So here is some of the reasoning TTU has for not moving to the Pac 10. One of my current professors, Dr. Herschel Mann, is the chairman of the Athletic committee at Tech and he stated today in class some of the reasoning for why Tech may not jump to the Pac 10. Every single one of these issues has to do with the non-revenue sports.

He stated that since basketball and football get chartered flights for all of their games, that there would not be an issue with missing class. However since all other sports, baseball, track, soccer, softball etc. use commercial airlines it will cost them an extra day to and from some competitions held on the west coast.

He also stated the fact that part of our conference would be two time zones away (pacific time) would influence the time that student athletes would return home from competition. For example night games played in california would not end in time for student athletes to return home that day. He emphasized that the word student comes before athlete.

All that being said, he thought that it was a great opportunity, and was convinced that there will be 4 "super conferences" established soon. He said that were the Big 12 to split into these super conferences, that Texas Tech would certainly go, that the university did not end up on the outside looking in to the "big boys" similar to teams left out of the MWC that got stuck in CUSA or the WAC about a decade ago.

So I would bet that if the Big 12 splits, we are definitely going too!

So apparently Mike Leach's wife is selling some of his Texas tech team team issued gear on Ebay.

There are several blogs who have called attention to this, none of which are particularly reliable, however the Ebay username is Captainsbride and the location is set to Lubbock, TX

All of the items are listed as team issued gear.

Ebay Listings

Check out the listings and tell me what you think. If you think they are real, what do you think they will sell for?

So with all of the drama regarding Missouri potentially joining the Big 10, the Missouri governor has decided to take a shot at who he feels are the weaklings of the Big 12 academically.

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon stated this, "I'm not going to say anything bad about the Big 12, but when you compare Oklahoma State to Northwestern, when you compare Texas Tech to Wisconsin, I mean, you begin looking at educational possibilities that are worth looking at," Nixon said in an interview with The Associated Press.

http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_/id/8641/missouri-governor-takes-shot-at-tech-osu-academics

Didn't even realize this until right now, but as I was looking at the schedule and results on ESPN.com and realized that all 4 road games that Tech has played this year have been against ranked teams.

• When Tech traveled to Austin UT was #2
• The Next week in Houston the Cougars were #17
• When the Raiders traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska was #15
• And finally last week Oklahoma St was ranked #19

I am not complaining or making excuses, but I just thought that the way that this worked out was crazy

I listened to the Big XII teleconference this afternoon and at the very end of Mike Leach's segment, he stated that Sticks was available this week but that it would be a "game time decision." Then he was asked by Tim Griffin about this situation and Leach stated that he would be splitting reps with Potts in practice!

Now I know Leach, so I am not getting my hopes up, by him saying that Sticks is available, it probably means that he just isn't dead... but anyways I have a little hope that he could be in the lineup this weekend!!

http://www.big12sports.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?&db_oem_id=10410&id=658988&DB_MENU_ID=&SPSID=106181&SPID=13139&DB_OEM_ID=10410

*** audio works best with internet explorer

There is an ESPN article that is in their insider section that talks about the recent success of the Texas Tech football team at home and makes a case for the advantage it gives the Red Raiders...  if you are an insider it will be an interesting read. Wreck Em Tech beat the Aggies!

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/features/rumors?&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fncf%2ffeatures%2frumors#TOP

According to the AP, Mike Leach has now banned players from using Twitter. Surely this has something to do with the actions of Brandon Carter and Marlon Williams this weekend. It is now beginning to look like BC's suspension has something to do with his postgame comments on his twitter acoount. Brandon Carter and Marlon Winn's Twitter accounts have been deleted. Brandon Carter's as of late sunday night and Marlon Williams sometime monday morning.

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/10138340/Leach-bans-players-Twitter-pages

Via the ticker on ESPN, multiple sources have reported to Adam Schefter that Crabtree will not sign and sit out the season.

No link yet, but I just watched this go by on my TV then I rewound it on DVR to confirm this craziness!!

I'm not gonna lie, this is really really embarrassing and stupid!

According to the San Francisco Chronicle,

The 49ers hold his rights until the day of the 2010 draft. That means if he intends to re-enter the draft, he cannot work out for individual teams beforehand, participate in the scouting combine or even talk to teams interested in his services.

If he does not sign a contract with the 49ers by Nov. 17, Crabtree won't be able to play in 2009.

