Myers 'Ok' with 'losing' Leach. (Reputable source)
by jwhitettu on Dec 5, 2008 12:32 AM CST
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wtf?
NewsChannel 11 has obtained documents that show, as of April 2008, Texas Tech Athletic Director Gerald Myers seemed to be okay with losing Mike Leach as head coach.
Leach's agent tried to start negotiations in the spring. But in an April 29th, 2008 e-mail, at 4 p.m., Myers wrote back to the agent saying that the athletic department's financial condition would not allow Leach to make more money. Myers writes, "We have reached the limits of what we can pay our coach and still maintain the rest of the department."
Myers complimented Leach as a fine coach and said it was perfectly logical for Leach to seek more money. And then, "If better opportunities occur for him somewhere else we will fully understand."
Separately, NewsChannel 11 has obtained a July 2008 letter from the agent to Chancellor Kent Hance. They are asking Hance to overrule Myers and come up with a better deal. Recent public statements by Hance and Myers both seem to indicate the university is now willing to come up with a contract extension and higher salary.
Leach has a base salary of $300,000 per year, but he is also guaranteed outside income of $1.5 million.
NewsChannel 11 has attempted to contact Myers and other Texas Tech officials. We will follow up if they choose to comment.
http://www.kcbd.com/Global/story.asp?S=9462407&nav=3w6y
Also.......DMN.......>
http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/12/documents-show-that-texas-tech-ad-myers.html
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Double-T Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Double-T Nation's writers or editors.
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Myers apparently driving a harder bargain
than I would either have thought or wished he would.
I LOVE Mike Leach and if I could I’d just pay him 5M a year out of pocket to stay at Texas Tech. As I’m many miles away from Lubbock now, my connection to the school is almost entirely through the athletic program (which is one of the reasons I appreciate this CFB year so much).
Having said that, someone somewhere should be lamenting the absolutely troubling fact that so many massive amounts of otherwise useful cash is spent on this farcical “amateur” sports CFB thing that funds million dollar salaries for renegade coaches who hire near-giant agents to represent them against University boards and directors operating on limited budgets because kids cannot educate themselves for free. At the end of the day if we fail to secure Leach and he bolts for more money, many of us, me included, are going to lament the fact that our school didn’t pony up the requisite cash and we’ll call them cheap and we’ll call them foolish and we’ll say fire him or her or them.
But that really ignores the importance of spending money on ACADEMICS and acknowledging the hard truth that universities aren’t made of money and, at some point, prioritizing must be made between the things we love (FOOTBALL!!!!) and maybe the things we should be more concerned with (educating people).
Then again football funds education so… I just thought someone should raise the issue that priorities are out of wack in this crazy country regarding CFB programs and we’re playing into it by criticizing the lengths Myers and Hance are or are not willing to go to secure Leach’s services for many millions of dollars. I love Leach, I hope he stays. But if we can’t afford him because our school exists to educate on a limited budget, well, that sucks. I suppose we could just raise tuition? How does everyone feel about that?
i saw this too and it made me sick
I have thought for a while that Meyers is hurting tech and this confirms it even more.
Meyers really needs to step down, he does nothing to create excitement for the athletic department and is to old fashioned to accomplish things in this day and age. For a program to establish itself NOW, you have to go out and do nontraditional things. The powers have been established for the last 100 years and to move to the big leagues you have to do crazy things.
Take Oregon for example. They have those wacky uniforms that gets EVERYONES attention. They put up a billboard in times square to promote Joey Harrington for Heisman, they did things that got people’s attention. Leach does these things, and he is willing to risk losing the TOP ASSET AT TEXAS TECH. Crabtree’s come and go, even when you have them, it is 4 years max, but a head football coach can be there forever, read Joe Paterno.
Mike Leach is the biggest moneymaker Tech has, don’t let him go, at least from a financial standpoint. He is also a great coach and is more or less AWESOME!!!
Love leach love the raiders!!
Wreck em tech!!
Oregon not a good example
Note that Phil Knight is an alum. But it may be a good case to show that throwing tons of money into a football program, whether through luxurious facilities or crazy new uniforms every year, doesn’t guarantee a championship.
by TracySaulRulz on Dec 5, 2008 11:09 AM CST up reply actions
never said championship
BCS Fiesta Bowl Champs, in 2002. Phil Knight does throw a lot of money into as well. But it is the non traditional things that they do to shake things up.
+100
People who are ready to tar and feather these guys need to think about the fact that they want to stay out of the red as much as possible, especially considering our economy. And I know everyone is going to say to stop the stadium expansion to pay Leach, but can you do that to the people who donated specifically for the expansion.
I really don’t know how all of this works. And who really knows how much $$$ we really have to work with?
I’d hate to see them put themselves in a situation that we would all regret later.
Basically, I’m very glad I am not the one making these decisions.
On a whole lot lighter note, if you need some laughs check this out. These guys are nuts at the Disco Tech!>>>>
Myers may need to retire....
I have been a red raider since the early 1960’s and I have always had great respect for Myers as a Tech player, coach , and fellow red raider. I also am not offended by what these documents show because there is some very good points in them. However, maybe with new blood at the top of the University maybe it is time for Myers to give way to a younger more exciting AD who thinks in current ideas. I think Leach will stay and if he does then we need to double down on being even more relevent in the sports world.
Because if Hance wants us to get to 40,000 students then whether we/he like it or not one of the major ways in thru the athletic program. So time for a change!!!!!! Wreck’em Tech Keep Leach
Leach + Money = Tech Success
If Tech keeps Leach the money will follow. All the advertising and hype around the team this season will only get better with Leach in the drivers seat. Season tickets, new stadium expansion, national TV and better recruits will come and bring the value of our school to the levels of UT or OK in time. If we lose Leach now all that will decline. Lets make sure we keep the progression moving forward. Tech is a relatively new university (1923) people will start leaving money as they die off like other institution alums do. Sound crazy but it’s true. The money will come but we must not lose our stride.
I just gotta think that all those national TV games look pretty good
to the kid that is thinking about leaving the state for anyone but OU. UT is gonna get theirs, but they can’t have ‘em all. I think we look pretty good to the kid considering aggie. I’d choose Tech over OSU, CU, NU, MU, KU, KSU. Keep 2 or 3 more kids in the state a year and be smarter coaches, we can do this thing men!
dang, one more thought
In every business I’ve ever been involved with, CONTINUITY was the one factor that sets the good ones apart from the rest. Build on what’s in place.
Seems that Leach’s agent is manipulating us all to a certain extent. That carefully selected email he leaked to the paper is only one of what has to be scores of communications back and forth. Frankly, I don’t feel comfortable making a decision on a sliver of info fed to us by a very interested party. Interested in his check and his ego, I mean. Agents could care less what long-term damage they do, just so long as they cash out. Meyers might have meant what he said in the email, or that could have been a very restrained response to a hugely inflammatory blackmail demand. Who knows? I’d like to see all of the agent’s emails.
Granted though, none of this would have happened if Meyers had taken care of business earlier.
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