They will never experience Aggie Bonfire.

Sad, to bad there isn't an Aggie Bonfire somewhere for them to experience. Maybe one build by Aggies.

heeeeeere we go!

I'm gonna agree with him, to a degree.

If you were to be completely honest, they aren't exactly the same. Most people on here who do bonfire know the cut and stack aspects of bonfire as the main events and are as close to old bonfire as you can safely be. But new burn is nothing like old burn.

None of us have experienced a new army burn with the football team, the yell leaders, the band, etc. What we have is a nice replacement as far as cut and stack go...but burn leaves much to be desired.

[This message has been edited by Predmid (edited 6/12/2008 9:38p).]

And if ASB has any hopes to continue, it must be burn that sustains the entire project.

For once, I think we completely agree on something.

this didn't go as far as i thought it would.

gee I wonder why

People are accepting the inevitable?

. . . or people just are tired of rehashing the same arguments over and over.

I like your version better!

Head Stack '89 here. Let me share some common thoughts on what BONFIRE meant to many of us when we were building it back in '87 & '88.

Now I know campo says "....burning desire to beat the hell out of tu....." But please read on.

We always looked at BONFIRE as being two separate parts. Building and Burning.

Building BONFIRE was for the students. The hard work, the time committed, the sweat, the fun and the comradery. Meeting other students and making more friends. Making the huge university that Texas A&M is, a much smaller place. Cut & Load. Unload & Stack. BONFIRE was so special because it was the avenue we used to create life long memories and forge life long relationships.

Burning Stack: The night BONFIRE burns is for the Old Ags. It allows former students and families to gather together and travel down memory lane. It allows Aggie families young and old, a way to share in a great Aggie Tradition. Yeah, it is for the students also. To celebrate accomplishing one of the world's biggest marvels, and it is OK that not all students build it. But for those that do build it, we did it for the Old Ags. Also, it's kind of funny, but we also saw burning BONFIRE as a way to get rid of stack so it could start all over again the next year for more students.

I have had the opportunity to visit with a Sr. Red and a JRP for next years fire. They both seem to have their heart in the right place. The way I see it, if students find an avenue to put in time, work hard, have fun, create memories while being safe, then the goal of bringing back BONFIRE has been achieved. The band, the football players, the yell leaders, they are great to have in attendance the night it burns. But that will not make or break AGGIE BONFIRE.

What about BONFIRE is important? In my opinion, it is to give the students that experience. It will be slow in building numbers in participation, but the numbers will grow. Stack will be small in comparison to previous years, but that doesn't matter. What matters is there is an opportunity for Aggies to choose to participate and experience building BONFIRE.

Sorry if I pissed off some of you Old Ags, but I wanted to get this in here.

BTHOB

Whoop

TruTex,

Point taken...

But I really believe that ASB needs a large, good burn to gain positive publicity and credibility. Image and visibility has a lot do with with the numbers of students that come out to build.

And I venture to say something that may be unpopular... I hope that ASB does continue to stay focused on BUILDING bonfire and makes sure to let go of peripheral things that may lead to its demise. There are plenty of lessons to be learned by swinging an ax, moving logs and constructing the stack.

(now someone please insert comments about how old army is going to hell)

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And I venture to say something that may be unpopular... I hope that ASB does continue to stay focused on BUILDING bonfire and makes sure to let go of peripheral things that may lead to its demise. There are plenty of lessons to be learned by swinging an ax, moving logs and constructing the stack.

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Please clarify.

granted we have yet to see a New Army Burn that comes close to the Old Army ones. Part of that might be blamed on poor participant turnout, or the location of burn. I blame a lot of it on the University, not for stepping away from Bonfire now, but on the failings that led to the tragedy. I'm not saying they're the only ones responsible, but if certain people in the administration had bothered to do their job in the late 90's we'd almost certainly still be building on campus and burning with the yell leaders, the band, and the football team.

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but if certain people in the administration had bothered to do their job in the late 90's we'd almost certainly still be building on campus and burning with the yell leaders, the band, and the football team.

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Its hard to make and back up a statement like that. No one can be certain of what may have happened had things been handled differently.

Head Stack - Whoop.

northsidegreek

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But I really believe that ASB needs a large, good burn to gain positive publicity and credibility.

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I disagree. It isn't your fault, but you wouldn't know better because you haven't experienced the big burn with everyone there. It doesn't mean much different to you and your brothers. Being with the guys whose blood, sweat, and tears were put into that fire is all that matters.

Besides, as long as ASB keeps going and keeps the leadership lines moving, it will gain steam. I think you will see a much different tone from the University once all the lawsuits are done. They aren't going to let ASB continue. If something bad happens, the University will still catch hell for it. Therefore, once the suits are settled, I truly believe the University will sit down and negotiate the return to campus under strict guidelines.

guitarace and Dunn dude-

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but if certain people in the administration had bothered to do their job in the late 90's we'd almost certainly still be building on campus and burning with the yell leaders, the band, and the football team.

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This is true. But don't lump it on the administration from the late 1990s. Bonfire problems began long before. There are many people to blame. The administration and some of the student leaders, including myself.

1996,

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including myself.

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Don't. There were many good things that happened back then. There were also things that weren't so much, but it's much easier to create a change with hindsight than forsight.

Many of the social differences between Student Bonfire and Aggie Bonfire Pre '99 are changes that would most likely have happened anyway. With this lawsuit happy world and these days when it's "hazing" if you smell bad too close to somebody...something was going to cause a change one way or another.

Bonfire change a little bit from year to year...no big deal. Except it changed a lot every four years, even more in 8, and very drastically in 16. Without a true "blueprint" (if you will) and a set plan some of the things that were necessary had been forgotten years before they were missed.

A big thing about Bonfire is that no two years are the same. While true, most years at least have a similarity to one that has happened before...just like any construction project. Only, the turnover rate for employees on Bonfire was a little quicker and more complete than most construction crews.

In my year of responisbilty in Student Bonfire we did our best to document anything that didn't happen as it was expected to. If nothing else was pased down to my boys I hope that the details of their Cut, Stack and Burn (as well as every year after) are written and recorded in order to be referenced if needed.

No one person caused any of this. No one person could have stopped it. I do know a handful of Aggies who would love to sit and talk sometime...listen to whatever you're willing to say, and learn anything you want to teach.

-Brownpot '06 (C/O '05)