Hey AJ Editors - pass me the bong...

Just after the AJ decided this was a good idea...

They came up with another...because stuff likes this makes sense when you're paranoid.

I've quoted my favorite part of their opinion, such that it is:

Raider Power: Raise sportsmanship bar

OUR VIEW

Perception is everything - and the perception others are getting of us is not good. In fact, the universities who visit here for athletic events go back too often with a bitter taste in their mouths.

We're rude, we're argumentative - we are downright disrespectful. And that's not just college kids - that's community members alike - and it needs to stop.

Toward that end, the Texas Tech Spirit and Sportsmanship Committee, comprised of administrative staff members within the athletics department, is kicking off Raider Power, a bold new initiative aimed at increasing school spirit and improving sportsmanship.

The campaign defines Raider Power in four words: "Honor, Respect, Pride and Tradition."

School spirit abounds not only within the walls of campus buildings and arenas but flows throughout the community and becomes a common bonding factor across all groups of people.

The differences we share both socially and economically are brought together by our love and passion for Texas Tech and our beloved Red Raiders.

For all these reasons, we encourage and support Texas Tech in its latest effort to create an atmosphere of Raider Power that fosters competition motivated by mutual honor, respect, pride and tradition.

We're not trailer park trash, and it's time to stop acting like we are.

Wow....just...wow.

For a little background and the Athletic Department's news release you can visit this link.

First, I applaud the University. To take extra care to focus on sportsmanship and school spirit is a noble cause and it is a difficult task on any campus. College students and alumni alike are prone to imbibing in adult beverages and depressing the "Hey - this may be a bad idea" part of their conscience. I have no issue with the school in this matter - I would take it as a matter of course that they would have a program already in place for this type of education.

On the other hand, the AJ has clearly conducted a fair amount of research and interviewed well known sportsmen who are above reproach in this matter. You know, like Dave South, the entire student section of Folsum Field, our best buddies the Cal Golden Bears....

Should I go on?

Because the list is a long one.

I especially favor the sportsmanship argument from the Aggies who claim that they are the paragon of virtue while you visit the Tacklebox...or even while they throw punches at each other in the South end zone of The Jones and attempt to blame it on the GAP kid...who looks like he has a mean streak like Chuck Liddell.

I want to be sure I'm crystal clear on this...I do NOT think all Texas Tech fans are perfect or even well behaved....except for the GAP kid who is a FREAK!


My take on college football fans in general is the same as I view fans of any sport...the majority are well-behaved and the minority ruin the other's good names...

But the AJ has clearly been reading, and worse, believing, what they hear about us from our rivals.


Lubbock AJ: "Uh Mr. Sooner, after Taurean Henderson scored a touchdown on the final play of the game did you feel like we represented Tech in the best light?"

Sooners: @#$##$%!#$!@$%@!

Lubbock AJ: "Trailer Trash, huh? Well, we'll have to work on that! I'm sorry to have bothered you. Yes, you can certainly get back to watching Jerry Springer now..."


After all, our Athletic Department sure doesn't have a problem rubbing a once in a decade victory in our opponent's nose now do they?


I've sat with former Tech football players who said that they had objects thrown at them and were generally shocked by the bad behavior of fans at road games at Georgia, Penn State, Ohio State, North Carolina and of course Colorado.

I also know that our fans have mentioned on more than one occasion that the best place to watch a college football game is at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln - that they were treated like champions there.

But I wonder...did the good behavior at Nebraska happen because of the Athletic Department's leadership, all of the championship banners...or because their local paper intimated that the alumni, students and Lincoln residents were "trailer trash"?

The AJ should be careful that the speck in their eye is not a log.