Thoughts on Texas Tech
I think it is well known that Tech is the step-child of Texas and A&M, and that they also have some of the most annoying fans in college football. As a student of college football, one of my favorite subjects is the traditions of different schools. My biggest problem with Tech is that they seem to have taken most of their traditions from other universities.
-When I went to the Texas/Tech game in 2002, the student section was waving white towels. I understand that towels are becoming a popular trend in sports, but being from Texas everyone knows that A&M has the market on towels.
-They have a bell that they ring after touchdowns. That's not so bad, but Lake Highlands and many other High Schools do the same thing. Also they named the bell "bangin' Bertha." Why would you use the name Bertha when Texas' big drum is named Big Bertha.
-The Tech band plays a Texas Longhorn favorite "March Grandioso," where they spell out "Raiders" instead of "Texas." From my experience the Tech fans don't really get into this song like Texas fans do, so why continue to copy a Longhorn tradition.
-The guys with the bells are OU Ruf/Neck wannabe's.
-An original Tech tradition was discontinued because the students couldn't stop themselves from causing problems. After kickoffs the students would throw tortillas into the air, but it was outlawed because of the problem with tortillas always ending up on the field.
Aaron had a great post earlier in the year dealing with other issues about Tech. It's kinda of long, but well worth the read.
The West Texas Affinity for Texas Tech......I will start off by apologizing in advance to those individuals who I know will be offended by this blog. Not because it will be vulgar or extreme, or insensitive or hateful, but because it will challenge the your theology, especially, if you are from West Texas. I have noticed that people in West Texas seem to have an unexplained love for Texas Tech and it is something I can not understand.As with most things, whenever you become involved intimately involved, it grossly distorts your perspective and your ability to step back and truly give an unbiased assessment. This is definitely prevalent in the way people in West Texas view Texas Tech and the prestige it holds. I have experienced this first hand as my father is one of the unfortunate souls who has been infected with this mental disorder and for whatever reason, he like so many others, has fallen in love with Texas Tech University and has fallen victim to the oversell of everything they have to offer, be it in academics or athletics. (As a disclaimer I am not saying that I am exempt from this overestimation of schools/athletics, I just speaking about it as it relates to Tech since I think it is extreme.)I will start first with the arena of athletics. While fans of other schools, such as my beloved University of Texas i.e. NATIONAL CHAMPS in baseball and football currently, tend to be overly negative and have high expectations, Texas Tech seems to be on the other end of the spectrum. In 2004 I was in Austin for the OSU vs. UT football game and experienced the UT fan wavering first hand. As most of you know, we were getting handled in the first half and we were down 28-7 at one point, 28-14 at the half. The fantastic fans behind me were talking about how horrible we were, how they were going to leave at half-time, how Gregg Davis was the worst offensive coordinator of all time, and how they would be ok if Mack got fired if it meant the dismissal of Davis. They even went so far as to predict the demise of the remaining schedule by saying we would lose to OSU, follow that with a loss to A&M, and then go to the Holiday Bowl and get throttled by a Pac-10 school. Well good thing the fans were not actually football geniuses or fortune tellers after all, as the team was able to come out and complete the biggest comeback in school history. Suddenly these same fans were talking about how we would handle A&M and then could go to the Fiesta Bowl and dominate Utah. The discussion of the ignorance and high expectations of some UT fans is another rant, but I say this to illustrate the fact that Tech fans would never go through this emotional swing. Tech fans are incredibly optimistic, in fact optimistic to a fault, overselling and overestimating skill.A sports radio station in the DFW area, http://www.theticket.com/ (check them out), regularly gets the brunt of this Tech fan passion and overestimation. They say that of course anytime they say something about a team likely losing a game or struggling with a particular opponent