Fireworks swirled as Texas Tech made its appearance at Big 12 Media Days, with Commissioner Brett Yormark getting especially short with one Red Raiders reporter.
LUBBOCK - As Big 12 Media Days loomed, many around the nation expected Texas Tech to be a main focus at the preseason event, and not just because the Red Raiders are the favorites to defend their conference crown.
With an offseason mired by controversy, mainly centered on the eligibility fiasco stemming from transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby and his gambling addiction, Texas Tech became the subject of discussion far beyond Lubbock and the Big 12.
In an unsurprising move, the opening day did provide a viral moment involving Texas Tech, but it had no true ties to the aforementioned controversy with Sorsby.
During the segment with Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark, Texas Tech reporter Sean Dillon asked a pointed question based on the league's actions toward the Red Raiders spanning from last year to this offseason.
These grievances included the ban on tortilla tossing and the potential litigation that was being floated in response to Sorsby's preliminary injunction that allowed him to return to the roster.
"Texas Tech had gotten fined over tortillas and tortillas were banned outright. OSU paddles broke a noisemaker rule and gets a tradition exemption," said Dillon.
"Sorsby never played a down for the Red Raiders. The Big 12 sued them anyways, while Cincinnati has yet to be touched. You're selling 'Greater than 12,' why should Texas Tech fans believe it?"
Instead of giving an immediate answer, Yormark stepped across the stage and asked Dillon to stand up and ask his question again.
"Stand up. Ask that question again and I'm going to give you the answer I want to give you," rebutted Yormark.
Determined to find an answer, or at least force the commissioner to attempt to provide one, Dillon did just as he was asked and repeated his question while standing up directly toward Yormark.
Following this second try, Yormark once again shut down any sort of substantial answer. Instead, he took issue with Dillon's use of 'Greater than 12,' stating his mantra is rather '16 Strong," and that is how he is approaching his leadership within the conference.
Whichever semantics Yormark wants to use, it is clear that Texas Tech has an issue with fitting into this idealized vision. While there may be more to the instances that Dillon used to support his question, many Red Raider fans have been feeling like the odd-man out in their longtime home far beyond these specific examples from him.
Yormark may not be the leading force in a de-facto witch hunt against Texas Tech for seemingly carrying the conference, but his refusal to reassure those in Lubbock with a proper answer to Dillon's question and constant dodging of the Sorsby situation leaves more strains on the relationship between the two than anything.
The argument can be made that Texas Tech is just finding reasons to be upset and have newfound empowerment based off recent success, and there are serious merits to these claims. And some bearing the name of the Red Raiders, Dillon not included, could benefit from more level-headed approaches to making these concerns heard.
However, Yormark, as the commissioner, should be doing whatever he can to ensure the Red Raiders are not the latest program from the Lone Star State to cut ties with the Big 12, especially one that has become the face of the league in its new era.
