Texas Tech basketball: 5 signs you are not over National Title Game loss

You haven’t worn or even bought any Final Four merchandise

When Texas Tech beat Gonzaga to reach the Final Four, retailers in Lubbock experienced an unexpected Black Friday in the spring quarter.  Naturally, I ordered a Final Four shirt online and had it shipped to my house.

When I got back from Minneapolis the day after the title game, my shirt was sitting on my kitchen table, my wife sheepishly pointing out that it had arrived.  To this day, it remains still in its plastic wrapping yet to be worn or even opened.

The reason I haven’t worn my Final Four shirt is because from the time Tech beat Michigan State to the final couple minutes of overtime against UVA, I was almost certain I would be buying National Championship shirts galore.  Thus, trying to find joy in walking around in a Final Four shirt feels a bit hollow.

If you have Final Four gear that you wear only out of a sense of obligation (you paid the money, you might as well use what you bought) or, like me, you just can’t bring yourself to wear Texas Tech Final Four merchandise, you certainly are not over this loss.

Every time a team reaches the title game of a sport, clothing manufacturers print championship clothing for both teams so that the winning fan base can buy their commemorative gear the instant the confetti falls.  But have you ever wondered what happens to the merchandise printed for the team that loses?  It is actually donated to organizations that serve needy populations around the world.

Somewhere on this planet, there is an orphanage or third-world village that received a huge donation of Texas Tech national title shirts and hats.  I wonder if they would like a donation of one more Final Four shirt.  At least then, it would get some use.