweetheart and the number of times he had asked her to marry him before she’d say yes. The conditions surrounding said union would require him to complete his degree at Texas A&M and his having to have a job secured. He did both and Lucille, finally, said yes.

An amazing man of innovation, his approach to military service and problem-solving was impacted also by Lucille’s ability to follow protocol, manage discipline, and her business sense as she held a job as well. Joe kept faithful diaries of what he did every day of his life, and every day in military service, and he used to say, gently but proudly, that he doubted many other military men would have been able to produce the same records.

I believed that to be true. I remember that in the past decade, occasionally he’d call upon me to type a letter or two for him, because I was so quick at doing that, and naturally I was delighted to do whatever he needed. What pleased me was the story of his meeting the first U.S. Army’s first named African-American general and how proud he was to meet him. Joe said it was the first general he ever met, and he loved the opportunity to shake his hand and hold a conversation with him. Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. was Joe’s first military role model as general.

Over the years, Joe supported the work and mission of U.S.A.F. General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., who was commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen. I know because I typed the letters when he enclosed the checks. Their organization publication did a small writeup about Gen. Hanover as one of their supporters and told the story of how he’d met Gen. Davis, Sr.

No one outside Joe’s closest family and friends had a clue about the depths of regard and respect he had for people of all backgrounds. Especially today, when I’m daily being made aware of how that attitude is (still) not always universal, is it refreshing to know there was a 99-year-old man who didn’t distinguish how to regard and treat others based on any barrier or difference of any type. Joe Hanover was a man ahead of his time, all the time. Yet, he was very modest so you wouldn’t know, even if you sat in the same pews with him at church.

At the end of the week, I wasn’t done, so I sandwiched in the merging of documents and formatting into bits and pieces of the subsequent two weeks. Finally, I was thrilled and Joe said he would like to see a copy. I went to my fave copy store and my “team” where I do business weekly and asked their help in a making a new cover. My team did not disappoint. I asked Joe what he thought and he loved it. Michelle did, too. The next question was, “How many do you want to order?”

Cover photo courtesy of Martin Powers Publishing; Lucille Scasta Hanover and Gen. Clifford Simmang, share Joe's pinning/promotion to brigadier general.

At this point the fun began. Michelle and I started rolling our eyes and exchanging knowing looks when he said, “About 10 will do it.” And in unison we shook our heads, “No.” Puzzled, he said, “What?” We said, “That’s not enough.” And he replied, “Okay, maybe 15.” We weren’t having any of that. We got him up to 25 and that’s as far as he’d go. With respect but stifling giggles, we said, “Okay, that will work,” meanwhile casting knowing glances at each other that he’d be out of those 25 faster than he could blink.

We didn’t have to wait long. About a week later, my phone rang. “Well, it seems like you girls knew better than I did.” Thing was, we could only get him up to 25 at a time. I tried to explain, to no avail. Michelle tried. No go. All was well and he was past his first 50 copies that I’d delivered, and he mused, “I wonder what this book would look like if it was hardbound like a real book.”

Eleven months later, he had an answer. The intermediate 11 months were full and there were many conversations about “the book” and it took on a life of its own. The process was straightforward but I must single out my friend, Rhonda Brinkmann, who generously donated 12 hours of her time over two weekends to help me format the book. We had great fun watching two career editors working off of one computer with three screens. She’d work for a while, one way, and then I’d go in and try to learn from that, do my thing my way, and the discussions that ensued about how I work on three computer screens were nothing short of hilarious.

Joe, however, knew nothing about the depth of my lack of knowledge of the nuances of Word and/or Adobe. So, he missed out on hearing gems like, “I never knew Word could do that,” from me, or “Now, wait. What did you just do? Let’s undo that.” It was a learning experience for me, to be sure. I made sure Joe knew of Rhonda’s amazing contributions when the project was completed.

In the interim, Michelle would call some days and say they would like a third to help with the onion rings they planned to order at Cheddar’s, could I come? Then there were evenings when Joe would call and ask if I was thinking about Dairy Queen the way he was. Turns out, I was thinking about that very topic when he called. Joe even said prayers of thanks for all that we’d been blessed with before he ever sank into the ice cream cone with the little curl on the top.

