What's being said about our Red Raiders around the Big 12 and around the USA

Are you missing football too?

I figure long about now you guys are really missing Tech football. I know I am. It has been 7 weeks now since the Gator Bowl win. So, I found a couple of videos today that I thought I would share with you to bring back all of the fun and excitement of football season.

First of all, we have this 2007 highlight film:

Pretty good, huh? I know it is really early to start getting pumped about the 2008 season, but I think we are in store for what may be our best football season ever. I can�t wait.

Here�s an interesting video of what all goes on at the Jones to get ready for kickoff:

And one last video to share. This one is on tailgating at Tech games and very humorously called, �The Grills of Raider Gate�:

Enjoy! Hope your off-season is going well. Remember, spring training is right around the corner!

Don't Blame Wes

Regardless of who you were pulling for in the Super Bowl Sunday night, you have to admit that it was one heck of a game, that the Giants really deserved that win, and that you can't blame Red Raider Wes Welker for the Patriot loss.

From the Eagle-Tribune (MA):

�All they had to do was kill 2:42 on the clock, a 162 measly seconds, and two things would have been certain:
The New England Patriots would have been world champions for the fourth time in seven seasons, which would have meant immortality and world-wide recognition.

And wide receiver Wes Welker, not the Patriots' prime time player Tom Brady, would have been named Super Bowl XLII MVP.

Welker carried this anemic Patriots offense, which had been all but unstoppable until yesterday. You could add Kevin Faulk, who had seven catches for 52 yards, into the mix, too.

With the Giants pass rush, led by ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, the Patriots never had a chance to throw the ball downfield to Randy Moss. At times, the Giants defense looked like the '85 Bears going after Tony Eason.

That's where Welker came in.

He caught 11 passes from Brady for 103 yards. The 11 receptions tied an NFL record with former Northeastern University star Dan Ross, Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and the Patriots' Deion Branch.

As for the record, he didn't even know about it.

As for the pass rushes, he heard about them in the huddle.
"They've got some good pass rushers, some guys that break on the ball well, and they do some good things out there," said Welker. "It makes it tough to get those throws downfield. They did a great job with their pass rush."

Welker was acquired from the Miami Dolphins before the draft last April. The Patriots signed him as a restricted free agent, opting to send a second-round pick and a seventh-rounder as compensation.
Welker caught three screen passes, two of which he turned into first downs, and seven other receptions were for a first down.

While Brady had two very good drives, Welker was going to win the MVP Trophy if the Patriots had won. In fact, in the voting, Eli Manning received 161/2 votes and Welker was second with 11/2 votes. Michael Strahan (1 sack) and Michael Tuck (2 sacks) each received one vote.

Welker says win or lose, nothing has changed in terms of the way he views Brady.

"Tom is the best in the game. He's everything you want in a quarterback," said Welker. "There's no quarterback I'd rather play with. He showed great poise on that last drive."
Welker says he needs more time to soak in what happened here last night.

"I don't know if it's really set in or not," he said. "It is what it is, and there's really nothing you can do."�

I can never sing enough praises of Wes Welker. He is simply the best. I am so proud that he is a Red Raider.

Wes Welker turns Red Raiders into Patriots fans

I have to admit that I have never really liked the Patriots too much. But that is not surprising, as I am not really a pro football fan and don�t really like any of the teams. I still have some feelings for the Kansas City Chiefs, my team from my early years, but I don�t even follow them anymore. My passion is Texas Tech football and for that reason, I am becoming a New England Patriots fan. Why? Wes Welker, plain and simple.

I got to meet Wes at one of the Texas Tech games a few years back and was instantly impressed with this young man. Sometimes you can just tell right away when you are around someone special and that is exactly how I felt when I met Wes and congratulated him on the win that night. I have been impressed with him ever since. And remember, no one wanted him on the college level expect Tech. And when he graduated, no one in the NFL wanted him. And now, he is on the verge of stardom in the NFL after trading to the Patriots this season. And I couldn�t be happier about it. He is truly a great guy in my opinion.

So, this Sunday, whether you give a flip about the Giants or the Patriots or anyone else, be sure to cheer for Wes. He has managed to do great things when no one thought he could, and he never gives up. He makes you proud to be a Red Raider, and on this Sunday, a Patriot.

There is a great story today from ESPN.com on Wes. Be sure to check it out.

Have a great game on Sunday Wes! We will all be cheering for you!

1989 - A great year for Texas Tech football

Here is a video highlight film of the All American Bowl for 1989:

1989 Red Raider football season

What a great year for our program. We finished the season 9-3 with losses to Arkansas, Baylor and Houston. Then, a big win in the All American Bowl against 8-4 Duke by a score of 49-21. Unfortunately, the next few years would be some of the worst at Tech and we would not have another �good� season until the 9-3 1995 season.

This was the second season for Coach Spike Dykes who had taken over the helm after David McWilliams left for oranger pastures in Austin. The team finished the season ranked #19 in the final AP Poll. And, two All-Americans that year, Charles Ordine was a 1st team All-American tackle while James Gray was a 2nd team All-American running back.