Here is a link of the picture... I love the quote, "I could probably run a 4.4 with crutches" Amazing. Anyways best of luck to our boy in the draft! Do us proud!

http://gallery.pictopia.com/espnmag/gallery/69619/photo/7990186/?o=11

The inevitable has happened. After stating otherwise a couple months ago Michael Crabtree will make the leap from Texas Tech to the NFL. It's all good though, I wish Mr. Crabtree the best of luck in the NFL, and hope that he can represent TTU well! It will be fun to watch Swindell, Lewis, Leong, and others shine next season! Wreck em Tech!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/draft09/news/story?id=3821753

Can anyone explain the rationale behind allowing only 2 teams from one conference into BCS games. Especially after the expanded to 5 games, this leaves spots open for 10 teams. I am sure that they would love to have the best of the best fill the at large spots. Texas Tech is definitely among the best .Which leads me to my point, why only 2 teams... why should Tech, or Oklahoma, or Texas be punished for the conference affiliation. If anything, they should be rewarded for playing in a tough conference, not held out of a game that they otherwise would have been in. It just doesn't make sense why they would even make that a rule.

For the record let's look at a resume:

11-1 (with a loss to the number 2 team in the nation on the road)

Victory over the #1 team

Blowout over the #8 team

Tied for first place in their conference, and the 5th tiebreaker had to break the tie

This resume in any conference would get you to a BCS game, however with current BCS rules, it is only good enough for the Cotton Bowl. Nice.

So WHY ONLY 2 TEAMS FROM ONE CONFERENCE BE IN THE BCS??

Of Course after last week, I am a huge OSU fan for the week. I just read these articles:

http://newsok.com/what-about-those-empty-seats/article/3324900

http://www.thewizofodds.com/the_wiz_of_odds/2008/11/oklahomaoklahoma-state-plenty-of-good-seats-available.html

and I am shocked that rather than free up all of those season tickets to single game tickets that OSU would allow up to 15000 people to not attend the game. I think for OSU to have a chance, they have to be rocking that stadium, and I don't think 45,000 can get that done. I'm pretty sure that at Tech's 2 biggest home games this year, the stadium overfilled capacity by at least 3000, and the place was rocking. Why would you not allow a full capacity in? You would think with T. Boone Pickens "picken" up the bill for your football team, that you wouldn't be so stingy with your money and tickets.

I can't imagine coming off of the bench hurt in the 4th quarter on the road at the game that ended your season, while down by 50 and playing as hard as our guys did at the end of that game! Absolutely incredible effort all the way to the end. That is true class to play your heart out the entire game.

Speaking of class... Nic Harris is at the bottom of the totem poll, and deservedly so. it seemed everytime i saw a nasty or dirty play during this game, he was right at the heart of it... and the worst was when he shoved the official in the 1st quarter and was allowed to stay in the game. That and threatening Crabtree's career, among a half dozen other plays took the cake. I am glad to know that I don't have to root for any players like that.

ESPN has a weekly fan poll about Texas Tech against OU.

The questioned asked are:

Who Will Win?

Which QB would you rather have?

Which coach would you rather have?

Which team would win if this game were in lubbock?

When were you convinced that this team was for real?

I wasn't surprised that more people picked OU to win, that Graham and Sam were a virtual deadlock for better qb, that Stoops was much more favored then Leach, but the bottom 2 questions really surprised me.

The public must really give a huge homefield advantage to OU, becuase 54% think OU wins at home, and only 32% think OU wins on the road.

And finally the last question asked at what point were you convinced tech was for real.

a) early in the season 11%

b) scored 63 on Kansas 10%

c) beat texas at home 47%

d) routed oklahoma state 16%

e) still not convinced 16%

16% still not convinced??? Of the 28,125 people that had voted at this point that is about 4500 people that aren't convinced that we are for real... what does it take to convince you??

1. Your Heisman candidate QB having his worst game since high school and still winning on the road. Check

2. Beating the Number 1 team in the country. check

3. Beating the number 8 team in the country by 36, using QB-2 in the 4th quarter. check

4. Obtaining a defense. check

5. Obtaining a running game. check

6. Driving opposing defenses crazy because ANY player will get the ball. check

7. Having the Heisman leader as well as the man in 4th -5th place. check

I guess that people will not be convinced until we go beat OU on the road this week, but since what we have done to date doesn't convince anybody, I will feel safe to assume that no other team in the country has proven that they too, are for real.

http://sports.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/poll/index?pCat=46&sCat=224

Bruce Feldman as well as Mark Schlabach have predicted Texas Tech vs. Florida in the National Championship this week!!! Bruce Feldman didn't even have Tech in the Cotton Bowl last week, oh what a difference a week can make.

