By now everyone has had time to formulate their opinion on the Mike Leach-Adam James saga that has slowly revealed itself to America. When the story broke with a Joe Schad tweet a day ago the twitter universe was taken by storm, followed by all the blogs, the websites and finally the major news networks as well. Comments ranged from questioning the Big XII as a whole to folks quickly playing off of Mike Leach's infatuation for the Pirate lifestyle.
Helicopter parent is a colloquial, early 21st-century term for a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child's or children's experiences and problems, particularly at educational institutions.
Read more for ITB's assessment of the Leach-James-Myers saga...
Looking at all the chips on the table, or at least the chips that we have access to there are certain issues that I take with the occurrence and more importantly the Athletic Director Gerald Myers course of actions. Personally, I'm not a Mike Leach fan. I think his Pirate Act is stale, I think he stays at Texas Tech because he would never cut it at a major university where he had to answer to powerful boosters that didn't just feel lucky to have him and most importantly I hate his offense.
With that said I think that we might be watching a few guys getting jobbed. First of course is Mike Leach. I'm not one to paint the self proclaimed pirate as the victim but it does seem like no matter how unorthodox the facts are lining up in his favor. Secondly, while folks may disagree on this, I think the James-clan is getting absolutely used by Myers to further his one man crusade against Leach.
We'll start with Leach and look into the concussion treatment. Originally it was reported that Leach was angry at James for not practicing through a concussion. Personally, that was the first statement that set off a red flag for me. Leach is a smart guy, he's got that nice little law degree and has proven himself to be quite media savvy throughout his TTU tenure.
There just seemed to be no way that Leach would make this sort of mistake, not in this climate where we hear ESPN's Outside the Lines discuss concussions, see stars like Tim Tebow, Brian Westbrook and Jahvid Best hindered by concussions and hear about the brain damaged caused to players.
Surely Leach cannot be that dumb.
As I heard the Leach side and the former players reference the infamous "shed" a picture began to be painted for me. A kid sent into a cool dark room just off the practice field with the training staff aware and on watch. The biggest portion of the James complaint was that Leach wouldn't let Adam sit down. Here is where the path diverges for a lot of people. Message boards all over the nation, people phoning in sports talk radio and sending irate emails are outraged at the fact that the kid couldn't sit down.
Newsflash folks, no one gets to sit down at a college football practice. Not the guy with the sprained ankle who is riding the bike or doing core workouts. Not the guy with the dislocated shoulder who is doing one armed exercises and rehab stretches. Not even the guy with the concussion. Here's an anecdote, a personal anecdote.
In a practice drill, spring of 2006 I was knocked out by Cooter Arnold. I lost some feeling in my extremities temporarily and ultimately had to be carted off the field on a spine board for MRIs and X-Rays. Scary right? Well after they surmised that I had a sprained neck and a concussion I didn't get to sit around at practice. For the first two days they kept me inside, with a trainer doing some neck rehab exercises and avoiding the airhorn, whistles and yelling that come with a division one football practice.
As I became less sensitive to light I was transitioned to outside where I alternated between watching my position specific drills and walking around the field with another injured player. My walking graduated to jogging and riding the bike for brief periods of time and then the last phase of the rehab for the concussion was practicing with a green, limited contact, jersey.
Nowhere in there was I allowed to sit down, wear sun glasses or just hang out at practice. I'm sure that this treatment is similar at just about every school out there and is relatively standard.
With that said I can honestly say that I think Leach sending the kid into the "shed" was unorthodox and was somewhat humiliating. Probably was an ill conceived mind game that Leach was using to test how bad James wanted to be a part of the program. Not the best plan but I think there is a disconnect between how truly brutal it was in reality versus the actuality of the event.
Leach wasn't right but he is nowhere near as wrong as the original story seems to suggest.
As for the James-clan. Perhaps Craig is a helicopter dad. Perhaps he isn't. What we do know is he responded to what he felt was a legitimate concern from his son. James only asked for an apology from Leach and apparently had no desire to push this story further than Leach showing that he wasn't attempting to embarrass Adam.
What the James' were caught up in is, at least in part, the doings of Gerald Myers. Myers has a history of being at odds with the Texas Tech head coach and now, on the heels of the Mangino incident at Kansas, he smelled blood in the water. The original statements appeared to be as damning as anything that Mangino did; not because of the scale of vulgarity but rather because of the heightened concussion awareness and the seemingly insensitive nature that they painted about Leach.
What Myers didn't anticipate was the backlash, first from Texas Tech's loyal fanbase and more importantly from their network of former and current players speaking through former teammates. This created a firestorm where instead of disposing of a villainous tyrant a la Mark Mangino the James' were embroiled in a mudslinging fest that would reach its peak in the Avalanche-Journal.
All in all Leach used poor judgement when he tried to, presumably, test Adam James mettle and commitment to Tech and his concussion symptoms. Adam James appears to have overreacted to the perceived "inhumanity" of being relegated to the "shed." Craig James seems to have played the part of the concerned father looking to ensure the safety of his son. All three of the parties involved appear to have been playing their part in Myers' push to remove Mike Leach from his position at Texas Tech.
Why would Myers want to fire the guy that is the winningest coach in school history and has vaulted Texas Tech, even just for moments, into the nation spotlight? Why fire a guy who helped craft one of college football's most exciting offenses and that has beaten Texas and Oklahoma in recent years? Why work so damn hard to fire a guy that, outside of this incident, the entire fanbase has been so ardently drawn to?
