The Battalion — March 28, 2024

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Jamming with Jared

Aggie turns pandemic boredom into online sensation

By Theresa Lozano @theresaalozano

Jared Shult was never interested in music. But in 2020, when millions of people boarded up in their homes and rooms, he said that all changed after he found his grandpa’s old guitar on their family ranch.

Jumping in head first, Shult said he dusted off

the guitar and dedicated empty time from quarantine to learning every day. It didn’t take him long to buy his own Yamaha, graduating two years later to a Taylor.

Now, roughly four years since Graphic By Pranay Dhoopar — THE BATTALION

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Aggies pad path through period of change Students pool resources to provide feminine products to local schools

the beginning, the Texas A&M communication junior finds himself and his music a TikTok sensation.

Currently standing at over 233K followers on TikTok and 27K on Instagram, Shult said his socials catapulted his recognition over a short By Ashley Awcuna period of time. Shult started going @AshleyMAcuna live on TikTok in summer 2023, mostly for his own practice as well Aggies are working toas to connect with people through gether to provide femisong requests and feedback. nine products to middle “I think my conschool girls. sistency of playThree Texas A&M stuing on dent organizations — FRUGAL, HEAT and Rosies — are collaborating to provide young women with feminine products at nine different middle schools in the Bryan-College Station area. On April 20, 250 care boxes with one those livestreams on TikTok week’s supply of feminine products really helped me gain the inside will be packaged and sent to confidence to play actual the schools.

The young women who receive gigs,” Shult said. “If you’re these products are at the age of startplaying in your room by youring womanhood, so the organizaself, it’s kind of hard to tell, ‘Okay, tions added a pamphlet to help them am I actually good? Am I actually understand how to use the prodbad?’ whatever. It’s hard to gauge ucts properly.

Public health junior that, but when you have consistent Megha Chandran, president of Findviewership and they give you honest ing Resources for Underprivileged feedback … it’s like, ‘Maybe I’m not Groups in Aggieland, or FRUGAL, terrible.’”

Shult can be found Thursday said they ordered the project’s supnights hosting The Backyard’s open plies from another organization that mic night. He said the idea started placed free pads and tampons in some of Texas A&M buildings.

SHULT ON PG. A3 “We’ve ordered from [Aunt Flow] to create these care packages, which would include pads, underwear, other hygiene products and some clothes such as sweatpants and leggings to give to the middle schools,” Chandran said. my heart that those five are still Bioenvironmental science senior looking for a family to love them.” Sammy Figueroa, environmental Although the cats can be quite chair for Human Environmental aggressive at first, self-proclaimed Animal Team, or HEAT, said they cat whisperer Reed said she fell in selected schools to donate to based love with one of the feistier rescues. on socioeconomic status.

“I just want to find the kittens a “We were looking at the povloving home,” Bradford said. “All erty line that is in Bryan compared they need is someone to love them to College Station to find out and protect them. This has been such what middle school to serve, since a rewarding experience.” at first we didn’t think we would have enough product to cater to each middle school,” Figueroa said.

“That way they would be better fit when their first period comes or if their family does not have the funds to buy those products.”

Lisa Mendez, a counselor at Davila Middle School, said the packages provide a way for young women to feel more comfortable when asking for the product.

“We’re not just giving them just one,” Mendez said. “They have enough to suffice them for as long as they need those products.”

The bags the school received in the past made the products discrete so other students wouldn’t be drawn to what was in the recipient’s hand.

“They’re more willing to come in here and ask for them and not be embarrassed to walk out with the products … so it brings more comfort to the girls at our school,” Mendez said.

Chandran said FRUGAL focuses on reaching people who

From feral to fostered Graduate biology department has taken in over 30 stray cats on A&M’s campus

By Camila Munoz @camila.munox Texas A&M houses almost 70,000 students and nearly as many cats. The campus is home to a high feral cat population, most notably around Heldenfels Hall, Butler Hall and the Biological Sciences Building, three key spaces for the Department of Biology.

Four biology employees noticed the increase in kittens around campus and decided to step in. Trapping their first bunch in May 2023, Assistant Program Director Jennifer Bradford and her colleagues have fostered over 30 cats in the last year.

“It was getting out of hand,” Bradford said. “We kept seeing kittens being born under the porch in the Biological Sciences Building over the summer and no one was stepping in. Lieu [Jean] and I started the idea of trapping and releasing the kittens so we could get them vaccinated, spayed and neutered.”

Since May, Bradford and her team have worked to contain the feral cat population. She said the cats are mainly females and American Shorthairs, a breed susceptible to issues like obesity and kidney disease.

