Coach Leach Fired...

[MrChairman]

well, I guess the jerks at Tech did the deed..as of about 11:30 Mikey is history..... another in a list of big mistakes...

[Tarkus]

by Tarkus » Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:34 am

From bestsy blaney
Dell sports news
12-30-09

The clock is ticking on a portion of that contract. If Leach is the coach as of Thursday, the school owes him an $800,000 bonus

mmmmmm

[precociousangel]

well, I guess the jerks at Tech did the deed..as of about 11:30 Mikey is history..... another in a list of big mistakes...

THAT is the truth!

[Calpurnia]

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/ ... titialskip

A list of some emails from former players and coaches (and a current coach) in support of Coach Leach.

[IronfootMcGurk]

Am not that big a sports or Leach or TTU fan. But I still feel like a little kid who has learned his parents are getting divorced.

Will I live to see another TTU football team that knocks heads in the Big 12?

[smcrorey]

Here's an article that states that the firing of Mike Leach had absolutely nothing to do with closets, locks, students, espn, or the Jameses.

According to this reporter, the firing of Mike Leach was retribution for "[his bosses becoming] subservient to him when he signed his contract extension in February."

http://www.sportingnews.com/college-foo ... e-on-leach

James Gang helps Texas Tech get revenge on Leach
The public reason for Texas Tech firing Mike Leach was the alleged mistreatment of Adam James. The real reason is payback.

Matt Hayes
Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009 - 3:00 p.m. ET


Texas Tech administrators became irked by the power held by Mike Leach.

That'll teach Mike Leach to embarrass Texas Tech University during contract negotiations.

This is the definition of payback, everyone. Nearly a year after the fact.

The record will show that Leach, Tech's unorthodox yet highly successful coach, was fired Wednesday for mistreatment of a player with a "mild" concussion. The reality is Leach was fired because he took Texas Tech for everything it had last February during contract negotiations -- and made the university brass look like bumbling fools in the process.

Not that this latest human resources/relations disaster didn't just one-up everything.

This isn't about a whiny, entitled player kicking and screaming to get his way, or a whiny entitled Little League dad kicking and screaming to protect his little boopie from the mean man. The James Gang -- Adam (see: "mild" concussion) and Craig (see: Little League dad) -- have done more damage to themselves than anything Leach could have possibly done by sending Adam to timeout.

That's another story for another day -- something that will play out over and over in the legal discovery process of lengthy depositions spearheaded by two lovely attorneys making big bucks to make the wheels of justice turn. Enjoy that unlawful termination lawsuit, Tech.

Oh no, this is about jettisoning a rebel coach whose power had clearly eclipsed that of nearly everyone in the university -- especially athletic director Gerald Myers -- after last year's game of chicken during contract negotiations. A quick recap:

Leach wanted specific provisions in his restructured deal, and the university said no for nearly a year. Tech had a huge season in 2008, Leach seized public momentum and opinion, and Tech (see: Myers) still said no all the way to the 11th hour before capitulating and -- get this -- giving Leach everything he wanted and more.

This firing now is Tech's way of stating -- truth be damned -- that no one person is bigger than the university. Unless you're a backup wide receiver whose dad just happens to be a former college star and an analyst for the biggest sports conglomerate on the planet.

Look, if ESPN can't help Tech fire Leach, who can? Imagine the giddy feeling Myers must have felt when he realized, for the first time, that ESPN actually was on his side this time.

First, there were "sources" who told ESPN about Adam James' "mistreatment." Once it became known that Adam James was the player in question, those "sources" became Craig James being interviewed on SportsCenter by an anchor who threw fatter softballs than my daughter's baseball coach.

Then the story advanced over the next couple of days and took on a bigger life, despite conflicting evidence to the original stories of mistreatment and numerous emails from former players and current coaches at Tech not only backing Leach, but clearly explaining the entitled behavior of Adam James.

Instead of using due diligence by investigating all facets of the incident, Tech fired Leach a day before he was due an $800,000 retention bonus. Let's call it what it is: Texas Tech wanted to fire Leach from the moment his bosses became subservient to him when he signed his contract extension in February.

Tech simply found a way this time.

Truth be damned.

Matt Hayes covers college football for Sporting News. E-mail him at mhayes@sportingnews.com.

[-sj-]

All this when Tech was about to grow up and be able to play with the big boys. Sad. I feel sorry for the team.

[rwa]

http://dennis-dodd.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6270202/19238949?loc=interstitialskip

A list of some emails from former players and coaches (and a current coach) in support of Coach Leach.

G Harrell's letter writing skills are an embarrassment ... did he graduate ... looks like some of the current players are starting to comment http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/bowls09/news/story?id=4781981

[Firemall]

I've been reading other boards and ran across a link on KCBD facebook www.firemyers.com
Skimming thru the names is saw Mrs.Gerald Meyers at the top 1/3 of the petition and KENT HANCE in all caps at the lower 1/3 of the page . I'm sure its a prank but it would be great if they really did sign the "Fire Meyers" petition.
It would be even more laughable if Mrs. Meyers filed for a divorce from her a-hole hubby.

[Firemall]

Here's some more Tech babies that need to start the Bowl game with No backup protection or stay the hell out of football ,finish school and go to work for Daddy.
This ought to score some brownie points with some Leach supporters

http://espn.go.com/blog/sportscenter

Some Texas Tech players respond to the firing of football head coach Mike Leach today ...

Texas Tech defensive lineman Chris Perry:
"I have no complaints about this decision. [Leach] put Adam [James] 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."

Texas Tech cornerback Taylor Charbonnet:
"The players make this team, not one coach. As Adam's friend, I didn't like it at all what [Leach] did. He was my brother and I didn't agree with it. I don't know why [Leach] did that. But I know we are fully behind [interim] coach Ruffin [McNeil]. We love him and support him."

Texas Tech senior center Shawn Byrnes:
"There is no question [Leach] understood offense and understood football. But he didn't understand how to deal with people. Everyone is excited about this, to be honest. Adam [James] took a stand. We have no idea why he was in a shed. How could you punish a kid for having a concussion? What could that possibly accomplish?"
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