Texas Tech Fires Head Coach Mike Leach
Texas Tech University fired Mike Leach today after a bizarre week of accusations and complaints in Lubbock, TX. The school gave a termination letter to Leach’s attorney, Ted Liggett, just before the two sides were to appear in a courtroom for a hearing on the coach’s suspension. Liggett says the letter says Leach is “terminated with cause effective immediately.”
It all started when wide receiver Adam James, son of former player and current ESPN analyst Craig James, alleged that Leach twice confined him to small, dark space in an electrical closet during practice after the player was diagnosed with a concussion. After the James family complained to the school administration the school announced they were suspending Leach for the Alamo Bowl and investigating the validity of the accusations. Leach and Liggett claimed the accusations were not true and they filed court papers in a Lubbock, TX courtroom to get the suspension lifted. Leach claimed that “absolutely” no evidence had been given to him that showed he had violated any university rules or standards
In an affidavit included with his injunction request to coach the Red Raiders in the Alamo Bowl, Leach said he “would never intentionally harm or endanger a player” and that he had been “forced into this situation without being afforded any process.”
“I have never and would never intentionally harm or endanger a player. I am committed to Texas Tech University and the well being of my football players. I have been forced into this situation without being afforded any process,” he said. “Not being allowed to coach immediately will cause irreparable harm because preparation for the game is ongoing and it will be over on January 2, 2009. Every minute of preparation is critical to be ready for the game.” However, Texas Tech chose to fire the coach anyway before the legal proceedings could even begin.
Leach has spent the last 10 years at Tech, leading the Red Raiders to the best season in program history last year (11-2). However he and school were engaged in reportedly nasty negotiations for months over a possible contract extension. In February, Leach and the school agreed to a five-year, $12.7 million deal that would have kept him there through 2013. Texas Tech plays Michigan State on Saturday in the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
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2 COMMENTS
[...] Mike Leach has done to get the program to the point it is at. Texas Tech is using this issue as a reason to fire Mike Leach without actually looking into it and finding any real evidence as to what happened during those few days. So far, everything that [...]
If I were a coach, I would be high pissed if a player on the disabled list showed up in sunglasses, backwards hat and street clothes and I would have punished that player for setting a bad example for the team. I might not have chosen the sam punishment as Leach but that student would have been punished. Perhaps Mike Leach should be coaching in the NFL where the players are playing for paychecks and aren't titty babies with parents hovering around. The first Tech game I attended, I knew this coach was something special. He put Lubbock on the map. I'm so proud of the team for continuing on at the Fiesta Bowl. I support Coach Leach and wish him the best in the future. He has a gift that Texas Tech Administrators chose to waste.