Jump to content
[[Template core/front/custom/_customHeader is throwing an error. This theme may be out of date. Run the support tool in the AdminCP to restore the default theme.]]

Texas Tech suspends Mike Leach after player complains about treatment


polksalet
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hmm. First you have a huge and seemingly endless supply of "workers", pie-eyed about maybe making it to the bigs someday, who you pay with room, board, and an education that you keep them too busy or tired to take advantage of. Then you mix in the fact that, if the boss succeeds, he gets paid wild, crazy amounts of money.

 

I wonder why so many coaches are going over the top with how they treat their players?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that's a good redneck redwater response

 

It wasn't just "any" college player:

 

Mike Leach doesn’t publicly speak about injuries to his football players. How he handled one in private a little more than a week ago led to his suspension Monday.

 

The announcement Leach would not coach the Red Raiders in Saturday’s Alamo Bowl against Michigan State came after the parents of receiver Adam James — father Craig is an ESPN college football analyst — complained about how their son was treated.

 

While defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill was tapped to take Leach’s place, Leach’s attorney, Ted Liggett, said he hasn’t given up hope that Leach will coach in the bowl.

 

“We’re going to do everything we can to see that our client is duly served justice and that he’s reunited with his boys as soon as possible,’’ Liggett said.

 

Asked how he planned to go about it, Liggett said, “Through the court system, don’t ya?’’

 

Tech completed an initial investigation before suspending Leach. The Avalanche-Journal learned during that investigation Leach did not dispute the facts, but did not believe he had done anything wrong. Leach also told officials James was a slacker and his father was always calling and acting like a Little League dad.

 

Leach had until Monday to write an apology and when he did not, the university officials felt they had to take action.

 

Leach has been suspended indefinitely, with pay, from his role as head coach.

 

“We obviously think the allegations are very serious,” said Jerry Turner, Board of Regents vice chair.

James practiced with the team in San Antonio on Monday.

 

Tech did not release details of the incident, saying only that it “received a complaint from a player and his parents regarding … Leach’s treatment of the athlete after an injury.”

 

Craig James was scheduled to work the Alamo Bowl broadcast; ESPN confirmed on Monday he’ll be replaced.

The A-J learned that on Dec. 17, Leach ordered James to stand in a dark shed at the Tech football practice facility because he thought James was faking a concussion he’d suffered during practice the previous day. Leach had him watched, and when James sat down, Leach had things removed from the shed so he could not sit.

 

Two days later, Leach forced James to stand in a dark room for three hours.

 

“Mr. and Mrs. James took the step with great regret and after consideration and prayer to convey to the Texas Tech Administration that their son had been subjected to actions and treatment not consistent with commonsense rules for safety and health,” the James family said in a statement issued through a publicist.

 

Liggett said it’s “ridiculous’’ to characterize the building adjacent to the team’s practice fields as a “shed’’ or an “electrical closet.’’

 

“Because of the fact that he had a concussion and he was extremely limited in the physical activity he could undergo, Mike felt like that was the best place for him and still be close to and part of the team,’’ Liggett said.

 

Liggett said while James was secluded on two occasions, he was not treated inappropriately and had a doctor’s statement attesting to that.

 

“There’s much, much more than meets the eye,’’ Liggett said. “The diagnosing doctor has signed a note stating that Adam James was in no way injured by the actions coach Leach took. In fact, he was better off in the building than he would have been outside.”

 

The decision to suspend Leach was made in consultation with the Tech president, chancellor and Board of Regents members.

 

Regents chair Larry Anders said he could not comment on the investigation because it is a personnel issue, but the decision was ultimately made by Tech President Guy Bailey and Athletic Director Gerald Myers.

 

“We’ve been briefed, but ultimately, at the end of the day, it came down to a decision by the president and (athletic director),” Anders said.

 

Bailey and Chancellor Kent Hance did not return phone calls for comment. Tech football players did not give interviews after their first practice in San Antonio on Monday night, and an ESPN representative said Craig James will not be giving interviews at this time.

 

“We have a sense of regret this has come right before a bowl game,” Turner said. “I really hope our team can rally behind coach McNeill.”

 

Leach received three national coach of the year awards in 2008 after leading Tech to an 11-2 record and a Cotton Bowl berth. It also earned him a new, five-year, $12.7 million contract that came after the school and the coach had a heated and contentious battle to get the deal done. If the contract is terminated, Tech would have to pay Leach $400,000 for each remaining year.

 

Tech is 8-4 overall and 5-3 in the Big 12 this season.

 

Leach is known for his outspokenness.

 

This fall he famously criticized players’ family and friends as “fat little girlfriends” who beefed up players’ egos. He changed quarterback Taylor Potts’ jersey to say “Nick” because he thought Taylor wasn’t a masculine enough name for the QB. He suspended linebacker Marlon Williams and banned players from using Twitter after Williams posted “Wondering why I’m still in this meeting room when the head coach can’t even be on time to his on (sic) meeting.”

 

Leach suspended offensive guard Brandon Carter after the Raiders’ loss to Houston on Sept. 19 for an outburst that included smashing his helmet and loudly criticizing the coaching staff.

 

Last spring, Leach sent split end Edward Britton to study on the football field despite 30-degree weather and snow flurries because Britton had missed a study session.

