On July 14, Bruce Feldman was suspended indefinitely by ESPN.com Editor-in-Chief Pat Stiegman after Stiegman informed Feldman that he was to stop working or Tweeting because of his now-confirmed, ESPN-approved involvement with the new Mike Leach book, Swing Your Sword.

Involvement that Feldman confirmed on ESPN.com two weeks after Leach was terminated by Texas Tech.

At the time of his suspension Thursday, Feldman was not given any indication by Stiegman when the company would allow him to return to his duties.

During a Jan. 15, 2010, ESPN.com chat, Feldman was asked by a reader: “Bruce, love your books. what is next on the horizon? you have alot of interesting CFB topics to disect [sic].”

In his response, Feldman noted that he was working on the Leach book:

Thanks! Am working on a book with Mike Leach, which is one of the reasons why I’m not in a position to discuss a lot of the questions people have sent in about him right now. Book is slated to come out about a year from now.

Less than 24 hours after I reported the news of Feldman’s suspension, ESPN alleged in an official company statement that Feldman had not been given “any suspension or any other form of disciplinary action“ and that “Bruce has resumed his assignments.”

ESPN’s official statement:

“There was never any suspension or any other form of disciplinary action. We took the time to review his upcoming work assignments in light of the book to which he contributed and will manage any conflicts or other issues as needed. Bruce has resumed his assignments.”

Since that time, Feldman has not published any work for ESPN, appeared on any ESPN outlet nor Tweeted from his official @bfeldmanespn.com account.

Feldman’s last Tweet from his @bfeldmanespn Twitter account was six days ago - the day before Stiegman suspended him. Until July 14, Feldman had gone only three days without Tweeting since January 1, 2011, Tweeting 1,438 times year-to-date.

After I was informed by an ESPN managment source Monday night that Feldman has not told anyone at ESPN he is coming back to work, I posed the following on the record question to ESPN Senior VP of Media Relations Josh Krulewitz: Read more…

In the aftermath of ESPN executives suspending Bruce Feldman for doing nothing wrong, and then lying to the national media and public about the nature of Feldman’s senseless punishment, we now have our first real world example of how the conduct by those ESPN executives has irreparably damaged Feldman’s ability to do his job in the future.

(ESPN VP Chris LaPlaca’s contradictory Tweets revealed ESPN deceit)

A staffer at a major college football program told me Friday that a star football player at his school, who admires Feldman’s professionalism and work ethic, was afraid to publicly support the celebrated college football journalist after his now-public mistreatment by ESPN executives.

The current NCAA student-athlete told the staffer that after learning the details from the media about ESPN’s grossly unfair treatment of Feldman during a Thursday conference call that included ESPN Vice President and Director of News Vince Doria, ESPN THE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief & ESPN Books Editorial Director Gary Hoenig, ESPN.com Editor-in-Chief Pat Stiegman, ESPN attorney Wendy Kemp and ESPN Executive Vice President, Production Norby Williamson, he wanted to send out a Tweet from his personal account in support of the longtime ESPN journalist.

(Stiegman ordered Feldman to stop working during conference call)

But the student-athlete never sent out the Tweet.

Why?

The star college football player, who like ESPN THE MAGAZINE’s regular ‘Player X‘ feature shall remain nameless, told the staffer: Read more…

Thursday Bruce Feldman was suspended indefinitely by ESPN for his involvement with the new Mike Leach book, Swing Your Sword.

(Leach book sales skyrocketed after ESPN suspended Feldman)

During a Thursday conference call that included ESPN Vice President and Director of News Vince Doria, ESPN THE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief & ESPN Books Editorial Director Gary Hoenig, ESPN.com Editor-in-Chief Pat Stiegman, ESPN attorney Wendy Kemp and ESPN Executive Vice President, Production Norby Williamson, Feldman was asked why he didn’t get approval from anyone at ESPN to work on the Leach book.

Feldman responded by noting that, on the contrary, he had obtained approval to collaborate on the Leach book - in writing - from ESPN Books executive Neil Fine. After Feldman informed the ESPN executives on the conference call that he had indeed observed proper company protocol, he was shamed anyway for his involvement in a project that - via public documents - portrayed ESPN in a negative light. (Documents obtained by Leach’s legal representatives.)

(Stiegman ordered Feldman to stop working during conference call)

One ESPN executive, while citing the public blowback from the book, threatened Feldman during the Thursday conference call: “We dont know how this will affect your future here.”

Before the call ended, Feldman was told by ESPN.com Editor-in-Chief Stiegman that he was to stop working for the company until further notice: “Do not do any work until we tell you to. No tweeting, and no chats.”

Indeed, Feldman’s last Tweet was early Wednesday morning and he did not appear for his regularly scheduled 2pm ET ESPN.com chat on Friday.

