I wish he would just sign already. Or not sign at this point. Jeez, diva.

then we have a problem. The deal is for 5 years. Even though we know it will be renegoitiated again in 3 years, recruits will see 5 years and know that he will at least be around for their tenure.

We are a program on the rise. We’re expanding the stadium, winning lots of games, getting lots of attention. Our coach’s contract was extended. It’s as much assurance as they can get anywhere. That’s what recruits want in a school if they have any further aspirations.

In the short term, it may have delayed commitment from 1 or 2 guys considering Tech, but if they haven’t committed by this point, they were holding out for a better deal anyway.

Something is definately wrong with our behavior lately. I’m really surprised with such a great year that we had it’s ending like this. What a disaster. First not getting into the BCS, then Leach and the administration playing games with his future as our head coach and lastly Graham not being invited to the Heisman ceremony. What a slap in the face by the college football commnunity. I guess success comes with a high price after all. Personally, I feel like the recruiting will be fine once Leach gets his ego in check and signs the contract. What Tech is offering him is way more than fair. If he continues to shop the market next year..Fire his ass! Tech is better than this and deserves more respect.

for being national media darlings for a those weeks after the UT win. Going down the list:

1) Most successful squad in the program’s history gets left out in the cold by the Big 12 and BCS in favor of big names and big money.
2) Leach shops himself around to no less than three other programs, then holds out on negotiations with Tech (taking a break for awards week? Puh-lease).
3) Scholarship player gets arrested by the Feds on drug charges.
4) Best QB in school history and one of those most prolific passers ever can’t pull enough Heisman votes to even get invited to the same ceremony as a guy he beat.

Did I miss anything else that belongs in the News Cycle From Hell?

At this point, I could care less if Leach strokes out over Harrell not being invited to NY, parachutes from the Eiffel Tower, swims with the dolphins, or falls bassakwards into a Shallowater mud slop.

Just give a solid yay or nay. That’s all I care about right now. Our football program is much bigger than Leach, so if we need to go to plan b, let’s get cracking. He has a massive hand in our offense, but if he leaves guess what? The players can’t go with him. There are other capable coaches out there, so let’s not assume all is lost if this jacka** continues his standard MO.

If I’m on the BOR, I probably start asking what it will take to get rid of him and find someone who acts like they want to be here. Enough already. I don’t care if he’s in NY, London or Bermuda. That extension ain’t that hard to read. You either want it or you don’t. I don’t believe there is a ton of negotiation room with the numbers.

I think Myers is under Leach’s skin with his ‘wait til’ the end of the year’ crap. Myers is a loon, and I think he has been a huge hindrance in getting this done. If Gundy and Mangino are worth aroun 2.4MM, then up the offer to ML and get a large buyout clause. Any yes, if I didn’t think Hance would go buy ‘green’ light bulbs with my donation, I would cheerfully make an offering to go directly to ML’s pocketbook.
Mike likes Tech, but hates dealing with a douchebag….do you blame him?

How has our athletic budget finished up in the red 2 out of the last 3 years?
Somehow, we’re planning and spending more than we bring in… Who’s responsible for that? Myers?
We couldn’t “afford” to work something out with ML before the season, but we thought we could do it after the season? In what way did we think we’d be in a better position to do it after the season?
While I obviously don’t understand the details behind all of this, it just doesn’t sound like very effective management to me….
Personally, I think the failure to do something earlier caused more of a rift between Myers and Leach. And it certainly didn’t help in restraining Leach’s eye toward other opportunities…

Mike is the perfect fit for Tech, we couldn’t do better with almost anyone else. The impetus was on Gerald to let him know that, by any means necessary. I know Gerald is the one that is credited for bringing Mike on board, we can’t let him be the reason he doesn’t stay.
My first games at Tech were watching Jerry Moore’s anemic offense and Top 10 Defense. Mike has changed the way I look at all football, if you aren’t trying to attack….what the hell are you doing. I personally hope that Mike doesn’t accept the first proposal and we have to give a bit more and get the large buyout that will make us all feel better.

I am willing to confess that I don’t know how his (and other coach’s) compensation looks on paper. What I do know is that Montford and Schmidly were fantastic at raising money for projects and bettering Tech…..Tech grew more during their years together unlike any other time. I don’t want Mike to be that great at schmoozing alum’s….he would be the next Auburn coach if he was. Is it that the money isn’t there or that it would require Gerald and others to have to work for it. I personally think Mike is worth the extra effort. I approach what I do for a living very aggressively, and I expect the Tech bureaucrats that we have to do the same.