DON’T RAIN ON LUBBOCK WESTERN’S PARADE AND HOW TO STAY AT A HOTEL WITHOUT FREAKING OUT

Good morning West Texans and all you good, fine, friendly folks out there who wish you were. . .

THANK YOU LUBBOCK WESTERN LITTLE LEAGUERS

Is there any way to say thank you enough to those kids after the great two-week plus run they gave Hubbaplexans during the World Series romp? I still can’t think over anything that’s galvanized the entire community like this in years. Lubbock had been in a malaise this summer what with the public distrust of downtown, watering restrictions and just being displeased in general and Lubbock Western helped give us a bright way to finish the summer.

The best thing about their run was the way they captured the attention of not just sports fans, but regular folks around town that don’t generally follow sports. That’s something that Tech bowl games, men’s and women’s basketball or anything else for that matter haven’t been able to do in a long-time.

Hopefully there will be a tremendous crowd for the parade this Thursday and hopefully the weather will hold out. I think Lubbock should turn-out in greater numbers than if they’d won the whole thing, just to prove to these kids that it wasn’t so much about them winning, as the way the represented themselves, their families and The South Plains. If it does rain, every meteorologist in Lubbock should have to move to a small trailer outside of Clovis, New Mexico and live there for a minimum of three months.

AND THIS, SIR, IS YOUR ROOM KEY, NOT A CREDIT CARD FOR THE COKE MACHINE

If you’re looking for reasons to be worried about what some are calling an inexperienced Tech football squad, we’ll give you exhibit A from this past weekend. In an effort to get ready for the season, Mike Leach had his Red Raiders “practice” staying in a hotel the day before a game. Of course Texas Tech isn’t alone in the practice of staying at a hotel the day before a game for both home and road games. I’m not sure whether to be worried about Tech’s inexperience in spots on the field or the fact that Tech coaches thought they needed the work on sleeping away from home so much they were willing to spend countless thousands of dollars to conduct this drill?

What was it? Was it the tricky part of going from the elevator to the room or the frightening experience of finding a mint or chocolate on their pillow that Tech players needed to work on?

Again, Tech’s not alone in doing this but one has to really question the need to one, do it at all for home games and two, and actually practice it before doing it for real. Somehow, Bob Knight’s bunch, Kristy Curry’s team and Larry Hays squad all manage to stay at home before a big game. If it’s that important, shouldn’t all Tech squads be put-up in a hotel before their games?

I’m thinking of applying the same ideas to my life.

Me: “Honey, I’ve got a big meeting tomorrow at 2p.m. I’m thinking about checking into the Lubbock Inn tonight so I’m not “distracted” by you and the kid.”

Wife: “Good luck with that. We’ll see you when we get back from the attorney’s office.”

Ok, maybe not such a good idea.

At any rate, when I hear about colleges spending money like this, again, not picking on Tech specifically, just college athletics in general, it’s hard for me to generate much sympathy when they come back and say they don’t have enough money for the basics and necessities. Either way, I hope they all rested well, that the ice machine didn’t freak any of the defensive linemen out and that they all got the complimentary continental breakfast before heading out.

MORE LATER.

Hyatt

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