Following the news  on Thursday that Feldman had been suspended indefinitely by ESPN, a torrential outpouring of support for the writer ensued on social networking sites, with #freebruce and “Bruce Feldman” soon trending on Twitter and Facebook immediately featuring a “Free Bruce Feldman” support group.

In response to the profound, public backlash from its decision to suspended Feldman indefinitely, Friday afternoon ESPN released the following statement pertaining to Feldman’s status at the company:

“There was never any suspension or any other form of disciplinary action. We took the time to review his upcoming work assignments in light of the book to which he contributed and will manage any conflicts or other issues as needed. Bruce has resumed his assignments.”

Though ESPN claimed Feldman was never suspended, the network did not say why the college football writer would then need to - as noted in the ESPN statement - ‘resume his assignments.’

After the statement was released, ESPN Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications Chris LaPlaca sent out the following Tweet:

Love Twitter, but we’ve all just seen its danger: rumor presented as fact. Feldman never suspended. 

To give LaPlaca a chance to confirm his personal contention that Feldman was “never suspended” by ESPN, I Tweeted the following, repeated inquiry to LaPlaca on Friday afternoon: “Did Pat Stiegman tell Bruce to stop working? Yes or no?”

LaPlaca refused to answer the question. Though he later Tweeted:

Sports analogy: coaches take time outs 2 discuss developments. The game briefly stops but is not suspended. It resumes. Same thing here.

Because, despite repeated inquiries, ESPN’s LaPlaca refused to clarify his contention that Feldman was “never suspended” by the company, it is impossible to conclude that ESPN and LaPlaca aren’t doing anything other than obfuscating the truth of the matter.

Brooks is on Twitter and Facebook

Mike Leach appeared Friday morning on WQAM-AM in Miami to discuss his new book, Swing Your Sword, with morning show host Joe Rose.

(SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’s Stewart Mandel led #freebruce charge on Twitter)

During the interview, Rose asked Leach about the recent decision by ESPN Vice President and Director of News Vince Doria, ESPN THE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief & ESPN Books Editorial Director Gary Hoenig, and ESPN.com Editor-in-Chief Pat Stiegman to suspend ESPN college football writer Bruce Feldman for his involvement with the the coach’s book.

Joe Rose: “Mike I wanted to ask you about Bruce Feldman. I see he’s been suspended by ESPN for his affiliation with the book, what’s your thoughts on what’s taken place with Bruce?” Read more…

After I reported the news yesterday that ESPN had suspended college football writer Bruce Feldman on Thursday morning, a subsequent tsunami of socially-networked support for the sports journalist was so overwhelming that “Bruce Feldman” was the top trending topic on Twitter.com throughout Thursday evening and into Friday morning.

Of that remarkable reax, I’m reminded of this [fictional] scene from the movie, Rudy:

When reached by Brett McMurphy of CBS Sports and Richard Deitsch of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED on Thursday night, ESPN officials chose not to comment on the decision by ESPN Vice President and Director of News Vince Doria, ESPN THE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief & ESPN Books Editorial Director Gary Hoenig, and ESPN.com Editor-in-Chief Pat Stiegman to suspend Feldman for his involvement in the Mike Leach book Swing Your Sword.

Involvement which I have confirmed through multiple ESPN sources was approved by ESPN managment in advance of Feldman’s participation in the project.

Brooks is on Twitter and Facebook

ESPN college football writer Bruce Feldman was suspended indefinitely during a conference call with three ESPN officials this morning.

ESPN Vice President and Director of News Vince Doria, ESPN THE MAGAZINE Editor-in-Chief & ESPN Books Editorial Director Gary Hoenig, and ESPN.com Editor-in-Chief Pat Stiegman participated in the conference call and were behind the decision to punish Feldman. Read more…

Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith, who 10 months ago OSU President Gordon Gee called, “the best athletic director in the country,” appeared Tuesday on SiriusXM’s College Football Playbook with Mike Leach & Jack Arute.

(March 8: Nothing wrong with former ND football player Smith’s blocking skills)

Here’s an excerpt from the SiriusXM interview with Smith:

Jack Arute: “There are some, specifically in the media, that are calling for mininally, at least your resignation as well over this Gene. .. I want to give you the opportunity to state whether that was ever considered or why you don’t think it’s applicable. You’ve got the floor sir.”

Gene Smith: “That’s definitely a thought that some people would have in this situation and I respect that. But from a performance point of view, I‘ve done nothing wrong. .. We basically had a small group make individual decisions that they are ultimately are paying a significant price for and there’s casualties as a result of their decisions. .. But I wake up every day knowing that I did the right thing relative to my job every single day.”

Jack Arute: “Gene did you ever at least consider it [resigning]. Did you look at it and say, ‘this happened on my watch’ .. did you have to go through a process to think about ‘whether I should stay or go?’”
Read more…

The new Mike Leach book, Swing Your Sword, is out.

