COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS — The college football season kicks off in less than three weeks.
While we’ll have to wait at least another year for Texas to join Texas A&M in the SEC, the bitter rivalry is as relevant as ever – even after a 10 year hiatus.
A College Station business owner is on a mission to make sure current Aggies are ready.
For most, if not all in Aggieland, 'Saw Em Off' is a way of life and with the rivalry between the Aggies and the Longhorns being renewed, it's time to revisit what the slogan means and where it started.
The words 'saw Varisty's horns off' are even in the Aggie War Hymn and Aggies sway back and forth linked in arms when they sing it.
They call it 'that school in Austin'.
Aggieland Outfitters' best selling shirt showcases the Aggies' dislike for the burnt orange.
"As you can tell it says 'You shall cut off the horns off the wicked' because we think they are wicked in a lot of ways in what they were trying to do with us," Fadi Kalaouze, the Owner of Aggieland Outfitters in College Station said.
"I paid my way through school selling t-shirts and it was like a pay-back. I wanted to bring the best back to Aggieland," he added.
Selling shirts in Aggieland since the ‘90s, his pay back, is Aggieland Outfitters and they sell everything Aggie.
Saw 'Em Off was trademarked by Aggieland Outfitters in 2007.
The owner says UT didn't like it and even filed a lawsuit.
"They said it is creating confusion, what kind of confusion is it? We are sawing their horns off," Kalaouze said.
Fadi Kalaouze says it's important to remember why Aggies want to saw horns off the longhorns.
"At one point you wanted to put us down. They wanted to be the only university of Texas. That's why you see that UT... it's Texas University. They are just another university of Texas.. We have a lot more going on," he shared.
Aggieland Outfitters is using these three words to help younger generations of Aggies.
"I really respect the owner of Aggieland Outfitters keeping it alive and keeping more traditions for A and M students," Makenlee Mabra, an Aggie class of 2024 said.
Her mother, Dodie, class of 96, remembers the rivalry between her and her longhorn friends.
"I had several friends who went to UT and when they would come and stay the night, and when we would go and stay the night in Austin, it was a friendly rivalry. If they had a longhorn sticker on their cars, we would go outside, we would not damage their cars or anything, but we would saw the horns off and turn them (stickers) upside down. It was all in good humor and fun and it was just something that we did. They did things to us too." Dodie Mabra, an Aggie class of '96 said. "It was laughable and everyone remained friends.
Kalaouze hopes to keep this tradition on Aggie minds for years to come.
"We kept going.. we persisted... we persisted a huge lawsuit against them stopping us. We didn't stop. You are talking a 19 billion dollar university versus a small store in College Station trying to keep the tradition alive," Kalaouze said.
With flags flying, signs lit and t-shirts stocked, this business in College Station is helping keep traditions alive.
"Since they are here now... let's make the best out of it and let's beat them every single game," Kalaouze added.