The return of the most wonderful time of the year is always welcomed by me with excitement, anticipation, and nerves. Yes. Nerves.
It is hard to believe that this past Saturday marked the opening of the fifth year of calling games for Texas A&M Football en Español for Learfield over the La Jefa 102.7 FM airwaves in Aggieland and Bryan - College Station.
It has been part of my story that, growing up in Mexico, we would search for Aggie football games across the AM dial; when visiting my maternal grandparents in Agualeguas - it would be easier to scan the dial and we would stop once we heard the immortal voice of Dave South...
...another part of my story has been learning to play American Football at Club Aguilas in Monterrey when I was young. At that time, the practice and game time philosophy was adopted from the late, great Vince Lombardi.
I had many great teammates and many great coaches during my years there. This first game of the season, during preparations, it dawned on me that the Notre Dame fight song is the same tune we used for the Aguilas fight song...
"Azul y blanco,
Unidos buscando la victoria con gran valor
Siempre ondearan el águila en pos.
Aqui están las águilas dispuestas para ganar.
Pararanpampam"
As I was reminiscing with my former teammates, I received an instant message from one of my former coaches, my dear coach Mundo Reyes - a Monterrey TV station Canal 28 Nuevo León was looking to send him and Kike Garcia to cover the Texas A&M - Notre Dame Football game and needed help securing credentials. (When he told the station managers he didn't think it would be a problem since his connection was a former player, he was rebuffed with "half the city of Monterrey is filled with your former players.")
In a span of 24 hours, I went from securing them credentials to getting approval from Learfield for the station to broadcast the entire Texas A&M University Aggie football season -for the first time ever, a College Football game would be broadcast live on the radio outside the US airwaves - much like the first ever College Football game being broadcast by WTAW 1620 AM all those years ago in Aggieland. Bryan Broadcasting has a huge claim over those two firsts...
...that it was to be Monterrey of all places was not lost in me. I went from seemingly endlessly searching for a faded AM signal to listen to the Aggies to, now, having my voice carried over the airwaves in my native "Sultana del Norte" promoting my beloved Aggies - Full Circle.
Every first game of the season is accompanied by nerves and anxiety - this one, seemed to have carried that pair of emotions exponentially. They faded away the moment I saw my Coach Mundo who pulled me into a gigantic bear hug - my mentor with whom my club won countless victories and many championships was back in Aggieland and was here to help me open the doors to a radio market I had long cherished for Los Aggies - I felt pure joy to see that trademark Mundo smile; one that I saw when celebrating championships, as well as, when he saw my face catching on to what he was teaching me.
One of my favorite parts of the broadcast was finding that same smile from Mundo whenever I called a play - a wonderful, beautiful smile of affirmation from my lifelong mentor - thank you for all you taught me, Coach.
Meeting Kike was an honor - he has witnessed over 25 super bowls in his broadcasting career and this was his first time to be on the hallowed grounds of Kyle Field. The moment our photo hit social media, I realized the reach we now had - many in their TV and Radio audience immediately began to send greetings and the exposure of our Aggies had begun.
We filmed segments throughout campus for their weekly TV show Blitz NFL Mty - originally my plan was to have them join us for a couple of segments; however, once in our broadcast booth, it made more sense to have them join us the entire game.
Walking around tailgates with Lisa was a great way to calm the nerves getting to catch up with familiar faces: Yolanda our awesome president from our McKinney A&M Club along with her husband Brett Bell, and Monica Menzel the president of the Texas A&M Hispanic Network at our A Toda Madre tailgate. Hearing from Monica that Porter Garner III, president of The Association of Former Students, had sent her my text to him with news of breaking into the Mexican airwaves filled me with pride and happiness.
Getting to meet new Aggie friends, parents of Fish of the Class of 2028 and wrapping up at our radio station's tailgate which was deliciously catered by Elia Cafe Tapas Bar in Bryan, Texas, was a great way to close the pre-game activities.
I've always said that A&M is a special place - we Aggies are often heard saying "from the outside looking in, you can't understand it. And from the inside looking out, you can't explain it." Or as the Spirit of Aggieland states, "There's a Spirit can ne'er be told."
Kike got to experience the 12thMan for his very first time...
...in Monterrey, my favourite futbol (soccer) Club Tigres plays in their stadium El Volcán under the watchful eyes of their fans Libres Y Lokos who are also known as Los Incomparables.
Last Saturday, the 12thMan made a believer out of Kike; for those who don't know, you can literally feel the press box shake just through the pure voice of the Aggies in the stands.
As we all know by now, my beloved Aggies ran out of time; however, my experience as I kick off year five of this incredibly blessed journey is one I will not forget.
Thank you to:
Janey Leach at Texas A&M Sports Properties
Danielle Brower at Learfield
Jaime Cavazos, Alberto Vega, Rosario Vega and Chris Dustehoff at La Jefa and Bryan Broadcasting
Ivan del Angel y Alejandra Morales at #RadioNuevoLeon
and to Mr. Ben Downs at Bryan Broadcasting for always believing on this project of ours.
I continue to feel blessed and honored to be able to represent our Aggies to a Spanish speaking audience...
...thank you for being on this journey with me.
GigEm