After some careful research, checking, validating and uploading to print a sample copy, the spec copy was ready. When Joe saw the sample, his eyes lit up like it was Christmas. Of all the looks I’ve seen on Joe’s face during the past 20 years, that was the one to remember. It didn’t take two weeks for his first order to be delivered. When I brought them over, Michelle and I both had fun teasing him that he’d run out of his first order fast.

Once again, he stood firm in his position that 25 would be all he’d need. We smiled and shook our heads when he wasn’t looking, although he probably knew what we were doing and enjoyed the joke with us. My phone rang a week later. Seems he was planning a reorder. Oh, did Michelle and I have fun with that, gently of course. All three of us were laughing til tears came into our eyes.

Initially I set up the ordering process online for social media to help get the word out about his new book. Then a few weeks later, I turned operations headquarters over to Michelle and Joe and I knew he was having the time of his life sharing his book with his friends. He autographed each copy and personalized it carefully, using amazingly legible engineering font that showed he’d never forgotten his early Engineering Design Graphics (EDG) classes from back in the day at A&M. You can always spot an engineer by his or her printing. Architects have their own distinct style as well. It’s a “tell.”

I have my own copy of Joe’s book here that he personalized to me and for the life of me, right now, I can’t bear to walk over and get it from its special place on my publications table to open it. It’s just too soon to see it again. There’s plenty of time in weeks ahead.

The gift of time that we can give one another far exceeds the value of any other gift, monetary, property, or tangible treasure. Joe Hanover gifted me with many hours of his time, and it was an honor and privilege to be with Joe in our adventures along the way. My time spent with Joe and his adopted daughter, Michelle, are among the happiest days of my life in the past five years. God blessed me with their friendship and any small thing I did for Joe is nothing in comparison to the gift of time he shared with me.

In the grand scheme of things, I’m just one of his friends and a more recent one at that. Across the Brazos Valley, in Bryan, College Station, Hearne, Wheelock, and Dallas, there are those who have loved this amazing man with all their hearts, and have for all of their lives.

Joe also had a wonderful sense of humor. He loved dishing out the teasing and gave just as good as he got. One local businessman, who regarded Joe as a second dad, would have the best time when inviting Joe to accompany him on a brief trip here or there. Joe could talk to anyone of any age on just about any topic. He was well read, kept up with the daily news on television and was a regular encyclopedia of Aggie sports trivia. Until his final years, Joe attended Aggie football games, some basketball games, Aggie baseball games, and maroon and white were indeed his favorite colors, as they had been, all his life.

An entire church owes him an unremittable debt of gratitude for things seen and unseen that he did in their worlds. The FUMC Church Choir could always count on one of Joe’s annual fish fry parties as his way of saying, “thank you” to the choir for their music. Rev. David Henry could count on dynamic lunchtime discussions of history and church organ music, as Joe’s nephew is an accomplished church organist in his own right.

Many Methodist ministers who served FUMC Bryan know what a difference Joe made (behind the scenes) to see that annual significant funds were given, so that good things could happen in the life of the church. That was just classic Joe Hanover. Everyone talks so often about “a servant’s heart.” Joe’s daily life would be the poster for what that truly means.

Photo (left) taken by and shared on KBTX.com, March 2017, age 99 years, 1 month, taken at University Drive West, just past the Wellborn Road overpass.

The picture of Gen. Joe on the University Drive median shows him resplendent in his trademark Aggie baseball cap, khaki trousers, pressed short-sleeved shirt and suspenders.

You’d never have a clue he was 99 years old that day, or that eight weeks later he’d cross over to his Heavenly reward. Joe was the kind of soul you truly thought would live forever.

So, at the end of his life here on Earth, yes, it’s hard as anything to bid him farewell, but anyone who knew him well, and knew well his faith, knew that he was staying busy every day while waiting for the day when he could be reunited with his beloved wife, Lucille, and their beloved daughter, Jocille. He was with us 99 years and three months. You couldn’t ask for a better example of faith and you couldn’t ask for a better reason to let him go than to rejoin them.

As it is written in John 14:27:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Our hearts are not troubled tonight. Godspeed, Joe, and thank you for all your time here on Earth with all of us.

Joe G. Hanover, Jr.

February 10, 1918 – May 22, 2017

How the Aggie 12th Man family can show our love and support to an exemplary Aggie grad

Thanks to social media, today I caught wind of a chance to help a fellow Aggie graduate, Ms. Courtney J. Walker, raise $2500. These funds will sustain her basic living expenses until she can secure a position with an international basketball team overseas.

