3-Point Conversion

According to numerous sources, Mike Leach has been handed his termination papers in the wake of the Adam James controversy. For those not familiar, James has accused Leach of locking him in a confined space twice over the span of a few days. This was a stunningly quick fall from the top for Leach, a coach who had been linked to so many job offerings last offseason that he was given a five year deal worth over 2.5m annually. What really happened to Adam James and is it really worth firing the most successful coach in TTU history?

Texas Tech will not hire a coach who can be as successful as Mike Leach. Lubbock, TX is a desert devoid of all hope and life; a recruiting nightmare for a college coach. Leach took an innovative system, coupled with a Big 12 membership and turned Texas Tech into an outside contender for the National Championship in 2008. If you were interested in the success and maintenance of the TTU football program, wouldn’t you take some time to investigate these claims before dismissing the greatest coach in your program’s history? There are several factors at work driving Leach’s immediate dismissal. Firstly, Leach and AD Gerald Myers have never gotten along, reportedly as far back as 2001 when Leach’s parking spot was reassigned to Bobby Knight. This has festered over the years and has turned into a full-blown feud. The second reason for the immediacy of the firing is the $800,000 bonus due Leach if he were the coach of the Red Raiders tomorrow. To me it seems like TTU made a rash decision based on short-sighted economics and personal feelings, without weighing the positives that Mike Leach has brought to the university.

If I were a fan of the Red Raiders, I would implore the President of the University to take a closer look at this situation. While it seems apparent that one of these men must go, perhaps the wrong one has been shown the door. Mike Leach has earned the right to remain the coach, until these accusations are proven to be more than that. Even if they are, Leach deserves some type of punishment, but it is a rash overreaction to fire the man. Amid the media turmoil, don’t be surprised if Leach sits out a season or two, while the controversy dies down. During his downtime, the Juris Doctorate holder can begin the courtroom battle with the university over the proper compensation due to him. In a couple of years, some new BCS caliber team will be happy to have the captain of the pirate ship patrolling their sidelines.