Thayer Evans and Pete Thamel of the NEW YORK TIMES have the definitive interview of Mike Leach in the wake of his firing as Texas Tech football coach this week.
Leach confirmed in the visit what has been widely reported, but he also added some details of his treatment of Adam James that are critical to understanding what motivated Tech Athletic Director Gerald Myers and Tech Chancellor Kent Hance to fire Leach.
Leach said, in a statement confirmed on the record by Head Tech Football Trainer Steve Pincock, he never directed the team trainer to send James to any place in particular. Pincock himself made the decision as to where James was placed during practice.
Leach:
It has been widely reported that Leach locked Adam James in a closet or a shed after James sustained a concussion at a practice last month. Leach said he only ordered James to be taken “out of the light” and did not know specifically where he had been taken.
“I was busy coaching practice,” Leach said.
He added: “There have been several things that have been brought to my attention on the ticker that’s just false,” Leach said, referring to ESPN’s bottom line ticker. “He was never locked anywhere. At no point was he locked anywhere. At no point was there an electrical closet.”
Doctor Michael Phy also examined James and said of his treatment by the Tech football staff:
“According to the information given to me, no additional risks or harm were imposed on Adam by what he was asked to do.”
The personal dispute between Leach and Craig James is an area where Leach has little chance to prevail. But the on the record accounts of the treatment of Adam James from medical personnel is critical to making a judgement about Leach’s disputed firing.
When you combine that with on the record statements from James’ last two position coaches at Tech about the player’s poor work habits and attitude, it appears that Myers and Hance are going to have a very difficult legal battle in justifying why Leach was fired.
Especially in light of emails that were circulated between the two Tech administrators and Tech Board of Regents member Jim Sowell that stated that school administrators should, “sign a contract that would not cost us too much to fire him.”
Based on the on the record, material information we have at present, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Leach demand the balance of his contract in this dispute.
And be awarded every penny of it.
7:49 pm on January 1st, 2010
non story…texas tech…who cares…..
8:11 pm on January 1st, 2010
as time goes by, texas tech looks worse and leach looks innocent.
this school has no credibility when they do something like this but tolerate the knight family.
8:16 pm on January 1st, 2010
I definitely think this is one big mess and that TT admin just used it to get rid of Leach for other reasons. But regardless of how big a douche Adam James appears to be by all accounts, neither of the two locations in question were an appropriate place for an athlete to be recovering from a concussion. If the athletic trainer was the one who selected those places for James and not Leach, then he should be questioned about his actions and decision-making. If it was too bright for James to be comfortable watching practice and student trainers were monitoring James anyway, there’s no reason they should not have been in the training room where James could rest comfortably. I also think that there had to have been some kind of consequences communicated to James if he didn’t follow directions for him to not refuse to do it.
5:32 am on January 2nd, 2010
the james family is losing all credibility if the dad is commentator and his employer owns bowl games there is huge money and power brooks find out how often and to whom the dad was calling if he is lobbying coaches and alums espn should can him
8:52 am on January 2nd, 2010
Where else has a celebrity dad, a crybaby college player, and a corrupt school administration ruined a great coach. Take a look at the emerging facts friends. Coach Leach was building a team of contenders, a team where babys don’t belong. Adam, nice target on your back if you ever spend a minute on the field again. (by the way, any position coach would be crazy to sign up for you)
9:03 am on January 2nd, 2010
For the guy “who cares…”,,. why the hell even read this story then… geez, get some consistency there.
12:55 pm on January 2nd, 2010
we have all seen it, but it usually happens in high school. that player whose daddy uses money and influence to increase his son’s prominence on the team. after reading the stories, watching the videos of where adam james was put after his injury i have to say adam is lying, coaches, doctors and trainers back up leach and this sure looks like a kid who is using his daddy to protect his lack of work ethic. leach took the stabbing because craig james thinks he can have whatever he wants for his kid, sorry but that usually does not work in college, mommy and daddy are suppose to sit in the stands and cheer, that is all. leach has been railroaded by by power and money and craig james used his mic at espn to fry leach, espn broadcasters also tried to fry leach for their work buddy james, but now are backing off after they see spolied adam was lying. you cannot play football at this level unless you are a man that can stand on his own two feet, adam james cannot., espn should fire craig james, adam james should be kicked off the team. he probably thinks he can be the superstar at smu but he is not good enough to be the superstar anywhere. leach will be a wealthy man when this goes to court and is over, i wonder how much he will get, espn has deep pockets and so does texas tech.
2:49 pm on January 2nd, 2010
Mild concussion?
i mean, I could understand the outcry if the guy was all of a sudden speaking fluent Japanese, but good Lord, people get their bell rung all the time.
And then jsut show up not in school colors, to practice? then have your Daddy “Pony” cry about it?
What a farce. Big Time College “Athletics”…
3:34 pm on January 2nd, 2010
In Texas the rumon is that Craig James is contemplating a run for the U.S. Senate seat being. vacated by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Appartently the James family is hoping for a cause to help or improve his image by appearing on ESPN stating they simply want their son to be safe along with the other children (football players) that Coach Leach has mistreated, embarrassed,etc., etc. ….. For those of you who believe this fabrication please check out the submissions by Coach Leach’s star Quarterback of 2008, Graham Harrell and several of his former players now playing in the NFL including Eric Morris who also played on the 2008 team. Also, letters are also posted from current coach Lincoln Riley (offense) and former TTU coach Dana Holgram who now coaches of the University of Houston. all of these coaches indicate Adam for lazy and refused to obey the staff. In fact one coach indicated that Adam told the coaches were not doing their job. Another interesting twist is that every assistant coach working with Leach voted against offering a scholorship to Adam James. Coach Leach was the only one to vote for adding him to the team. So much for loyalty and gratitude from Adam and his family. As for the TTU administration, Kent Hance appeared on ESPN (among others) insisting that Mike’s firing was no one’s fault but Mike’s. As a Lubbock football fan I can tell you this is not playing well with fans, alums or students. A petition is circulating on the internet calling for the firing of Gerald Myers and one hopefully a similar petition will be ciculated calling for the removal of Chancellor Hance also. The conspiracy between Sowell, Hance, Myers and possibly others involved not paying Coach Leach the $800,000 bonus which he earned this year if he was still coach on December 31, 2009.
8:50 am on January 3rd, 2010
Adam James… Should have known a little more about Texas Football I guess. Friday Night Lights? Hopefully this guy can redeem himself as a fry cook at the local Jack in the Box or Hardees.
Which High School Program diid Adam come out of? St. Cecelia Academy for Girls?
Adam, maybe there’s a tennis program somewhere..
4:52 pm on January 5th, 2010
Craig James has ruined any chance of his son being anything in life unless daddy buys it for him. People will not forget the damage they did to coach Leach. and the Texas Tech football program. This is worse than the Death Penalty SMU was given. It will take years for the school to get over this.