Many of my fellow Aggie basketball fans probably thought the young star’s life was “all set” when she was drafted by the Atlanta Dream last April 2016. Unfortunately, she was drafted in the second round of the WNBA by a team that already had veteran guards in place. Many of us were shocked that she wasn’t already out on the court playing, as she was a four-year starter who set the Texas A&M record for scoring with 1,989 points.

(Photo, left, by Matt Sachs, used with permission)

After the draft, Courtney told "The Eagle":

“I’m not disappointed in not going in the first round, Walker said. I understand teams have needs, so they’re not just going to pick 12 guards even if they’re the 12 best players. I’m OK in going in the second round. This is a business. I’m just happy to have the opportunity and with a great team at that.”

Examining those words, you see instantly her modesty and humility. She was just happy to be chosen in the draft. No one can take that away from her. Now, let’s stop and think about what this young woman accomplished as one of the most important, beloved Texas A&M student-athletes in school history. She completed her degree studies last month and graduated in Computer Engineering. In fact, she was in the middle of posing for her graduation photos on campus last December, when her phone rang.

It was Coach Blair on the line suggesting that she might dash on over to Rudy’s BBQ on Harvey Road like, now, as he wanted her to be his guest that night. She said, “Coach, I’m in the middle of my graduation pictures but I’ll be right over as fast as I can get there.” True to her word, Courtney set a speed record and entered Rudy’s wearing her cap and gown (I reached for my phone and randomly snapped these photos to save for potentially writing about her future pro career.)

When Courtney was a freshman, she recalled being mentored by Kelsey Bone and finding her way. Courtney and Chelsea Jones (an architecture major) spent many hours together as exemplary time managers who kept up very demanding course loads each semester, while playing, traveling, practicing and soaking up all things Aggie. (Game play photos by Matt Sachs, used with permission)

I remember well that Coach Blair would good-naturedly tease Aggie women’s basketball fans saying, “I can’t start my practice until Chelsea gets done with her architecture group project meetings and Courtney gets out of an engineering lab and by then it’s 5:30!” And then he’d put his hands in the air as though he was distressed, but he was bursting with pride that all of his student athletes crushed their classes like they crushed competition at times.

We’ve established that Courtney had the hardest major to deal with while attending college on a basketball scholarship. You’d find both Courtney and Chelsea in the gym when everyone else had left, and as their playing time showed, Courtney was the most outstanding player on the team and Chelsea was the most improved. Both knew discipline and they missed out on much of the typical Aggie’s free time to sleep late, skip a class, or go home during school breaks.

Note to the wise; no Aggie basketball player is going to miss a class, no way, not under the watchful eye of Coach Kelly Bond-White, who can pretty much tell you if it’s 10:00 am on Monday, then player A is in so-and-so class in such-and-such building, and player B is in … You know the drill. Kelly is all about the complete education just as much as Coach Blair is in insisting on graduation. He doesn’t want to mess up his near-perfect record, but really, he cares that each young woman leaves Texas A&M with a diploma, prepared for the world after basketball, and whatever it brings.

About the funds that Courtney needs. What they are for The way to help is by visiting this link to learn more about the GoFundMe account that requests only $2500 total funds for basic living expenses until she can secure a position with an international basketball team overseas. Because she graduated, she no longer has funds from her athletic scholarship, and she doesn’t feel the time is right to commit to a job or engineering career yet because she could be leaving to go overseas at any moment.

Courtney has an agent scouting the best possible opportunity to play professionally. It’s truly a “sure thing” that she will be chosen to play overseas, as have many of our star school athletes, where they make excellent income in their careers. Many of them also prove themselves overseas and are given second chances to sign with WNBA teams, one example being Sydney Colson, today playing for the San Antonio Stars and as an assistant coach working with Head Coach Tina Langley at Rice University.

The fund, in Courtney’s own words, are for her “needs including things such as my prescribed medications, purchasing new contacts and glasses, training expenses, storage fees before I travel, rent, and other related living expenses until an opportunity overseas is afforded to me.”

In one day, she’s received 6 donations totaling $370 of her $2500 goal, one of which came from her former teammate, Achire Ade (we loved Achire before, we love her even more now! #TexasAggieSpirit). It’s only natural, then, that Aggies who believe in helping other Aggies will want to jump right in and participate in this opportunity to give funds to tide this wonderful young woman over until she can secure her ultimate goal.

