The Saturday Column With No Name: Is Texas Tech “Buying” Football Players…Nope, But They Are Getting Their Attention, Let’s Kill Off Spring Football And Will Someone Please Turn The Goin’ Band From Raiderland Loose This Fall!

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The Saturday Column With No Name

1. For decades Texas Tech coaches, in all sports, told me that the hardest thing to do was get a recruit to come out to Lubbock. The myths about the city and the campus and everything else y’all know permeated the college recruiting landscape. Tech has been negatively recruited for years and it worked for other schools. The same coaches told me that once they got a player to actually come to Lubbock, to see the city and the campus; to experience a game day atmosphere ….they had a great shot to sign that recruit. Fast forward to today. The era of N.I.L. and paying players straight up out of the school coffers. What are we seeing? The money may get a LaDamian Guyton’s attention, but it’s the school and the city that closes the deal. Make no mistake. The money helps. But these top players are going to get paid no matter where they go. Now though, the money gets them on the plane to Lubbock. Lubbock and Texas Tech sells itself after that. So the SEC and Big 10 powers can cry all the want that Texas Tech is “buying” players. Fine. They did it for years with their money spent of facilities and the favoritism of the media. Now that things are on an even playing field… Recruits are seeing that from Lubbock and Texas Tech, It’s Possible….
2. I heard there’s a proposal out there to eliminate Spring Football in the college ranks. Great idea. These players train year round now. No need for that. Do O.T.A.s and other mini-camps thought the year, blend in the portal players and newcomers and call it good. There’s a reason the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles don’t play a “Spring Game”. Move forward and eliminate Spring Football as we know it.
3. It’s August. Is it OK to gently and politely ask Texas Tech officials to allow the Goin’ Band From Raiderland to play more during the games? Heck, there’s a stoppage of play every few minutes anyhow. It’s not like there isn’t time to get in all the marketing and promotional messages over and over like a Minor League Baseball game on Steroids. In fact… if a business were really smart, they’d call up Learfield and Texas Tech marketing and say they want to sponsor the band. No other events during the time-out. No mention over the P.A. Just throw their logo and name on the video boards saying this time-out and the Goin’ Band are brought to you by…. and then let the band play, the pom squad dance and the cheerleaders cheer. It can be done. I dream of a day when there’s no canned music at a Texas Tech Football game.. And I know it will never happen….

Thanks for taking a few minutes to read our Saturday thinking. Feel free to add your own comments and then share with your friends who need more Raiderland in their life. See y’all Sunday with our 5 Things We Know Column.

Hyatt