Spokesman-Review: Mike Leach fined by Pac-12 for signal-stealing comments

Donate To GopherHole
BleedGopher

BleedGopher

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2008
Messages
62,388
Reaction score
19,205
Points
113
per the Spokesman-Review:

The Pac-12 conference announced Thursday night that Washington State coach Mike Leach has been fined $10,000 for his recent comments accusing Arizona State of attempting to steal the signals of opposing teams.

“Conference rules prohibit member institutions from disparaging each other and discrediting other institutions,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement.

This is the second time Leach has had to pay for his comments about officiating. In 2007 the Big 12 fined Leach $10,000 for railing against the officiating crew following a loss to Texas.

Leach and other Pac-12 coaches have accused the Sun Devils of attmpeting to steal the signs used by other teams to call plays. This itself is not against the rules, but this week Leach said the Sun Devils go above and beyond the bounds of what is permissable. NCAA rules prohibit certain audio and video equipment in the team areas, coaching boxes and booths, and state that attempts to record signals are prohibited.

During his weekly Monday press conference, Leach likely drew the conference’s ire when he said “I think they have a certain amount of technology and expertise on the subject” and said he has heard rumors the Sun Devils use microphones and cameras to assist in their sign stealing.

ASU coach Todd Graham has admitted that the Sun Devils try to decipher other team’s signals, but said that it was “ridiculous” for Leach to suggest his coaches did anything prohibited by NCAA rules.

Still, Leach is not the only coach who seems to think the Sun Devils present an atypical threat when it comes to sign stealing. Last year Oregon famously had five assistant coaches hold up a white sheet to shield its signs from the ASU sideline.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/oct/20/wsu-coach-mike-leach-fined-by-pac-12-for-signal-st/

Go Gophers!!
 

ASU's coach voices his displeasure to Leach after the game:

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Go Gophers!!
 



Leach has done a great job the last 2 seasons getting his team to toughen up and improve. He holds kids accountable, calls them out, and makes no excuses. After an embarrassing 0-2 start, he called them out in his now famous "JC Softball Team" press conference. They have since gone 5-0 and won in Tempe for the first time in 15 years.
 


You do realize the " Pirate" was interested in the Minnesota job ( the Kill hire) but Maturi thought
he had to many skeletons in the closet and wouldn't interview him. His favorite pastime is fishing. I remember Mason saying what a strange " dude " he was when the Gophers played Texas Tech in the bowl game. On Monday the week before the game as part of the week festivities they were both to ring the opening bell on the NASDAQ. Mike showed up in a cowboy
hat,boots and jeans and then bagged the dinner that night. My wife and I went to the pep fest the day before the game . They had the Gophers on one side for the event and Texas Tech on the other side so you could mingle. As always we were in full Gopher gear and Mike came up and greeted us and the first thing he asked was " How's fishing"? He asked what part of the State we were from and at that time we were living in Nisswa.. We gave him an overview of the area with the lakes and everything and he indicated he was a huge bass fisherman and was planning on taking a fishing trip into Minnesota. Really a pretty nice guy. I was pissed that Maturi never interviewed him.
 

ruppertflywheel said:
You do realize the " Pirate" was interested in the Minnesota job ( the Kill hire) but Maturi thought
he had to many skeletons in the closet and wouldn't interview him. His favorite pastime is fishing. I remember Mason saying what a strange " dude " he was when the Gophers played Texas Tech in the bowl game. On Monday the week before the game as part of the week festivities they were both to ring the opening bell on the NASDAQ. Mike showed up in a cowboy
hat,boots and jeans and then bagged the dinner that night. My wife and I went to the pep fest the day before the game . They had the Gophers on one side for the event and Texas Tech on the other side so you could mingle. As always we were in full Gopher gear and Mike came up and greeted us and the first thing he asked was " How's fishing"? He asked what part of the State we were from and at that time we were living in Nisswa.. We gave him an overview of the area with the lakes and everything and he indicated he was a huge bass fisherman and was planning on taking a fishing trip into Minnesota. Really a pretty nice guy. I was pissed that Maturi never interviewed him.
Click to expand...

I've always been a fan of his and was disappointed we didn't consider him. Currently reading the book he wrote with Buddy Levy "Geronimo: Lessons in Leadership". His book, "Swing Your Sword" is very good as well. They play Oregon State this weekend and should move to 5-0 in Pac-12 North and 6-2 overall.
 


dpodoll68 said:
How do you know?