they receive emails from inflamed fans who tell them they are idiots and their team is in fact the greatest thing going. However, they also regularly explain that the volume of these emails goes through the roof when Tech is discussed and they tend to be much more heated and extreme than fans from any other school. The University and athletic department at Tech obviously deserve the highest honors for this because they are somehow able to infect their alum and fans with the belief that they will in fact be great every single year, but their fans don't get mad when they fall short of those expectations.Texas Tech has the large scale version of the short man's syndrome. They feel like they have to act tough, be loud and intimidating, and prove themselves to anyone that would doubt them. Quite simply, Tech is the runt of the Big 12 and Texas state schools. Tech will most likely not ever win a Big 12 championship in football thanks to the likes of UT, A&M and OU because they unfortunately can't compete with these schools and their ability to land top notch recruits. But, I can say with all certainty that Tech will absolutely NEVER win a Big 12 championship while Mike Leech and his tricked up offense are in place. Every time they play a team with a real defense they are slowed considerably and their defense can't stop anyone. Contrary to all this, you will rarely meet a Tech fan that will tell you anything other than, this is their year and last year they were just a few missed plays and bad calls away from winning the conference (many of them still point to their victory over the disappointed and pouting team of Cal, a member of the defenseless Pac-2 conference, last year in the Holiday Bowl.)Unfortunately, this attitude has also managed to permeate how people in West Texas view Tech as an academic institution. My problem is with the belief that Tech has a great law school. I am currently going through the process of applying for law school, and every time I mention law school to someone from West Texas, they ask me why I have not applied to Tech. In fact, my father and I engaged in a rather heated argument one Christmas break about how good Tech really was academically. He told me that they had a great law school and that my dislike for them, and desire not apply there was based solely on athletic endeavors and a lack of maturity. This falls in line with the comment I always get, "Why don't you apply to Tech? They have a really good law school, don't they?" Well the answer is not so much. In fact Tech's law school is not even ranked in the top 100 nationally. I's not saying Tech is awful but this means they are a tier 3 law school, essentially average at best, and most importantly it also means I am tired of hearing about how great they supposedly are.Awareness is the first step on the road to correction. Tech should obviously be praised for their marketing ability and their fans should be proud of their positive attitude and optimism, but all that being said, let's be realistic and help prevent the oversell of Texas Tech University.
I think it is well known that Tech is the step-child of Texas and A&M, and that they also have some of the most annoying fans in college football. As a student of college football, one of my favorite subjects is the traditions of different schools. My biggest problem with Tech is that they seem to have taken most of their traditions from other universities.
-When I went to the Texas/Tech game in 2002, the student section was waving white towels. I understand that towels are becoming a popular trend in sports, but being from Texas everyone knows that A&M has the market on towels.
-They have a bell that they ring after touchdowns. That's not so bad, but Lake Highlands and many other High Schools do the same thing. Also they named the bell "bangin' Bertha." Why would you use the name Bertha when Texas' big drum is named Big Bertha.
-The Tech band plays a Texas Longhorn favorite "March Grandioso," where they spell out "Raiders" instead of "Texas." From my experience the Tech fans don't really get into this song like Texas fans do, so why continue to copy a Longhorn tradition.
-The guys with the bells are OU Ruf/Neck wannabe's.
-An original Tech tradition was discontinued because the students couldn't stop themselves from causing problems. After kickoffs the students would throw tortillas into the air, but it was outlawed because of the problem with tortillas always ending up on the field.
Aaron had a great post earlier in the year dealing with other issues about Tech. It's kinda of long, but well worth the read.