“We work as a group to get the job done,” Bradford said. “It can be quite overwhelming by yourself.

Typically, we trap them as a group and then each take turns setting up and checking on the traps. The vet we take the cats to is 45 minutes away, so we alternate who makes the drive.”

Senior administrative coordinator Lieu Jean joined Bradford in the mission to save the cats. They take the rescues to the Animal Friends of Washington County Veterinary Clinic because of the cheap rates.

“We’ll get a call or hear about stray cats,” Jean said. “Then we trap them and take them home. After we ensure they’re safe, we take them to the Animal Friends of Washington County Veterinary Clinic to get all their shots and check them out.”

Although her love for animals keeps her going, Jean s a i d

Graphic By Selena Cosino — THE BATTALION

running the foster program can be quite costly.

“We pay for everything among the four of us,” Jean said. “It adds up to a lot, which is why we are always looking for donations. Hopefully in the future, we plan to start a nonprofit so we can get funding and keep doing what we’re doing without the financial burden.”

The team has a high success rate, getting more than 20 cats adopted by families in the area so far. Greenhouse manager Susan Reed said they currently have five cats in need of homes. In the meantime, employees caring for the cats typically bring them to biology’s Butler Hall offices on Mondays, where they can relax, be pampered with attention and hopefully catch the eye of someone looking to adopt.

“We still have Wednesday, Veronica, Lolo, Loki and Izzy left,” Reed said. “We usually bring in some cats on Monday so they can hang out. Although most of our c a t s have homes now, i t breaks

CHARITY ON PG. A3

CRITICISM

The Battalion | 03.28.24

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Photo by Kyle Heise — THE BATTALION

Paramount Theatre premiers “Immaculate “ at the SXSW 2024 Film and TV Festival on March 12, 2024 in Austin.

More Sweeney than you bargained for “Immaculate” Director: Micheal Mohan Release Date: March 22, 2024 Rating: 6/10

By Abby Jarrett @AbbyJarrett While some may call it “art” and “cinematic mastery,” I call it deeply disturbing. I will never look at Sydney Sweeney the same again.

Spoilers ahead for “Immaculate.”

“Immaculate” follows the story of a young American nun, Sister Cecilia, in her quest to find God’s true purpose for her after a neardeath experience at the age of 12.

Her new home in the convent yields mysterious happenings such as apparitions in the hallways and strange visions in her dreams. Between

“The Nun II” and “Immaculate,” I think I’ll keep my distance from convents for a while.

With only an hour and a half runtime, the plot quickly progresses to Cecilia discovering that she is pregnant despite still being a virgin. Her pregnancy was deemed an immaculate conception. When the male leaders of the church forbid her to go to an outside hospital, Cecilia discovers that there is more that lies behind the walls of the Italian convent.

The major twist in the movie that changes everything for heroine Cecilia is when she discovers that Father Sal, the man who has been treating her, isn’t actually a man of faith, but a mad scientist. Using the DNA of Jesus Christ found on a relic, Father Sal was able to impregnate young Cecilia to create a replica of Christ.

It’s giving Jurassic Park, but make it Jesus.

Throughout the movie there are several plot lines that I expected to be resolved at the end. Creepy red masked nuns, the science trials done

by Father Sal and many more unnecessary elements go unanswered.

I truly think that if the movie had gone on for another 30 minutes, all of my questions could have been answered. The runtime was very short and left many plot holes, but I don’t think my stomach could have handled another 30 minutes.

I am not a squeamish person by any means, but this “horror” movie should have been classified as a slasher. If you are someone who is sensitive to blood, graphic violence, vomit or basically any bodily fluid, I would recommend that you sit this one out. I found myself having to look away from the screen multiple times because I simply didn’t need or want to see what was being shown.

The first gruesomely graphic

scene was after a nun decided to take her own life by jumping out of a window followed by a close up of her body and all of the trauma that occurred to her face. Very unnecessary if you ask me. Another scene towards the end depicted Cecilia bludgeoning the Reverend Mother to death with a cross. In this scene you can see all of the graphic details of the attack, including close ups of the Reverend Mother’s injuries.

By far the most disturbing scene in the movie was the grand finale when Sweeney finally gives birth to her “child.” I use the word “child” loosely because it’s never actually referred to as a human baby in the movie. There is actually speculation, according to interviews with Sweeney, that the “thing” might not be human at all. You only see a blurred black and red shape for a split second right before Sweeney picks up a boulder, crushes and kills whatever she just gave birth to.

