N/C What's everyone think of the Leach @ Texas Tech situation?

[the angus111]

carl,i sense sarcasm,which is fine.i gave my opinion,this unless its been kept secret,which i doubt,because nobody in the media can keep their mouths shut,happened awful fast.good coaches have lost jobs for being accused of something by one player,i think and this is my opinion is crazy.rusty

 

[RSC]

Post from Rivals message board!

Radio in Detroit is saying rumors are some players are refusing to play in the Alamo Bowl because of this Leach's firing.

 

[the angus111]

you know the teachers and coaches that stayed on me constantly and were hard on me are the ones i admire most.rusty

 

[cdcccfite]

As a Red Raider Alumni and a fan.  I am disappointed.  Coach Leach has done more for the program than any coach I can recall.  He is a little different but when you agreed to be a part of the team or accept the offered scholarship you agreed that he was in charge.  If you do not want to play by his rules, don't play.  How many college players have the luxury of calling  Mom and Dad to gain access to ESPN.  I hope Tech go 0-10 next year and it would be good if ticket sales fell off and alumni donations were pulled.  Mike Leach made football fun at Tech and you can bet there are several schools trying to contact him right now.

 

[carl s.]

Just FYI folks, you don't have to make it sound like locking a kid in an electrical closet is good for a kid in order to disagree with firing Leach.

It's perfectly acceptable to disagree with both the firing and locking a kid with a concussion in an electrical closet.

 

[Jill]

Jill, does your "if you don't like it, quit" stance apply to sexual harassment at work as well?

Yes it does, I don't know about you, but I wouldn't even consider staying in a job where I was being harrassed, sexually or otherwise, lifes to short for that.

 

[chambero]

Chambero you dont think Craig had stroke at Celina?as I remember about Celina it was a powerhouse,maybe his son was a nonfactor there.rusty

No, he was a real good high school player.  I think they won state during his years there, but I kind of lose track of when they did or just got close.  I think he had a pretty high opinion of himself, but most D-I prospects do.

Leach is gone now anyway.  The kid probably won't ever show his face at that school again.  It'll be a big mess for a while.

Tech may have a down recruiting season, but they should be able to get someone good in.  That's a pretty good job now.

Big time college football tends to treat kids like pieces of meet.  I know several kids personally who didn't have any "issues" that were pretty much kicked to the curb over injuries.  That's part of it, but it won't kill the coaches to show them a little respect (whether the kids deserve it or not).  Mangino and Leach ought to make a point at least for a little while for coaches not to get too big for their britches.

 

[jnm]

There have been two comments on here referring to a "shed" and "electric closet". If you saw the news report with the attorney you will see that one of these was the media room at the stadium and the other was a large garage used to store equipment. they were not a shed or a closet!

 

[chambero]

Neither was a training room which is where hurt kids should be.  They kick bad kids off teams all the time - especially those that arent stars. 

 

[afhm]

It sure is awfully coincidental that Leach was due to recieve a $800,000 bonus tommorow and all of this comes up and he gets fired so quickly.  Maybe some losing seasons will bring some of the egos back in check in Lubbock.

 

[farwest]

Will charges be filed against the university or mike leach for this bodily harmful experience or evern near death.  No. Hmm.  Then how serious was it.  SHED.  What's Tech doing with a so called SHED next to their practice field.  Haven't noticed any of those next to the nebraska practice field that are made out to be like something you would throw a dog in.  What kind of facilities does this univerity have anyway.  If this kid was the son of a texas oil field worker and didn't have a silver spoon in his mouth  would this have leaked.  No.  Number one, daddy would have said, Son, work it out, you're getting 100,000 worth of college paid for.  Ship in or ship out.  It was the perfect storm for the AD.  Had a personal ongoing beef with Leach.  Mad cause they paid him more then wanted to last Feb. Here just happens to come along a popular espn commentator's boy, now we've got espn on the unversity side.  Their not going to cause a controversy insid espn because of this kid.  Perfect timing after the Magino deal.  Hmm.  Were leach and magino both in Kansas under Snyder.  When this AD loses his job down the road because of the delivery of the death sentence to Tech football, he should become a czar for Obama.  He's plenty clever enough.  How about Craig James.  Really .  Who is he to be the one to deliver the blow when all that college football has done for his life.  If anyone thinks him or any college or professional athlete hasn't seen extremely crude behavior up front and close think again.  He's saw it 100 time down his road. Who is he to do this to the sport of college football and tech and the tech fans because of his lazy offspring.  The majority of the rest of espn employees are saying what is politically correct.  There thinkig different. I hav'nt heard Lou Holtz condemn the incident with the kid, only of the lack of communiation from leach with the university.  He knows it's BS.

