Sports at Texas A&M are known for being rowdy and energized. Part of the rowdiness and energy is due to the chants that fans fire off during a sporting event, rallying the stands and players to heighten the mood and vigor of the game. Below are 5 of the best sport chants heard during sporting events at Texas A&M University that you should know! Starting off the article with 5th place:
5. “Ball five” Baseball Chant
When an opposing pitcher throws a four-pitch walk against the Aggies, the fans begin predicting what the pitcher will throw next, which is “ball five.”
While this chant is fun at first and has been proven to be successful at getting into the pitcher’s head, when it goes on to ball “six”, “seven”, “eight”, and “nine”, it starts to get old.
4. “Sit Down Bus Driver” Basketball Yell
When the opposing coach has a play reviewed or argues with the referee, the yell leaders lead the fans in this yell. This yell originated in the 1950’s at basketball games, but has since been incorporated into other aggie sports. This yell makes me laugh because it is kind of like the entire stadium saying “excuse me, this is our court.”
3. “The Rifleman” Baseball Chant
When an Aggie pitcher strikes out a batter, a clip from the opening of the old TV show “The Rifleman,” with fans singing “It makes you feel so good!” is shown. This tradition has been going on since the early 1980s. I cannot help but smile when an opposing batter is struck and everyone yells “it makes you feel so good.”
2. “Fightin’ Texas Aggie First Down” Football Chant
When the Aggies make a first down, the crowd chants with the announcer “another Fightin’ Texas Aggie first down!” As self-explanatory and simple as this yell is, it increases the overall excitement in the stands, and hearing those words is one of my favorite parts of the football game.
1. “Horse Laugh” Football Yell
As an alternative to booing, especially the officials at a sporting event, Aggies have traditionally yelled, “Riffety, Riffety, Riff-Raff! Chiffity, Chiffity, Chiff-Chaff! Riff-Raff! Chiff-Chaff! Let’s give ’em the horse laugh!” followed by hissing from the crowd. It has evolved into aggies hissing at any and every bad call the referees make without the yell leaders’ lead. The horse laugh has to be my favorite because it is such a unique and funny way to say “we do not approve,” and is such a staple part of Aggie sports experience.