While Cecilia is giving birth, the camera focuses on her bloody and twisted face while she screams. For almost four minutes, all the audience can see and hear is blood curdling screams, blood, spit and tears.

The scene was deeply disturbing.

After what feels like ages, the audience can hear a plop where we can assume the “child” was born. Soon after, Sweeney picks up the umbilical cord and tears it with her teeth.

Gross. Gone are the days of “Euphoria” and “Anyone But You.” “Immaculate” is an excellent demonstration of Sweeney’s versatility as an actress, which might be reason enough to see the film for some. While “Immaculate” was nothing like what I expected it to be, I was pleasantly surprised with the plot line and cast. If you choose to step into the theater, just be prepared to see more of Sweeney than you probably bargained for.

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CHRISTIAN FACULTY NETWORK CFN invites you to the Veritas Forum on April 15 at 7 p.m. in Rudder Theater.

“Changing my Mind: A Skeptical Professor Meets a Surprising God.” How can we tell when we should change our mind? Join professors Molly Worthen and Lorien Foote for a discussion about how we negotiate the tension between skepticism and belief.

Professor Worthen will describe the factors that led her to embrace faith after researching the good, the bad and the ugly of Christian history. For more information about the Christian Faculty Network and its activities, please visit our website: http://cfn.tamu.edu

Chris Swann — THE BATTALION

CHARITY CONTINUED

focuses on reaching people who can’t meet their basic needs, which is why she joined the organization.

“I definitely wanted to be part of making a change in Bryan-College Station, at least as a student, so I think that’s what led me to … strive for a solution for whatever means that I can do,” Chandran said.

Davila Middle School is a Title I school that receives more government funding due to the low-income status of many students.

SHULT CONTINUED after previously doing marketing for the owner’s different business, Burger Mojo.

“They had the idea since I do music stuff and have a social media platform that we kind of combine that, and I can get people to come for an open mic night,” Shult said.

“It’s not all about my own talent or what I can do musically, but also about my ability to get other people to show up and other people to come play and connect and create this whole environment.”

Shult has opened for several artists, including Jackson Randolph and Mike Call. Since opening for someone is different from his typical open mic nights, Shult said reading the audience is essential to keep them entertained and engaged in order to create a good environment.

To do this, he usually avoids original songs and puts his all into requests or covers of his musical inspirations.

“I play a variety of genres, including some folk and pop, Noah Kahan, Caamp, even some Harry Styles,” Shult said. “I think my style of music suits with country and folk style the most but can also fit well with any singer-songwriter-type genre. I have recently added harmonica to my list of instruments I play; I am still learning, but it has been a lot of fun.”

When accepting requests, something that gives him peace of mind is a phone holder, which he uses so he doesn’t forget lines or a chord progression.

“Some people are critical; they think that you have to memorize everything in order to be a performer,” Shult said. “Sometimes even the biggest artists forget lyrics … I have to remind myself that even in my mind, I’m my biggest critic and so if I notice something that I did wrong, chances are most other people didn’t notice it so I just have to stay confident and roll through it even if it’s not exactly how I expected it to be.”

As he navigates his confidence and nerves, Shult said he also faces harsh critics online. Although he values feedback, he’s careful with what to take personally, trying to avoid biased opinions.

“The fact that I’ve gone from never playing four years ago to performing weekly on Northgate, I feel

“Sometimes the needs of our kids are a little bit more than what some of the other students may need, and it’s something that you don’t think about, like feminine products or just general items that they need that we’re able to give them through this program,” Mendez said.

Students can drop off feminine products in the drop box by Evans Library’s exit doors. The organizations also accept donations for “community flow” through their GoFundMe. like for me right now, that’s something I can sit back and be proud of,” Shult said. “I can kind of lean back on that when I do see hate coming from people, it’s like, ‘Hey, they don’t know me, they don’t know my full story.’”

Shult is currently working on original music; he said he has about four or five songs written that he feels confident about but is taking his time to put out something worthy and exactly how he wants it. Despite his current online momentum, he is still hesitant on how this might pan out into a permanent career.

“It’s different for everybody,” Shult said. “A lot of the people I know that show up to play, music is their whole thing … They make other sacrifices to go after music.

For me, I also value a lot of other things in my life, so it’s kind of a balance of something I’m trying to figure out right now is, ‘What do I love doing the most?’ That’s been the biggest hindrance to me writing more original music, has been my commitment to other stuff and also allowing myself to rest, because I struggle to do that.”

At 20 years old, Shult said he tries to be self-aware when it comes to turning a hobby into a career. His parents are supportive of his journey but see him doing stuff beyond music as well. He’s still figuring out exactly what he wants to do with it.