Most interesting to me, is looking at the stats from that year as compared to the stats from this year. Here are the 1989 stats:

Scoring Offense: 311 points
Rush Offense: 2,505 yards
Pass Offense: 1,634 yards

Total Offense: 4,139 yards

Scoring Defense: 260 points allowed
Rushing Defense: 1,481 yards allowed
Passing Defense: 2,879 yards allowed

Total Defense: 4,360 yards allowed

Now, for the 2007 stats:
Scoring Offense: 532 points (221 more than in 1989)
Rush Offense: 1004 yards (1105 yards less than in 1989)
Pass Offense: 6114 yards (4480 more than in 1989)

Total Offense: 6885 yards (2746 more than in 1989)

Scoring Defense: 337 points allowed (77 more than in 1989)
Rushing Defense: 2301 yards allowed (820 more than in 1989)
Passing Defense: 2499 yards allowed (380 less than in 1989)

Total Defense: 4750 yards allowed (390 more than in 1989)

See what I mean? The 1989 season was 9-3, 2007 9-4. Huge increase in the offensive numbers and the defensive numbers, not so much change. But look at the points scored stats for Tech. This year we almost DOUBLED the points scored in 1989.

Man, I love that offense!

Tech vs. SMU 1976 - Remembering Steve Sloan

I remember this game very well. It was my junior year at Tech. The previous summer had been all about the Bicentennial and I had worked that summer as a volunteer at the brand new Ranching Heritage Center as part of the Bicentennial festivities.

Game day on November 13 was cold and snowing. They moved the game time from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM and used the extra time to clear the snow from the field. It was bitterly cold. I remember being as cold as I have ever been at this game. My feet got wet walking over to the stadium and then froze while I was sitting in the stands. I remember students throwing snowballs at the refs during the game. I remember long lines for hot chocolate and long lines to get into the heated bathrooms at Jones Stadium. We won that game 34-7.

Here is a video highlight film of that game:

1976 Red Raider football season

It was a really good one for the Red Raiders, quite possibly the best one ever. Our record that year was 10-2 and we were SWC Co-Champions with the new conference school of Houston. We lost that game to Houston at home (I remember that one, too) and went on to play Big 8 powerhouse Nebraska in the Bluebonnet Bowl in Houston (Astrodome) on New Year�s Eve and then lost that game 27-24 thus preventing Coach Steve Sloan from achieving an 11 win season.

What ever happened to Steve Sloan?

Coach Sloan left Texas Tech to take the head coaching job at Ole Miss after the 1977 season. In my opinion, this was a bad move for him. In just three years at Tech he had amassed a 23-12 record and two bowl games. He went to Mississippi and from 1978-1982 compiled a 13-34-1 record. He then moved on to Duke from 1983 to 1986, compiling a 13-31 record.

I think he would have done much better to stay at Tech, and our program would have been much better, sooner. Does everyone remember the horrible days of the 1980�s? Do you also remember that Sloan�s DC was Bill Parcels, who went on to the NY Giants and the Dallas Cowboys? Here is the Dirk West cartoon from 1978 when Sloan left Tech for Ole Miss.

Oh my! Red Raider fans in Boston!

A fellow named Scott posted this in the comments section yesterday:

�I had a similar experience in Boston two years ago.

I noticed a fellow Red Raider walking on the other side of a crowded, narrow Boston street and hollered "Guns up Raider."

I realized as I said it that it probably wasn't real smart to say anything about guns on a crowed street in Boston, but the fellow fan quickly yelled back "Go Tech" and the Bostonians realized we were just crazy Techsans.�

Thanks for that story Scott. This reminds me of a similar situation I had in Boston in 1998. I was on a long trip to the Northeast with my family to see a family member graduate from the US Military Academy at West Point. While we were checking into our hotel in Boston, I was wearing my Red Raiders cap. The man behind me in line to check in said, �Are you from Lubbock?� When I said that we were, he said, �Texas Tech, Class of 1965� and within a few seconds, another man in the hotel lobby stood up and said, �I�m a Red Raider too! Class of 1972, and my aunt lives in Andrews�. This guy, was actually a hotel employee and lived in Boston. Wow, here I am in Boston and run into two Red Raiders in my hotel lobby.

Earlier in that week, we had been in Saratoga Springs, New York and were out of our vehicle taking a look at an historical marker. A guy rode by on a bicycle, saw our license plate and our Double T on the car, and gave us the �Guns Up�!

Just goes to show you that as Red Raiders, we are all over the place, not just in West Texas!

Guns Up in Times Square - New York City!

A story from a redraiders.com reader
TEXAS TECH IN TIMES SQUARE!

You just never know where you will find another proud Red Raider watching a great Texas Tech football game. How about a really great game, the Tech-Oklahoma game on November 17......not just anywhere, but in the middle of Times Square in New York City!

