Chandler#81 Posted November 24, 2010 Posted November 24, 2010 http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2010/11/former-texas-tech-coach-mike-leach-suing-espn.html?wpmp_switcher=mobile I recall watching it all unfold and thinking ESPN's going too far, defending their boy. Don't think he'll need my testimony, but I hope he wins it!
1B4IDie Posted November 24, 2010 Posted November 24, 2010 http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2010/11/former-texas-tech-coach-mike-leach-suing-espn.html?wpmp_switcher=mobile I recall watching it all unfold and thinking ESPN's going too far, defending their boy. Don't think he'll need my testimony, but I hope he wins it! Me Too, ESPN has become some irresponsible with its reporting, they need to have their hand smacked. I mean it seems the "reporters" read something on a blog, message board, or get information from an agent and just run with it without fact checking. Plus they are clearly stirring the pot of controversy and fanning any flames that they find as opposed to just reporting on the situation.
Thoner7 Posted November 24, 2010 Posted November 24, 2010 Good I hope he wins. Leach is outspoken but I like how he rolls. I think him getting fired was BS
Fingon Posted November 24, 2010 Posted November 24, 2010 Leach has to prove that there was "actual malice" on ESPNs part, something that is extremely hard to do. I don't see this lawsuit going anywhere.
Chandler#81 Posted November 25, 2010 Author Posted November 25, 2010 Leach has to prove that there was "actual malice" on ESPNs part, something that is extremely hard to do. I don't see this lawsuit going anywhere. Understood, but Craig James was pretty malicious as I recall and I don't remember any disclaimers by ESPN along the lines of ".. the opinions expressed are soley those of Mr. James and do not reflect the position of the network,,' blah blah -as most news stations take great caution to proclaim. They are a Goliath, but -as a Bills fan- I'm a 'David' kinda guy.
The Senator Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_college/2010/11/former-texas-tech-coach-mike-leach-suing-espn.html?wpmp_switcher=mobile I recall watching it all unfold and thinking ESPN's going too far, defending their boy. Don't think he'll need my testimony, but I hope he wins it! Muchas gracias, amigo! (Don't know how in the world I missed this.)
The Senator Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 (edited) Leach has to prove that there was "actual malice" on ESPNs part, something that is extremely hard to do. I don't see this lawsuit going anywhere. You DO realize that Mike Leach - perhaps the most brilliant offensive mind in the game of football - has a law degree from Pepperdine, having aspired to be another 'Gerry Spence-type' before he entered the coaching ranks? I'm pretty sure Leach knows what the 'burden of proof' is in this suit. Mike Leach, the former Texas Tech football coach, filed a defamation lawsuit against ESPN on Wednesday, accusing it of “slanderous and libelous statements” in its coverage of his treatment of wide receiver Adam James last season... The lawsuit was filed in the District Court of Lubbock County, Tex., where Leach earlier filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Texas Tech. The latest lawsuit says that both ESPN and Spaeth Communications, a Dallas firm hired by Craig James, slandered him and also accuses ESPN of failing to retract statements it knew to be false and damaging. Those include: ¶Leach punishing Adam James for sustaining a concussion. ¶Leach ordering James to be locked in an electrical closet. ¶Leach putting James at risk of additional injury. ¶Leach requiring James to stand in a dark room for hours. (Link - NY Times - Leach Files Defamation Suit Against ESPN) Also... Lubbock Avalanche-Journal - Mike Leach suing ESPN Adam James would later tell Liggett in sworn testimony Leach had not locked him in the closet. He also said he found the incident funny. Liggett said he then asked the network and public relations firm to retract their earlier statements and cease misrepresenting the facts of the case, but they have refused to do so. “ESPN and Spaeth Communictions have been informed as to the falsity of the statements that they have made, yet they have failed to retract those statements,” he said. Hope Leach prevails, and hope to see him back on the sidelines soon! Edited November 25, 2010 by The Senator
Mr. WEO Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 I almost feel bad for this attention whore. He's faded back into obscurity and now he's lobbing nuisance suits at TV shows in an effort to regain relevance. If only he had proven to the NFL (or even a top Div program) he was a decent coach, he wouldn't have to debase himself like this. Sad.
KD in CA Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 I almost feel bad for this attention whore. He's faded back into obscurity and now he's lobbing nuisance suits at TV shows in an effort to regain relevance. Thank you for breaking the Leach slobber-fest with a perfect analysis of the situation.
