On Jan. 10 I reported that Craig James hired Dallas-based public relations firm Spaeth Communications before he went public to complain about Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach’s treatment of his son Adam.
That followed a Jan. 8 piece I wrote about the James-hired p.r. firm, which was the architect of the “Swiftboat” public relations campaign launched against 2004 presidential candidate John Kerry.
Melinda Alvarado of FOX 34 in Lubbock and Katie Bauer of NBC’s KCBD-TV in Lubbock report Craig James testified under oath on Saturday about Spaeth’s role in, based on James’ comments in his deposition, what appears to be a concerted public relations campaign designed to discredit Leach.
Alvarado reports for FOX 34:
Ted Liggett, counsel for Mike Leach, says Craig James admitted he has hired Spaeth Communications Group out of Dallas, and that Spaeth Communicated with Texas Tech in a manner to manipulate messages to the media regarding Adam James and Mike Leach. Including actually using pseudonyms to go online and blog and try to shake the nature of the news.
Bauer of KCBD also noted of James’ sworn testimony:
Liggett says during the deposition, Craig admitted he hired a communications group out of Dallas to manipulate messages to the media, including those closet videos that were circulating on the web.
The “closet videos” of Adam James first surfaced when posted on WFAA-TV’s website in Dallas on Dec. 30 with the following attribution:
“This video link was given to WFAA.com by representatives of the James familiy. We have found that it is Adam James in a electrical closet, but we do not know if it was during a practice.”
Until his deposition on Saturday, Craig James never identified who was responsible for uploading the videos and circulating them to the media via a pseudonym.
Though Spaeth Communications founder Merrie Spaeth confirmed to me on the record on Jan. 10 that her firm was behind providing the unattributed Adam James video to WFAA. From my Jan. 10 post:
Spaeth also provided previously unreported details about the Adam James cellphone video. She said that James actually shot two videos during his separate confiments at Texas Tech practices and, “showed them to his parents.”
Those videos were part of the impetus for Craig James taking the complaint against Leach public. Immediately after the second video was shot, Craig James contacted Spaeth to advise him.
Spaeth said the public release of the Adam James cellphone video was based on prior statements by Leach: “We came to a consensus that the video should be released to the public after Leach said some things that were at odds with Adam’s story.”
Adam James also gave a sworn deposition Saturday in Lubbock. Alvarado of FOX 34 reports of his statements under oath:
Liggett also says they stand by sworn testimony from Trainer Steve Pincock and several others, that Adam James was never told to go into an electrical closet. Liggett says Adam admitted under oath, that while in the media room, he was told to stay there, and that he didn’t follow instructions and that he went into the electrical closet and he took the film.
As an aside, on Jan. 1, Pete Thamel and Thayer Evans of the NEW YORK TIMES reported that according to a sworn statement by Tech Trainer Pincock, Leach never had knowledge of where the trainer placed Adam James.
Based on sworn statements from Adam James and Tech Trainer Steve Pincock, Adam was never ordered confined to the electrical closet and only went into the area to shoot video. That video was later released anonymously by Craig James-hired Spaeth Communications on Youtube with an accompanying blog post that stated in part:
This video was taken by Adam James, a player on the Texas Tech Red Raider football team on Saturday, December 19th, after being confined by Coach Mike Leach in an electrical closet off the Press Room at Jones AT&T Stadium.
At 2:02pm on Dec. 30, 2009, the ASSOCIATED PRESS reported Mike Leach was fired by Texas Tech. That dismissal was met with shock and outrage by Texas Tech fans, students and donors. Donors who have subsequently stop giving money to the school, causing academic program cuts.
At 7:50pm on Dec. 30, 2009, the Adam James video that was uploaded under a pseudonym on Youtube was posted to WFAA-TV’s website in Dallas and subsequently broadcast on ESPN, the network that employs Craig James.
Based on on the record comments from Merrie Spaeth to me, sworn statements from Craig and Adam James and Texas Tech Trainer Steve Pincock, it appears that it would not be inaccurate to observe that Craig James used a public relations firm to spread misinformation about the nature of Adam James’ confinement.
That misinformation was then reported and broadcast by James employer ESPN, along with other main media outlets, and may have damaged the reputation of Leach and affected the coach’s subsequent wrongful termination lawsuit against the school.
3:55 pm on March 14th, 2010
Until this story I was thinking that maybe this was just an over-protective father. While I didn’t agree with his involvement I do understand how a parent can get wrapped up into their children and loose perspective. After reading this I only have one real thought…TIMEBOMB! BOMB GOES THE DYNAMITE!
10:25 pm on March 14th, 2010
Why hasn’t EPSN fired this slimmy guy? All I see is liablility!
10:27 pm on March 14th, 2010
*ESPN (sorry about my typing, the story got me all fired up I guess)
10:42 pm on March 14th, 2010
CJ has all the makings of a politician - should be a good one.
“We will make the truth what we want it to be” unknown politician.
Noticed Adam James stated Saturday that he was not mistreated and thought it was funny; he did think the Coach should have been fired.
