The Senator

Er, um, yeah...that's almost a dumb as your original post, unless you know something that the rest of the football world overlooked. Leach has had a winning season every year during his tenure at Tech, and is one of only 16 active college head coaches who have never had a losing season. He was the NCAA Division 1A Coach of the Year in 2008, winning both the George Munger Award and the Woody Hayes Trophy. Wishbone formation creator Emory Bellard has stated that Leach does the best job of any offensive coordinator in the nation. As to whether he singled anyone out for 'punishment', that's being litigated over the next few weeks - so, rather than just shooting from the hip with baseless accusations, I'll wait to see what the courts and a jury render. BTW - Leach graduated BYU with honors, has a Masters, and a J.D. - having graduated from Pepperdine Law School in the top third of class. Yep, like you said - he must be pretty stupid. Get back to us when you have something intelligent to proffer.

So this scenario would make you happy? Nix: Hi, Brian - thanks for traveling here and taking time from your busy playoff preparations to meet with us and discuss the head coach position here in Buffalo. Schottenheimer: No problem, Buddy, but just a 'level-set' before we get started - I have no interest whatsoever in coaching the Bills, but took the meeting to hone my interview skills just in case an opportunity that I really DO want comes along at a later date. Your outlook is all wrong - it's much more professional of Shottenheimer to decline the interview than to waste everyone's time and T&E $$$$. That way, the Bills can get on with the important business of hiring...

For the sake of both crews and their passengers, hopefully never.

link

Gave birth to one of the worst jokes ever... Hey, didja hear that Ronnie Harmon got married? No. Really? Yeah...but there was no reception! I'll always wonder about that 'non-reception', especially in light of the rumors that Harmon was paid to 'throw' the '86 Rose Bowl. And file this in the "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" department... Just for some of the younger posters who may not realize just how glorious that Buffalo Bills Dynasty era was, the Bills lost the previous AFC title game (1988 season) to the Bengals - had Harmon not dropped that last-second pass against Cleveland in the '89 playoffs the following season, we'd have gone on the the AFC title game again, and that would have made SIX CONSECUTIVE AFC TITLE GAME appearances for Marv Levy & Co. - the 1988, 1989, and - of course - the Superbowl years - 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993. What an era. What a glorious time to be a Bills fan.

Somewhere in there, you gotta make room for... Cookie Gilchrist

Nice to hear the commish opine. How does Goodell feel about Wes Welker?

Nice thread, zazie - and, without getting into the other issues surrounding Mike Leach (I'll confine my thoughts on that to the other thread), I thought I'd repost a brief excerpt from All-American tackle Rylan Reed's email regarding Leach and academics... Another incident that occurred was after my pro day in which I hurt my knee and my dream of playing in the NFL quickly came to a halt so I went home to rehab with two semesters left from graduating. I was able to get a job and start working, but quickly realized that to get the dream job in the real world that I always wanted, it would take getting my degree from Texas Tech. When I got home from work one day, I got a phone call from coach Leach asking, if they were able to get some paper work filled out, would I be willing to come back to school to finish my degree, and of course I said yes. I am proud to say that, as a result of coach Leach’s influence, I will finish my degree from Texas Tech in May 2010. Former Texas Tech President Jon Whitmore on Leach: “Mike Leach puts academics first in his program,” says Whitmore. “These young men are students first. Mike is a first class coach whose teams bring honor to Texas Tech both on the field and in the classroom.” Since Leach took over as coach for the 2000 season, the Texas Tech football program has placed 108 players on the Academic All Big XII team , second in the conference. For the past six years, the Red Raider football program has been recognized by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as one of the nation’s top academic performers for consistently having a graduation rate at or above 70 percent. In 2006, the Red Raider’s 80 percent graduation rate made it one of only 29 football programs in all of Division I-A, and one of the four Big XII programs, to be so honored by the association. Prior to 2001, the football program had never made the AFCA’s list of top graduation programs. Only one other Big XII team has made the AFCA list every year for the past six years. Link - Texas Tech Monthly (September 2006) Current Texas Tech President Guy Bailey on Leach: “Any time you have somebody whose name is associated with your institution in a positive way, that’s a very helpful thing,” Bailey said. “Mike has done some great things on the field. When people think Mike Leach, they think Tech.” Bailey said Leach has been supportive of the academic goals of the university, and the success of the football team in academics also has helped in recruiting. One year after the most successful season in Tech football history, the university posted a record 30,049 enrollment... “The other thing that’s so helpful about his name is that he’s associated with academic integrity and academic success,” he said. TT Chancellor Kent Hance: Tech Chancellor Kent Hance said Leach’s name recognition on high-profile TV shows such as “60 Minutes” and with appearances in the New York Times helps the university. “Mike is Mike. He speaks his mind, and he’s enough of an individual that goes with his own drummer that it doesn’t look like he’s another coach,” he said. “Our No. 1 purpose is an educational institution and higher learning, and he promotes our purpose.” And, from the horse's mouth... Leach said he wants to dominate in academics in addition to victory on the football field. “I’ve got more degrees than I use. Than I know what to do with, really. And at one time more than I could afford,” he said. “There’s no question you should have high academics. And there should be no excuse for not graduating people.” The attention Leach’s athletes put into academics is something most people would be surprised with, he said. “One of the first questions I get is, ‘What’s the academic center like?’” Leach said. “He knows he’s going to spend a lot of time in that academic center.” Link - excerpted from The Daily Toreador - 11/23/2009 All coaches should have that same concern for their players' academic well-being.

