A Failure of Leadership
by LondonRaider on Dec 30, 2009 10:52 PM CST
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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/12-09/1231leach.pdf
This link includes scans of emails between Kent Hance and former Board of Regents Chairman Jim Sowell which were exchanged during Mike Leach's contract negotiations last year.
These emails are sort of a Rosarch's test into your perception of what is taking place between the Tech Administration and Coach Leach and his lawyers.
On the one hand, one could simply consider these emails a reflection of the natural ebb and flow of an old fashioned high stakes negotiation.
On the other hand (the hand I tend to believe), these emails reveal more than your run of the mill contract negotiation. Sowell clearly seems to show a genuine personal disdain for Mike Leach. Sowell belittles Leach's accomplishments in a fashion that seems to go beyond 'Party A says X, so we should say Y.' There seems to be real venom in the comments. The comments in these email exchanges demonstrate that the Administration (particularly Sowell) have made the classic blunder of taking the negotiations personally rather than fulfilling its duty to negotiate an equitable deal befitting the University, Leach, alumni, students and the fans. The bitterness was on display for the world to see during last year's contract dispute and has sadly spilled over into this current sordid affair.
Secondly, it seems Sowell treats Meyers as if he is some aggrieved grandmother based on how the Leach camp dealt with Myers during the negotiations. While it might be regrettable that Myers feels aggrieved in the negotiation process, the very fact that Myers allows himself to become aggrieved speaks volumes about his own suitability for the role.
As athletic director, Myers' job would have been no more than to communicate the wishes of the regents and the chancellor. However, putting Myers at the forefront of those negotiations was the equivalent of bringing a knife to a gunfight. Leach was a trained lawyer employing a skilled group of professional attorneys representing his interests. Myers was out of his league from the start. In any case, had the Board recognized that Myers was outgunned, which would seem obvious if you've ever had the misfortune of asking Myer's directions to the men’s room, it should have appointed a more experienced negotiator. Myers' wounded ego was irrelevant to the matter, and a competent Board would and should have recognized as much.
Thirdly (and reading somewhat between the lines), Sowell's insistence that Tech instead seek out Art Briles as someone who would be a better 'fit' for the program ignores Briles' comparatively thin resume and weak pedigree relative to Leach. Sowell, whom we can only presume represents the Board's sentiment, seems intent on hiring an individual who is less likely to offend his sensibilities - the sensibilities of an out-of-touch 60-something plutocrat living in the suburbs of Dallas.
Fourthly, is it just me or how can Hance allow Sowell to communicate with him in the fashion that he is doing? The hectoring tone of the emails are revealing with respect to who seems to wear the pants in that relationship.
Fifth, for those of you might have winced from time to time about how Leach represented the University in public, how would you compare Leach's occasional remarks to the showering of public ridicule which Texas Tech has endured by the hands of the very same individuals who are allegedly the school's trustees and are supposed to look after the University's best interests? The Leach debacle has made (once again) a mockery of our fine University, and we only need to look at the very top of the food chain to understand where the gross incompetence lies.
Having conceded to extend Leach's contract, It is only fair that I describe what a strong Board of Regents should have done in the greater interest of the school.
1) Fired Gerald Myers. At the age of 73, Myers had (and has) few years left with the school in any case. As the the Bobby Knight (and son) fiasco and the Leach contract renegotiation embarrassment have made clear, Myers was not up to the task of managing the two largest portfolios in his job mandate (the basketball and football programs). In deciding to agree to Leach's terms against the wishes of Myers and others in the anti-Leach camp, it was clear that the two men would not be able to work together. Instead, the Board should have conducted a national search to retain an AD who, in addition to possessing modern management skills, could also help raise funds and lead Tech's athletic department into the future. For the avoidance of doubt, fans were not flocking to the Jones as a result of Meyers' managerial prowess. Myers was and continues to be in well over his head.