 

[RSC]

Will charges be filed against the university or mike leach for this bodily harmful experience or evern near death.   No. Hmm.  Then how serious was it.  SHED.  What's Tech doing with a so called SHED next to their practice field.  Haven't noticed any of those next to the nebraska practice field that are made out to be like something you would throw a dog in.  What kind of facilities does this univerity have anyway.  If this kid was the son of a texas oil field worker and didn't have a silver spoon in his mouth  would this have leaked.   No.  Number one, daddy would have said, Son, work it out, you're getting 100,000 worth of college paid for.  Ship in or ship out.  It was the perfect storm for the AD.  Had a personal ongoing beef with Leach.  Mad cause they paid him more then wanted to last Feb. Here just happens to come along a popular espn commentator's boy, now we've got espn on the unversity side.  Their not going to cause a controversy insid espn because of this kid.  Perfect timing after the Magino deal.  Hmm.  Were leach and magino both in Kansas under Snyder.  When this AD loses his job down the road because of the delivery of the death sentence to Tech football, he should become a czar for Obama.   He's plenty clever enough.  How about Craig James.  Really .  Who is he to be the one to deliver the blow when all that college football has done for his life.  If anyone thinks him or any college or professional athlete hasn't seen extremely crude behavior up front and close think again.  He's saw it 100 time down his road. Who is he to do this to the sport of college football and tech and the tech fans because of his lazy offspring.  The majority of the rest of espn employees are saying what is politically correct.  There thinkig different. I hav'nt heard Lou Holtz condemn the incident with the kid, only of the lack of communiation from leach with the university.  He knows it's BS.

  Farwest, quit Sugar Coating this situation and tell us how you really feel!  <rock>  Good Post!  <beer>

Tony

 

[GONEWEST]

When you are the coach of a team, a parent, or a manager you have people who are subordinate to you. I have a hard time believing that anyone would try to defend someone in authority who punishes another person who he has power over by locking them in a closet one time and a "shed" another.And yes it's a SHED.Both it and the closet have been on TV a dozen times. You can't come up with an excuse or a situation where that would be acceptable.  If you knew your neighbor did this to his kids you'd be calling DFCS. The fact that 20 doctors were stationed outside the door has zero relevance. The fact that the player was a lazy, spoiled brat has zero relevance. What is relevant is the history this man has of mistreating his players. And farwest if you haven't heard Lou Holtz criticize the locking of a player in a closet, you haven't been listening very well. I heard him do it twice the first day. It could also be noted that Holtz was ran off from his last job for verbal abuse. Why in the world would you think Lou Holtz is the moral compass for college football?

This time Leach just mistreated some one who had the pull to get something done about it. The oil field workers kids were abused as well, but their complaints fell on deaf ears. I read from one source that the University has HUNDREDS of pages of complaints filed against the coach by former and current players. I have read a dozen quotes from current players saying that they were afraid to say anything but were in full support of the James kid.

If you believe that you should turn a blind eye to your kid being punished for being locked in a closet, for any reason, for the good of "college football and tech and tech fans" then you are a poor parent.  Last time we went down this road, it was me that was in favor of disciplining kids and you were the one who was not. So now you think it's ok to lock them in a closet? What would your neighbors do if they knew you were locking your kids in the closet and outbuilding as punishment because you thought they were lazy?

 

[farwest]

Well, Gonewest i'm not wanting to chew the fat.  One word of importance you have uttered is relevant.  What is true and relevant when the smoke clears will sway alot of opinion including my owne.  I don't know what is relevant on either side.  I am stating that you'll find alot worse in alot of programs.  Also , what is the meaning of locked in a room, what kind of lock , a padlock, a key, shut door.  What is relevant.  Also, is it relevant the kid was cleared to play by doctors, showed up in sunglasses on the practice field.  What is true.

 

[jlingle]

I sure hope somebody in Stillwater, OK has Mike Leach on the phone offering him a Offensive Coordinator spot.  PLEASE!!!!!!  I'm pleased with what Gundy has done, but Leach is an offensive whiz.  The guy is a phenomenal coach & recruiter.  If anybody thinks recruiting high school boys to come to Lubbock TX is easy, think again.  If you were 18 years old & a recruiter in Florida took you to the beach & showed you their "scenery", would you rather go there or West texas?  Congratulations Tech, your football program is officially in the crapper.  