Damn! Who dropped the ball here???? Whose job was it to stake out Prior Aviation last week????

I did. Tell me, Judge Endzone - now that you've issued your ruling, have you also determined what, if any, damages are to be awarded? You don't suppose that these affadavits that Pincock and Phy were forced to sign - after Leach's team released conflicting accounts - may have been at all coerced, do you? I mean, just because Tech just fired one of the most successful and prominent coaches in college football, these guys had nothing to fear regarding their own jobs, right? Link - Leach talks about firing, relationship with James family in first public interviews I disagree with your slam-dunk assessment - this is obviously headed to the courts, as it should be, where a jury will decide who did what to whom.

Except, of course, for 3 very minor details - the rooms were neither small, nor dark, nor locked.

Whew! This is good news. What with their new $3M pirate ship... Link - Buccaneer Cove ...I was afraid they might be reaching out to Never mind.

Well said, zazie. Certainly former TT All-American tackle Rylan Reed knows both sides of Coach Leach - his relentless hard pushing of his players in pursuit of excellence, and his commitment to their academic well-being. He also has some experience with how Leach dealt with serious injury... To whom it may concern: As a player under coach Leach, I have experienced some of the most memorable moments of my life in which I am very grateful for. As I stated I am a former Red Raider that played for Mike Leach and got to know him well over my four years as a Red Raider. I admire the professionalism and dedication Mike had for the game, the university and his players. He always demanded the best from each of us and we became better players and people for it. Although he pushed his players and coaches to be the best, his decisions and actions were always consistent with maintaining the program’s integrity and were in the best interest of his players. As a player, my commitment to the team was based on the trust I had developed in Coach Leach as a leader who would always put his players and his team in the best possible position for success. As a result of his guidance and coaching, in combination with my own hard work, I was able to overcome great adversity to become an All-American tackle. A couple of bowl games ago in the Gator Bowl, I suffered a severe injury to my lower left leg in which took a lot of support from family, friends, fans, coach’s, teammates and most importantly coach Leach to get me back. It was a long road to recovery that took careful attention from trainers during practices, and Leach was always checking to make sure that I was OK. During camp, oftentimes I had to practice one day and then take a day off because of soreness. Coach Leach was very understanding, always had my best interest in mind at all times, and I will always be appreciative of that. Another incident that occurred was after my pro day in which I hurt my knee and my dream of playing in the NFL quickly came to a halt so I went home to rehab with two semesters left from graduating. I was able to get a job and start working, but quickly realized that to get the dream job in the real world that I always wanted, it would take getting my degree from Texas Tech. When I got home from work one day, I got a phone call from coach Leach asking, if they were able to get some paper work filled out, would I be willing to come back to school to finish my degree, and of course I said yes. I am proud to say that, as a result of coach Leach’s influence, I will finish my degree from Texas Tech in May 2010. If that does not show how coach Leach cares for his players, then I do not know what does. The allegations against coach Leach are not consistent with the standards and beliefs that he has for himself and the University of Texas Tech. He has always been fair and respectful to my teammates and I. I was very saddened to hear that someone could try to take away all that he has done for this university, players and fans. I hope that you take this into consideration, and I also would be willing to further discuss anything in detail in person or by phone. Sincerely, Rylan Reed (link) You can bet these guys are going to line up to testify on behalf of Leach, should Texas Tech be stupid enough to let this go to trial. (And, BTW, for those accusing me of crusading - please note well that I am not the originator of this thread and, for the most part, have merely responded with factual corrections, rebutted blatantly false statements, and provided outside, third-party commentary supporting an opposing view of the original poster et al. Sorry if you don't like it, but - as Billy Joel wrote - "We didn't start the fire.")

