20 Signs You’re A Texas Tech Red Raider: Part 1
Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
1. You are far more worried about the possibility of losing to a bad team than losing to a good one.
My first year as a student saw this almost annual Texas Tech scenario unfold. On September 18, 1999, Texas Tech managed somehow to lose a home game to the University of North Texas Eagles 21-14. The night was marked by porous attendance, a lethargic student body and an absolutely offensive offense that prompted the students to begin chanting “Score Defense. Score!”
Ironically, the loss was sealed when UNT returned an interception for a score. The rest of the week was spent dreading the upcoming home game against the top-5 ranked Texas A&M Aggies.
I went to get my hair cut and the old barber began to laugh when I told him of my fears of Aggy annihilation. “You’ll learn son. Every year, Tech loses one to a sorry team and beats a team they have no business beating.” he said.
How prophetic the old barber was when the next Saturday rolled around. Tech beat their hated in-state foes 21-19 sparking the rushing of the field and the toppling of the south end zone goalpost.
During my 16 seasons as a Tech fanatic, the team has, in the same season, lost a homecoming game to Kansas only to beat No. 17 A&M (2001); lost to the New Mexico Lobos, but beat Nebraska and No. 4 California–which featured Aaron Rogers at quarterback (2004); lost to Iowa State, but beat No. 14 Missouri (2010); lost at home to Iowa State after beating No. 3 Oklahoma in Norman (2011); and beat No. 14 Arizona State in the Holiday bowl after losing five consecutive games to end the season.
This trend has given Texas Tech fans a nervous twitch. And if, when you see the schedule for each season, you start to worry about losing to UTEP or SMU or Sam Houston State, but salivate as you debate with other Red Raiders how Tech will ruin the season of your Longhorn, Sooner, Bears, or Horned Frog friends, you are most definitely a paranoid schizophrenic Red Raider football fan.