Last year Leach was the AP coach of the year, and with that recognition came some phone calls.  He entertained an offer from Washington, and that pissed off the staff at Tech.  They were offering peanuts & he showed them that he could get more.  They reluctantly paid him the money he was worth, but in my opinion it caused hard feelings.  5 yrs and 12.7 million bucks on his new contract extension, and I think the university had hard feelings because they had to pony up the money.  Suddenly his coaching skills and decisions are called into question.  Why?  Because some snotty nose kid with a famous dad isn't happy with his "treatment?"  Bullbutter.  I ain't buying it.  

I played football, basketball, and wrestled in school.  If some of my different coaches' tactics were done today, there'd be lawsuits.  Coaches make kids tougher, and they do it for a living.  Like it or not, that's the way it is.  I'm not saying that Leach acted "in the kids' best medical interests" when he told him to stay in a closet or whatever, for the length of practice..... but I bet there was a method to the guy's madness.  I'm guessing he was trying to toughen up the little brat, and probably embarrass him a little as well.  Good for him.  If a coach who's getting paid $2.5 million per year thought it was necessary, then I'm not gonna second guess him.  Are some of the coach's tactics a little quirky & off the wall?  Probably, but the guy was extremely effective & the vast majority of his players loved him.  ESPN is gonna crucify him at every opportunity, to back their guy up.  Whatever.  

History will show that Tech should've kept Mike Leach.  Anybody wanna bet if their winning percentage goes up or down in the next 2 years?

 

[farwest]

Regardless of my support i couldn't stand Mike Leach.  Um , lets see, why,  Oh yes, because the gunslinging offensive genius from the south could usually beat Nebraska with less talent,  Thank god he's gone husker fans.

 

[Show Heifer]

I guess it is the season, but I agree with farwest (the world might end soon!)

Here is my summary:
1)  If I was a parent and thought my kid was in physical danger, I would IMMEDIATELY make my kid press charges against the abuser. I would then remove my kid from the situation IMMEDIATELY.  
Since that isn't going to happen, I doubt very much that there was "abuse". Discipline yes, abuse, no. Shut up or put up in other words.
2) The coach has done an amazing job with what was a crappy program. No other complaints against him (locker room talk, but lets see actual legal complaints). Players even speaking out in his support. One whiny, spoiled kid and HIS PARENT, ruined a good program.
3) The coach will survive. A lot of programs are looking for someone that can turn a pile of crap into gold (do you realize how much money a college gets for going to a bowl game?????)
4) The kid, unlike the coach, will not survive. Much like the cattle youth programs, a spoiled kids couldn't handle the "real world" and ran to daddy, who since his kids has "done no wrong since birth", used his position to raise hell. I doubt  his employer, unless it is ESPN, will care much about daddy.
5) I can only pray that texas tech gets absolutely killed in their bowl game and that the remaining players give a half effort.
6) How can they fire one coach, yet HIRE Knight, the most irrational coach in the country? Double standard or was knight willing to kiss some AD butt when Leach wasn't?

Kinda like my cattle: I am for discipline. I am against abuse. I guess it is public opinion on which is what.
But, a point to think about: When parents were allowed to spank, and "physcially make a kid follow" (by pulling on their arm or scruff), the world was a much better place (IMO). Now, it is a free for all with the 'tweeners and teens telling adults how to treat them and that they deserve everything without any effort.

 

[Show Heifer]

One last point:  This fall, a HIGH SCHOOL coach had a player drop dead of heat exhaustion after vomiting and incoherent rumblings and answers to coaches questions. The coach was brought up on charges, a jury found him NOT GUILTY due to the fact the "kid could have stopped at any time without the coaches permission".  So I guess we have a double standard for COLLEGE YOUNG MEN than for HIGH SCHOOL BOYS?????  And a definate double standard for coaches.
Only in the good ol' USA could such nonense happen.

 

[farwest]

As one poster somewhere else said, we have 18 yr. old boys dying in 130 desert heat over seas, and then we have this kid.

 

[forcheyhawk]

No comment specifically about this incident as I don't have all the facts.  However, I think in general we are getting very soft as a society.  I don't want to live in a free world where coaches aren't allowed to yell at players to get them motivated.  I get tired of having to be politically correct all the time.  I'm 60 lbs overweight.  Where I'm from, I call that fat.  It doesn't hurt my feelings.  I'm well aware that I'm fat.  Someday, because I've had the inspiration of my football and wrestling coaches motivating me when I was younger, I will be able to lose the weight without having to get any staples put in my tummy.  Yes that's right I quit smoking cold turkey 5 years ago.  No chantrix for this guy.  I'll bet you one thing - I'll bet that James' boy didn't spend his summers putting small square bales into a hay mow on 110 degree days with no air movement.  There's no doubt in my mind he'd be a better person if he had.  That's all I'm done.