Leach's attorneys: Link - Smith & Liggett, P.C. (Watch out, TT - these guys remind me a bit of Crane Poole & Scmidt ) Leach's statement: “I want everyone to know what a privilege and pleasure it has been to teach and coach more than 400 student-athletes at Texas Tech University over the past 10 years. When I arrived at Texas Tech, the football program was on NCAA probation and the graduation rate was far below the national average. However, in the past 10 years, Tech has been to 10 straight bowl games, has the third best record in the Big 12 Conference, and has the highest graduation rate for football players of any public institution in the country. Over the past several months, there have been individuals in the Texas Tech administration, Board of Regents and booster groups who have dealt in lies, and continue to do so. These lies have led to my firing this morning. I steadfastly refuse to deal in any lies, and am disappointed that I have not been afforded the opportunity for the truth to be known. Texas Tech’s decision to deal in lies and fabricate a story which led to my firing, includes, but is not limited by, the animosity remaining from last year’s contract negotiations. I will not tolerate such retaliatory action; additionally, we will pursue all available legal remedies. These actions taken by Texas Tech have severely damaged my reputation and public image. In addition, Texas Tech has caused harm to not only my family, but to the entire Red Raider nation and the sport of college football. As you know, I prefer to engage in question and answer sessions; however, in this instance my counsel has advised me to simply make a statement. There will be time to answer questions about this issue in the future, but the serious legal nature of this situation prevents me from going into further detail at this time.”

Obviously both sides are going to be highly 'selective' in what they choose to release prior to any legal proceedings but, as a public institution, anyone can file a records request under the Texas Public Information Act to obtain all of the relevant information from Texas Tech, and you can be sure that will be done. I find it ironic that the only reason Adam James was offered a scholarship to Texas Tech (he had no other Div. 1A scholarship offers) is that, after a conversation with Craig James, Leach overruled his own position coaches who were unanimous in the opinion that James was definitely not a Div. 1A caliber athlete. These guys (the James Gang) have Leach to thank for the opportunity - then they go a stab the guy in the back.

Interesting that your 'source' for the 'facts' is ESPN - which also happens to be the original source of the ridiculous 'locked in an electrical closet' story and also happens to be Craig James' employer. Equally 'interesting' is your choice of verbage - James' side = "embellishment", while Leach's version = "lies and spin". From such an obviously biased interpretation, I can only assume that you and Aggies everywhere are still 'pissed' over this...

