Although most people who attended Texas Tech carry Lubbock, Texas, in their hearts for the rest of their lives, the Hub City isn't for everyone. That seems to be the case for injury-prone former Red Raiders quarterback Tyler Shough.
The seventh-year senior, who is now the starting quarterback at Louisville, was interviewed by a Louisville media outlet when asked what Lubbock was like, but unfortunately he didn't give a glowing review.
“It smells like cow [expletive] and wind,” he said. “There's not much to do out there other than drink beer and do nothing. But it's just college, so it's nice to be here, where there are a lot of great restaurants, a lot of really cool people, and there's a lot more to do.”
Needless to say, these comments did not sit well with Texas Tech alumni and fans. If Shough did not enjoy his time in Lubbock, that's fine, but for him to publicly disparage a community that supported him through three injury-plagued seasons was a low-class move.
Shough wouldn't have had to try or think to say something nice about Lubbock. He could have complimented the people who helped him through all three injuries he sustained during his time as Tech's starting quarterback. He could have spoken nicely about the university that gave him a starting opportunity when he got beat out for the QB1 job at Oregon. He could have talked about teammates he liked and the good times they had together. Any of those ways would have been classy and positive.
Instead, Shough came across as bitter and petty. Perhaps he still holds a grudge over Joey McGuire and offensive coordinator Zach Kittley moving on from him after last season and installing Behren Morton at quarterback. Perhaps he has become cynical about Lubbock because he struggled so much during his time there, suffering serious injuries that cost him several weeks in all three seasons. Whatever the reason, he should have been a bigger person and found something positive. [or at least neutral] about a community that has given him so much over the last three years.
Lubbock is a special place. If Shough never figured that out for himself, that's his bad luck. If you're looking for the nightlife and accommodations of a big city, as Shough seems to be, then Lubbock may not be the place for you. After all, most people who love the Hub City love it for its isolation and the freedom it offers from the hustle and bustle of the big city.
Shough should have remembered the people he met, the way the community gave him its full support (even after he proved himself to be nothing more than a mediocre quarterback), and the opportunities he's had over the last three years. And as for the smell of cow poop, the people of Lubbock have grown fond of him for keeping people like Tyler Shough as far away from him as possible.
