Texas DB Caden Sterns: Some alumni ‘threatened’ players through the ‘eyes of Texas’ | Bleachers report

Former Texas security guard Caden Sterns reported the hostility he and some of his teammates received after signaling their desire not to participate in the post-game presentation of “The Eyes of Texas. ”

Sterns said that some of the school’s former students indicated that he and his classmates “would have to find jobs outside of Texas if we didn’t participate”:

THE Texas Tribunein Kate McGee obtained e-mails from alumni and donors who told the University of Texas that they would stop giving money to the school if the “The Eyes” tradition was not maintained.

“It’s time for you to put your foot down and make it perfectly clear that the Texas heritage will not be lost, “wrote an unidentified donor.”It’s sad that it offends blacks. As I said before, black people are free and it is time for them to go to another state where everything is in their favor. “

Larry Wilkinson, trained in Texas in 1970, cited a statistic that says 6% of the student population on the university campus in Austin is black.

“The tail cannot be allowed to wag the dog … and the dog must instead defend what is right,” said Wilkinson. “Nothing compels these students to attend UT Austin. Encourage them to select an alternative school … NOW!”

Last June, a group of Longhorns athletes issued a series of requests, one of which focused on replacing “The Eyes of Texas” as the school’s song.

Texas Monthlyin Joe Levin provided the story of the music’s origin, explaining how its title came from a phrase that former university president William Prather would use. Prather heard Robert E. Lee tell students at Washington College, Virginia, how “the eyes of the South are upon you” and modified the phrase for the University of Texas.

Two students wrote a song based on Prather’s frequently used phrase, and what became “The Eyes of Texas” debuted at a minstrel show in May 1903.

Because of these backgrounds, members of the Texas football team chose not to stay on the field for “The Eyes of Texas” earlier in the season, but resistance found athletic director Chris Del Conte.

Head coach Tom Herman threw your support behind the players, that The Athletic’s Max Olson reported “it was undeniably an inflection point “that ended up leading to Herman’s resignation.

Steve Sarkisian officially successful Herman in January and made it clear that he would be different from Herman in the treatment of music.

“That I know, ‘The Eyes of Texas’ is the song from our school, “Sarkisian told reporters January 12th. “Let’s sing this song, let’s sing it with pride. … This is our song and we are excited to sing it. “