A person with direct knowledge of the tension between Leach and Texas Tech said that Craig James used his position at ESPN to lobby Texas Tech coaches for more playing time for his son.
"He called the coaches and implored them to play his son more and insinuated he would say good things about them on the air if they played his son more," said the person, who was granted anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue. "At one point Leach said to James, ‘The next time your father leaves any of us a voice mail to that effect we’re going to play it to the entire team.’ "
The person said Leach’s attorney sent a letter to ESPN executives informing them of this. An ESPN spokesman said that ESPN was not immediately available to comment.
about 2 years ago
billyzane
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Moving away from the "should Leach have been fired" question...
…what about Craig James’ role in all of this? Has he been compromised? Should he be fired by ABC/ESPN?
Craig James should be fired
and so should the TTU chancellor and AD.
This whole situation is completely unbelievable.
At the least
it seems like some type of breach of power by James. If what Leach did was a firing offense, it seems like what James did might be too, but I think a suspension is more in order.
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Dec 31, 2009 6:10 AM CST up reply actions
he should be told to shut the f*** up
by Displaced Longhorn on Dec 30, 2009 8:40 PM CST reply actions
Like objectivity is a job requirement?
Heard Lou Holtz lately?
These goldy-throats aren’t objective and their bosses don’t want them to be. They want entertainment, nothing more. And defintely nothing less.
From reading stuff online all week, I had begun to smell Daddy’s presence in all of this. Not to this extent, maybe . . .
They need to get Lou Holtz off of TV...his delusions are unbearable these days
….do you guys remember he picked ND to win the NC in the beginning of the season after ND beat Nevada??
COACH BOOM BABY!!
The old Pony Express Philosophy
It’s the old Pony Express philosophy ya know! Daddy James used to play for SMU back when SMU handed out cash to its players, now he wanted to talk up Tech if they gave his son more play time. I see a connection here, sadly it cost us our coach.
by jef on Dec 30, 2009 8:58 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
+2
It wasn’t just cash. iirc, daddy James got a new blue sports car (240Z?) as soon as he showed up on campus. While the careers of the SMU admins went up in flames and the school got the death penalty, James went scott free and never expressed any regrets for his years of cheating. He got what he wanted and to hell with everybody else. Nothing has changed.
Tech Sure Throws Out Slurs Well (with condition of anonymity of course)
This whole issue is an embarrasment for the University and the community. Why don’t you guys just hire a new coach and move on?
ESPN's coverage is really getting under my skin
Mark May and Lou Holtz practically lecturing to Mike Leach at the Holiday Bowl half-time. What a joke.
From what I’ve gathered, the VAST majority of those who are concerned are in Leach’s corner. And in my eyes, the University did something very corrosive, both for its own financial future, and for the sake of proper ethics. But none of those angles is even being hinted at in ESPN’s coverage. Its starting to piss me off.
I mildly disagreed with you on the earlier thread . . .
. . . but I’m now beginning to change my tune based on the halftime “analysis” during the Holiday Bowl smackdown. I generally dislike using the word “bias,” but it is definitely slanted, no matter what the motive is.
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 30, 2009 10:14 PM CST up reply actions
Its often good to reserve judgement until a situation is entirely unfolded.
It was funny to see the local news in San Antonio cover the same story. Their “slant” was that they pretty much showed only the people who were enraged, lots of interviews with season ticket holders declaring that they wouldn’t be renewing. It wasn’t the same story ESPN is telling at all.
by BrooklynHorn on Dec 31, 2009 1:32 AM CST up reply actions
+1
Plus, any one who threatened to play voicemails to entire team can’t be all bad.
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Dec 30, 2009 10:22 PM CST up reply actions
funny stuff going on at NYT
That pull quote you have above can be googled right straight to the NYT link above — but when you read the current version, the quote is nowhere to be found.
Which says, it once existed, google swept it up, but the story on that URL was later changed.
by nvrfrgt63 on Dec 30, 2009 9:16 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
+1
I e-mailed one of the authors basically to say “what’s up? It’s already out there, regardless of the fact you ‘revised’ your story.” Also told them ESPN is already in way too deep with this story, and the NYT doesn’t need to be implicated as well.
by venicelonghorn on Dec 30, 2009 9:34 PM CST up reply actions
Et tu, Brute?
Sorry Billyzane, but posting a link to anything written by Thayer Evans is simply Longhorn treason and he is the epitome of an unreliable source. I refuse to be linked over to that douchebag’s site.
