Over the past week, we’ve asked Texas Monthly readers to make difficult choice after difficult choice in determining the winner of the Ultimate Texas Celebrity Bracket. You’ve had to weigh Beyoncé versus George Strait, Tommy Lee Jones against Matthew McConaughey, Simone Biles versus Tim Duncan, and Bun B against Chip and Joanna Gaines. These figures have helped define the Texas identity, both to ourselves and to the rest of the world, over the course of many years.
When it comes to longevity, few icons can come close to the legacy our two finalists have carved for themselves: Willie Nelson’s debut album, . . . And Then I Wrote, was released in 1962. Four years later, Nolan Ryan made his debut for the New York Mets. Both men have had an enduring impact on the state and on their respective areas of focus. Willie, most recently, could be heard on two tracks on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, while Nolan Ryan spent the years of 2014 to 2019 in the front office of the Houston Astros, helping shape the team’s path to its current heights (and getting out before the cheating scandal tarnished his legacy).
Now you’ll be asked to weigh in on the final question the bracket presents: Which of the two deserves the crown in the Ultimate Texas Celebrity Bracket? From now until 4:30 p.m. (Texas time), you’ll have the opportunity to make your voice heard. You can cast your vote below, or on Instagram or X (the platform formerly known as Twitter)—or, if you’re particularly impassioned about one of these Texas icons, on all three. And then come back tomorrow to learn which of these national treasures will walk away the champion.
Featured image credits: Nelson: Paul Natkin/WireImage; Ryan: Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty
Bracket image credits: Biles: Tom Weller/picture alliance via Getty; Beyoncé: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP; Longoria: Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty; Nelson: CBS Photo Archive/Getty; Cuban: Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty
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