JohnC Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 Good I hope he wins. Leach is outspoken but I like how he rolls. I think him getting fired was BS Maybe if he would have "rolled" in a different way he wouldn't have gotten fired. Leach thought he was a law onto himslef. He forgot he worked for an employer (the university) and the employer didn't work for him. The Leach saga (downfall) was much more than an incident with a high-profiled sports reporter's son. It had as much to do with his own arrogance and inflated ego. Leached spent too much time promoting himself and believing in his own self-proclaimed genius. Leach has been gone from the football scene for quite a while. It is not surprising that there isn't much of a demand to hire this radioactive fool. Being a good HC is more than knowing your Xs and Os. It is how you deal with people. That is where he failed.
sleaky72 Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 I think Craig James' son was a lil brat and Leach went a little too far in his attempts at showing him who was boss. My Verdict: This will probably be settled out of court
The Dean Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 Obviously is dumber and/or more desperate than I thought. There is a bout ZERO chance he will win this suit. I think Craig James' son was a lil brat and Leach went a little too far in his attempts at showing him who was boss. My Verdict: This will probably be settled out of court Settle for what? I don't think he gets a dime from ESPN. Maybe he'll have to pay them for bringing this ridiculous lawsuit.
CookieG Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 Leach has to prove that there was "actual malice" on ESPNs part, something that is extremely hard to do. I don't see this lawsuit going anywhere. Depending on what they've uncovered as evidence, the "daddy working for a major sports network" is really a pretty good angle, from a legal perspective, to show actual malice. With Times v. Sullivan protection...public figure cases are never easy. But if they can show how much crybaby Craig James influenced their reporting, malice is there. That's what makes it different from many other cases, the key employee of the defendant with a grudge to bear. It will be an interesting case.
sleaky72 Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 Obviously is dumber and/or more desperate than I thought. There is a bout ZERO chance he will win this suit. Settle for what? I don't think he gets a dime from ESPN. Maybe he'll have to pay them for bringing this ridiculous lawsuit. It costs a lot of money, time and bad publicity to fight a lawsuit, so thats why many celebrities and corporations find a settlement
JohnC Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 It costs a lot of money, time and bad publicity to fight a lawsuit, so thats why many celebrities and corporations find a settlement It is not unusual for celebrities and corporations to settle before going to court for the simple reason that there is a good chance that they would lose their case in court. That doesn't apply in this case brought on by this former fool coach.
The Dean Posted November 25, 2010 Posted November 25, 2010 It costs a lot of money, time and bad publicity to fight a lawsuit, so thats why many celebrities and corporations find a settlement It is not unusual for celebrities and corporations to settle before going to court for the simple reason that there is a good chance that they would lose their case in court. That doesn't apply in this case brought on by this former fool coach. As John notes, this is not your typical case of a person suing a company, hoping for a settlement. First of all, it will cost Leach a hell of a lot more money than it will cost ESPN. ESPN has in-house lawyers and on retainer for these kinds of things. And this really doesn't harm ESPN's reputation, IMO. Libel is extremely hard to prove and legit media companies rarely settle these kinds of cases, from what I know. We aren't talking about the Star or Enquirer here. It's a shame that Leach, who looked like a guy with a lot of promise, has become such a joke. He'll probably find a job, somewhere, someday. But it won't be the kind of high profile job he was looking at a few years ago.
The Senator Posted November 26, 2010 Posted November 26, 2010 (edited) As John notes, this is not your typical case of a person suing a company, hoping for a settlement. First of all, it will cost Leach a hell of a lot more money than it will cost ESPN. ESPN has in-house lawyers and on retainer for these kinds of things. And this really doesn't harm ESPN's reputation, IMO. Libel is extremely hard to prove and legit media companies rarely settle these kinds of cases, from what I know. We aren't talking about the Star or Enquirer here. It's a shame that Leach, who looked like a guy with a lot of promise, has become such a joke. He'll probably find a job, somewhere, someday. But it won't be the kind of high profile job he was looking at a few years ago. Mike Leach is one of those polarizing guys that either amuses the hell out of you, or annoys the hell out of you (particularly if you're an Aggie, Longhorn, Sooner, or Cowboy fan) - I fall into the former camp, and I know you're in the latter. That said, Deano, I'd have to respectfully disagree with your statements. 1) I doubt Leach spends a penny out of his own pocket on this case - it's an assumption on my part, but I'm guessing Liggett is taking this one 'on contingency' and doubt his firm would expend the effort and resources if he didn't think the chances of winning or settling were better than 50/50. 