It is becoming clear that Leach was fired more for his insubordination after the event than the actual event itself. According to Tech, Leach refused to take their requested corrective actions to resolve the incidents involving Adams despite being instructed to do so. He gave them cause in his refusal to defuse the situation to their liking. Whether he likes it or not, Tech was his boss—not the other way around. His inability to understand that he had a boss was his final undoing.
Trashing the victim in the incident with “anonymous” sources is b.s. too. If somone is anonymous they need to shut up. Either come and let the accused confront you or keep the trap shut. I hate “anonymous sources”. I call b.s. on that.
It is becoming obvious that the Chancellor at Tech tried to talk Leach off the cliff but he was having none of it. So, Leach keeps his pride and arrogant sense of self while he gets a chance to cool his heels in the shed.
Leach is his own worst enemy.
im sure BZ knew that but
yea, its def. leach’s insubordination that did him in. i think that all BZ is saying is that the event of which this precipitated from is getting pretty funny/wierd/pathetic/confusing/embarrasing. lol
"We'll be baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!"
by greenspointexas on Dec 30, 2009 9:19 PM CST up reply actions
Sorry, but that's bullshit.
Go read Tech’s response to Leach’s TRO petition. They include the “corrective action” they wanted out of Leach as an exhibit. It’s an absolutely insane statement that would have, in essence, voluntarily rescinded his contract. Refusing to sign that isn’t called insubordination, it’s called having an IQ over 65.
I can’t believe that anyone would take a statement of any member of Tech’s administration at face value knowing what we know now about how much of what they have done and said has been completely fraudulent.
Do you have a link for the Response to the TRO?
I’d like to read that.
I don’t know if you were referring to me, but I don’t care enough about Leach or Tech to take a position. But, I do know enough about Thayer Evans to know that nobody should trust anything that comes out of his mouth or blog—especially if it is an “anonymous source.”
I think this is going to stay pretty nasty because I don’t see either side giving in this time.
+1
Apparently Evans has already retracted this part of the story, the quote is no longer in the article that I can see. Speaks strongly of his credibility.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Dec 31, 2009 10:11 AM CST up reply actions
I refuse to believe that Leach needs to change how he coaches
I’m really tired of proclamations from people that Leach deserved to be fired because he doesn’t conform to their slotted standards. Please halt such proclamations. Maybe go read “The Stranger” instead.
by BrooklynHorn on Dec 30, 2009 9:47 PM CST up reply actions
You don't think a coach should have to answer to the administration?
Then who should he answer to? Surely somebody.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Dec 31, 2009 9:21 AM CST up reply actions
To me, it's like Marty Schottenheimer's firing by A.J. in San Diego
It’s not that Marty shouldn’t have been beholden to A.J. Smith, his boss. It’s that A.J. Smith’s ego couldn’t handle a head coach who wasn’t servile.
by burntorangehorn on Dec 31, 2009 9:37 AM CST up reply actions
It's difficult to deal with huge egos
Had to deal with a couple of those egos in the past with superiors. I had one guy that referred to himself in the third person, called himself by his first and last name when discussing policy. I had to drink coffee with him every morning and listen to him for an hour but hey, you play the game or you don’t.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Dec 31, 2009 10:25 AM CST up reply actions
In football such guys almost invariably kill the team
At least if they’re in executive positions. Dan Snyder, Al Davis, Jerry Jones, and most coaches who have held out for executive roles in addition to their coaching roles (save Parcells and Belichick, who are the Borg).
Give AJ Smith time, and I think we’ll see the same with him, although his power isn’t as expansive as those other guys’.
by burntorangehorn on Dec 31, 2009 10:34 AM CST up reply actions
What is happening to Football.
I had far worse punishments; if this is what this was in cheerleading. Why are kids so mentally soft now a days? Parents need to stop with coddling B.S. and raise their children to be a little tougher. I hope Leach wins his suit. Tech welcome back to obscurity!
by girlslikefootball2 on Dec 30, 2009 9:59 PM CST reply actions
exactly
Plus, James’ son is 20-year-old man. It’s not like he was going over the middle with Earl Thomas out there or anything.
"I've always been an admirer of Texas' clock management. Now, I am completely sold." -- Les Miles
by Distributor of the Football on Dec 30, 2009 10:29 PM CST up reply actions
…you don’t plan on locking that baby in your avatar in a closet, do you? Thayer Evans might get hold of the story.
by SpiritOfTheFedora on Dec 31, 2009 10:06 AM CST up reply actions
Media + Politicians = bullshit artists
by Dawnpatrol on Dec 30, 2009 10:00 PM CST via mobile reply actions
And Kent Hance has been a unprincipled hack for years
One of those politicians with no core values — was a Democrat when it was convenient to be so, then switched parties at a time which suited his own needs.
