I never attended The University Of Texas, but I was born in and grew up in Austin. I guess I inherited my allegience from my father who never attended either, but who was always a fan.
I'm 43 now so the childhood memories are vague but I do have faint recollections of the arkansas game in '69 and my fathers childlike glee after the victory.
Even with the faded memories of the past championships, hope for another title renewed itself each fall.
I remember the waning years of the Royal era, the two seasons with Akers that fell just short of the goal. The ups and downs of the McWilliams and Mackovic years.
Finally, after the hiring of Coach Brown I got the feeling that our fortunes were at last going to change.
I marvelled at the positive attitude, the recruiting, the outreach to Coach Royal, the alums, and the fans.
There was just something different in the air. I knew there still weren't any conference titles, still some losses by larger margins than I would have liked, but still knowing things were going to change.
I remember at the end of last season, the talk pointing to this year starting.
I listened to the local commentators say that it was at last our year to beat o.u. again, if we could just get by ohio state and o.u. ....... I didn't want to think about it, couldn't get my hopes up... knowing that even if we did do what we needed to do that the U.S.C. juggernaut loomed large.
The team being called the greatest in history, the team with the two heisman winners, the two time defending national champs. I didn't want to let myself think about it.
I felt terrible for not having the faith, but remembered all the close calls of seasons past and couldn't quite let myself believe it was possible.
Even as the season got underway I remembered thinking.. Cedric is gone, Derrick is gone, how are we going to replace those guys? Our recievers are so young.
We have had soooo much talent in the past, I thought we were a little bit down this year compared to some recent squads.
Boy was I in for a surprise.
At last the season was underway with the easy victory we knew it would be.
Then ohio state, at night, in the shoe... the great catch by limas to seal a tough, close game.
The first hurdle over with and we were not really tested again the rest of the way.
We were finally going to play for the national title again after 35 long years.
The day of the game was finally here and I was thinking well no one really gives gives us a chance. I still couldn't let myself think that we could actually win, assuming that would make the loss easier to swallow.
I decided not to have a crowd over, just my best friend who also lives and dies with the Horns.
The game had started and it was staying close, and we had the lead at halftime.
I thought well we showed up, and even if we lose we gave them a better fight than most had imagined.
The fourth quarter came and jarrett caught the pass to put U.S.C. up by 12. Griffin and Brown were laying on the field, my heart sank and my stomach was in knots.
Any remaining hope I had for victory was long gone. I knew we could score again. But how were we going to stop them?
White was gutting us the entire second half. How were we going to stop them? We HAD to stop them.
We did score again. The faintest glimmer of hope returns. We HAVE to stop them. We did it once I remembered, but we hadn't stopped Lendale this half.
Fourth and two....we HAVE to stop them. Fouts yells.. he didnt get it!!! We STOPPED them!!!! Hope has fully returned and i'm giddy but still can't let myself believe it can happen.
We take over posession and Vince drives us downfield. Fourth and five.. Keith Jackson yells.. he's gonna run it!!!
Vince Young scores!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't yell or scream, the sound that I produced was just a kind of gutteral groan that I had never made before.
We make the two point conversion and there are 19 seconds left. It's still not time to celebrate. That is a lot of time for that offense. Bush almost breaks it. Eight seconds left, Leinart throws incomplete!!! It's over!!!! I look at my buddy and and just smile.
I'm so happy for the team, but I think i'm happiest for Mack. To be able to exorcise all your demons in one year has got to be one great feeling. Watching him walk across the field after the clock ticked zero was the picture of class.
We won. Mack had the monkey off his back, and I finally felt the same joy my father did in 1969.