 

I will wait to hear more about what happened before I tart calling for leaches head. He's a weirdo and make you ;hscratch: sometimes with the things that he does on and off the field, but he is a good coach. To think this is the worst thing to happen to student athletes at any college is being rather naive, IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It wasn't just "any" college player:

 

I will wait to hear more about what happened before I tart calling for leaches head. He's a weirdo and make you ;hscratch: sometimes with the things that he does on and off the field, but he is a good coach. To think this is the worst thing to happen to student athletes at any college is being rather naive, IMO.

Leach is a basket case, it seems. Hardly an isolated incident, is it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure what happened.

 

However, please take it under advisement that:

 

1) The AD is on his way out this year or next.

2) The AD is a corn-hole and is generally untrustworthy.

3) The AD probably has a hard-on for Leach after the contentious battle over his contract last year.

4) Leach is a bit of an odd duck no matter how you slice it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leach is a basket case, it seems. Hardly an isolated incident, is it?

 

Yeah, he's marches to his own drum for sure, but not like he has a Bobby Knight type history with abuse of players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will wait to hear more about what happened before I tart calling for leaches head. He's a weirdo and make you ;hscratch: sometimes with the things that he does on and off the field, but he is a good coach. To think this is the worst thing to happen to student athletes at any college is being rather naive, IMO.

+1

 

Not sure what happened.

 

However, please take it under advisement that:

 

1) The AD is on his way out this year or next.

2) The AD is a corn-hole and is generally untrustworthy.

3) The AD probably has a hard-on for Leach after the contentious battle over his contract last year.

4) Leach is a bit of an odd duck no matter how you slice it.

Agreed

 

This situation reeks of Leach "trying" to get fired. He has had contentious issues with the AD there, and he picks the one guy who he knows will garner the most attention.

 

This was calculated, IMO.

I'd be surprised if this is the case, but I guess you never know. Leach had good reason to be upset over the contract extension. I don't remember all the details but they seemed to really be trying to screw him over. Leech is a weirdo but honestly I think that is one of the reasons he fits in well at Tech. The dude has made that program as relevant as anyone I can remember being there. I think they are lucky to have him. I don't see how telling a guy with a concussion to stay in a dark room is really putting him at any risk :D. This sounds more like the AD looking for something to play "gotcha" with. But I didn't think that Mangino would get fired from Kansas for yelling at players and poking them in the chest so who knows what'll happen. This is one of the strangest college football stories I've heard. :wacko:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Texas Tech fires football coach Mike Leach, two days after suspension

 

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech has fired football coach Mike Leach.

 

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

 

Liggett says the letter says Leach is "terminated with cause effective immediately."

 

Leach was suspended by the university on Monday while the school investigated allegations that he mistreated an injured player.

 

Receiver Adam James alleges Leach twice confined him to small, dark spaces during practice after the player was diagnosed with a concussion.

 

Texas Tech plays Michigan State on Saturday in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Texas Tech fires football coach Mike Leach, two days after suspension

 

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech has fired football coach Mike Leach.

 

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

 

Liggett says the letter says Leach is "terminated with cause effective immediately."

 

Leach was suspended by the university on Monday while the school investigated allegations that he mistreated an injured player.

 

Receiver Adam James alleges Leach twice confined him to small, dark spaces during practice after the player was diagnosed with a concussion.

 

Texas Tech plays Michigan State on Saturday in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.

1 day prior to having to receive a bonus for still being employed as of 12/31/09. :wacko:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unreal. :wacko: I guess I should look at the bright side. Tech kicked the crap out of my favorite team this year. They fired the best coach they ever had and will probably slip down to some obscurity (what coach is going to want to go work for this AD?). Hopefully they win about 4-5 games next year and the AD goes as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice find. Thanks for that. We've been debating this in the office (who wants to work today?) so that is a helpful vid. It really doesn't look like the player was told to do anything that should get a good coach fired. TTech is going to regret this.

 

ETA: I wish Nebraska would hire Leach as offensive coordinator, but I'm pretty sure he'll get a decent head coaching job somewhere. I wonder where he'll end up :wacko:.

Edited by Square
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here you can see the emails former players and coaches sent in in regards to the player, Adam James.

 

 

great read- this is not going to be pretty for the James family. What a lame ass story really, and Leach has already been thrown under the bus by being compared to the fat azz from Kansas, Mangino.

 

what a joke- and Adam James sounds like a spoiled punk

 

Adam and Craig will be on an island with zero support while Leach will win alot of $$ in his lawsuit and get a better job than Tech when all is said and done this will probably work out better for him

 

ETA: BJ..........James! haha

 

Mike Jones Biatch!!! :wacko:

Edited by wildcat2334
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This situation reeks of Leach "trying" to get fired. He has had contentious issues with the AD there, and he picks the one guy who he knows will garner the most attention.

 

This was calculated, IMO.

 

That makes no sense at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice find. Thanks for that. We've been debating this in the office (who wants to work today?) so that is a helpful vid. It really doesn't look like the player was told to do anything that should get a good coach fired.

And I'm sure that the kid's father being a famous sports announcer never entered into it. :wacko:

 

Hard to say what the real deal is here but it sounds to me like the media is trying to quickly paint Leach as this sadistic etc and the poor victim kid boo hoo. Leach may be odd but it sounds like BS.

Edited by BeeR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information