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Deal! I will shut up about him when he joins the Bills, preferably as HC. Until then, uninformed Leach-bashers might do well to read some for the emails regarding Adam James, from former Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell, receivers coach Lincoln Riley, strength & conditioning coach Bennie Wylie, fellow Texas Tech WR Eric Morris, former TT receivers coach Dana Holgorsen, et al... Before Adam James ever entered the football locker room at Texas Tech I heard how spoiled and selfish he acted in a team atmosphere from many of my baseball friends. Adam was on the baseball team his true freshman year at Tech, before he ever joined the football team, and did not make it through the baseball season because of his selfish attitude. After a baseball game in which he felt like he did not get enough playing time, but the team still won twenty to one, he came into the locker room after the game and “pouted and threw a big fit” according another player on the baseball team. A few weeks later in the middle of the season, he just stopped showing up to practices or game and quit because he was not happy about how he was being treated. One of my roommates was a baseball player on the team and many of my friends were a part of the team that witnessed all of this. These baseball players told me he was “spoiled and selfish” before he ever came to the football team. After quitting baseball he came out for football and his selfish attitude was very evident, as was his laziness. During off-season workouts he often would be caught skipping lifts in the weight room or finding ways to cut corners/get out of conditioning exercises. When we had player organized seven on seven throwing in the summer, when he would show up he was much more interested in playing his own games on the side of the field or telling people that he wasn’t going to run any routes because the coaches do not get him a “fair opportunity” anyway. During the season he was often “injured” (it usually seemed like a very minor injury that could keep him out of practice but never out of any other activity, including games) so he would not participate in some drills in practice. - former TT QB Graham Harrell During the last two years of being the inside receivers coach, I have had the chance to learn alot about Adam James. He came to Tech because of one person: Coach Leach. Although we adamently doubted his talent, we as coaches came to see that Adam actually had enough talent to help us out. The problem, though, is that Adam is unusually lazy and entitled...I have always been worried about Adam's effect on my other players because of his weak and conceited ttitude. recently found out that Adam deliberately undermined my authority on many occasions...He has an unvelievable sense of entitlement because of who his father is; one that hurts himself and people around him. Adam is the kind of person thatakes excuses or blames people for things that go wrong in his life. - TT Inside Receivers Coach Lincoln Riley Two practices before Adam James claimed he had a concussion, Coach Leach and I were forced to discipline him for poor effort from the previous practice and poor effort during the early drills of that day. This has been a common theme about Adam's work ethic and attitude during his entire career. Adam, along with two other receivers that were also unsatisfactory, was sent to run stadium steps with Bennie Wylie. After the practice, Bennie made it very clear to Coach Leach and I that Adam was a complete "jerk" while he was being punished. After talking with Adam after the practice, it was very clear to me that Adam did not agree with the punishment and believed that we were just mis-asessing his effort. He complained to me that we were not doing our jobs as coaches and that his effort was just fine, all of which is very typical of him to say. By comparison, the other receiver that we punished agreed that his effort wasn't his best and had a good attitude with Bennie and also in meeting with me after practice. It's just another example of Adam thinking that he knows more about coaching than people who have been coaching for their entire lives. I have no doubt that anger from this led to where we are today with this situation and is his way of trying to "get back" at us coaches. - TT Inside Receivers Coach Lincoln Riley Two days prior to the incident in question, I disciplined Adam James along with several other recievers. His attitude was poor the entire time; even with constant plees for improvement. By the end of the practice, a few of the other recievers accepted their lack of performance in the previous practice and worked harder. Adam was not one of these individuals. He was last on all the excercises asked to do and talked and "danced" during the discipline. When told that this was unacceptable, he simply shrugged his shoulders. I continued to encourge him with no success. - TT Head Strength & Conditioning Coach Bernie Wylie You can find out a lot about a person after playing three years of college football with them. Adam James was a teammate of mine from 2006-2009. Ever since the day he arrived on the Texas Tech campus you couldn’t help but to feel a negative energy from him. He expected people to baby him and that he was going make it solely on the fact that his father was a very successful player...Adam was never known as a hard worker. I can honestly agree with this because we played the same position and I witnessed his laziness on a daily bases. Adam seemed to have a negative attitude towards the football program the majority of the time. That negative energy is never good for a team and can cause some major problems on and off the field. During practices, Adam always tried to get by with doing the least he possibly could. Never do I once remember Adam to be excited or enthusiastic to be out there. It was almost like he was playing the game of football to please someone other than himself. - former fellow TT Receiver Eric Morris I was the inside receiver coach at Texas Tech when we made the decision the sign Adam James in January of 2007. Adam had no offers to play NCAA D1 football during and after his Senior year. After a conversation between Coach Leach and Adams father Craig, Coach Leach acquired a brief highlight tape of Adam and made the decision to take him as a scholarship student athlete. I was opposed to doing so in belief he was not a D1 football player. Coach Leach overrode my opinion and Adam became a Red Raider. During the rest of my time at Texas Tech I was Adams position coach where I always remained critical of Adams ability to play at this level due to being lazy in not only the classroom but also in the off season and during practice. Coach Leach was the one who kept saying he believed Adam would eventually contribute. Adams teammates believed he was selfish and were constantly getting onto him for lack of effort as they sensed entitlement on his part due to his father being a very good football player. - former TT Inside Receivers Coach Dana Holgorsen Link - CBS Sports: Dennis Dodd, Dodds and Ends - E-mails in support of Mike Leach

It's true. I may have even mentioned once or twice that I wouldn't mind seeing him with the Bills.

You just don't seem to have much concern or regard for facts, do you? 1) As can be easily ascertained by the plethora of actual video footage of said 'tool shed', it was a rather large outbuilding adjacent the practice field, with running water, an ice machine, ventilation fans, and a 20'ceiling; 2) The rather wide overhead garage door was completely open during the 1-2 hours James was inside, under the supervision of 3 licensed physical trainers; 3) Just FYI, the lock on that equipment building's overhead door - which, as previously stated, was fully open - was broken; 4) It was not "dark" - due to the rather large and wide overhead door being fully opened, there was more than adequate light; 5) Adam James was not forced to stand - he was found, at various times, sipping drinks while sitting on the floor talking and texting on his cell phone and - at one point - napping on the floor. Any other unsubstantiated bull-st you'd like to throw out there?

