Wow. WTH are the Tech administrators thinking? After reading that, it seems pretty obvious what was the problem.

If the coach thought he had head trauma wherein there was a risk the student would slip into a coma if he fell asleep, then he should have immediately sent him to the hospital for observation.

This sounds like a fool's paradise.

Apparently, Leach thought one of his players was soft and a malingerer and disgruntled about playing time with a "little league" meddling parent who played in the NFL and works for ESPN, and he figured the best thing to do would be to punish him for being a malingerer faking a concussion by giving him some kind of teach you a lesson stay in this room kinda nonsense.

That would seem kinda stupid considering how this NFL season and Tim Tebow have made concussion recovery one of the biggest topics of this football season.

Sugar-britches goes crying to mommy and daddy ESPN and then Leach admits that he was intending to teach a lesson but is too proud to figure out that the concussion issue makes his move a bad one.

Unless Leach figured that Sugar britches would instantaneously become a tough man once Leach taught him this one lesson, you would have to figure that Leach is the silliest fool in this fool's paradise.

Have you ever ****ing played football before? ROFL

I saw worse shit than this in JV football when I was a freshmen in high school...

I saw our crazy ass baseball coach (who doubled as the JV football coach) make a fatass offensive lineman run until he threw up (those were the guidelines) for jumping offsides...

God forbid they made this kid (a little bitch from the way it was painted) stand in a room for a few hours for being a whiny distraction...

It just so happens he's the kid of the "Great White Hope!"

He was allegedly told if he was found sitting or laying he would be kicked off the team, hence the guard. I don't know if any of it is true, just that an anonymous report was delivered to the media and reported on the air.

No. I said turn him over to the medical staff if you want him off the field then LEAVE HIM ALONE.
Not turn him over to the medical staff then act like a complete mental reject and stick the kid in a dark room under threat of retaliation should he wish to leave the room. Constructive kidnapping is not okay just because you called the doctor first.

It is amazing how people will compromise their values to support a team.
There are two kinds of people in this discussion: those who can clearly see that Leach crossed the line and comitted a wrongful act and Texas Tech fans.

Again, what I'd guess was happening was that he was angling to being asked to stand and watch practice with the team, which doesn't seem unreasonable. He then claimed the sun was bothering him (entirely possible) so the coach told him to go into a nearby room where the sunlight couldn't bother him, and continue to stand up like he would have had he been able to stay on the filed.

That's speculation, but seems pretty straightfoward and if true, perfectly reasonable way to handle a player you think is a slacker who's got a reputation among the team as a primadona who's not putting in a full effort, and who also happens to have a concussion.

I don't get the impression that having a player stand for 3 hours which a concussion is horrible. If so, he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the field to begin with.

And if there was some medical harm in having him stand, and Leach should have known (was told and ignored dr's advice, etc) then he should be held accountable.

But just having had a concussion doesn't seem like standing for 3 hours is unacceptable behavior.

"Hey Jim, if you don't come to work today, then don't bother coming back ever again."

"You can't do that boss! That's kidnapping! I'm calling the cops!"

You're ****ing dumbass. I played Kansas 6A football, dipshit.

No wonder you're so ****ed up then.

I bet that coach was the toast of the town, right?

JFC.

More proof that you're an ignorant moron.

I am a Missouri fan, and I have never been a Texas Tech fan. There are also people that can see that Craig James has a sordid history, and that the Texas AD has been angling to get rid of Leach for a while.

It's not a job.

It's collegiate athletics.

Constructive kidnapping?I was waiting for this to be said cause when you confine someone,and tell them they can't leave,isn't that kid napping?
Well I guess not if you're a college coach and you don't like your players fat lil girlfriends.ROFL

"I have a medical condition that prohibits me from having to work. This position is ratified by the instituition under whose rules you are contractually obligated to operate. Go ahead and try to retaliate boss and see what happens.Oh, you got fired.Big surprise."

