Texas Tech has now fired Mike Leach

[fishwax]

http://www.sportingnews.com/college-football/article/2009-12-30/mike-leach-fired-texas-tech

Good luck to Tech finding a coach who can average 8-9 wins a season in Lubbock (especially after firing their all-time-winningest coach the day before he was due an $800,000 incentive) ...

[JonLP24]

1. The only way I imagine them doing this...

is if the allegations had merit.

[fishwax]

2. From what I've seen, there is a lot of info supporting Leach and not much supporting James

There was this clip on Lubbock (I think) news in which Leach's lawyer shows the reporter the "shed" and "electrical closet" that Leach allegedly made the kid hang out in.

And CBS published some emails supporting Leach (and criticizing James) from current and former coaches and players.

I think Tech's AD has been pissed at Leach for years, probably because Leach has consistently flirted with other jobs. He tried to oust Leach last year as well.

[JonLP24]

4. I wasn't there so I don't know what happened

One is Leach's lawyer point of view which is important but so is James pov at this point.

The emails really don't tell me anything about what happened. The first few just explain how bad of a guy James is but no matter how bad someone is doesn't give the right to mistreat players.

Again--I have no idea what happened or what is the proper way to treat a concussion.

[El Supremo]

3. This happened before the court ruling on Leach's injunction.

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/

Hey maybe they can spen the $800K on a better mascot!

[fishwax]

5. actually, it turns out they may have to pay even more

His contract stipulated that he'd be paid 400k/year for each year left on his contract if he was fired, and he has four years left. I don't know if the reason for his firing changes that, but Leach is a lawyer and I'm sure he'll fight for the coin.

Plus, Someone on ESPN just said the AD might have violated some kind of contract language that requires 10 working days to process his firing, meaning that Leach could wind up getting the 800k too.

So a new mascot might not be in the cards. :rofl:

[El Supremo]

7. More Leach quirkiness:

Back in the spring, Leach surprised some when he had wide receiver Edward Britton sit in a chair near midfield and do his homework in inclement weather while the team practiced.

A day after a 29-28 loss at Houston on Sept. 26, Leach suspended offensive guard Brandon Carter when the player made some disparaging remarks about the coaching staff after the disappointing loss. That same day, linebacker Marlon Williams used his Twitter account to tweet about his disappointment of sitting in a team meeting when Leach didn�t make it to the meeting on time.

That prompted Leach to order all his players to cancel their Twitter accounts.

Leach also made national attention when, after an embarrassing 52-30 home loss to Texas A&M, he claimed his players were distracted by their "fat little girlfriends."

Also, after a loss at Texas in 2007, the Big 12 fined Leach a record $10,000 and reprimanded him after he publicly criticized the game officials.

http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1859607.html

[Condem]

8. 15 years ago this would of been known as colorful.

LOL. Bear Bryant is rolling over in his grave. El- you know better than any of us. Did he get in his players faces during games? He always seemed like a fun-loving chap to me.

[Iggo]

23. Oh no way. He's the "fat little girlfriends" guy?

Fuck him, then. I hope he gets royally screwed.

[LisaM]

6. Firing anyone the day before a bonus is due is fishy

I don't know much about this story and can only add that I've never liked Craig James, and I'm sorry to say, it's mostly because he has televangelist hair and looks like he belongs to a good ol' boy network!

This should be called the Bust Bowl.

[TZ]

9. I've worked in academia.

Firing someone for cause (who has already lawyered up) is ONLY done if the University is confident of their case agaisnt them. Legal costs alone defending agaisnt him sueing (which he's obviously going to do) will cost them almost as much as this bonus. I think there's more going on here than is readily apparant.

[LisaM]

10. I can't disagree with that

I think there's a lot more to come. Heck, for all we know, the guy already had another job lined up.

[fishwax]

11. I have too, and it's convinced me that administrators sometimes do really stupid things

;)

[TZ]

12. Yeah well...

Maybe its different in atheletics but its damn near impossible to fire someone who deserves it in an academic environment...:grr:

[fishwax]

13. ha! I see your point

But, yeah, Athletic Departments are a fiefdom all their own, and Texas Tech's athletic director Gerald Myers has been there for about 40 years (he was head basketball coach for 25 years before becoming AD).

[joeybee12]

19. The bigwigs at Texas Tech sound like idiots, in their statement, they said

"insubordination." Any lawyer working in employment law will tell you that is such a vague and indefensible term...I think Leach is in for a big windfall, especially with what other players are saying about James.

[JonLP24]

20. Former players weren't there

Besides with so many players you're bound to get different opinions like these two who currently play for the team...

Texas Tech player: Leach right to be fired, treated Jones like 'animal'

Defensive lineman Chris Perry, to ESPN: "I have no complaints about this decision. (Leach) put Adam in a shed like an animal. Like an animal in a cage. That was bull," . "You call other players. I think it was a good decision. We have our pep back now. We practice hard this week. We had less stress this week. You know why? Because he's gone."

Cornerback Taylor Charbonnet, to ESPN: "The players make this team, not one coach. As Adam's friend, I didn't like it at all what did. He was my brother and I didn't agree with it. I don't know why did that. But I know we our fully behind coach Ruffin . We love him and support him."



http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0_s_0_0_t&usg=AFQjCNH-r5qe3RFxrPv8fN25sgungUoM5g&cid=17593682896213&ei=zRM8S5jXCo3ilQSQ97gs&rt=SEARCH&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dallasnews.com%2Fsharedcontent%2Fdws%2Fspt%2Fcolleges%2Ftexastech%2Fstories%2F123109dnspoleachquotes.2d0d8adc.html

[Twillig]

21. Those are damning comments from players.

They are the equivalent of saying about the coach: "Fuck that Mother-Fucker!"
That players are so quick to come out and slag him publicly says a lot.


It doesn't sound like the captain of the ship had won the hearts and minds of his crew.

[RT Atlanta]

14. Interesting development

The linked article is a good counterpunch (to me any how) in rebutting some of James' contentions:

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12720824/emails-dispute-james-claims-of-mistreatment/rss

Wonder if the James family will be responsible for bringing down two programs in Texas? Just sayin...


From the little bit that I've read, I stand with Leach on this one. TT overreacted, has fired what I believe is its all time winningest coach, and the school is going to pay for it financially, and with a drop off in its football program.

[TZ]

15. I'm going to repeat this.

When you fire someone "for cause" and you KNOW they are gonna sue, you must think legally you have a VERY strong case. I've found that someone who is winning will have serious flaws overlooked. Bobby Knight jumps to mind here. I'll be interested to hear court evidence. There's got to be more to this story than meets the eye. People don't open themselves to lawsuits unless they think they have grounds to stand on.

[fishwax]

16. that assumes a rational, competent decision maker

I don't buy the argument that if they fired him they must be in the right. People get fired wrongly. Egos and emotion get in the way of rational decisions. It happens. (I'm not saying that's what happened here--obviously I don't know for sure.)

Neuheisel got something like 4.5 million dollars when his wrongful termination suit was settled after he was fired from Washington a few years back, so even when someone thinks they have their ducks in a row, it doesn't mean that they do.

[TZ]

24. It's not a cut and dry decision

That's what I'm saying. I can't believe they would fire someone so they didn't have to pay him only to have to turn around and pay lawyers fees and maybe a big payout in court. Plus this is a black eye for the school something most administrators try hard to avoid. It seems to me that someone high up really believes Leach is abusive.

[Redbear]

22. Good Point, It appears the story goes way beyond the James kid

[Capt. America]

17. Can someone fire the A&M coach as well?

[jakefrep]

18. Good riddance.

Leach is a scumbag who thought he was bigger than the school. He deserved to be shitcanned.