“Right now, I’m kind of in this discovery period of figuring out, ‘What do I value the most? Is music the thing that I want to do above everything else? Or is it something that I just want to keep on the side?’” Shult said. “I do believe if I put all my effort into it, I could make it somewhere with it, but it just depends on what I want and how much time I’m willing to put into it.”

Despite his newfound audience, Shult still sees music the same way he always has: something he does for himself. He said it’s helped him go after his ambitions regardless of others’ opinions. And, whether Shult decides to pursue music or not, he plans on playing guitar and singing for the rest of his life.

“I think it’s made me more enthusiastic about playing because it was fully my decision,” Shult said.

“I take more pride in it because it was fully me.”

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OPINION

The Battalion | 03.28.24

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Photo by Rebecca Cervantes — THE BATTALION

A parent’s job is to protect their child’s innocence, and that means restricted internet access.

IPads are not parents Opinion writer says parents have a responsibility to limit internet access, teach online safety

Maddie McMurrough @MadsMcMurrough IPad kids should be declared a national security threat.

Being the absolute menaces that they are, they inspired my generation to take up abstinence. Now, I’m not a parent, so I understand you’re probably thinking how you raise your children is no concern of mine, but when I’m old and dying in a hospital, my doctor will be Fortnite dancing over my dead body after getting their medical degree from CoComelon College. So yeah, I have a vested interest in this.

Their futures are actively plummeting down the Skibidi Toilet.

Growing up, I played Barbies, ran around outside and — if I was good — spent an hour or two on my Wii. I received my first phone when I was 13. When I was younger I was annoyed with how late I received my phone, but now, as an adult, I am so grateful to my parents for restricting my access to the internet.

Nowadays, kids spend hours playing Roblox and watching brainrot YouTube videos on their personal phones and iPads. The CDC stated that the average kid spends 7.5 hours on their screens per day; those screen time hours don’t include any

time spent on online school or educational programs. They are obsessed with microtrends and internet lingo, and while that technology may give you an hour of peace now, I guarantee it will give you years of stress.

I am in no way saying all of Generation Alpha are internet-obsessed monsters. I have baby cousins who are the lights of my life and still enjoy their iPad time. I am so proud of my cousins, and every day I hear something that reminds me how kind and intelligent they are. The key to their success is how their parents taught them to be safe online. They use their iPads as a tool of growth, and occasionally to check their fantasy football teams.

By tool of growth, I mean expanding their vocabulary and problem solving through Khan Academy Kids, learning chess on Chess.com and reading books on their Amazon Kindle app.

So, here are some things to keep in mind to ensure that the iPad doesn’t ruin your child’s life and give you more peace of mind in the long run.

First and most important, the internet is not a safe place for children.

Young kids are not stupid when it comes to bypassing parental controls. They were born with an iP-

hone in their hands, and I guarantee they know how to use it better than you do.

While the internet offers anything you could wish to search in seconds, it is also home to some depraved individuals who are hoping an impressionable kid will wander into their channel and direct messages. So, teaching your child internet safety is of utmost importance. If you are unsure about doling out this kind of responsibility that is required when being online, ask yourself: ‘if I had this technology at their age, would I use it properly and safely?

Would I know who and who not to trust online?’

The second thing to think about is how cruel people are online. Cyberbullying is a huge issue. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, “A recent report shows that in the US, the majority of adolescents (59%) have experienced some form of cyberbullying, and 22.6% of adolescents aged 12-17 years have been the subject of a cyberbullying incident in the past 30 days.”

People feel brave when they are anonymous. They encourage things such as eating disorders, self-harm and, in the most extreme cases, suicide. When young kids stumble onto these pages, irreparable damage can be done that will alter their

esteem forever. The second aspect to this is teaching your children kindness so they don’t participate in cyberbullying. How will they understand how their comments and posts can affect people if you don’t teach them that?

Third, balance is key. You can’t bar your children from the internet, especially since technology is becoming integrated into education.

As with all things in life, a healthy balance is key — just like how you teach them a healthy balance when eating candy or drinking soda. Balance is important in every aspect of life, so when they learn a codependency on their tablets, that doesn’t bode well for the other aspects that require balance.

I consider my baby cousins to be my very own babies. I worry about them going through life and navigating the hard times, but one thing I don’t have to worry about is their internet safety. I know their parents have spent the time teaching them how to be safe.