I'm curious.... if you have a player who can't practice with the team, so you 'force' him to stand in a specific section of the stands, or in a specific area behind the bench, how is that different?

I don't get the impression that anyone thinks he was faking the concussion. he was diagnosed with it. I think Leach and others like myself just see the 'punishment' was for a guy with a consussion trying to get away with using his consussion as an excuse to get out of even standing out on the field with the team for 3 hours.

You seriously don't see the difference ?

LMAO

just read those emails posted...

and Dane is agreeing with the kid!

Go figure...

LMAO

Then bench him or find a reason to cut him. 1952 came and went a long time ago.

Leach should have suspended him or booted him off the team.

Whatever the case, Leach acted improperly.

Yeah, but to most of these kids, it's treated like a job.

You're a ****ing moron.

I'm not "agreeing" with "the kid".

ANY coach who pulls this kind of shit on a college or high school campus deserves their walking papers, immediately.

Don't you have a roommate to rape?

Move along.

Pour salt on him, the Leach is shriveled up and gone.

That does not give a coach on a collegiate campus carte blanche.

You know what the moral of this story is?

If you're going to **** with a kid, it probably shouldn't be the guys kid who works for ESPN.

They just wanted to get rid of him.

I am writing this letter on behalf of Mike Leach in regards to the Adam James situation. 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. Adam eventually ended up playing a little after I left due to his body type being able to do some TE sets which consists of around 5-10 plays a game. Adam should be thankful for the opportunity to play at Texas Tech and for Mike Leach, who gave him the opportunity. In my opinion playing 5-10 plays a game in an outstanding offense is more than he would get at any other school in NCAA D1 football.

Dana Holgorsen
OC & QB's
University of Houston

There's more truth than poetry to that one for sure.

What? Congratulations? I don't get it...

The JV coach I referenced was our Varsity baseball coach for a year and he scared the shit out of us...scared the shit out of us so much we'd run 5 miles every morning and work out like crazy so we'd be in tip/top shape for when baseball season started...

If we missed a sign during the season...or did something stupid on the field...we'd come in at 6 AM for a "good baseball" the next morning...

The dude was insane...but he used to be the hitting coach at Illinois and now he has his own gig at a JUCO...good coach, but he had some insane tactics and we were just in high school.

You're the type of pussy ass bitch who thinks two 13 year olds who get into a fight at school deserve to be arrested and spend the rest of the day in jail.

The PUSSIFICATION of Dane's America continues.

Adam James is a little bitch, plain and simple, and it's quite clear his daddy is the only reason Mike Leach isn't coaching at TT anymore...and lets be honest...he's going to get a HUGE buyout out of this...guaranteed.

I am not sticking up for james but I have always figured the best punishment is bench time during games.
To me what leach did was stupid but not overly harsh.
I had seen some of my jr high not high school JR high coaches do worse but that was years ago. My high school coach denied us water breaks if we ****ed up which is way worse than this but that was years ago.
In 2009 you cant do this and think you won't get called on it. **** there's people here who whine cause haley swears at pros.

A member of the coaching fraternity who very well might get his next job from Leach writes a letter of support? A good defense attorney would need about 20 seconds to discredit this one.

Yeah, making kids stay for practice is not possible in 2009.

This, this and THIS.

Kudos to Mike Leach for not giving a **** and playing favorites, though.

If he's going to act like a 3 year old, he can get a "timeout" like a 3 year old.

Who cares if it was for three hours? He deserved it...and like tk13 said...I guarantee you other collegiate athletes get worse punishments on a practice to practice basis at any other major college university...

I'd say forcing one to run until they vomit is TEN times worse than making someone go stand in a dark room.

The timeout was the length of practice. Poor guy.

Dane thinks Haley should be fired for flipping off a fan.

He just thinks everyone should get fired for anything.

He's a drama queen.

The problem for Leach isn't just that it's Craig James son, it's that list has a big list of reeruned things he's said, most people aren't going to give him the benefit anymore.

