Unlike Britain, college sport is the big thing over here, much more than cheering for your favourite professional, city-based team. College stadiums are often the biggest, and A&M's football coach is the highest paid public employee in the state. So the fans take this all very seriously. And Vince and his parents are serious fans.
It's a short drive from Houston to College Station where the university is situated, and the weather decided to lay on its Texan best with 90F heat and 110% humidity. I had a teacher who claimed that the British Empire was built on the fact that Englishmen could survive in any conditions, given our country's capricious climate, and this proved to be the case as the Americans among us disappeared for long stretches to recuperate in the stadium's air-conditioned depths.
The game wasn't very good, I'm told. There was a lot of stopping and starting, although I believe this happens anyway, with the coach constantly shouting at his clueless players what they should be doing. Basically like every rugby lesson I ever had at school. A&M lost, which meant that the post-match drinking was to drown sorrows rather than celebrate. When you're with the Muckers the cause might be different but the outcome remains comfortingly the same.
We thanked everyone for popping down to visit us in our great state, and suggested that if they wanted to see what winners look like they might want to relocate to Houston. Let's go Astros!
The indoctrination begins. Don't believe it kids - studying theology at St John's College, Durham, is the most guaranteed route to success.
If you get lost, look for the lady in the maroon shirt.
Here comes our team! And by our team I mean their team.
There was also a lot of singing, of a far more polite variety than at an English football match.
A game's started somewhere down there, I think...
Now this was impressive: the A&M band at half time. They were a lot more coordinated than the football team.
T for Texas! All while playing their instruments and not bumping into each other!
A happy Aggie, pleased with the game or something else...?
Refueling next morning.
Some of these people are not Texans, but we let them appear in our photo anyway.