Wonder if he was acting up trying to get out of athletics but had a Dad pushing him.
10:47 pm on March 14th, 2010
I am disappointed in the way Craig James has raised his son - that it don’t matter what you say or do, who gets hurt so long as you get your own way.
I have no time for liars and that whole family is just a black mark on humanity.
Shame on you Craig James for teaching your son to lie, Shame on your wife for allowing this to happen and shame on your son for costing Leach his job.
1:22 am on March 15th, 2010
YES! Great job. Watching that story unfold, I knew there had to be some manipulation going on behind the scenes. Thanks to your excellent journalism we know now. Keep up the good work. F*ck Deadspin’s bullshit. SBB is the true sports blog.
9:33 am on March 15th, 2010
this is all well n good but it still doesnt explain how a coach puts a player with concussions in a shed
thats why he was fired
9:42 am on March 15th, 2010
F*** Craig James.
11:44 am on March 15th, 2010
because “TWWL” is the major sporst media outlet, america relies on them for their sports news. they sensationalized the story between Dec 28 and Jan 10 everyone assumes that James was forced by mike leach to be holed up in that electrical closet. where will america go to get the truth?. . . the journalistic ethical intregity that “TWWL” lacks is staggering.
12:25 pm on March 15th, 2010
this is so see-through… it goes like this:
adam was humiliated for being kicked out of practice for “not taking it seriously” and was told to go in the shed - where others go regularly.
adam tells daddy - who says “well, do it again on monday - and when they throw you in the shed again - go into the closet and film yourself - and we’ll tell the whole world Leach abused you - and we’ll get him fired.”
to which adam goes along…. initially….
12:35 pm on March 15th, 2010
ESPN didnt have to fire James. His contract was up, when all this was going down. ESPN simply chose to not renew James’ contract.
Funny note: I understand Craig James will now enter politics. What a perfect place for a corrupt liar.
12:43 pm on March 15th, 2010
DAX!!!!!
read the story, fool!!!!
Adam James went into the shed himself to film the videos. Adam James said UNDER OATH, that he was told to stay in the media room. He then went into the shed to take the videos.
Adam and Craig are both scumbag liars, who will now be sued into oblivion!!!!!
3:34 pm on March 15th, 2010
It looks like the deposition will give Leech the ammo to sue the School and Craig James. He was certainly railroaded and I wouldn’t be a bit suprised if TT didn’t have a hand that as well,since it’s known they wanted to be rid of Leech.
It also looks like Adam may be related to James O’Keefe with that shadey video crap. I hope he goes the same route as well.
4:06 pm on March 15th, 2010
Anybody who has watched Craig James long enough should know that this is par for the course. He has been characterized by those who know him as “a legend in his own mind”. He thinks that he is one of the greatest if not the greatest running back to play the game. It is obvious that the apple does not fall far from the tree.
4:35 pm on March 15th, 2010
the one coach that had a decent record at texas tech in my lifetime gets fired because of this guy. i’m pretty sure this will cost tech alot of money, and the coach should sue james as well.
7:24 pm on March 15th, 2010
If this is true, then Leach will get all of his money from the university and he will have lawyers beating his door down to file a defamation of character law suit against Craig James. James better enjoy his money now, because if Leach wants to, he has an awesome case against James.
James, karma can be a bitch.
9:06 pm on March 15th, 2010
very interesting turn of events. should be interesting to see how it plays out.
10:36 am on March 16th, 2010
So Leach isn’t the cruel despot that we all thought him to be and this was a deliberate, personal, vindictive, smear campaign created by an individual(s) who were acting in their own self interests and exploiting the media to do it? And since Leach is kind of a kook anyway, the public just piled on, the guy loses his job and his image is damaged considerably (irreparably)? (It’s only because of this incident that we were even judging him by his locker room rants just a few days ago, despite the dying credibility of young James). Roethlisberger lynch mob take note.
8:22 pm on March 20th, 2010
F**k ESPN and Texas Tech
2:30 pm on March 24th, 2010
I dont see how this affects the stance of Texas Tech in the lawsuit.
It does enhance Leach’s case against Craig James.
I believe there are 2 issues here. Leach vs. Texas Tech to which I think Tech has a strong defense. And Leach vs. Craig James which does not look good for Mr. James.
9:26 am on March 26th, 2010
Hey Andy, is your last name Hance or Meyers?
Just checking to see if the PR firm is still on the TTU payroll.
I predict TTU will quietly collect the money from the Hance buddies and settle this so Mike Leach goes away very rich-it won’t make the blogs or papers
Boerne
5:39 pm on September 17th, 2010
Remember that any 2 yr old can write their opinion on an issue and if you are naive enough, you’ll believe what you read.
I’ll wait until the facts (and the trial) come about instead of believing jr. journalism.
Oh, MIke Leach was an egotistical jerk. My opinion.
3:41 pm on November 18th, 2010
TEAM LEACH IS FULL OF IDIOTS