Big 12 Daily Fever: Texas Tech Loses More Than a Coach with Leach Firing

What a Texas-sized soap opera going on in Lubbock with the Texas Tech football program.

Mike Leach has been fired from the program he took to new heights, and Red Raider fans are left with anger, confusion, and frustration. The Leach ouster has so many interesting angles; from his already strained relationship with the Texas Tech administration, to his treatment of reserve wide receiver Adam James, to the role of ESPN in covering the story which includes one of their analysts (father of Adam and current broadcaster Craig James) playing a prominent and disturbing part in getting a successful coach fired.

Texas Tech suspended Leach before the Alamo Bowl (a victory that unfortunately has taken a back seat to the coaching chaos) to investigate the James’ complaint to the school that their son was mistreated by the staff after suffering a concussion. When Leach tried to take the school to court over the suspension, the Tech administration fired him immediately.

So was James mistreated or just a bitter player who was not seeing much playing time? It’s hard to tell from the outside, as many different conflicting reports have come out about the situation. The outspoken Leach told ESPN that Adam James was “lazy and that Craig James was a constant nuisance as a parent:

“Really, a guy that we could never get to work hard and wanted to fall back on his father any time he wasn’t playing,’’ Leach told ESPN interviewer Rece Davis.

As for James’ father, Leach was no less critical.

Of Craig James, Leach said, “When you call coaches, when you call me, you call his position coaches, both of them, you call other administrators on campus or you come to practices and want to have constant discussions on your son and their playing time … Craig James required more time than all of the other parents combined."

With no Leach on the sideline for the Alamo Bowl, Red Raider fans were livid at the younger James on the sideline. The receiver in street clothes was booed loudly and was targeted by many negative signs. Most of the Tech faithful showed tons of support for Leach, the coach who gave the Red Raiders an identity. In fact, some Leach supporters have started a new Facebook group called “Team Leach”, which now has well over 50,000 members.

So where does Texas Tech go from here? Some see interim coach Ruffin McNeil as a possibility, but that might just be a stopgap. Baylor coach Art Briles name has been mentioned, but the Texas native says he’s staying in Waco. Even former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville is campaigning for the job, but that might not be the correct direction either.

Two things seem clear after this whole fiasco, and neither of them is positive. Texas Tech has lost their identity with Leach being fired, and ESPN needs to examine their role in creating college football news instead of reporting on it.

The fact that analyst Craig James still has a job and Mike Leach does not is very disturbing to many fans throughout the country.

Honorable Mention Big 12 Headlines:

Texas reserve dismissed after aggravated robbery arrest

Oklahoma State cannot overcome turnovers in Cotton Bowl loss

 

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