Chadd Bragg

[Dan Wetzel @DanWetzel]

Everyone wants Texas Tech to “do the right thing.”

This is college sports, when has that ever been a thing?

Focus on ending judicial interference rather than bash the Red Raiders for doing what almost everyone else would do (or has done).

Column for @espn

https://t.co/98HKh2Yd36

[Jody S. Laughter∴ @Lubbockist]

SEC fans are fundamentally misunderstanding that their own court challenges opened the door for this. I get that you have decided this one rule is the Rubicon, and it was fine to use the courts to get around every other eligibility rule. But the SEC has pushed us right up to this line, and a Texas Tech player has now pushed us past it. There is no line, there hasn't been for some time, and today the country is coming to that realization.

But Tech fans will also agree with you that there should be a line. There should be a rule making body with authority. That doesn't exist today, and the powers that be need to do what needs to be done to recreate that authority in a meaningful and lasting way.

College sports is broken, but not irreparably so. We didn't break it either, we just exposed it for what it is.

And sure, it benefits us. There's a homer aspect. But if it wasn't Tech, it would be someone else in a month or a year.

So either cry about us as if we're the problem, or get to work fixing the rot within the entire system.

[Stewart Mandel @slmandel]

The latest in Tortilla Gate.

Big 12 has fined Texas Tech $25K for "repeated instances of objects being thrown onto the playing surface."

Kansas has been fined $25K for Lance Leipold's "disparaging comments" and "inaccurate statement regarding a pocketknife."

College football.

[Gamblin' Gauchos 🎙️ @GamblinGauchos]

Seeing Kansas fans ask variations of this question over the past several days. “Why would he lie about it?” or “what does he have to gain from saying this?” or “why do Tech fans immediately assume he’s lying?”

Since as long as any of us can remember, opposing teams fan bases have come up with these legendary tales of objects thrown on the field or terrible encounters with fans. Grandmas hit with beer bottles, students launching bazookas, etc. The overwhelming majority of the time, there is zero evidence. And on other occasions, there is actually evidence to the contrary that proves an outright lie.

A few examples: OU claiming batteries and coins were thrown at their sideline in 2007. They said it was so bad they couldn’t take their helmets off on the sideline all game. The entire game was broadcast on TV and you can clearly see everyone on the sideline not wearing helmets throughout. They lied because they were embarrassed by the loss.

An OU reporter in 2022 claimed a battery thrown from the stands whizzed by his head. Everyone asked him for a picture of the battery. He wouldn’t take one and post it. A fan even offered to provide access to the stadium surveillance cameras if he would say what area/section the battery was thrown from so he could help identify the perpetrator or at least verify the claim. The OU reporter refused to take him up on it.

A third time with OU fans on Twitter, we asked that the fan claiming a battery had been thrown at him to provide a photo. This time, he did share a photo! It was reverse image searched back to a battery that was posted on a model trains forum. He was lying.

A&M fans have punched each other out in the stands after a loss to Tech then tried to claim they were attacked by Tech fans. It’s all documented and reported.

A&M’s former president or AD (can’t remember which) said their team bus was spray painted and covered in feces. Verifiably false, proven wrong, no correction or apology was ever issued.

Gary Patterson claimed frozen water bottles were thrown at him during a game where it was 90+ degrees outside at a time when fans weren’t even allowed to bring water bottles into the games. So the claim is basically that the concession stand was selling ice bottles to people when it was 90+ outside.

Why would Leipold lie or exaggerate a claim about our fans? It’s simple.

He’s embarrassed he lost, the tortillas annoyed him, and he thought he could become a sympathetic figure by making it sound like he was the victim of something much more nefarious. People do this all the time in life.

Tortillas are innocent and harmless (besides when we’re penalized for them). We throw them all the time and there’s all sorts of documentation for it. The claims that batteries, coins, frozen water bottles, and pocket knives get thrown on the field in Lubbock have never been substantiated. Today, the Big 12 ruled Leipold’s claims were inaccurate and fined KU for it.

Leipold is doing what several coaches, players, fans, and media have done before: lied or exaggerated a claim to try and become the victim of something nefarious when in reality he’s simply triggered his sideline was pelted with tortillas during a 25-point loss.

It’s understandable but not sufficient reason to lie about a knife being thrown onto the field. Unfortunately, the initial story went much more viral than the correction, and now thousands of casuals believe Tech fans throw knives on the field.

That’s why we’re skeptical about these types of claims and request evidence; every time y’all lie about us, it damages the reputation of our alma mater, our fans, and Lubbock.

[Matt Hayes @MattHayesCFB]

When Ohio State buys a championship roster, it's an "all-in" moment.

When Texas Tech does it, they're mercenaries.

Time to embrace the villains, everyone.
https://t.co/V9YlTqCNBH

[Dan Wetzel @DanWetzel]

Just days after revenue sharing officially began, Texas Tech landed a 5-star offensive lineman.

You don’t have to be a Red Raider fan to cheer that. https://t.co/sojRsYMv7A

[Chadd Bragg @CGBragg]

@andrewperloff #againstthegrain

[Big Cat @BarstoolBigCat]

We’ve all been there, kid

[Under Armour @UnderArmour]

Wreck ‘em. After their second trip to the Elite 8️⃣ @TexasTechMBB is headed to their first Final 4️⃣ in school history. The Red Raiders are ready to #UnleashChaos in Minneapolis. #WEWILL

[Matthew Berry @MatthewBerryTMR]

Of the over 17.2 million brackets in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge.... only 10.3% had Texas Tech advancing to the Final Four. Meanwhile, 42.4% had the Zags in the Final Four (including me - oops).

[Staking The Plains @stakingtheplain]

Texas Tech Dominates Michigan; Advances to the Elite 8 https://t.co/4bTcm1Htiv

[ESPN @espn]

Make that back-to-back Elite 8 appearances for Texas Tech! 👏

[Don Williams @AJ_DonWilliams]

Six and seven years later, Texas A&M, Nebraska, Colorado and Missouri are still trying to recapture as good a deal as they had in the Big 12. No matter what they might tell themselves. https://t.co/VpuOcRS8Bg

[ProFootballTalk @ProFootballTalk]

Silver lining: In four years I will know to ignore all polls and every cable news channel.

[Samantha Steele Ponder @samponder]

this should really be a thing😂 https://t.co/zhXqjIilao

[Chadd Bragg @CGBragg]

I am liking Shimonek's tats. You don't see that on a QB often https://t.co/2tRnT6a9m6

[Pat Forde @ByPatForde]

Highly aggressive skull tattoo for the TTU backup QB, who just threw a TD pass.

[Chadd Bragg @CGBragg]

The Rock is not running for president yet - NY Daily News #TheRock4POTUS https://t.co/WUCnjcjTQC

[Dwayne Johnson @TheRock]

Cool piece on why I should run for President. Maybe one day. Surely the White House has a spot for my pick up truck..https://t.co/JpkZ4w1eh3

[Bryan Curtis @bryancurtis]

For a conference that has no real history, common geography, or point, Big 12 schools sure do hate each other. https://t.co/tDWpPAbbV3