Why Can’t Texas Football Fans Throw Tortillas?

Football is practically a religion in Texas and both the game and various traditions are taken very seriously. Even if the tradition's funny, it's serious and one just got banned.

Texas Tech Raiders fans are known for a number of things, most especially their loyalty and their ability to fling a tortilla. That tradition has come under fire in the past and now, both fans, the Raiders and Texas Tech can get in trouble for it.

The cost? Ejection for fan(s), a 15 yard penalty for the team and $100K fine for the university. Those are some expensive tortillas ...

The tradition of Red Raiders fans throwing tortillas goes back to the late 80's and, while tolerated, has never really been condoned by Texas Tech or the NCAA. Now, they're both really, really against it.

How Did The Tradition Start?

There are a few stories about this, here are the 2 most popular ones.

• In the late 80's, Red Raiders fans would use the lids off their drink cups as frisbees and fling them toward the field. As a result, the lids were discontinued so students moved on to the next best, "frisbee like" item they could find. Tortillas.

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• According to lubbockonline, a commentator in the early 90's said Lubbock had nothing but "Texas Tech football and a tortilla factory." Fans, in turn, brought tortillas to the game and tossed them to the field. Voila - a tradition was born.

What If Fans Still Throw Tortillas?

The fan(s) get the bums rush, the Red Raiders lose 15 yards, (per incident), and Texas Tech coughs up $100,000. How are guilty fans are identified? Cameras.  

It will refer to the cameras to point out violators who throw tortillas -- or any other item -- which could result in immediate ejection and the loss of future ticket privileges for the remainder of the season. As for the Red Raiders program, officials will assess a warning before a 15-yard penalty and $100,000 fine is issued. - ESPN

After eating 2 penalties in a game against Kansas last October, Texas Tech Athletic director Kirby Hocutt denounced the tradition. Hocutt, who had previously supported the tradition and refused to try and stop it, is now totally anti. Leave the tortillas at home folks.