Red Raider Ravioli: this hurts....

Buongiorno a tutti! (it’s “hi everyone” in Italian)

I’m glad to welcome you all to this new column, Red Raider Ravioli. A brief explanation about the name: I’m Italian and I write from Italy, so I really wanted something Italian in the name. So, it’s ravioli, that’s all.

There could have been many ways to start this new adventure, but I’m writing only a few minutes after the sad loss the Red Raiders suffered in Morgantown against the Mountaineers. I have to admit I’m really shocked, as I can’t still figure out how an 18-point lead became an 11-point loss.

The first thing that comes to my mind is a dialog coming from a not-so-famous movie.

“How do you feel?”

“Like a man who ate a ton and a half of s**t: it’s heavy to digest.”

This game could be and was being a strength proof, but it suddenly transformed into a nightmare. It won’t be easy to overcome this game, as we have to remember we’re talking about 20-year old players, but it has to be done quickly. There are still games in a row that are waiting for us.

Where are you, Clayton Hatfield? The 2016 placekicker didn’t travel to West Virginia and I’m wondering what could have been with him managing field goals. Maybe I’m too harsh, but I really hope that this was the last appearance of Michael Barden with a Texas Tech uniform. According to the roster webpage, there are five kickers in the team: one has to be better.

That said, let’s go to the most difficult part of this article, the coach. We could discuss for days and days, but the choice to kick a field goal at the end of the second quarter had some sense. Take three points and let’s go to the halftime with a full two-touchdown lead.

On the other hand, another touchdown at the end of the second quarter would have almost totally buried any West Virginia hope. There was something good in both decisions.

I can’t understand why, after 35 minutes of domination, Texas Tech transformed itself again -as I read somewhere, I don’t take credit for this nickname- bubble screen university, as the play calling became a weak and ineffective try to run the clock. There was fear to win, and this fear came from the coaching staff, going to the players.

It’s a mentality that regularly appears and to whom I think nobody can get used to. It’s not a fact of town, facilities, and so on anymore. The winning mentality is something different and at the moment it’s living only sporadically in Lubbock, ab Both Oklahoma State and West Virginia losses are here to demonstrate.

And now, let’s go with the red-hot Cyclones. I’m not saying because I really don’t think so, that Iowa State’s going to have an easy game in Lubbock. They’re the same team that lost to Texas showing 250 total offense yards, so they’re manageable. There’s only one road: work, work, and...work.

That’s all for today, dear Red Raiders fans. If you want, use the comments section here below to discuss my words, I’m absolutely open to it. But remember that education and respect are the bases for a civil discussion.

Ciao!