**** off, Rapist

Of course he could have. But at what cost ? Kicked off the team and lost his schorlarship ? Hmmm, you think maybe that might have something to do with him staying put ?

I don't have a problem with you not agreeing with the technique he used and maybe even seeing him as being somewhat petty or juvinilie on his part. But to me if it played out as I have described, it's not remotely worthy of being suspended or fired. It's far more likely that the kid was a punk, who's father is both father (understandable) but likely kind of a punk himself. And who because of his high profile in the media, was able to make just enough news out of the story as to give TT the excuse that they have wanted for months now, to fire him "with cause".

My guess is that Leach walks away getting paid the full $1.6 M for being fired without cause.

I absolutely cannot wait for the day that your whiny little bitch ass has to compete in the real world.

I doubt you'll make it to age 30 without mommy and daddy's help.

Scumbag.

I watched our 8th grade basketball coach choke two of my teammates, rather aggressively...the latter one when we were in state basketball...so bad he walked out of the lockerroom and his son took over...there was a bit of controversy and the dad of the kid who got choked wasn't thrilled...but he kept his job the next year...

and then probably 5 years later he was the freshmen coach at the high school and the stat boy kept getting on his nerves during a varsity game and after the game he was caught choking him in front of hundreds of fans at that was his end...

But hilarious nonetheless ROFL

It's all well and good to have a convo about what use to fly in 1975 but it isn't that time frame anymore, you have to realize what you can and can't do and what will not be looked upon favorably when you have a public job.

I'm PRETTY sure Craig James can afford paying his kids through college...

dude if I make it to age 30 in general, score 1 for me

like someone said earlier...

With Mangino, everyone came out and blasted the guy...

With Leach, vice versa...

Dude is going to get a HUGE payout and land another job sooner than later.

All Leach had to due is state that the kid wasn't medically cleared to play and wasn't required to come to practice.

End of story.

Instead, Leach tried to force is will upon a student and unfortunately for him, he chose the wrong student to **** with.

Adam Craig sounds like a spoiled piece of shit but even if that's the case, he shouldn't be locked in the dark in a room with guards.

It's college, not the military.

It's what happens when you have a coach who has shown himself to be a bit wacky, and a kid who's been spoiled. Remember his dad was involved in one of the greatest NCAA penalties of all time. Too much ego all the way around.

Not everyone wants to live off of their parents even if their parents have the means.

Yeah, but there's still plenty of coaches who still act like it's "1975", or worse. Everybody acting like Leach is out here on some island of torture are kidding themselves.

well based off of what I've been reading he's already doing a pretty good job...as the only reason he got to TT in the first place was because of ol' pops...

An attorney is going to get Leach paid his full $1.6M for being fired without cause. These stories are surely invited in large part, and from supportive pepole, but that doesnt' make them un-true.

And for the record, the same could easily be said (about an attorney ripping apart a statement) about the James family side of things.

In the end, the knowable facts will come out, and it seems very reasonable that Leach got into a pissing match with this player, he played his father, the trump card, and in the end lost.

Are you saying the kid lost? I didn't see the kid get canned a day before the bowl game.

We'll see. $1.6m would be a good deal for TT given the full value of Leach's contract. There could very well be a quiet settlement reached or there could be a loud and long court battle. I doubt TT wants a lot of that kind of publicity. Are you a Techy Jaz?

If you've ever played organized sports in your life, you know that not being allowed take part in practice is not some "get out of practice free" card, and that the players are routinely required to show up nonetheless.

The issue here isn't that the kid had to be at practice, and anyone that tries to claim it is should probably be culled from the herd. The issue isn't that the kid was forced to stay in a specific area, unless we're going to fire every teacher, coach, police officer, administrative clerk and other person who's ever set up a specific area for people.

The only significant issue I've seen so far is whether the kid was forcibly prevented from leaving, and the threat of him losing his scholarship is not a physical deterrent.