Quite true - and no player was named in the one-paragraph letter informing Leach of his suspension, nor the actions that caused said suspension. So how did ESPN get to air so quickly with the player's name, and the ridiculous allegations that Leach ordered the player confined to 'the tightest, darkest place possible', or the 'electrical closet' (now known to be the rather vacuous visiting teams' media room), which ESPN has been in many, many times? I think, and this is JMO, that Craig James snookered his employers into a bad decision to portray the story so one-sided, and I hope when all is said and done, there will be consequences for James. That said, not all of the media is reporting this as the one-sided James family version... As anyone who knows anything about Texas Tech football can tell you, there is something odd about yesterday’s suspension of football coach Mike Leach because of a complaint that he mistreated a third-string receiver named Adam James, who happens to be the son of football commentator and former SMU star Craig James. For one thing, Leach has never been known to violate any NCAA rules on player treatment, as a wave of former players who went public this week have attested. Link - Texas Monthly: Pirate Under Attack. Avast, Ye Swabs Craig James looks like the prototypical overbearing sports dad trying to secure more playing time for his son. Not only that, but his alleged attempts to use his position at ESPN and the power that the network wields over the college football narrative to incfluence Leach, a clear abuse of power for a guy who certainly hasn't cared about the rules in the past. His son even worse for getting his coach fired for what appear to be stupid, yet relatively minor infractions. There is no longer any way that he can continue with the Tech football team after alienating many of his teammates and proving himself a prima donna. An announcement of his transfer should follow in the near term, but what school wants to take on a player with a father who will always be questioning his son's playing time and a player who will take the necessary steps to undermine or fire his coach? It's hard to imagine another major program wanting to take him on at this point. Link - Burnt Orange Nation: Mike Leach Musings If what Mike Leach said was true in the New York Times on Friday, then what we all thought two days ago is a mirage. Leach and other sources claim that the coach did not, in fact, mistreat Adam James. Leach said only that he did not know where the player was taken and that he ordered only that James be taken "out of the light." Leach is supported by head trainer Steve Pincock and a team doctor... I received two calls this week from people I trust saying James had bothered coaches and that he had tried to leverage his influence at the network to get his son playing time. Big Daddy James had become a royal pain in the you-know-what....I thought from the beginning it was borderline unethical that friends and co-workers of James were reporting this story. It had that "railroad" smell to it from the beginning with James being portrayed as the protective parent. Link - CBS Sports: Another side to the Leach/Texas Tech story The whole mess at Texas Tech involving head coach Mike Leach and Adam James, son of ESPN college football analyst Craig James, is just sort of dark and odd. We know Leach is quirky. We know he can be crude and sexist. It's much tougher to tell from news reports, secondhand anecdotes and a video that surfaced on ESPN but seems more appropriate for The Blair Witch Project, if he actually is a cruel sadist... If allegations Leach made yesterday to The New York Times prove true, Craig James should face disciplinary action and possibly lose his job. "Craig James called assistant coach Lincoln Riley so often to lobby for playing time, that they had a meeting with Adam James. They played him two of the messages and asked, "How would you feel if we went in there to the meeting room and we stuck speakers up and we played these two messages for the team?" ... After that, we didn't get any more phone calls from Craig, but he did proceed to call administrators." Link - Huffington Post: Leach incident shows ESPN ethics stink Everyone knows I'm an unabashed Leach fan. Many know also know that Leach holds a J.D., having graduated from Pepperdine Law School in the top third of his class, and likely knows exactly what he's doing in all of his dealings with the media. If Leach is being truthful in his dealings with the media, as one would expect from someone with his legal training, I expect Texas Tech and Craig James to be paying Mike Leach a rather large sum and that, when all is said and done, it is Craig James who will find himself unemployed.

What we do know is that Leach never specified either the equipment garage - a rather large outbuilding adjacent the practice field, with 20' ceiling, an ice machine, running water, ventilation fan, and fully-opened door (with broken lock) where, at various times, Adam James was found talking on his cell phone and sipping drinks while sitting or napping on the floor, or the 'electrical closet' - a rather vacuous media room where visiting coaches hold their press conferences. All Leach did, since he was busy trying to get his team ready for it's 11th consecutive bowl-game appearance, was ask the trainers take young Adam to a location out of the direct sunlight. The three licensed physical trainers that were charged with Adam James supervision chose both locations.

It's amazing, actually, that there aren't more conflicts, given their bizarre language laws... link

Yeah, once the facts are presented under oath, in a court of law, I fully expect former Patriettes* panty-waist Craig James to lose his job for using his ESPN bully-pulpit to propagate falsehoods in an effort to further his agenda. He will likely end up a a named party to Leach's lawsuit, and may also wind up owing Leach some money. It would be hysterically appropriate if he were to be replaced on ESPN by... Mike Leach

It was after...WAY after...1995, I believe... link