All parents need to make this their number one priority when it comes to technology. I myself struggle with issues caused by technology, and I had very safe and limited access in my most impressionable years. What is going to happen to these kids if there is no intervention

to their constant unrestricted access?

Finally, access to adult lifestyles forces your children to grow up faster. Look at the Sephora 10-yearolds trend where young children are buying retinol and full-face makeup because it’s trendy online. They wear adult clothing and act older.

This is robbing them of the innocence of being young, and it’s concerning that parents are OK with that.

Parents, I implore you to take some time to talk to your kids about internet safety, and maybe consider restricting their access.

Your children deserve a childhood full of whimsy and imagination. That is what I remember the fondest about mine. When my life felt overwhelming or confining, I remember playing outside without a care in the world, enjoying being a kid and simply that. No worries about my body, phone notifications or societal pressures. It is the purest and easiest your life will ever be, and it is our responsibility as their guardians to protect that at all costs.

Because when it’s gone, you will never get it back.

Maddie McMurrough is an agricultural communications and journalism junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.

Brazos Valley: Welcome the rail Guest contributor says the region’s proposed Amtrak route would bring economic benefits, convenience

By Garion Frankel Guest Contributor In 1867, the Houston and Texas Central Railroad, after years of delay, rumbled into Bryan for the first time, greeted by raucous celebrations glorifying the Brazos Valley’s newfound connections to the outside world.

Along with economic development and community prestige, the railroad brought some unwelcome guests — most notably yellow fever — but over the following decades there was little doubt that passenger rail positively impacted this part of the Brazos Valley. College Station is named College Station after all.

However, despite the fact that Amtrak service ended only in 1995, it feels as though the community is a millennia removed from the rails that made it. The Brazos County Council of Governments’ Board of Directors repeatedly renewed resolutions opposing Texas Cen-

tral’s plans to build high speed rail in Grimes County, mainly due to ongoing property disputes. Walker and Grimes County have also been firm opponents, often claiming they do not oppose passenger rail service, merely Texas Central’s alleged disregard of property owners in developing it.

If those opponents to high-speed rail really object to high-speed rail and high-speed rail alone, they have an opportunity to prove it. Amtrak recently released a number of proposed long-distance routes using existing rail corridors, one of which would connect Denver and Houston via Dallas-Fort Worth and, more importantly, Bryan.

The Brazos Valley should welcome this proposal with open arms, as it can only benefit the area.

For one, the Brazos Valley might be about to lose a vital transportation lifeline. Greyhound will soon close their bus terminal in downtown Dallas, which currently serves Brazos Valley customers who are

unable to fly or drive. The last time I was on a Greyhound bus to the Metroplex was in October, and that bus, which left early in the morning, was packed.

Of course, Greyhound and Dallas are already in the early stages of planning a new terminal, but it is unclear how long that will take, as well as how passengers will be managed in the meantime. That could mean fewer buses and long layovers out in the elements. Nobody wants to spend three hours or longer in the middle of downtown Dallas waiting for a bus, but that may be an inevitability until a new terminal is built.

Enter Amtrak. While any route would likely only come through the Brazos Valley no more than a few times a day, trains can carry many more passengers than buses.

Moreover, as it provides service to Dallas-Fort Worth and then Denver thereafter in one direction, the train would also supplement existing transportation options to Houston.

With College Station losing its di-

rect flight to Houston a few years back, that supplement could provide an important lift, particularly for short-haul travelers.

Along with boosting intercity transportation in the Brazos Valley, Amtrak would be a boon to the local economy as Amtrak ridership boosts spending at shops, restaurants and hotels in the communities it serves.

A 2010 study by the Texas Transportation Institute found Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer route — which serves a similar corridor between Dallas-Fort Worth and Oklahoma City — generated more than $18 million in revenue for local businesses, as well as $1.4 million in sales tax revenue for the communities it served. Studies in Michigan, Colorado and California all came to similar conclusions — more local train travel means more local business.

Keep in mind that these numbers would almost certainly be higher for the proposed Denver-Dallas-Houston route, which would serve three

major metropolitan areas and many populated communities like the Brazos Valley in between. That also assumes the Brazos Valley does not continue to grow, which it almost certainly will. In other words, a growing community could only stand to profit from train travel.

Whether Texas Central’s Brazos Valley opponents have a leg to stand on is up for debate. But support for Amtrak’s plans to reintroduce typical passenger rail service to the Brazos Valley is an obvious win even the most die-hard high speed rail opponent should be able to acknowledge. More money and more transportation options are a winwin in almost any circumstance, but particularly for the Brazos Valley.

Garion Frankel is a Ph.D. student in PK-12 educational leadership at Texas A&M University. He is a Young Voices State Beat fellow and was previously an education journalist.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 28 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2024 STUDENT MEDIA

New scene, same script

By Ian Curtis @Texiancurtis

Photo by Kyle Heise — THE BATTALION

Texas A&M fans mock Nebraska fans during A&M’s game against Nebraska in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee, on Friday, March 22, 2024.

It’s everywhere online, it’s everywhere on the sidelines, it’s everywhere on campus.

Take a walk through the Memorial Student Center bookstore and you’ll be confronted by a purchasable museum of Texas A&M branding history.

There are hoodies featuring the Vault T logo, crewnecks featuring Ol’ Sarge, as many Aggie wordmarks as you can imagine and shirts featuring all sorts of images of Reveille — both the current Reveille X and the 1930s-era logo featuring Reveille I, from back before the Queen was a rough collie.

Now, step outside the bookstore and take a stroll around campus.

There are students wearing vintage gear from every era. There’s the old T-star logo — the one that marked center court at Reed Arena through the mid-2000s — on one student’s T-shirt in Academic Plaza. And look, there’s a student’s crewneck with a seal reading “A&M College of Texas” from straight out of the 1940s on their way to class.

So why go old-school? Of all the newfound logos and bevels galore, why don the logos of an era most students can’t remember (or weren’t alive for)?

As always, the answer begins with money.

Big brands and big profits College athletics is a big business — and so is college apparel. According to an estimate by the Collegiate Licensing Company, the college apparel market was already worth $4.6 billion back in 2015.

And with both schools and apparel companies always looking for more revenue, it’s no surprise to see them turn toward older licensed logos.

“You might buy this hat, and you might go, ‘Oh, I like the Vault T logo so I’ll buy that hat,’ or ‘I like the Lone Star logo; I’m going to buy that too,’” A&M Assistant Athletic Director Matt Watson said. “It helps your retail sales increase as well. The more options you can put out there on the logo side instead of just being stuck to one word mark, one mascot and one abbreviation logo, and that’s it.”

Watson has seen the change happen in real time. He grew up rooting for the Aggies before serving as a student equipment manager from 1990-95 and has been on A&M’s equipment staff full-time since 1997. He works directly with the football program to design its onfield equipment and oversees other sports’ equipment duties as well.

While Watson is in charge of the athletic equipment, he doesn’t control what companies like Adidas bring to the retail market.

That being said, there’s plenty of overlap between what’s seen on the

field and what’s seen in stores. It’s not uncommon to see a certain item or design begin its life as a team-exclusive before a retail version later hits shelves — such as the infamous “script Aggies” hoodies.

The “script Aggies” logo was one of those vintage wordmarks that’s made a prominent return in recent years. Originally featured on basketball and baseball jerseys as far back as

Enter small businesses One of those companies, Streaker Sports, started with the mission to fill empty niches they saw in the sports apparel market. They made underused licenses their bread and butter, focusing on brands that didn’t have a strong apparel presence like Wiffle Ball and USA Hockey as well as defunct leagues like the North

people like our products is because all of our art is hand-drawn,” Lucchesi said. “Like they used to do it back in the [19]60s and [19]70s, before there was computer-aided design. So that’s how we’re creating the art, and we’re adding that distressing to the graphic. It feels like something truly from a different era, and I think people have really grasped that.”

Chris Swann — THE BATTALION

Junior OF Braden Montgomery (6), junior RHP Brad Rudis (32), and senior LHP Evan Aschenbeck (53) talk after A&M’s games against Houston Christian University on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at Olsen Field.

the 1970s, both sports — along with others, such as volleyball — brought the logo back on their current uniform sets.

“It comes down to opportunity,” Watson said. “I don’t think anybody really thought much about the script Aggies logo until it hit the basketball court. Then social media picked up on it and it blew up. When there’s an opportunity like that, it genuinely just evolves on its own.”

The hoodies got their start as a gift sent out to A&M alumni in professional sports leagues. Slowly, various programs started adding them to the sideline gear that they give to coaches and players.

Then social media got wind of it, and the demand took off from there.

“Other people are like, ‘Man, we wish that was at retail,’ so that’s where we get into a little bit of a quandary with people,” Watson said. “[If we say] ‘We can’t’ or ‘It’s only for the team,’ then they’re frustrated … When there’s something that really takes off, like the scripts, then the vendors will scramble to get that implemented as fast as they can.’”

Those retail vendors aren’t just big brands like Adidas, Nike and Champion — whole companies have made a complete business out of vintage sports apparel.

American Soccer League.

But even as bigger companies started their slow shift towards vintage licensing, Streaker saw a niche in the college market it was happy to fill.

“The brand is filling in these gaps where the so-called big brands are focusing on big leagues [and] major college licensing,” Creative Director Pete Lucchesi said. “We saw this need to fill in areas where it was a little more niche, as far as the college space.”

The company’s Heritage Collection is a line of vintage apparel for colleges throughout the Northeast.

The collection began with Boston University, and the success of the Terriers’ vintage collection led other schools, like Northeastern, to approach Streaker Sports themselves.

“When you do a vintage program, all of a sudden you’re introducing these really cool marks that some people have never seen before,” Lucchesi said. “And some alumni remember them for when they were in school or when they were growing up. It reinvigorates a school’s apparel collection to add those vintage pieces.”

Streaker, along with other vintage brands like Homefield Apparel and Charlie Hustle, has seen its retro niche resonate with changing consumer tastes.

“Where we found success, why

To get those pieces from a bygone era, it takes both physical and digital research. EBay, with its thousands of pieces of memorabilia, is one of the first places Lucchesi and his team look for logos to recreate.

Collectors’ forums are another favorite target.

But the best research comes from getting their boots on campus.

“We’ll go into the archive departments and spend a day or two looking through old files, old photographs, and some schools have old jerseys, pennants and banners.”

Lucchesi said. “We’ve found a lot of the best stuff by actually going to the campuses and doing research on campus.”

Their sales prove that Streaker, Homefield and other vintage college apparel companies have found a hit among fans. But not everyone is satisfied.

Some people want the originals.

The only one in town A typical business day for Graysen Day, owner and operator of @thriftstation.htx on Instagram, consists of diving through barrels of clothes at secondhand shops across College Station and the Houston area in search of a clothing item that a college student will love — and pay for.

“I go to the Goodwill bins, and

I’ve got to go through a mountain of clothes to maybe find one good piece a day,” Day said. “They’re not pieces you come across much, and they’re definitely not pieces that you go online and buy multiples of.”

Day focuses his search on the vintage items college students are typically interested in. Currently, that includes vintage NASCAR items, old Harley Davidson gear and a lot of vintage sports apparel — and when looking for what college students enjoy, college apparel is high on the list.

But why buy from Day, either online through his Instagram page or at one of the weekend vintage markets that he is a vendor for, rather than get a brand new piece with the same vintage logo? Day says exclusivity plays a role.

“You’re wearing a piece that you bought from a thrift store and you’re thinking, ‘Hey, I’m the only one in town who has this,’” Day said. “Especially if you buy a single stitch, old, unique piece — a true vintage piece. You’re probably going to be the only one in town with that exact piece, while if you go to C.C. Creations, they’re just busting out hundreds of them.”

Day also says that Bryan-College Station has seen an explosion of new options for vintage clothing, and that helped get more students interested in those pieces.

“You look at A&M two years ago, there’s zero vintage shops,” Day said. “This year alone, we’ve had Thrifted Threads come up, we’ve had Vntg Sply come up, those are two huge stores that have locations in Houston … we’ve started doing markets, and those have been going crazy. A ton of college kids come out to those.”

That hardly means the trend is exclusive to A&M, though.

“I’ve got buddies at Ole Miss that do it, I’ve got buddies at Texas Tech that do it, I’ve got buddies at the University of Arkansas that do it and I’ve got buddies in Pensacola do it, all around,” Day said. “It’s really hot right now. Two years ago, none of my friends were doing it. Now I’ve got buddies at all different colleges and universities in all different states, they’re all doing it. So it’s definitely trending at different colleges too.”

Styles change over time. But with fashion, nostalgia and money all aligning in the vintage space, don’t expect retro college apparel to go away in the near future.

“College sports are more popular than they’ve ever been,” Lucchesi said. “Every year, the college market is growing because you’re bringing in a new crop of students. And that’s not going to stop anytime soon.”

SPORTS

The Battalion | 03.28.24

B2

Photo by CJ Smith — THE BATTALION

Sophomore LHP Ryan Prager (18) pitches during A&M’s game against Mississippi State on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at Olsen Field.

Throwin’ out the Tigers

A&M to play Auburn in next bout of SEC play led by left-handers on mound, at plate

By Eric Liu @_ericliu12 Coming off of a 2-1 series win against No. 21 Mississippi State, No. 4 Texas A&M baseball continues its homestand with a weekend series against Auburn, March 28-30.

Second in the country with a 2.85 ERA, the Aggie pitching staff has remained consistent after letting up an average of three runs in its last four games.

Sophomore LHP Justin Lam-

kin’s recent performance may be a sign of things tightening up.

Lamkin was named SEC Pitcher of the Week after a career-high 12 strikeouts against the Bulldogs.

His 7.1 innings were also a career high, and if he can continue pitching deep into games, the Maroon and White should have a certified ace on their hands.

Lamkin is part of the Aggies’ one-two punch with the other headliner being redshirt sophomore Ryan Prager. Prager is at the top of the A&M leaderboard with 49 strikeouts and a 0.74 WHIP, showcasing his electric stuff and blocking opponents from getting on base. The Maroon and White should continue relying on the southpaw duo combined with stints from an exceptional bullpen.

Junior RF Braden Montgomery has been outstanding in conference play, hitting four home runs in six games to tie sophomore CF Jace LaViolette’s team lead of 12 home runs. Not just an all-or-nothing hitter, Montgomery currently has more walks than strikeouts with 24 and 18, respectively. Also leading the team with a .846 slugging percentage, teams are afraid of Montgomery’s power, with Mississippi State opting to intentionally walk him rather than face him at the plate.

Montgomery hasn’t been at it alone; his slugging partner, freshman 3B Gavin Grahovac, also hit four home runs in six SEC games. Combined with his great glove in the hot corner, Grahovac has been playing beyond his years both on the plate and in the field.

Leading the team from behind the plate, senior C Jackson Appel has been raking with the bat as well. Second on the team with a .373 batting average, Appel has been allergic to strikeouts with a strikeout ratio of 17 to five. Those free bases are a big reason why he currently leads the team with a .543 on-base percentage.

The Tigers have been floundering in conference play, securing a record of 1-5. Junior RHP Chase Allsup is their No. 1 guy when it comes to innings pitched with 28.2, but he’s been lit up to the tune of a 6.59 ERA. Auburn’s other ace, junior RHP Conner McBride, has fared much better with a 2.38 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. Auburn likes to go deep into its bullpen, so prepare for junior RHP Parker Carlson and

junior John Armstrong to filter in and out during the game.

On offense, Auburn is led by the duo of senior LF Mason Maners and redshirt junior 1B Cooper McMurray. Maners is a top-tier contact hitter with a team-leading .364 batting average.

A lightning quick player, Maners has the ability to beat out grounders, and A&M should be prepared to get the ball quickly to first base.

McMurray is the power counterpart, with a team-leading 1.318 OPS and 10 home runs. An all-around offensive threat, McMurray’s .505 OBP is the best in the starting lineup. Offensive output drops off in the back half of the lineup, so if the Aggie pictures get through the top, it should be smooth sailing from there.

ARE YOU A

BLINN COLLEGE TRANSFER? You may already have earned your associate degree!

You may be eligible to earn your associate degree through reverse transfer if you: • Have earned at least 15 credit hours at Blinn • Have earned at least 60 total credit hours • Meet current degree requirements Next steps: 1. Send your official Texas A&M University transcript with TSI information included 2. Email grad@blinn.edu or call 979-743-5280 to check your eligibility 3. Complete the Reverse Transfer Application at www.blinn.edu/graduation/reversetransfer.html

Frames from A&M basketball’s weekend in the NCAA basketball tournament at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.

Photos by Kyle Heise

Top Left: Graduate G Tyrece Radford (23) hugs head coach Buzz Williams’ wife Corey after Texas A&M’s win against Nebraska on Friday, March 22, 2024. Top Right: Graduate F Wildens Leveque sits on the sideline during Texas A&M’s game against Houston on Sunday, March 24, 2024 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Bottom Left: Sophomore F Solomon Washington (13) reacts after a foul call during Texas A&M’s game against Houston on Sunday, March 24, 2024. Bottom Right: Junior G Wade Taylor IV (4) reacts to a foul call during Texas A&M’s game against Houston on Sunday, March 24, 2024.

SENIOR

BOOT BAG Embroidered Logo and Name Included

By Charlotte, Reveille's Seamstress Aggie Mom & Grandma For A &M Sterling Jewelry: stores.ebay.com/charboeg979 For more: etsy.com/shop/aggiesandbows

1711 N Earl Rudder Fwy Bryan, TX 77803 979-778-2293 charboeg@yahoo.com

Above: Head coach Buzz Williams calls a defensive set from the sideline during Texas A&M’s game against Houston on Sunday, March 24, 2024. Left: Sophomore F Solomon Washington reacts during Texas A&M’s game against Houston on Sunday, March 24, 2024.

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