The West Texas Affinity for Texas Tech......I will start off by apologizing in advance to those individuals who I know will be offended by this blog. Not because it will be vulgar or extreme, or insensitive or hateful, but because it will challenge the your theology, especially, if you are from West Texas. I have noticed that people in West Texas seem to have an unexplained love for Texas Tech and it is something I can not understand.As with most things, whenever you become involved intimately involved, it grossly distorts your perspective and your ability to step back and truly give an unbiased assessment. This is definitely prevalent in the way people in West Texas view Texas Tech and the prestige it holds. I have experienced this first hand as my father is one of the unfortunate souls who has been infected with this mental disorder and for whatever reason, he like so many others, has fallen in love with Texas Tech University and has fallen victim to the oversell of everything they have to offer, be it in academics or athletics. (As a disclaimer I am not saying that I am exempt from this overestimation of schools/athletics, I just speaking about it as it relates to Tech since I think it is extreme.)I will start first with the arena of athletics. While fans of other schools, such as my beloved University of Texas i.e. NATIONAL CHAMPS in baseball and football currently, tend to be overly negative and have high expectations, Texas Tech seems to be on the other end of the spectrum. In 2004 I was in Austin for the OSU vs. UT football game and experienced the UT fan wavering first hand. As most of you know, we were getting handled in the first half and we were down 28-7 at one point, 28-14 at the half. The fantastic fans behind me were talking about how horrible we were, how they were going to leave at half-time, how Gregg Davis was the worst offensive coordinator of all time, and how they would be ok if Mack got fired if it meant the dismissal of Davis. They even went so far as to predict the demise of the remaining schedule by saying we would lose to OSU, follow that with a loss to A&M, and then go to the Holiday Bowl and get throttled by a Pac-10 school. Well good thing the fans were not actually football geniuses or fortune tellers after all, as the team was able to come out and complete the biggest comeback in school history. Suddenly these same fans were talking about how we would handle A&M and then could go to the Fiesta Bowl and dominate Utah. The discussion of the ignorance and high expectations of some UT fans is another rant, but I say this to illustrate the fact that Tech fans would never go through this emotional swing. Tech fans are incredibly optimistic, in fact optimistic to a fault, overselling and overestimating skill.A sports radio station in the DFW area, http://www.theticket.com/ (check them out), regularly gets the brunt of this Tech fan passion and overestimation. They say that of course anytime they say something about a team likely losing a game or struggling with a particular opponent they receive emails from inflamed fans who tell them they are idiots and their team is in fact the greatest thing going. However, they also regularly explain that the volume of these emails goes through the roof when Tech is discussed and they tend to be much more heated and extreme than fans from any other school. The University and athletic department at Tech obviously deserve the highest honors for this because they are somehow able to infect their alum and fans with the belief that they will in fact be great every single year, but their fans don't get mad when they fall short of those expectations.Texas Tech has the large scale version of the short man's syndrome. They feel like they have to act tough, be loud and intimidating, and prove themselves to anyone that would doubt them. Quite simply, Tech is the runt of the Big 12 and Texas state schools. Tech will most likely not ever win a Big 12 championship in football thanks to the likes of UT, A&M and OU because they unfortunately can't compete with these schools and their ability to land top notch recruits. But, I can say with all certainty that Tech will absolutely NEVER win a Big 12 championship while Mike Leech and his tricked up offense are in place. Every time they play a team with a real defense they are slowed considerably and their defense can't stop anyone. Contrary to all this, you will rarely meet a Tech fan that will tell you anything other than, this is their year and last year they were just a few missed plays and bad calls away from winning the conference (many of them still point to their victory over the disappointed and pouting team of Cal, a member of the defenseless Pac-2 conference, last year in the Holiday Bowl.)Unfortunately, this attitude has also managed to permeate how people in West Texas view Tech as an academic institution. My problem is with the belief that Tech has a great law school. I am currently going through the process of applying for law school, and every time I mention law school to someone from West Texas, they ask me why I have not applied to Tech. In fact, my father and I engaged in a rather heated argument one Christmas break about how good Tech really was academically. He told me that they had a great law school and that my dislike for them, and desire not apply there was based solely on athletic endeavors and a lack of maturity. This falls in line with the comment I always get, "Why don't you apply to Tech? They have a really good law school, don't they?" Well the answer is not so much. In fact Tech's law school is not even ranked in the top 100 nationally. I's not saying Tech is awful but this means they are a tier 3 law school, essentially average at best, and most importantly it also means I am tired of hearing about how great they supposedly are.Awareness is the first step on the road to correction. Tech should obviously be praised for their marketing ability and their fans should be proud of their positive attitude and optimism, but all that being said, let's be realistic and help prevent the oversell of Texas Tech University.
posted by Matt at 8:53 PM
17 Comments:
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Thanks for the expertise Scottie but when the blog Matt is referring to was written, the facts were accurate.