And do you want somebody who's nice and you can be buddies with or somebody who can win football games?
Click to expand...

I would suggest the following when it comes to Leach:
1) He's an eclectic person wanting to know as much about anything that comes to his mind,
2) He's far from anybody's "Buddy", and
3) He won at Lubbock and now Pullman (that's nothing short of amazing to me given the lack of facilities / financial support at those places).
 



dpodoll68 said:
How do you know?

And do you want somebody who's nice and you can be buddies with or somebody who can win football games?
Click to expand...

I asked him dpodoll. I can't recall his exact words but it was something like this: "We didn't think he would be a good fit for the U"
 

No he wouldn't be a good fit. With his law degree, he would be the smartest man in the room. Something UAdmin. have trouble accepting. Sad
 


You've got to admire his accomplishments at Texas Tech and now WA State. I think if he would have been hired here it would have been very, very interesting. His brand of football is an extreme outlier towards the Air Raid end of the spectrum. He believes tight ends are basically useless and should be replaced by a more athletic weapon. He runs far, far less than eg Baylor. But, he gets it to work with middling recruits. Eccentric as hell.

He certainly would have tested the theory that a) can't recruit skill athletes to MN and b) can't win in Nov passing the ball.
 



Typically, I will watch his press conference Monday evening.
In this one he speaks about:
-ASU game
-QB being tough but dramatic
-How Captains are selected
-Coin tosses
-Statistics he looks at (values most)
-And why he is cheering for the Cleveland Indians
 

I seriously liked the idea of hiring Leach. Though could also understand the trepidation. Wouldn't have mattered anyway if he started in Minnesota, the way he started in WSU. His record was 12-25 overall and 7-20 in the Conference. Most Gophers fans would have been screaming for his firing before the end of 2014. Maybe even after he lost the Bowl Game to New Mexico.

2012 Washington State 3–9 1–8 6th (North)
2013 Washington State 6–7 4–5 T–4th (North) L New Mexico
2014 Washington State 3–9 2–7 T–5th (North)
 

No doubt the seat was hot for Leach in 2015 but he pulled it off. Also, his predecessor went 2-10, 1-11, 2-10, 4-8 in the four seasons prior to Leach. Now in 2016 Leach has beaten UCLA, Stanford, Oregon, ans AZ State. Sure those teams are not at their peak but still worthy accomplishments.
 

I think he would've been an interesting hire. It would've been basketball on grass. The guy can coach though. He systematically destroyed the Gophers in the second half of the Bowl game.
The key would've been could he draw the kids in quality regarding the skill positions? How many
West Coast kids could he get to come East? I remember when Wacker was hired. He said he would get the top kids in Minnesota and then his main recruiting base would be Texas.That didn't work.
 

He didnt necessarily need the best recruits to make his system go. Every innovation in football has given a decided schematic advantage to that coach and team until the big boys decide to play the same style with more talented players. Same with with Briles at Baylor. Winning garners you better players.

Many of the helmet schools have resisted innovation because they didnt need to with dominant talent, fast defenses, etc. but even Ohio State, Alabama have started using some innovative systems over the years (compared to years past)
 

I have always been intrigued with Leach. He was my first choice when Kill was hired and it was my impression that he didn't get an interview and was considered far to risky for Maturi.

Admitting to my own potential to switch with the wind, Kill quickly won my football heart and I completely bought in to the changes I was seeing, at the same time Wash State struggled. I think I even posted something about how wrong I was back in 2014 or so.

But, as time has marched on and we have endured Kill's unfortunate retirement, at the same time Wash State has improved - I again can't help but wonder "what if" the Gophers would have responded to the apparent interest Leach had in the Minnesota job.
 

Pompous Elitist said:
No doubt the seat was hot for Leach in 2015 but he pulled it off. Also, his predecessor went 2-10, 1-11, 2-10, 4-8 in the four seasons prior to Leach. Now in 2016 Leach has beaten UCLA, Stanford, Oregon, ans AZ State. Sure those teams are not at their peak but still worthy accomplishments.
Click to expand...

It is conceivable that Washington State wins next 4 vs Oregon State (Away), Arizona (Home), Cal (Home), Colorado (Away) and goes to the Rose Bowl as there is no requirement to take a PAC-12 South team if Washington wins out and is selected for the playoff.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom