thebattalion l thursday,
Born on the Texas A&M campus in 1931, former NFL official Red Cashion began his officiating career in College Station before going on to a 25-year career that included two Super Bowl appearances.
september 12, 2013
l serving
texas a&m since 1893
l first paper free – additional copies $1 l © 2013 student media
Photos by Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION
born an aggie Sean Lester The Battalion
Sports Hall of Famer NFL official, Texas Red Cashion is one of few who can truly call Texas ‘First Down’ people A&M’s campus home. The retired NFL official was born on campus in 1931 where author A&M’s his father worked as secretary of YMCA Building. reflects on theAfter deciding he wouldn’t work out as a football player, officiating games in experiences he1952began as a junior at A&M. This was only the beginning of what
became a 25-year career in the NFL, where he officiated both Super Bowl XX and Super Bowl XXX. “I wasn’t any good [at football] so I didn’t bother trying, but my sophomore year I began to [complain] to somebody that I wished I had tried,” Cashion said. “Somebody said, ‘Well, why don’t you try officiating?’ I started officiating my junior year at A&M and I’ve been doing it ever since.” Cashion’s pursuit to become an NFL official, and the many
a&m vs. alabama
Barbecue for ’Bama
Teams go head to head, mayors of Bryan, College Station, Tuscaloosa go grill to grill Kadie McDougald The Battalion
T
he battle between two schools just got a little tastier. The Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus of Bryan-College Station and Tuscaloosa, Ala., along with the mayors — College Station’s Nancy Berry, Bryan’s Jason Bienski and Tuscaloosa’s Walt Maddox — have raised the stakes of the A&M vs. Alabama — by a few racks of ribs. Per wager stipulations, the mayor and CVB director of the the losing side must wear the opposing school’s logo or other regalia, eat the rival city’s best barbecue and then take pictures in front of a tourist attraction in the winning
city, a release from Bryan-College Station CVB said. Berry said she trusts the Aggies to take them to victory. “[I’m] very confident,” Berry said. “Losing is not an option.” Jordan Meserole, director of communications for the Bryan-College Station CVB, said the idea for the wager arose as the CVB thought of ways to welcome visitors. “We just thought it was an interesting way to promote tourism,” Meserole said. Bienski said the wager may even grow and develop in the next few days to include components such as cowboy hats. “We may sweeten the pot and do some other stuff,” Bienski said. Although the barbecue provider has yet to be chosen, Meserole said it won’t let the rivaled Alabamians down. “We want to find a barbecue place that is local to Bryan-College Station and one See Barbecue on page 6
things he learned from his job, is detailed in his book “First Dooowwwnnn… And Life To Go” co-authored by Rusty Burson. Cashion will be signing copies of the book Friday at the College Station Barnes & Noble from 4-6 p.m. “I like to ask [readers] what they think of [the book],” Cashion said. “I like to ask them why they like to have a copy. I enjoy people. I’m always amazed at some of the answers I get. I like
I wasn’t any good [at football] so I didn’t bother. Somebody said, ‘Well, why don’t you try officiating? I started officiating my junior year at A&M and I’ve been doing it ever since.” — Red Cashion, member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
See Cashion on page 4
Corps pays tribute to 9/11
Johnathon Sheen — THE BATTALION
The Corps of Cadets remembers 9/11 at The Freedom from Terrorism Memorial on Wednesday morning near the Quad.
smoke break philosophy
inside lifestyles | 3
Prof shares ‘informal education’ from campus bench
All women’s gun organization teaches safety and proper marksmanship.
Kadie McDougald, city desk assistant, sits down with philosophy professor Scott Austin.
Q&A:
lets out, anyone who wants to come over can talk to you. I think many people feel more relaxed about that than they would AUSTIN: I grew up in the far West in Oregon and Colorado. My first philosophy about coming to my office. People feel less formal on the bench and I ought to course was freshman year of college be teaching informally as well as formally. and I loved it and it was all I wanted to THE BATTALION: Why did you choose do from that point on. [My professor] to become a philosophy professor? was the most brilliant person I had ever heard speak. I spent all of my time on AUSTIN: At first it was just the her course and none of my time on the intoxication of reading, writing and physics course I was supposed to be talking. When I was a grad student, I taking. started teaching because I was assigned THE BATTALION: Tell me a little about yourself.
to be a TA and I just found it to be intoxicating. I loved talking to groups of people about philosophy. If you love teaching, there’s a kind of excitement that comes from teaching more than anything AUSTIN: I would go out to take smoke breaks and just noticed that people would else. I’ve never tried to analyze it, it’s just Jenna Rabel — THE BATTALION there. But it’s never let me down. come by and chat and it’s a great way to Scott Austin regularly sits on a bench outside the do informal teaching and advising. If you YMCA Building and offers teaching and advice to just happen to be out there when a class See Austin on page 6 students who approach him.
Women take aim
thebattalion asks
Q:
Page 2: How do you plan to deal with the gameday traffic?
Let’s be friends
THE BATTALION: I’ve heard you often sit outside the YMCA Building and just talk to students. When did you start doing that and why?
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9/11/13 10:23 PM