Top 5 Reasons Why It’s Time to Jump Off the Texas Tech Red Raider Bandwagon
So, here we are...back in an old familiar place. That's right, Jones AT&T Stadium. The home of the rabid fan base of YOUR Texas Tech Red Raiders.
With this weekend's incredible come-from-ahead loss to Kansas State, we've got all sorts of questions about Texas Tech football:
Will we even make it to 6-6?
Will Matt Wells Get Fired? (Yes)
What conditioner does QB Henry Colombi use?
And, most importantly...WHY DO WE KEEP SUCKING SO BAD????
It seems more and more like Red Raider football is what we do to keep some level of interest in Texas Tech sports in the downtime before basketball season. It's something to make us feel less dead inside, until Texas Tech men's basketball head coach Mark Adams lifts our spirits and gives us a reason to wake up in the morning. In other words, it's just Saturday filler.
Red Raider football fills us with blissful hope, and then lets us down like getting a toothbrush on Halloween. Which begs the question that could be considered blasphemy here on the South Plains: "Is it time to stop caring about Texas Tech Football?"
Yes. Yes, it is.
If Texas Tech doesn't care enough about the fans to put a quality product on the field, then why do we care so much about Red Raider Football? Trust me, it's not just the team we're talking about. There are plenty of other factors at play here.
Just indulge us for a moment as we discuss why it's time to jump off the Red Raider bandwagon.
- 1
Lack of a Winning Tradition
Let's just come right out an say it. We suck.
Texas Tech has not has a winning season since 2015, and haven't been over .500 in our conference since 2009. And, it's not getting any better anytime soon.
And, celebrating the fact that a couple of good teams are leaving our conference is not how we re-establish a winning tradition. We don't get better because everyone sucks more than we do.
- 2
Stability at the Top
Our current coach, Matt Wells, has a Texas Tech record of 13-17, and will at best be 14-20 at the end of the year. Even the celebrated Kilff Kingsbury, who had Patrick Freaking Mahomes as his quarterback, only won 46% of the time. Even though Kliff is 7-0 right now as the coach of the Arizona Cardinals, we've not made great hires since Mike Leach was replaced by Senator Tommy Teuberville. That starts with the Athletic Director and School President. Choose better.
- 3
The Fans
Yep, we are loyal to the Red and Black, and we've got our #gunsup. We fly our flags every Saturday, and then take them down just as quickly after a loss. We are really gluttons for punishment. However, some fans take advantage of the fact that they aren't at home, and use the gameday experience to act like jackasses. The student section is for kids to get sideways, but when I hear 50-year-old men yelling how much we suck (using some colorful 4-letter colloquialisms) around young, impressionable ears, then you need to dial it back, Jethro.
- 4
Other Texas Tech Sports
Sure, major college football is where the money is, but after a while...pride trumps the pocketbook. And, having very string programs in other sports, such as Men's Basketball, and Baseball make the football program look positively amateurish. Of course, there is something to be said for the "basketball school" argument, like the excuse in North Carolina, etc. However, this is Texas, and football is king. As good as Mark Adams is expected to be this year, it's still a football world in Texas, and if we can't get the football program on track, we may as well be in New Mexico.
- 5
Jones AT&T Stadium
Say what you want about the 74-year-old home of Red Raider Football, the stadium itself is uncomfortable. Especially during afternoon games on the east side of the stadium, where most of the bleachers are. It's hot, and is blinding. And that's another thing: Bleachers. Yank 'em out and put in actual SEATS. The last couple of times that I sat on those bleachers, my chiropractor was able to make his boat payments. It's cheap as hell, and make it look like a big ass high school field. Which, considering the quality of play lately, might not be that far off base. I don't necessarily think we need a stadium on campus, either. Parking sucks, and traffic on game days is ridiculous. Build a new stadium north of campus, along Texas Tech Parkway, and provide plenty of on and off ramps from the Loop and Marsha Sharp.