Mike Leach Fired
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harrys ghost
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The lawyer in question in action: http://www.kcbd.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=4421239&h1=Attorney%20speaks%20on%20treatment%20of%20player&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=333634&LaunchPageAdTag=Sport&activePane=info&rnd=24752732
"It's not a shed, it's a garage."
nsmike
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Leach's treatment of James was sending an implicit message that he didn't want to hear about concussions. This is at the same time we're learning about the long term consequences of concussions. Concussions are serious medical incidents and need to be treated as such, people like Leach, need to be out of football period.
The facts need to come out. You jump on Leach, I'll jump on the whiney spoiled rich kid with the history of acting out.
Is it seriously a bad thing to make someone with a concussion sit in a dark room for awhile? It seems like that would be better than on the field. I'm just saying it doesn't even seem malicious to me.
maxwellsmart
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You likely have no idea what happens and doesn't happen regarding TT football. What I KNOW is that these days a school generally has to feel very comfortable with the information it has in hand before dispatching a termination letter. Another thing I know is that aging and mortality stats on athletes who have suffered concussions during their careers are scary. Properly diagnosing and treating such injuries goes way past the scope of building men not pansies. I'm nearly 60 and honestly, some of you "oldtimers" have your heads so far up the wrong tunnel you're holding a discussion with your intestines. The days of "He got his bell rung, let him sit a minute and get him back out there" are over, and that's a good thing. Maybe 10 years from now, when my grandson goes in for his first sports physical, his doctor won't feel compelled to sit him down and counsel him to never play football, which is the experience of my oldest son. When he told the Doc he still planned to play, he said something like, "Okay, then do me a favor and make sure if you're ever taken out of a game because of a head injury that you won't go back on the field until you've seen me. Don't let a coach tell you it's okay to play hurt with a head injury." Folks, that young man is now a teacher and coach himself and far from a wuss. He played high school football and hockey and some puck beyond that, but he knows how serious head injuries are and that playing with a concussion doesn't make you a man, it makes you foolish.
A few more things we KNOW: The TT situation has been adversarial for some time. Leach was more than happy going to court (evidently without regard to the effect on players, alumni and school) and was headed there this morning. We also know now that his attorney planned to argue that Leach's contract contained no stipulations regarding suspension. Brilliant! What it did contain, according to an ESPN reporter, were termination clauses. Sometimes it's not smart to limit your opponent's options; he may exercise one of them. Finally, we know the guy got himself an attorney not nearly as adept at preparing for a news conference as his client has been at preparing for defenses.
50PoundHead
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+1 for Maxwell. I'm an old-timer myself and the kids now are much bigger and faster and the protective equipment basically allows the players to become missiles. I also know a couple of ex-pro players who have former teammates that are on permanent drool thanks to the lack of knowledge about concussions and the "tape it up and go" attitude that existed back then.
I'm one of my generation who certainy doesn't venerate it. We had our share of slackers and cry-babies then as well and the good players got away with a lot more then than they do now due to the lack of media scrutiny that existed.
Leach basically screwed the pooch on this one on a number of levels. As far as the legal end of the business goes, it looks like he brought a knife to a gunfight.
That being said, the James kid could be a dorkus maximus. If so, show the kid the bench and never let him off it. If he doesn't like it, Texas A&M-Kingsville is calling.
GopherHomer
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I'm sure James is a spoiled brat...but that still doesn't excuse Leach's treatment of him. I'm shocked that a school in Texas made this decision...pleasantly shocked. You'd think Texans would embrace the whole chewing tobacco-stained, science ignoring, meathead mentality that Leach portrayed.
It isn't as much about the incident as it was about the contract negotiations from last winter that Leach nearly got fired from TTU over but finally came to agreement on. TTU and Leach weren't seeing eye to eye and Leach thought he was the bigger man on campus.
When this story broke, Leach didn't want to apologize to the James' because he didn't think he did anything wrong (which may be the case as this hasn't been proven outside of ESPN breathlessly stating allegations as fact). TTU suspends Leach, Leach files for a restraining order to be able to coach in the bowl. TTU considers that insubordination and fires him.
Everyone has a bit of blame in all of this -- Leach for being a stubborn SOB, the university for their handling of the situation (which was poor at best given the lack of public communication from the university despite the threats of legal action from Leach), the James' for using ESPN as a platform to air one side of the story and start a public railroading of Mike Leach.
The James incident itself however is not why he got fired -- Leach has been on thin ice since the ugly contract negotiations took place.