My wife, Debra, and I were in Times Square, walking back to our hotel that Saturday evening, after leaving the Hilton Theatre, when out of the corner of my eye, I caught the glimpse of a Texas Tech sweatshirt. I turned around and a young lady proudly dressed in Red and Black with Texas Tech prominently displayed on her sweatshirt, was staring upwards, while standing in the middle of Times Square. I couldn�t resist asking if she was a fellow Red Raider. She excitedly responded that she was and for us to look up and see the Texas Tech-Oklahoma game being broadcast on the ABC Jumbotron screen in Times Square. The game was in the 3rd quarter and we stood watching it until the last few minutes of the 4th quarter. We then walked over to ESPN, a short distance away, watched the remainder of the game, and celebrated the outstanding win by Tech!...What a great way to watch this game and end the regular season, while meeting a terrific and spirited Red Raider graduate student, Melissa Flenniken, in �the Big Apple�!

Melissa is currently pursuing her Masters of Science in Nursing at Texas Tech. She is an RN with her BSN from Lubbock Christian University and is on a travel nursing assignment in New York City. Melissa has been an RN for the last 3 years with a specialty in neonatal ICU.

I am a proud graduate of Texas Tech University and am currently residing in El Paso, Texas. My professional career has spanned across the consumer and commercial electronics segment, with most recent responsibilities as Vice President of Operations for multiple manufacturing plants in the U.S. and Mexico, serving the transportation and semiconductor industries.

Karl Mentzel �76

Melissa Flenniken and Karl Mentzel proudly display the Texas Tech "guns up", while watching the Tech- Oklahoma game being broadcast live in New York City's Time Square on November 17!

OK, so send me your Red Raider stories!

Yesterday I posted a kind of farewell post to this blog as a type of sign off for the football season. In the meantime, I have heard from a number of people that want me to keep the blog going. So, the idea that we have come up with is for me to post stories and photos from Red Raider fans. I get some great stories sent to me from Tech fans from all over the world. Now I will start posting these a couple of times each week on this blog.

Texas Tech football fans always have some great stories to tell about their experiences. For that reason, we are creating space on this blog for you to share your stories about Tech fans, the team, the coaches and to send us your "Guns Up" photos from around the country and around the globe.

If you have a great Red Raider story to tell, send it to me at
russell.hill@lubbockonline.com Be sure to include a few sentences or paragraphs about your experience and include 2-3 photos if you have them. There will also be a link on the right side called �Tell Us Your Story� where you can get information about sending in your stories.

We will still have the Guns Up gallery on Spotted , but this is a way for you to tell a great Red Raider story in your own words. Remember that anything you send is subject to approval and editing before appearing on the site.

So, what are you waiting for? Start sending me your stories and photos today!

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night

It is really difficult to believe, but Texas Tech football has dropped the curtain on the 2007 season. It seemed to go by really quickly, but then it always seems that way for me. I like all Texas Tech sports and ALWAYS want to see Tech win in everything, but nothing can capture my enthusiasm like Red Raider football. Since my blog here is about Red Raider football, I guess it is time to sign off for a while until I have information about recruiting and spring practice. Then it will be another dry spell during the summer until we have another exciting season in 2008.

In the meantime, remember that I am always here, so drop me a line if you want to talk about Tech football. It is something that I am always ready to talk about.

And what about those 2007 Red Raiders? 9-4 with a New Year Bowl win! #22 in the final AP poll and numerous awards and recognitions for our players and our team. Not a bad season at all and much better than most of us expected. But just wait. I think that next year may be beyond all of our wildest expectations. And one thing's for sure, it's going to be exciting and a lot of fun!

GO TECH!

By the way, keep sending me your "Guns Up" photos and your photos from the Gator Bowl for our Gallery.

Ugly? Sure! But a win is still a win.

Say what you want to about the poor play by the Red Raiders yesterday, but it takes a lot of guts to never give up no matter how poorly you are playing. And it takes a lot to manage to make a comeback in 5 minutes and cap a game like the Gator Bowl. Here is a video recently posted of highlights of the last 5 minutes of the game:

Virginia had a good game plan and their defense played great, but in my opinion, it was the poor play of the Red Raiders that got us into a hole. Let�s face it, if we had been playing like we are capable of, or like we did in our last game, this game would not have been so close.

And the officiating was horrible , on both sides. Bad calls in Virginia favor and bad calls in our favor. Just really a poor job by these Big 10 officials.

But what really matters is that we got the win. That�s really all that matters in the long run. We moved to 9-4 and won the Gator Bowl. I think that this sets us up very nicely for what I think will be a great year next year. Especially when you rmemeber that at least two of those four losses were very nearly, and probably should have been wins. And still a third one was within our reach. The Missouri game is the only one in which we were completely outplayed.

And I was very pleased that Alex Trlica and Danny Amendola were able to cap off their final season at Texas Tech with that game-winning field goal. What a great memory that will be for both of those fine young men.

And our thoughts and prayers are with Rylan Reed and his family for a speedy and complete recovery from that broken ankle. What a tough guy. These guys all make you proud to be a Red Raider.

I have posted a number of photo galleries and videos from the Gator Bowl to the redraiders.com website. Be sure to check out the Gator Bowl page for all of the latest additions. I expect to be getting additional content throughout the rest of the week, so keep checking back for more.