The Mike Leach Fiasco

[BandAid]

For those who do not know, Mike Leach was fired from his position as head coach of Texas Tech football today. Here is a link to the AP article describing the initial allegations that led to his firing: Texas Tech Coach Mike Leach Suspended (http://www.timesleader.com/sports/Texas_Tech_coach_Mike_Leach_suspended_12-29-2009.html)

This story is simply too odd to not have an opinion. So: Is Mike Leach off his rocker, punishing players with solitary confinement? Of is this a case of a diva wide receiver and his famous father trying to bring down a coach for playing time? The Counter-Argument, (http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/139330-source-james-hounded-leach-to-play-son-more?eref=sihp) The Counter-Argmunet's Evidence. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-berliner/the-mike-leach-firing-som_b_407702.html) Or is it a school looking for an excuse to fire their coach bypassing buy-out and incentive clauses? A Conspiracy Theory? (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/stewart_mandel/12/30/leach-fired/index.html?eref=sihp)

[golfitup]

He was suppose to receive an 800,000 dollar bonus check TOMORROW from Texas Tech. How bad would that suck?

[XUglow]

I did a lot of reading on this situation today. We may never know the full story, but I think Leach did some bad things and then passed on the "out" that the university offered him. I don't think he left the university any choice other than to fire him.

The quote that ESPN is running from the player that thinks the action is justified is very telling. They all knew what Leach did, and it seems that many of them thought it was wrong.

TT fans are doing some major character assasination on father and son James, and I think many of them will turn against the football program and the university. We saw something similar at UC with Huggins. Doing the right thing with winning coaches doesn't always sit well with fans.

[GuyFawkes38]

The dallas morning news just leaked these email exchanges.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/12-09/1231newleach.pdf

There was no love between Leach and Texas Tech admins before the entire incident.

So Texas Tech admins and donors hated Leach. But one thing I don't understand about this entire situation is why other schools weren't interested in hiring Leach.

He's a hell of a coach. Yet, schools wouldn't even consider him as a potential candidate. Why are Butch Jones and Brian Kelly such hot candidates but not Leach who's resume is just as impressive (no BCS games, but in a much, much tougher situation being in the Big 12 south).

How has Leach developed such a bad reputation the past few years?

[X-band '01]

Leach set the table last year when he was interviewing for the then-open Washington job; apparently there was a chance at that point that Leach could have gone from being Coach of the Year nationally to being fired at that point.

If the story is true that Leach made someone who had a concussion stand in a dark room for 3 hours, I'd say that some kind of reprimand is in order. But to add to Guy's question about Leach's reputation, something is definitely awry with Leach if nobody decides to gobble him up for a coaching vacancy next year.

[BandAid]

Someone is lying.

In this link there is video of an interview with Leach's lawyer in which they "inspect" the shed and electrical closet Jones was placed in. Leach's Lawyer's Interview. (http://www.kcbd.com/global/Category.asp?C=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=108431&topVideoCatNoB=108535&topVideoCatNoC=111448&topVideoCatNoD=108536&topVideoCatNoE=111449&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=4421239&flvUri=&partnerclipid=) This footage looks incredibly different than the phone camera evidence we've all seen from Jones on Sportscenter.

I'd like to think Jones is the victim, but how often do we see players do ridiculous things when they feel slighted? Add in that it is a player with an iconic father...and pow! Leach fired.

[XUglow]

Someone is lying.

In this link there is video of an interview with Leach's lawyer in which they "inspect" the shed and electrical closet Jones was placed in. Leach's Lawyer's Interview. (http://www.kcbd.com/global/Category.asp?C=151146&clipId=&topVideoCatNo=108431&topVideoCatNoB=108535&topVideoCatNoC=111448&topVideoCatNoD=108536&topVideoCatNoE=111449&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=4421239&flvUri=&partnerclipid=) This footage looks incredibly different than the phone camera evidence we've all seen from Jones on Sportscenter.

I'd like to think Jones is the victim, but how often do we see players do ridiculous things when they feel slighted? Add in that it is a player with an iconic father...and pow! Leach fired.

Have you read the doc that TT wanted him to sign so that things could go back to normal? It is nothing more than a laundry list of common-sense rules for handling injured players. There is no admission of guilt on anything. No apology was needed. All he had to do was sign the document, and the situation would have been over. Leach refused, and TT suspended him until they could finish an investigation.

From the university POV, what option did they have? Someone comes to you and tells you that you have a coach mis-handling injuries. You probably worry about your liability. You meet with your employee and ask him to acknowledge some rules about dealing with injured people, and he refuses to sign the document. What is he trying to tell you? Is he trying to say that he isn't going to be confined by these silly rules about injuries?

I run a business. I cannot imagine someone coming to me and telling me that my shipping supervisor confined one of my packers to a room for 3 hours. How do you think I am going to react towards that supervisor? Supervisor: I put him in there because he says his shoulder is injured and that he can't lift boxes. Seriously. Think about it. Would you say, "OK, do whatever you think is best."?

[Masterofreality]

Leach should have been fired.

Sorry. A coach can be "demanding" without being abusive. Leach just comes across as a sour, dour individual who has no feeling as how to handle people other than intimidation.

I would guess that Texas Tech has some pretty solid evidence against this guy. The players who have been interviewed have absolutely no love for their former coach and are glad to see him go. That is rather unusual. I would say that no players stepping forward to take the guy's back is enough damning evidence.

[BandAid]

Have you read the doc that TT wanted him to sign so that things could go back to normal? It is nothing more than a laundry list of common-sense rules for handling injured players. There is no admission of guilt on anything. No apology was needed. All he had to do was sign the document, and the situation would have been over. Leach refused, and TT suspended him until they could finish an investigation.

From the university POV, what option did they have? Someone comes to you and tells you that you have a coach mis-handling injuries. You probably worry about your liability. You meet with your employee and ask him to acknowledge some rules about dealing with injured people, and he refuses to sign the document. What is he trying to tell you? Is he trying to say that he isn't going to be confined by these silly rules about injuries?

I run a business. I cannot imagine someone coming to me and telling me that my shipping supervisor confined one of my packers to a room for 3 hours. How do you think I am going to react towards that supervisor? Supervisor: I put him in there because he says his shoulder is injured and that he can't lift boxes. Seriously. Think about it. Would you say, "OK, do whatever you think is best."?

I'm not disputing that Leach should be fired. He should. I'm merely suggesting the original claims may be an exagerration. I would advocate Leach getting fired for what his lawyer admits he has done.

[Kahns Krazy]

Some part of me always questions the motives of the organization that fires a guy the day before a $800,000 bonus is due. However, from what little I know, it seems like a very Hugginsish scenario.

[XUglow]

Some part of me always questions the motives of the organization that fires a guy the day before a $800,000 bonus is due. However, from what little I know, it seems like a very Hugginsish scenario.

If he signs the paper, he gets the $800K. If he accepts the suspension, he gets the $800K. If he got bad legal advice, he needs to sue his lawyer. If he made these bone-headed decisions on his own, well... he will have 800,000 reasons to handle it better the next time he hits this situation.