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 30, 2009 10:16 PM CST up reply actions
must be
it’s quite a show. a f***ed up show, granted, but a show nonetheless.
by The Mack Attack on Dec 31, 2009 1:30 AM CST up reply actions
For those not double-reading BON and DTN today . . .
. . . here’s a great post summarizing emails saved by Kent Hance during last year’s contract negotiations, presumably obtained through a FOIA request.
Money quote, in an email dated January 9 of this year, from Jim Sowell, a prominent booster, to Hance:
I hope he doesn’t sign, that gives us a full year to find another coach after we fire him after next season and pay off the remaining year on his contract.
If that is true
Then I hope the crazy pirate takes off with all the booty that he can from that school.
While I badly WANT to agree with this
draining money from the school really just hurts the students and players.
I’d rather there just be some repercussions with those at the top in Tech’s administration.
by BrooklynHorn on Dec 31, 2009 1:28 AM CST up reply actions
That seems like a terribly stupid
Email to send when there is going to be an electronic record of that. Hance should have sent him an email back refuting the notion that they would try to fire him at any chance they would get and talk about that type of thing in person or on the phone. Cover up your tracks, dude. I guarantee Leach’s attorney will bring that kind of stuff out and that doesn’ t look good for the administration’s case.
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on Dec 31, 2009 6:14 AM CST up reply actions
all these possible lawsuits and legal issues
I find it really amusing…didnt Leach goto a lawschool prior to coaching?? how ironic..LOL
COACH BOOM BABY!!
Law Degree From Pepperdyne (sp)......
The Administration at Tech is going to be handed their collective asses.
" Answers -- Become Resources."
Without Questions; There are limited Resources...
This whole thing...
is making The James Family and ESPN look as bad as Leach and the Tech administration. I say get rid of all the fookers and let’s move on to the National Championship.
BTW, I can’t think of a more deserving fan base that should receive this kind of karma. I’m loving it.
The James family looks awful in this
As the parent of a player, Craig James should of course care about his son. But he also should care about the other athletes on the team.
I’m stunned that he would go public with this situation – and spur the administration to action – prior to the team’s bowl game. He could have limited his action to private meetings with Leach or a demand for his kid’s release, and then reported to the administration after the bowl.
Just shows that the James family thinks it’s all about them.
Watch out, I bite.
by EddieTheAlbinoSquirrel on Dec 31, 2009 9:38 AM CST reply actions
For as weird as this story is getting
I wouldn’t be surprised if we learn Adam sent the email to Tech through Craig’s email.
"I live in the tower with Coach Brown." -Bevo
by run Bevo run on Dec 31, 2009 9:42 AM CST up reply actions
Craig James being his own family spokesperson is not smart
I didn’t have any idea that his son was at Tech, but he probably shouldn’t have been the commentator on any of their games. Talk about bias—what was ESPN thinking.
So long as his connection with the team was revealed . . .
. . . which it was, I had no problem with James serving as an announcer for Tech games. Those who have reasons to follow programs more closely often have better insights into those programs.
His current role as a commentator for ESPN while willingly making himself into a central character in one of the biggest sports stories of the year, though, is where a more serious conflict of interest arises.
by Hopkins Horn on Dec 31, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions
I wonder how awkward it must be for Adam on the team now. I read that his father keeps saying that his team supports him but I find that hard to believe.
"if you disagree... you are free to point your browser elsewhere."-Kleph
by The Voice of Reason on Dec 31, 2009 10:05 AM CST reply actions
The more I think about this story...
…the more bullshit I smell. I get that it’s embarrassing to jail the kid in a shed and force him to stand for 2 hours, but come on, you know coaches have done worst to their players. Then again, ol Leach should have realized the kid’s dad was an ESPN analyst. I guess at the end of the day Leach failed to understand that ESPN can giveth and they can taketh if it serves them.
In-VINCE-able.
Did you by chance read the above quote?
Then again, ol Leach should have realized the kid’s dad was an ESPN analyst.
Its pretty obvious Leach knew and wasn’t going to put his integrity behind someone else’s name.
"I live in the tower with Coach Brown." -Bevo
by run Bevo run on Dec 31, 2009 5:22 PM CST up reply actions
OK.. been out of the country since the 18th...
WTF is Tech thinking?
This is probably the worst possible outcome for this program. Leach may be a strange dude but he will win this lawsuit. There goes Tech’s top 25 recruiting class and most likely the teams ability to be a competitive force in the B12 South.
