Only in Lubbock could a quarterback transfer in, get caught illegally wiring $90,000 out-of-state to fuel a massive sports-gambling addiction—including betting on his own damn team while at Indiana—and somehow become the victim we all need to rally behind. After the NCAA rightfully banned Texas Tech’s supposed savior, Brendan Sorsby, a local judge did the most Lubbock thing possible: he blocked the ban, gave Sorsby a slap-on-the-wrist two-game suspension, and conveniently scheduled the actual trial for February 8th, safely after the football season concludes. Because god forbid a clinical gambling disorder keeps a man from helping us scrape together seven wins.
Naturally, the rest of the college football world is horrified, with rival universities threatening to boycott Texas Tech entirely. But don’t worry, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is on the case! Never one to miss a chance to burn taxpayer money on a stunt, Paxton’s office fired off a letter threatening the Big 12 with a casual $200 million antitrust lawsuit if they dare to penalize Tech. It turns out Sorsby’s legal dream team also includes Lubbock’s own state representative and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows. It’s truly heartwarming to see the highest levels of Texas government put everything on the line to protect a kid’s right to beat the point spread.
Meanwhile, Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt is out here delivering statements with a completely straight face, claiming the university’s role is simply “to support his recovery, not to engineer his eligibility.” Right. Because nothing screams “healthy rehabilitation environment” quite like throwing a 22-year-old with a diagnosed gambling compulsion right back into the high-stakes, pressure-cooker world of Big 12 football while the Oklahoma Attorney General publicly calls the whole ordeal a “shameful chapter.”
But hey, if Sorsby successfully covers the spread against Oklahoma this fall, maybe he can win enough cash to help Paxton cover his next state legal settlement.
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