I don't have an answer there but what I can say, as an unbiased outsider, as a guy that is far from a Mike Leach fan or supporter, if Gerald Myers is allowed to terminate Mike Leach, skip out on the $800,000 longevity bonus and essentially return Texas Tech to the bowels of insignificance then he deserves to be thrown out with the bath water. True Leach is quirky, but the fact is the guy gets the job done better than anyone else ever has at Texas Tech.
And if Gerald Myers is so concerned with kids' safety or self esteem then why did he hire Bobby Knight, a guy that was ran out of Indiana for the way he treated Hoosier athletes and students?
I'm not a Leach fan but Guns Up!!
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I am a Texas Tech fan and student and I appreciate this article but I think you aren't putting enough blame on the James family. I feel sorry for all the Texas Tech football athletes who have been working hard all year to get to a bowl game and they decide to make a big deal about this right before Alamo Bowl. Not only that, but to wait until Mike and his family were already in San Antonio to tell him this invesigation is going on is just wrong. Adam and Craig James should both understand, being football players, that college football is tough, and sitting in a dark shed doesn't seem nearly as bad as Leach could have done to James. Adam James knew who he was playing for when he signed up to play at Texas Tech. You wouldn't sign up to play for Bobby Knight and then act surprised when he yelled and threw a chair, would you?
Thanks for the comments. Carol I'm not sure what I was a prick about, especially since I never blamed Leach and most certainly didn't put down the James kid or his family. Unless you're a Gerald Myers fan...
Everyone else thanks, I cannot believe they fired Leach just a couple of hours ago. Get your heels dug in I think the Pirate is going to war in the courtroom this is trouble.
+0
Who are you calling a prick? written by John Coli,
December 30, 2009
Excellent article.
I currently live in Lubbock and attend Texas Tech. I can say that this has ripped our moral apart. No one wants to see their school go through such a messy divorce, and around here, Leach is a saint. Thats a lot more than we think about Adam James, who pulled this same stunt on the baseball his freshman year. If anyone is a prick, its Adam for being such selfish player and thinking hes entitled to everything because his father was a dick at SMU. I guess the apple doesnt fall far from the tree.
+4
... written by Del,
December 30, 2009
This is one of the more sensible articles I have read. There are always multiple facets to every story. I think the most telling part of this whole saga are the emails from former players. They shed a lot of light on Adam James and Coach Leach.
+1
... written by lennola,
December 31, 2009
Great article. Very balanced presentation of both sides.
I find it hard to believe there have been no comments about James the elder. He played football when mem were men and footballers at SMU took lots of money from the alumni. So much it got them the death penalty from the NCAA. Past research says he was not proven to be one of the recipients. So be it, but I find it very hard to believe anyone on that team didn't know what was going on. And, he didn't blow the whistle. But he can sure blow his ESPN whistle now on his kid's supposed unruly treatment.
If the voices really want to be heard at Tech, lock up the donations to the school until Myers is gone. I have been a long time donor to Tech, but mine have now dried up until he is gone, and hopefully soon.
+4
Thank you for explaining this written by JerryJ,
January 02, 2010
Newsflash folks, no one gets to sit down at a college football practice.
Nowhere in there was I allowed to sit down, wear sun glasses or just hang out at practice. I'm sure that this treatment is similar at just about every school out there and is relatively standard.
As a former college coach, I am glad somebody finally pointed this out. We want injured players to be working to rejoin the team as much as SAFELY possible. It may be rehab with a trainer, it may be walking or jogging or riding the bike, or, if you just can't do anything else, it may be standing.
All I can say after watching the "video" is Adam James didn't look dizzy and that didn't look like a closet.
I agree, Leach was likely playing a stupid mind game to test James, but that is no firing offense. TT is gonna be paying Mike Leach a lot of money.
+2
Shaking head in disbelief! written by Fayeroe,
January 02, 2010
I can't tell you how shocked I am by all of the twists and turns that are still coming from Texas Tech. Today is the first chance I've had to read and comment on the ongoing drama.
I moved here (Texas) from Oklahoma and after watching the players at UT competing to be in the "lineups" downtown, I decided to look at other football teams.
I chose Texas Tech for several reasons but the main ones were their successes (from a nobody team) with a man named Mike Leach. I did my research and followed the team on television. Now I regret never having seen a game in Lubbock.
I have a small anecdote that I'd like to share and I hope I'm not being too tacky. Last season I was watching a game on ESPN and after awhile, I looked over at my friend and said "who is the really jerky that is talking?"....I don't think I have to tell you who it was. I recognized his picture today online.
I think that Mr. James may realize, in time, that he has been played for a fool by Meyers. I think his ego and attitude concerning the playing time the child was getting, led him right down Meyer's garden path. I'd like to add that a parent does a child no favor by hovering, around the time that the son/daughter should be standing upon their own feet.
Time will tell for Meyers. It's called karma, baby, karma.
Thank you for an outstanding article. Trust me, I've read most of them today. :-)
+1
... written by MatthewM,
January 02, 2010
Myers needs to go. Mike Leach built the Tech football program. Before Leach, it was a miracle if Tech won a game during the year. Texas Tech Administration and Myers have shown that they are not willing to fund a nationally recognized football team. Obviously the Tech basketball program could spare no expense to pay the salary demands of foul-mouthed, chair-throwing Bobby Knight. Unfortunately it was his routine bad sportsmanship that gained national attention not the Tech basketball team.
Folks I appreciate the reads and the comments. I'm not so quick to throw the James' under the bus but I agree that their is plenty of blame to go around. The idea that Myers was able to force out Leach was what I found to be the most appalling thing. However, it appears he will get away with it because not only is their a clause in the contract directly related to player treatment but also because they "told him to apologize" and he was "insubordinate" by witholding an apology.
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The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
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