I guess it pretty much follows through on the adage that The Big 12 South can only support 3 really good teams and it looks like “natural selection” and individual stupidity will take care of it.
JD’s like, "you want some fucking pitching? Here’s all the pitching you can stand. Now choke on it, bitches!"- RCCook
Scotty Young was already a good possibility for UT, but mostly for baseball
I don’t think anyone else is likely, but that’s based more on the number of UT commitments already. I’ve heard Scott Smith is possible, but I think that’d be a surprise.
There’s an article about some big recruit who would pledge to Tech if the staff remains in place. Not sure who the guy is, but that seems a little odd.
by burntorangehorn on Jan 1, 2010 2:16 PM CST up reply actions
Following up:
I should probably explain my Scott Smith comment. I think the only reason his name was floated was because he’s the most highly rated Tech commitment. But there are problems: (1) he’s a juco guy, (2) he already signed his letter of intent, (3) there doesn’t appear to be any history of interest between him and Texas, and (4) the numbers aren’t really in favor of an additional end, especially if Jeffcoat commits.
Also, four-star WR Kadron Boone decommitted from Tech on Wednesday. What is it with Ocala Trinity kids and decommitting from Texas schools?
by burntorangehorn on Jan 1, 2010 3:03 PM CST up reply actions
There is more to this story than mere bloggers would have us believe.
Professional investigative and opinion journalism is just getting it’s sea legs.
Personalities aside, the situation appears to favor the institutional personnel management of a potential litigious liability with regard to treatment of a student-athlete that goes beyond said athlete’s approach to practice and fellow players. Mike Leach made a decision to defend his principals. As such, he is not entitled to any compensatory damages. If it was about money, all he had to do was sign the letter of agreement with regard to handling student-athlete injuries and the Texas Tech administration would have been bound to support Leach, pay him his $800K bonus, and move on to the Alamo Bowl.
No, Mike Leach only need look in the mirror to see who is to blame. Unfortunately, the emperor is wearing no clothes.
Proverbs 16:18 – Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 18:12 – Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, But humility goes before honor.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
Absolutely disagree
You are assuming that Tech was acting in good faith when it asked Leach to sign those letters. In addition to the letter mentioned above, he was required to essentially admit guilt and apologize to the family.
Leach knows that some in the Tech administration have wanted to get rid of him. Therefore, he would be crazy to sign such an admission of guilt.
You talk about principals, and then you talk about pride. Two different animals! Standing by your principals isn’t a matter of pride. It’s a matter of right and wrong. I hope I can have as much conviction as that crazy pirate from Lubbock when my butt is on the line.
Watch out, I bite.
by EddieTheAlbinoSquirrel on Jan 1, 2010 10:11 AM CST up reply actions
What does "good faith" have to do with this situation?
The Tech Admin acted in their best interest. They made an independent move as an employer by providing an opportunity for their employee to continue employment by signing a code of conduct agreement to which the employee refused. If you had an employee refuse adherence to a policy, what would you do? Would you say, “well, Mr. Employee, we just tested the water to see how you would respond.” Heck no, you would walk his back side to the door. Did they do that? No, they only suspended him to work through a supposed investigation which would have given Leach a chance to confer with counsel and possibly return to the table and, gulp, sign the agreement. What did he do? He sued his employer. The Administration was left with no option at that point but to fire Coach Leach.
And how is it you know that the Tech Administration wanted to get rid of him? Seems like the time to have done that was last year. Wasn’t Leach shopping himself for another coaching gig in an attempt to create leverage in negotiating a new contract? Are you suggesting that Leach is not also a party to the friction? I don’t think this is a one-way street issue.
As far as principals, Mike let his ego get in the way of an easy solution to the situation. His “principal” is “pride”.
And for the record, I’m not suggesting that Leach is guilty but it can’t both be about money and treatment of a player. Again, the institution is protecting itself from a liability. The accusers were engaged in a settlement with the institution. Coach Leach decided not to participate in the settlement process. He made a business decision with $800K on the line. And now who will win? He won’t win, the James’ family will not win, and Texas Tech will not win. Only lawyers will win.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
And how is it you know that the Tech Administration wanted to get rid of him? Seems like the time to have done that was last year.
It’s probably based on the leaked emails from Sowell and the Tech admin that they wanted to get rid of Leach.
by burntorangehorn on Jan 1, 2010 2:18 PM CST up reply actions
It's all about contract law
If you are negotiating a contract, you must act in good faith.
The leaked DMN emails show that the school was clearly NOT acting in good faith when negotiating the contract, since they were planning to fire him within a year while negotiating a multi-year deal.
They will pay him millions. Mark it.