Scottie,
Thanks for reading,I should have done a better job of pointing out that the post I was referring to was writting a while back. I should also say that I've soften my stance on Tech fans since they have developed into a consistant top team in the Big 12. I think they have taken the chip off their shoulder over the past few years. I think A&M fans have more problems with Tech fans, then we do. Good luck, hope its a great game.
was written a while back. not "was writting a while back". See what happens when my wife isn't here to read my posts.
Jabronie,
You better come with some better arguments and a better name than Scottie 2 Hottie if you want to be taken seriously. Its students like you and a defense that blows a 3 td lead that makes Tech so stinking annoying. Tech will ALWAYS be the stepsister of the Big XII. Matt is just being nice to you b/c it's his blog.
Good point. My bad it was Cal not Oregon, however the message is the same.
AEch
I'm gonna have to back Scottie on this one... Since when does having good fans instead of fair weather fans a bad thing. I can see how frustrating it must be to go up against a team that has consistant pride and team spirit, but why bash it. Ever heard of the terrible towl? Who wrote the March Grandioso, and who was it written for? The bell, who came first, the high schools or Tech? Which came first, the drum or the bell? I saw Tech spell out the word TECH on the field once. Since I saw it there first does that mean that the picture of UT spelling out TEXAS on the field must have been a rip off??? do some research then get back to me....
JCS
A little research...
"Needing a way to excite the fans during a 1975 playoff football game against the Baltimore Colts, Cope urged fans to take yellow dish towels to the game and wave them throughout. Some Steelers players were unenthused (notably linebacker Andy Russell who told Cope they weren't "a gimmick team"). Nevertheless, the stands were filled with yellow towels that day, and the Steelers always seemed to complete terrific plays when the towels were waving. The Steelers won that game 28-10, and Russell himself scored a defensive touchdown.
The Steelers introduced gold towels with the words "Myron Cope's Terrible Towel" in black on them just in time for Super Bowl X. The Steelers went on to win, "thanks to the Towels," many claimed, against the Dallas Cowboys."
JCS
PS: Looks like we're all thieves...
More History:
The name Big Bertha comes from a Howitzer gun created in 1914 by the Germans in 1914. It was named for Gustav Krupp's wife, weighed 43 tons and could fire a 2200 lb. shell over 9 miles. Since then the name Bertha has been synonymous with "large".
The Texas Tech Victory Bells which combine to weigh 1,200 pounds - hang in the east tower of the Administration Building and play for 30 minutes after each men's and women's victory. The TTU Class of 1936 gifted the Victory Bells to Tech and in 1959 Saddle Tramp Joe Winegar designed a smaller version - Banging Bertha which was then donated by the Sante Fe Railroad and travels to all home football games and homecoming events. Seems pretty original...
As for stealing... Big Bertha the 8ft bass drum was actually created before the victory bells of Tech... It was first used on October 23, 1922. Funny thing is that it was actually used that day by the University of Chicago in a game against Princeton. It wasn't until 1955 when Colonel D. Harold Byrd, a long-time benefactor of the Longhorn Band, purchased Bertha from the University of Chicago and gave her to UT that she began her new career.
As far as March Grandioso, the song was written in 1909 by Roland Seitz as a part of a larger Hungarian Rhapsody. The song was introduced at UT in 1955 by the new director Vincent R. DiNino. Tech did not begin playing the song until 1959 when they got a new director whose name was Dean Killion. Killion did not however steal this song from UT as he began playing it with the Sydney High School Band in the early 1950's and then at Fresno State in 1958 before he was hired by Tech in 1959... more to come
JCS
if other schools are so "original" unlike Tech, how do you explain UT and the use of "Eyes of Texas are upon us"????
yea, this blog pretty much sucks and is full of inaccurate or misleading information.
if u dont like a certain school, just say it, but dont try and back it up with so-called facts that anyone can research and find that indeed they arent accurate. otherwise, someone else might come across this and mistake it for being accurate and newsworthy.
