Like a phoenix rising out of the desert, last year's infamous goal post incident has reared its ugly head yet again.
When Texas A&M University released its 2002 football media guide, on page 226 of the guide, there was an excerpt regarding the Nov. 3 goal post incident between the Aggies and the Red Raiders.
Following a 12-0 victory against the Aggies, a group of Texas Tech fans stormed the field, tore down a goal post and attempted to push the goal post into the section of the crowd where some of the A&M fans were sitting, prompting several fights.
The excerpt in the media guide originally ran in The 12th Man magazine, an alumni magazine whose primary readers are A&M donors and former students.
In the excerpt, entitled "Worst Atmosphere," Tech fans were described as "even uglier than the barren stretch dirt some West Texans call a city."
Regarding the tearing down of the goal post, it stated, "that's nothing new for the envious students of the South Plains." It also went on to describe Raiders as "classless clowns." The excerpt concluded with a statement declaring "no school in America better deserves Bobby Knight than Texas Tech."
Alan Cannon, director of athletic media relations at A&M, said it was his responsibility to approve the media guide, and therefore he is to blame for the excerpt's inclusion.
"It was my fault," Cannon said. "It's my responsibility to approve the guide. The contents in that guide do not belong in any publication."
Cannon said the guide often included game reviews from The 12th Man and has never had a problem in the past.
"We have used the review story from The 12th Man magazine for three years. Most of the game recaps are just facts and figures," Cannon said. "Whoever wrote that thought it was just for Aggies."
Following the release of the media guide, A&M President Robert Gates sent a letter of apology to Tech President David Schmidly.
In the letter, Gates said, "I want to express my personal regret over the inclusion of disparaging remarks about Texas Tech University and Lubbock in Texas A&M's football media guide."
Tech Chancellor David Smith is willing to forgive and forget the issue.
"These things happen," Smith said. "Tech will not hold any grudges, and I'm not going to lose any sleep over A&M's media guide."
Tech head football coach Mike Leach stated in a news conference on Monday that he has a great deal of respect for A&M and its program.
"From the beginning, they've been a first class school and a first class program," Leach said. "Obviously, it was a mistake."
Leach did say controversial writing does not catch him off guard, given the intensity of the rivalry between the two schools.
"It doesn't surprise me that they put that in there," said Leach.
Tech football players were instructed not to comment on the A&M media guide. The office of President Schmidly wanted the university to speak with one voice.
"We just wanted a consistent message coming from the university," Phillips said.
Ronald Phillips, presidential special assistant, said it is common for the university to take such action so questions can be directed at a single source.
"What's been said is appropriate," said Phillips. "We didn't want people responding out of anger."
Gates has ordered a recall on all original media guide copies and a removal of all offensive comments from the guide. A revised guide will be released once the changes are made.
The next meeting between the Raiders and Aggies will take place on Oct. 5, when the Raiders travel to College Station.
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