Watch out, I bite.
by EddieTheAlbinoSquirrel on Jan 1, 2010 9:33 PM CST up reply actions
And Leach was actng in good faith
by seeking alternative employment? Leach had no takers last year and Tech Administration apparently decided to wait until Leach hung himself. And you presume a court decision before all evidence is submitted? The good faith defense is secondary to intent. Both parties entered into the contract based on the terms. As in, “you coach and perform this way and we will pay you that way.” This is a big boy business. You perform to standards established and rewards are obtained. You deviate from those standards and consequences are gained.
Leach screwed the pooch when he sued his employer. Now he has to live with the consequences gained.
You may be right in that Tech might lose in litigation. But I guarantee that former Coach Leach would gladly give that up for reputation renewal. I’m afraid he will forever be shackled with question marks that will be challenging to overcome in the job interview process.
I hope Raider Nation can start the healing process soon (see 1988 Dallas Cowboys). The institution is above all of this noise.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
The Tech Letter(s)
The letter from Tech to Leach is attached to Tech’s response to Leach’s TRO he filed in order to coach the Alamo Bowl. It is set out below. It is a public document now.
If there is another letter that admits he did something wrong I haven’t seen it but would like to if anyone has it. The last paragraph may have caused Leach and his lawyers some concern. Leach doesn’t seem to dispute the “facts” ie, that he put James in a shed with supervision since he was so sensitive to the sun. I’m sure Leach really wanted to just put a dark hood over James head, but opted for the shed instead.
Whether ot not this action was appropriate or not should be the issue, and even if administration found that it was not appropriate, I doubt that the “punishment/medical treatment” was so egregious that it would give rise to “cause” for termination. However, Leach’s actions and insubordination in dealing with his bosses was clearly not acceptable. He got some bad advice and he let his ego get ahead of common sense.
The letter:
“Dear Coach Leach,
As you know, we have been conducting an inquiry into allegations by a student athlete that your treatment of him, subsequent to his being diagnosed with a mild concussion, may have been injurious to his health and served no medical and/or educational purposes. Texas Tech takes these allegations very seriously. In addition to being unacceptable, if proven, these allegations constitute a breach of your employment contract.
So that we can carry out an inquiry that takes into account the safety of our student athletes and in addition, that is fair to the students, yourself, and the university, we have determined that you must abide by the following guidelines from this day forward:
1. All practices and other team meetings will be monitored by the athletic director or his representative. (Crossed out with the initials GB beside it.)
2. Any player claiming an injury will be examined by a physician and cleared in writing prior to practicing or playing. Decisions regarding whether an injury warrants suspension from practice and/or play will be determined by a physician without pressure from you or your staff.
3. You must recognize that the players you are working with are student athletes and that you have an obligation to treat them with respect and further to conduct yourself in a manner consistent with your position as an instructor of students.
4. You must at all times assure the fair and responsible treatment of student athletes in relation to their health, welfare, and discipline, and if you are not doing so, you must immediately cease any actions not in compliance with this provision of your contract.
5. There will be no retaliation against any student who has suffered an injury.
Again, these allegations are serious, and should they be substantiated will result in disciplinary action ranging from public or private reprimand, monetary fines or adjustments in compensation, adjustments in the term of this contract, up to termination.
Sincerely,
Guy Bailey
President
________
Leach should have been able to readily agree to everything except maybe that last paragraph which he should have crossed out and sent back. But, he felt that he was above being questioned by anyone—including his boss.
I had not read the letter
but clearly Leach felt his only recourse was to mount an offensive PR strategy by playing the innocent victim and piling up public support. While it was not a forgone conclusion he would be terminated, he knew his bosses had sewn up the substantiated part of the process. They probably would not have gone this far unless there was unequivocal incriminating evidence.
So, he cleverly opted to not to sign his own termination letter and duke it out in the court of public opinion.
I would be very suprised if we see him in the coaching ranks again.
And another Stoops disciple goes to the stake.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
That's pretty naive
I would be very suprised if we see him in the coaching ranks again.
see:
Mike Price
Rick Neuheisel
Bob Knight
Isiah Thomas
Rick Patino
"I live in the tower with Coach Brown." -Bevo
by run Bevo run on Jan 1, 2010 10:17 PM CST up reply actions
Whoa there filly. You're getting a little personal with your commentary.
I said I would be “suprised”. I didn’t say he would not be back. You need to get down off your emotional high-horse and try having a civil discourse. You’re prodding in areas where you are apparently not equipped to handle given your apparent sensitivity to the situation.
"We don't freestyle Texas Fight, big boy." - Coach Brown
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