Here is the Link. Wreck Em Tech!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowlprojection?season=2008&week=11

I only need 18 more words, I am so close, ha ha not using a contraction got it.

This evening on the Mike Leach show, the mad scientist himself asked for a blackout for this weekends OSU game. He loved it last week and wants it again!

Please don't Bicker I am only passing along info from the MAN

Please don't Bicker I am only passing along info from the MAN

Please don't Bicker I am only passing along info from the MAN

Please don't Bicker I am only passing along info from the MAN

Please don't Bicker I am only passing along info from the MAN

I have been watching the Ohio State-Penn State game, and Kirk Herbstreit confirmed that ESPN's College Gameday is making their first trip to Lubbock, TX! Needless to say, I am super excited. I am trying to decide of Corso chooses Tech or not. Everyone try to come up with creative signs so we can make the great people of the USA laugh. I only need eleven more words to complete this post...done

I am a tech student and have followed the red raiders since I was 5. The first game I distinctly remember watching was when Texas Tech got thumped by USC in the 1994 Cotton Bowl. So I have been following them most of my life. I have heard about the 1976 team, 1953 etc... but has there ever been a game bigger than this saturday against UT? Our shot at the National Championship is essentially on the line. With a loss, we would be eliminated from Big XII championship, because Texas would have to lose two games out of Baylor, Kansas, and TAMU... not going to happen. So it is extremely important in that aspect. Plus, they are #1, we will be top 6 most likely, maybe 5. At the JONES!!! Does it get any better?

WRECK EM TECH!!!!

So I have been nervous for this game all season. I really really want Tech to reach the UT game unblemished so we can at least gain some respect with a win over the longhorns thus vaulting us to the top 3 BCS or if luck not be our lady, have our first loss be to the #1 team in the country. However everything about this KU game has me shaking in my boots. Here is why I believe the perfect storm is brewing: 

1. The 11 am kickoff has doomed our first halves in the past, and as was shown against TAMU, it doesn't seem to have gotten any better.

2. Pass Defense. I can think of at least 10 times this season that a wide open receiver is beyond our safety and has been missed by his quarterback, or just flat out dropped the ball. KU has receivers and a QB that will not miss on these opportunities.

3. Road. On the road we have historically been shaky. This season is no different. Nevada was a disaster avoided, Kansas State and TAMU seemed to be a big play away from busting the game open in the first quarter, and third quarters of their games respectively.

4. kicking game. Matt Williams is a one of my better friend's brothers, thus I have been around him several times. He has a swagger and confidence that  a good kicker should have (as many may have noticed during his kick for rent, when it took him about .2 seconds to set his kick and make it), but I would hate to kick my first kick on national TV on the road at a sellout!! Scary!!

5. Weather, right now in Lawrence it is a blistering 40 degrees, and supposed to be rainy, the forecast for saturday is much improved with a projected high of 64. But should this cold decide to hang around an extra day that makes holding on to the ball and hitting a little bit harder. Just a thought, but probably not going to be a factor.

For all of these reasons I am nervous. I feel we should win, and I feel that Tech's D has been holding back some these past few games and waiting to bust out against the big dogs. I know Graham and his cohorts will take care of business. But I still am nervous for this game.  I also feel KU is a tad overrated and I am getting worried for nothing. Does anyone share my thoughts?

WRECK EM TECH!!!!!

Second-half flop team

Mandel: Kansas. The Jayhawks have stayed in the rankings based on a high preseason spot and soft schedule. Reality is about to hit.

Staples: Texas Tech. The cannibalism in the Big 12 South will not be distributed equally.

McCartney: Kansas. The Jayhawks have been slow starters of late (nine first-half points in their last two games) and it's bound to get them into trouble with potent Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Texas and Missouri still on the schedule.

Winn: Texas Tech. The Red Raiders (now No. 7) should fall far from the top 10 after a four-week run against Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

Markazi: Texas Tech. The Red Raiders may be undefeated and in the top 10 now, but I see Texas Tech losing four games in the difficult Big 12 and possibly dropping out of the top 25 before Thanksgiving.

Trocchi: Michigan State. A difficult schedule and a worn-down Javon Ringer will slow the Spartans after their 6-1 start.

Filice: Georgia Tech. The Paul Johnson era is off to a 5-1 start, but the Yellow Jackets' back-loaded schedule will engender a second-half swoon.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/football/ncaa/10/16/midseason.crystalball/1.html