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Leach fired by Texas Tech

BaltimoreTerp

By BaltimoreTerp
in NCAA Football

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BaltimoreTerp Hangout Grand Counsel

BaltimoreTerp

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http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls09/news/story?id=4781981

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech fired coach Mike Leach on Wednesday, just two days after he was suspended by the school as it investigated his treatment of a player with a concussion.

The school handed a termination letter to Leach's attorney, Ted Liggett, just minutes before the two sides were to appear in a Lubbock, Texas, courtroom for a hearing on the coach's suspension.

...

Liggett said he planned to file a lawsuit on Leach's behalf against the school "soon."

"We can guarantee that the fight has just begun," he said.

...

In February, Leach and the school agreed to a five-year, $12.7 million contract. According to terms of the deal, Leach was due a $800,000 bonus on Dec. 31 if he were still the head coach at Texas Tech.

Leach's attorneys believe that Leach will be owed the $800,000 retention bonus because his contract states he has a 10-day "cure period" in which to rectify any issue.

...

Leach was suspended by the university on Monday after receiver Adam James alleged the coach twice confined him to small, dark spaces while the team practiced.

James is the son of former NFL player and ESPN analyst Craig James.

"We appreciate that the university conducted a fair and thorough investigation," said a statement from the James family. "From the family's point of view this has always been about the safety and well being of our son and of all the players on the team."

...

Several former and current Texas Tech players and coaches defended Leach and harshly criticized James' work ethic in e-mails obtained by CBSSports.com.

Among those were former Texas Tech wide receiver Eric Morris, who wrote that James was "never known as a hard worker" and "seemed to have a negative attitude toward the football program the majority of the time."

Morris told The Associated Press on Wednesday the letters were written as school administrators began looking into the incident, before Leach was suspended. Morris said they wanted to show their support for Leach and show James' possible motives.

Morris said he spoke with Leach as the incident began unfolding.

"He told me he would never do anything" to harm a player, Morris said. "He was trying to hold someone accountable."

Obviously there is a lot that needs to come out about this, but at the risk of extreme understatement, this is very strange.

So, who's going to fire their coach to pick up Leach?

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Hooded Viper Major Leaguer

Hooded Viper

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Based on what I know about this I'm definitely siding with Leach on this one.

I saw an interview with Craig James last night. To his credit Steve Levy asked James about the rumor that the younger James was unhappy with his playing time (and by extension was unhappy with Leach). He then asked James if his son was happy playing for Leach. James proceeded to answer the question without mentioning Leach at all. He essentially repeated what he had said earlier about how he's a lifelong Texas Tech fan and that two of his kids go to TT and that they love it there. The obvious next thing for Levy to do in that instance would have been to press the issue and ask again if his son had an issue with Mike Leach. He instead took the conversation in a completely different direction.

I can understand why Levy didn't press the issue. Number one, he has to work with James. Number two, James probably only did the interview because it was with ESPN and they likely had an understanding that Levy wouldn't push certain issues.

Either way, I came away from that interview convinced that the younger James doesn't like playing for Mike Leach and that is the reason the James family made such a big deal out of what happened.

On a completely separate note, man would I love it if Mike Leach were to somehow end up at Maryland - even though it will never, ever happen.

As soon as I read he was fired I thought the same exact thing. I agree it won't happen but what a coup that would be for MD.

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Birds of B'more Hangout Grand Counsel

Birds of B'more

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This story isn't over by any means. Expect a lawsuit by Leach to claim the remaining portion of his contract.

And props to ESPN for standing behind one of its (supposedly) impartial analysts who just got a head coach fired. :rolleyes: I wonder how many other college football coaches are going to be willing to do interviews with Craig James from here on out?

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Life Long O Fan AAA

Life Long O Fan

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Considering how quickly this went down, I think TT was looking for an excuse to fire Leech. This situation gave them one to try to fire him for cause and withold his money left on the contract.

Haven't they been trying to find a reason for a while? He has been a great coach for them. He is a little bit out there, but he should find a job pretty quick.

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CrimsonTribe All-Star

CrimsonTribe

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Haven't they been trying to find a reason for a while? He has been a great coach for them. He is a little bit out there, but he should find a job pretty quick.

That's basically what I've been reading. The recent contract negotiations were pretty contentious by all reports and Leach is a rather eccentric guy.

Here's a great article on the situation.

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NNYyardbird AA

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I'm with Leach on this one. Craig James mentioned something about the focus on concussions in today's football. I wonder if Adam James was using this to his advantage as well. Adam James was diagnosed with a "mild concussion". Well any of us could be diagnosed with a "mild concussion" by answering a few simple questions (especially in this climate where doctors don't want liability of missing a concussion). It seems more than a coincidence that Adam James was recently reprimanded by the coaching staff for poor work ethic on two occasions just prior to his injury. His response to the coaches was that there is nothing wrong with my work and you need to do your job. This according to his position coach was a typical James' response. More than one Tech person/player has said that this kid walks around like the world owes him something. My guess is that Leach had legitimate questions as to whether or not this kid was trying to manipulate the system so he decided to play the kid's game. "If you have a concussion then we'd better get you out of the sun" type of thing. Nothing Leach did would do further damage to a person with a concussion. He was trying to make a point to the kid and the whole thing blew up when Mommy and Daddy got involved. When the chancellor came calling Leach couldn't believe he had to answer to this jackass kid so he played it hardheaded until he got himself fired. Ironically it has been said the Leach overruled his assistant coaches in regard to giving James a scholarship in the first place. The other coaches didn't want James on the team.

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beaner Veteran All-Star

beaner

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I am very surprised anyone is siding with Leach on this. He locked a kid in a closet, I repeat, he locked a kid in a closet. Kick him off the team if he's a pompous kid, take his scholarship, don't let him back next year...whatever. Just don't LOCK HIM IN A CLOSET. How is this acceptable on any level?

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RShack Hangout Grand Counsel

RShack

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I am very surprised anyone is siding with Leach on this. He locked a kid in a closet, I repeat, he locked a kid in a closet. Kick him off the team if he's a pompous kid, take his scholarship, don't let him back next year...whatever. Just don't LOCK HIM IN A CLOSET. How is this acceptable on any level?

If those are the actual facts, then I agree. However, I think what actually happened has been drawn into serious question.

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