In the book, Leach retells the events of his legally-challenged ouster at Texas Tech in late 2009 - and provides stunning new documents and details that verify a professional public relations campaign paid for and orchestrated by ESPN’s Craig James against the all-time winningest coach in Tech football history.

If you followed the story as it initially unfolded, you may be aware of at least some of the actions of Texas Tech officials during the regrettable episode. Actions that left Leach no choice but to seek legal remedy soon to culminate at the Texas Supreme Court.

If you were reading SbB at the time, it wasn’t unreasonable to suspect that Craig James and his professional public relations representative, Spaeth Communications founder Merrie Spaeth, may have had a role in shaping ESPN’s coverage of the story.

But now, thanks to Texas Tech’s status as a state-funded institution, emails obtained through open records requests by Leach and his attorneys show a concerted effort by Craig James and paid agents of the ESPN analyst to materially impact ESPN’s editorial approach to Leach’s untimely departure from Texas Tech.

Leach reports in his new book that even before a complaint against Leach was lodged by Craig James regarding the coach’s alleged mistreatment of his son - former Texas Tech football player Adam James - Craig James had hired Spaeth. (It was Spaeth who hatched the infamous Swift Boat public relations campaign that helped turn public opinion against John Kerry’s during the 2004 presidential election campaign.)

Here is one such email included in Swing Your Sword in which Spaeth Communications employee Rebecca Shaw asks Craig James in an email “if we want to forward the players’ names and numbers exclusively to [ESPN reporter] Joe [Schad].”:

From: Rebecca Shaw
Sent: Monday, December 28, 2009 11:30 PM
To: James, Craig Subject: RE: ESPN 6:29 PM

Craig - Merrie’s position - and I agree - is that the story has been put to bed tonight. Let’s take a look at the coverage first thing in the morning and make a decision then if we want to forward the players’ names and numbers exclusively to [ESPN’s] Joe [Schad], whether we want to include the AP reporter, or if we want to hold off a day to see if the university makes a statement. I’ll be up early checking the coverage. Merrie’s good with the statement that I drafted for you for ESPN. Would you like it circulated to Kevin and Jim or do you want to noodle on it awhile?

Rebecca Shaw Executive Vice President Spaeth Communications, Inc.

In addition to the emails, Leach reports in the following Swing Your Sword excerpt that Craig James went so far as to personally provide the cellphone number of his son, Adam James, to ESPN college football reporter Joe Schad: Read more…

Yesterday morning I posted three entries to my Facebook page that provided some insight into how Texas Tech’s Tommy Tuberville is adjusting to life as the Red Raiders head football coach.

The entries were entirely based on conversations with three different sources, two of whom are current football coaches at major college football programs and an athletic department staffer also at a major football school. All three know Tuberville personally and have talked to him about the Texas Tech situation.

From those conversations, it was made clear to me that Tuberville was not entirely pleased with how things were going at Tech. In fact, as I said yesterday, Tuberville was downright “miserable.”

SbB Facebook entry #1:

Tuberville is absolutely miserable at Texas Tech. Wishes he hadn’t heeded advice of Under Armour folks and taken TTU job. One of his complaints is ADs Myers/Hocutt are powerless to keep admins and boosters in check. Leach refused to kiss their rings, and you see what that got him. #tubs has told multiple sources he wishes he’d taken USF job over TTU.

SbB Facebook entry #2:

As time goes by, Mike Leach is only going to look more and more like the genius he really was at Texas Tech. He didn’t need great players to win, which is why he was such a great fit there. BCG will be similar. Recruits to his system, which works. Don’t need blue chips to win. #tubs another story.

SbB Facebook Entry #3:

How’s this for awkward: #tubs backchanneled interest to Miami after Shannon was fired. The Miami Athletic Director at that time? Kirby Hocutt, who was just hired as new Texas Tech AD.

After practice yesterday, Tuberville talked about my Facebook posts to the DALLAS MORNING NEWS, LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, DAILY TOREADOR, and NBC Texas affiliate KCBD.

Tuberville told KCBD-TV’s Pete Christy:

“I don’t know where that came from. How about this weather here? Whoever wrote that blog needs to come down here. He probably doesn’t have weather this nice.

“But no, this is a great place. We’re gonna build something here that people can be proud of, but I think that comes from a lot of people who probably would hope we would pack up and leave.

“We’re looking forward to it. It’s gonna be a tough challenge the next couple of years getting it to where we want to get it to, but I would imagine that’s coming from across the river somewhere that they would hope I would go somewhere else.”

Two things stand out from those comments. Read more…

Last Friday Craig James assessed the status of Mike Leach’s termination lawsuit against the ESPN announcer and Texas Tech.

“I feel very confident about our position. Most people in Lubbock support my position. We did what any responsible parent would do. We did the right thing.”

For all I know, James may be right about the overall support he enjoys in Lubbock, but from their public actions, I do know at least one group of people who do not share James’ optimism.

The lawyers representing Texas Tech. Read more…