For more than four years, Courtney J. Walker gave us reason to smile, to scream, cheer, and believe in success for our women’s basketball team. Just a few of her accolades should be noted.

She was named to the Wooden Award watch.

Courtney was also named to the Wade Trophy watch:

Standout former head coach Carolyn Peck said, “Courtney Walker has one of the best midrange jump shots in the country…she was that go-to wing player for coach Gary Blair and is just so smooth.”

Remember when this stellar shooting guard, Courtney J, would log 39 minutes virtually every game and sometimes when we went into overtime, she could always be counting on to be playing 44 of 45 minutes or more, when we were scrambling for the “W”? She, literally, carried our team on her shoulders many games and didn't think a thing about it. Her attitude was always team-centered:

In April 2016, Courtney was named Women’s Basketball MVP at their annual banquet, repeating her award from 2015 and she was also named “Miss Offense” and she led the SEC with 18.4 points per game.

She had three consecutive seasons where she was named to the First Team All-SEC, and throughout Texas A&M's first years with the SEC, was SEC Freshman of the Week and in 2015 was the espnW player of the week, as just two examples of her multiple honors accomplished as a student-athlete.

Here's what ESPN (November, 2015) said:

"Up against what was probably the most challenging two-game week of any team in the country -- at No. 14 Duke on Wednesday and at home against TCU on Saturday -- Texas A&M emerged with a pair of victories to improve to 4-0. Walker was the chief reason why.

The 5-foot-8 guard has made a habit of playing bigger in Texas A&M's marquee games (18 PPG last season against Top 25 opponents), and she delivered against the Blue Devils. Walker scored 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting, with a career-high 11 rebounds. She also scored the most important points of the game. After the 12th-ranked Aggies lost a second-half lead and found themselves trailing by a point in overtime, Walker scored six of the next eight points. Texas A&M never trailed again in the 72-66 overtime win in Durham, a victory that is sure to pay huge dividends in March. Three days later against the much-improved Horned Frogs, Walker put in a 23-point afternoon, and again, her timing couldn't have been better. Off to its best start in four years, TCU led for most of the game, but Walker scored five points in a 9-0 run that gave the Aggies the lead with 5 minutes, 36 seconds remaining. When the Frogs regained the advantage, Walker again had the answer with four points in a 6-0 spurt that put A&M in front. The two-time All-SEC first-team honoree also had eight rebounds and was an efficient 10 of 14 from the field in the 82-78 win. Texas A&M's all-time leader in free throw percentage, Walker went 8-of-9 from the line in the two games and is an 87 percent shooter in her career. …Walker also played 78 of a possible 85 minutes against Duke and TCU… Over four games, Walker is averaging 18.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, shooting 59.6 percent from the field."

Clearly, Courtney J. Walker was our “go-to” player for all four years of her academic/athletic career as a starter at Texas A&M.

On January 12, 2017, my basketball friends and I landed in Flash Seats very close to the team where we delighted in waiting for the famous “Gary Blair jacket toss to Radar Ricke” when the time is right in the game. My eye spotted Courtney a few rows away, sitting by herself, cheering her team on quietly. She didn’t seek any special recognition or spotlight. She just was happy to be there in support of her team, and that’s what Aggie former students do.

I’m hoping that everyone who reads this will consider a contribution of any amount to spell Ms. Walker while she waits for her dream career to come true.

You can donate anonymously if you wish, or you can include your name.

Please know that your funds go straight to Courtney so she can pay her bills, using this secure online funding portal. Let’s show her what her fellow Aggie family can do to show her our appreciation for everything she did to give us some of the very best basketball games to yell about—ever. Let’s show her 12th Man Spirit and perhaps exceed the modest $2500 she requests.

It may take a few months before she has a signed contract with her international team because it’s a business that doesn’t move as fast as Aggies do!

This is a golden opportunity for all former students, friends, and fans of Texas A&M Women’s Basketball to step up and be a part of a team of encouragement and tangible support for a truly special young Aggie graduate, Courtney J. Walker, ’16.

Again, to help Courtney, click this link. Let’s take a moment to think of this stunning opportunity to say “Thank you” to a young Aggie graduate who, for four straight years, has exemplified everything good and right about Texas A&M as a destination for student-athletes to succeed in life. Gig ‘em, Courtney J. Walker!