2) Certainly you are more familiar than I am with how media outlets respond to these legal actions, but I think ESPN may have put themselves in a precarious position by backing Craig James - 'The Pride of SMU' - and his pissant kid... A few days after Leach was fired, ESPN’s Dan Patrick said, “There is Adam James, who is the young man who was actually punished for having a concussion.” The lawsuit Leach filled points out that Patrick’s statement may have caused listeners to believe that Leach abused James for having a concussion. The libel suit also claimed that Spaeth Communications was hired by James for “purposes of creating public opinion hostile to Leach.” Liggett said Spaeth posted a video online that Adam James recorded as he stood in the dark. (Link - Sportrageous/Kathleen Sumagit-Rivera - Former Texas Tech Coach Files Lawsuit Against ESPN Inc. and PR Firm) (Spaeth Communications, also named in Leach's lawsuit, is the Dallas public-relations firm that Craig James hired when his son's complaints about Leach went public. The suit claims that Spaeth, which orchestrated the "Swift Boat" campaign against 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry, played a central role in leaking the video footage and accuses the firm of "creating public opinion hostile to Leach." - link ) Reading what has been excerpted from the depositions leads one to conclude that Adam James verisimilitude is dubious and his account of the events, in the days leading up to Leach's termination, quite apocryphal. If the James family did indeed hire Spaeth Communications (the swift-boat firm) to 'spin' their own version of the events, and Spaeth did indeed publish Adam James cell-fone video of his alleged confinement, and Dan Patrick and ESPN (who employs Craig James) did indeed report a one-sided version (the James version) of the events, I would think Leach may have a valid case. 3) I think Leach already has a job - several, in fact. I'd be shocked if Leach isn't HC of a major college program or and NFL coordinator in 2012, after this legal wrangling is finished. In the interim, I'm sure he's 'getting by' nicely with the income from the jobs he does hold - TV color-commentator on CBS College Sports Network, his daily radio show on Sirius, his upcoming book (to be released in January, with - I'm sure - a signing tour), and various other ventures such as Arizona Sports Group LLC But certainly Leach's current legal quagmire is hindering his re-entry into the coaching ranks - Leach said a key to his re-entry into major college football lies in the thousands of pages of court documents tied to his lawsuit against Texas Tech... “I think there’s no question that they clear my name,” Leach said of the depositions in the lawsuit. “The trouble is that enough lies have been dispersed by these people, aided by ESPN, it’s difficult for people to get the clear picture.” Leach remains adamant that people get that 'clear picture' - “We’ll go to trial in a heartbeat, and we’re excited about it,” Leach said in a telephone interview this week. “Beside the obvious fact we’ll be made whole by the contract and the facts prove that, it will also provide a public opportunity to clear my name.” And it looks like Texas Tech is already showing signs of 'caving' - just 4 months ago, Dicky Grigg, Texas Tech’s lawyer, said: "Mike Leach would have you believe that this was part of some great conspiracy going back to when the contract was signed last February. That is ridiculous, and is just a desperate attempt to distract you from the plain and simple truth. He would still be the coach at Texas Tech today but for the fact that he made a terrible decision when he irresponsibly placed a student-athlete with a brain concussion in small dark rooms for over two hours on two separate occasions. He breached his contract and was terminated as a result of his bad decisions, his insubordination and his refusal to help resolve this situation." (link) That's a far cry from what Grigg is saying this week: “It takes two to settle. I think that this thing would be better for both sides to get it over with and move on.” - which implies that Tech would prefer to settle and be done but that Leach may not be willing, and may be motivating Leach/Liggett to also go after ESPN and Spaeth Communcations (the firm that 'swift-boated' John Kerry in 2004). I expect that Texas Tech is resolved that they'll have to throw a ton of money at Leach to get this thing over with, and that Leach will eventually accept that large sum to clear the way for him to resume coaching. I also expect Leach/Liggett view some sort of recompense from ESPN/Spaeth as fitting justice for their part in deliberately propagating the false statements of the James camp. Link - NY Times - Leach Expects Depositions in Texas Tech Suit to Clear His Name Leach could very well walk away with the $12M Texas Tech owes him, plus a healthy sum from ESPN/Spaeth, while taking a year - two at most - off from the rigors of running a major college program. But hey, he always said he went to law school because he wanted to be like Gerry Spence - fighting large powerful institutions on behalf of 'the little guy'. Edited November 26, 2010 by The Senator
Mr. WEO Posted November 26, 2010 Posted November 26, 2010 There is no "major college" President who is looking to replace their current HC with a clown like Leach. He's proven to be a pain in the ass who is not worth it. Certainly no NFL team needs a coach who's "genius" consists completely of throwing 60 times a game. No one cares about this guy--in the real world.
Red Posted November 26, 2010 Posted November 26, 2010 I almost feel bad for this attention whore. He's faded back into obscurity and now he's lobbing nuisance suits at TV shows in an effort to regain relevance. If only he had proven to the NFL (or even a top Div program) he was a decent coach, he wouldn't have to debase himself like this. Sad. On the one hand, ESPN has lost alot of prominence as it seems more interested in sizzle than steak (when did Disney acquire them, again? Were they better prior to Disney, or did the slide take place more recently?) But on the other hand, does any remember RB Maurice Clarett from Ohio State? Talk about a bozo. What an idiot. Suing your future employer because you wanted the rules to be bent to your whims (can you imagine doing this to your boss: "...AND I want the corner office overlooking the square, free gym membership, Susan in accounting, and if I don't have it all I will be suing you!" Boss: "Ah, Jimmy...we were interviewing you for the job of mail room clerk..."). Then Denver takes a chance on him, and his play does not back up his mouth. Wonder what he's doing now?
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