Uh....yea, how much is that scholarship worth ? I don't care who you are, no young man wants to have to make that phone call telling dad he's gonna have to pony up tens of thousands of dollars.

Just because you aren't cleared for contact, or to do sprints, or even can't walk, that doesn't mean you don't have to be at practice. Leach still makes his players participate as much as their health allows. They still have to attend practice even if they can't take part in some or all of the physical aspects.

Well, at the end of the day looks like the biggest loser in this mess is Texas Tech football, followed closely by Adam James. There's no way he'll stay at Tech now, and after the allegations that have come out, good luck catching on anywhere else.

Or else they got imprisoned in a dark room huh?

Since when is "attending practice" the same as being locked in a completely dark equipment shed?

I am loving people brining up their high school sports stories like they are in any way comparable. Should I bring out my Dan Gable Wrestling Camp horror tales? lame.

Wow, it sure sounds awful when you say it like that. I am just glad James didn't try to escape. He could have gotten shot in the back Shawshank Redemption style.

You're missing the point.

If Adam James was a huge pain in the ass AND was suffering from a concussion, the best decision was to excuse him from practice until he was medically cleared to participate again.

Drama over. Leach still the head coach.

Problem solved.

Since when was he locked in a completely dark equipment shed?

Why? If he was physically able to attend practice, that is to say able to be at practice even if he involved in any physical contact, why is the best thing for him to not be at practice at all?

The kid won his battle. The TT AD will lose his contract battle with Leach. Leach will win in the end, as he will get paid $1.6M to wait for the best available college football job over the offseason or next.

Would you want Missouri's coach to use the same tactics?

How is getting bought out of a $12.7 million contract for $1.6 million a victory?

As I stated earlier, if Adam James was as big a pain in the ass as illustrated AND he was unable to practice, why not excuse him until he was medically cleared to participate?

Please, explain to us HOW that wouldn't have been a better and more plausible option for Leach.

Bingo

No, I'm an Arizona grad, and in fact the Wildcats will potentially lose Sonny Dykes, maybe the best coach on our staff, as a result of this.

I just see what Leach did as nothing particularly horrible (assuming what I suspect happened really did happen that way).

I'll be SHOCKED if an NCAA D-I school hires Leach as the head coach in the next 18-24 months.

Because you set up a scenario where being a pain in the ass gets you a different, and more 'free', set of rules than the rest of the kids. If the concussion was so bad that the kid couldn't even be at the practice, he should have gone to the infirmary or the hospital and gotten himself checked in, or at least gotten a doctor's note ordering him to stay in bed for a day or two.

Why are we asking if it your scenario would have been better? The question is if Leach deserved to be fired, not whether there were smarter ways he could have handled the situation.

Ok thanks, I thought you were Wildcat.

Then the quick simple answer is YES, he deserved to be fired.

You're the one that keep rationalizing and justifying Leach's actions.

Let me put it to you in economic terms: If you're a TT Booster, especially a female TT Booster, are you going to continue to give money to the athletic department after a story like this breaks?

The answer is no.

I"ll be shocked if he isn't coaching next season.

I'll be shocked if Leach doesn't sue and take Texas Tech to the woodshed for a lil timeout.

Raiders 2010?

Then you seriously undervalue the impact to a university with allegations such as these.

Well, first, if he holds the AD to the contract, the one he's trying to claim is voided by these actions, then Leach wins. Second, Leach will walk into a similar contract at any number of football programs within a year and half. The $1.6 M will be a bonus. He'll almost certainly get paid a 7 figure deal by someone in the media if he takes 2010 off. He's perfect for the media. He'll if i was him, I'd try to get a gig with ESPN just to piss off Craig James.

It is going to be interesting to see how this plays out legally. Both sides feel they are in the right here. TT has the resources but Leach can afford a more public fist-fight than TT wants.

I don't think it'll be possible. He was fired "with cause".

He's cooked.