DDB
Final Thoughts:
Lake Highland HS didn't open until 1964 after Tech got Bangin' Bertha, and their bell is smaller. Funny, but to put that into perspective, they also have smaller versions of the 8 ft bass drum...
The OU Ruf/Neks were formed in 1915 and began carrying their paddles in the 1920s. Some said the paddles were to intimidate fans into cheering just a little louder.
Tech's Saddle Tramps were formed by Tech student Arch Lamb in 1936. In contrast their bells were never needed to intimidate lousy fans, cause we have school pride and we check our information before we post eronious facts like the ones in your blog! It must be embarassing to be shown up by someone who was educated at such an inferior institution of higher education....
JCS
For more on UT ripoffs go to:
http://lhb.music.utexas.edu/history/songs_index.html
lots of info about where they stole their ideas from...
Wow,
Guys, thinks for the great research. I knew a lot of that information, but did learn a few other interesting things. Anyway, this blog probably does suck, but the purpose behind the blog is to talk football with some of my friends from college that I don't get to talk to that often. It should not be taken as my attempt to be a journalist. I really don't have time to research everything and make sure I have all of the facts straight. Being a public site, anyone can come along are read my random thoughts, and thats great. I really appreciate yall's comments and are welcome to continue to comment and read. But please just take this blog for what it is, I'm not trying to get linked on Burnt Orange Nation or any other web site, just trying to have fun talking college football.
AN EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE:
To be honest, thanks for the blog. I learned a lot more about my school as a result and its some pretty interesting poop...
My point wasn't just that we don't rip off other schools. Instead I'll agree with my friend (who for some reason picked the name "scottie 2 hottie") that we bleed Red and Black. If we win or lose they still get an "ata boy".
We get no respect. Even if we knock off a top ranked (#4) Cal team in their house, the press just says that Cal was over ranked and had a bad game. If we put up 21 points on UT its because UT couldn't find its rhythm. If we lose to TCU the press quickly forgets they had the longest winning streak in the nation and it's no surprise because we are "just" Texas Tech...
Congrats on winning the game this past weekend. It was a great one and I still love my team - Goooooooo Tech!!!
Keep up the blogging,
JCS
A little more research...
The term ‘homosexuality’ was coined in the late 19th century by a German psychologist, Karoly Maria Benkert. Although the term is new, discussions about sexuality in general, and same-sex attraction in particular, have occasioned philosophical discussion ranging from Plato's Symposium to contemporary queer theory.
They were doing it first in Greece. This is just one more thing stolen by the black and red nation in west texas. Just ask Socttie 2 Hottie.
Please, stop whining about not getting respect. Thats what started this whole thing in the first place. Learn how to play defense and run the ball. Blame your coach after a terrible collapse instead of blaming the world. Oh, and you put up 21 points on Texas because their pass defense is ranked 112th in nation. 21 points is not a win. The Pac-10 is ALWAYS overrated. TCU can't even win in the Mountain West this year. Respect is given where its due. You'll always be "a good win" to everyone else. Thanks for your time ladies and gentlemen.
Love,
Merkin
Oh my goodness! Didn't know my husband's blog was so popular....or infamous, whichever fits best. To all those who just read, laughed, and enjoyed, thanks. To those who read and reacted like Matt was harrassing you personally, sorry. That's not what he was doing, and to be honest, some of these posts really ticked me off. I mean, they were really REALLY rude. Good job to Matt for responding in a kind way. But it's true that just as Matt has his opinion, the readers are intitled to their own. Nice to see so many people interested. That's all. Just wanted to get my two cents in. :)
I have some personal stake in this argument. I recently got a degree from the University of Oklahoma, whom I detested. Since I married into Sooner Nation, I've had to calm it down a little, but there's more of a healthy respect than pure hatred. I'm sorry Adrian Peterson got hurt, but I'm glad he did two things against Texas ("Jack" is one of them).
If you want to see what's great about Texas Tech and the bell tradition, look at this video from YouTube...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I-4XS3XtZQ
I watch it once a week.
Sincerely,
Okee 2 Dokee
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