2) Once the decision to suspend Leach had been made, rightly or wrongly, the University should have adhered to an impartial disciplinary process acceptable to both parties. Gerald Myers and the Board of Regents needed to look no further than Indiana University's handling of the Bobby Knight case. In spite of the obvious video evidence clearly showing Knight physically assaulting one of his players, Knight was still afforded ample due process. The process gave Knight and Indiana University sufficient opportunity to build their evidence and present their case according to a set of rules deemed acceptable to both parties. In Knight's case, the evidence against him was overwhelming. Yet Knight was still given an opportunity to continue coaching albeit under a probationary term. Leach deserved to be shown at least the same respect afforded to Knight. In exercising its ability to withhold due process, Myers, Bailey and a small minority of overseers served as judge, jury and executioner to this incident. If the case against Leach was so watertight to begin with, why not allow due process to reveal the fact in the case? The Board showed no moral courage and instead hid behind dubious contractual language to unilaterally suspend and fire Leach. This was a power play all the way.
Our situation is puzzling. While we coddle Meyers' geriatric decline, other schools' athletic departments with far smaller budgets and boasting younger more creative management talent become more successful (Boise State, TCU, Utah). While we endure the tampering of our university at the hands of a Board of Regents who seem to treat the University as if it was their own private gentlemen's club, other schools (such as the University of Houston) quietly build their institutions leveraging the modern leadership skills of their alumni and professionals.
The litany of failures and incompetence by the Administration and the Board of Regents with respect to the Leach firing debacle suggests to me that Myers, Hance, and a weak board of regents should all be compelled to resign their positions.
As alumni and students, we (and sadly Coach Leach) deserved far better.
It is a sad day to be a Red Raider.
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Or you could decide that Sewell and his crew are nitwitts
I’m getting e-mails now from “insiders” in Lubbock that Leach flipped off the president of the university in a meeting. That seems like a good reason to destroy the football program. Cut off your nose to spite your face. I think the one thing Meyers, Hance, Bailey and any of the other other local heroes never understood was that in Leach they were dealing with a singular talent and not a traditional employee. They expected traditional employee deference & instead they should have treated him like an indulged child the way film studios treat the most talented film stars & directors or the art world treats its great painters. Genius lives by its own rules. And if you doubt the singular genius of Mike Leach, look at the offenses in the Big 12 in 1998 and look at them today. We had a man who is revolutionizing college football ready to continue serving Texas Tech University & we ran him off because he wasn’t an ass kisser. That’s just fricking brilliant. Well done gentlemen.
I have emailed. I have posted. I will no longer donate or support the university I hold my degree from. But as one non multi-millionaire person what else can I do? Tell me and I will do it.
We are sending back
18 of 20 tickets…….
dont know what else to do.
Would you rather make five 1 Million donors happy or thousands of $1,000 donors pissed off. Guess we will find out.
by oldschoolraider on Dec 30, 2009 11:16 PM CST up reply actions
‘f you’re just gonna mail tickets back, can you mail a few to me? i dunno if you could get them delivered on the first, though. some extra family wants to go with us.
Where are you...I'm in Allen.
I really want them to be empty seats unless you can provide a better protest (getting drunk and watching the game in full pirate paraphenalia). Otherwise, empty seats are my protest (and yes I think the players will be OK).
by oldschoolraider on Dec 31, 2009 10:47 AM CST up reply actions
Sorry this may be off topic but...
As bad as today sucked, Seth, DTN was just got referenced as a source on ESPN on sprtscenter. That’s how you know you’ve made it big. On another note, F*CK ESPN! I will now be enrolling in anger management because of the events taking place today. And that’s all I got.
by Wreck Em on Dec 30, 2009 11:07 PM CST via mobile reply actions
This goes to something I asked earier...
Lets get our Linked in info together and all send a 500 person one finger salute.
I will start tomorrow with my linked in info.
by oldschoolraider on Dec 30, 2009 11:19 PM CST reply actions
Ole boy stuff..
That’s what is so bad….this is all so provential….small minded ole boys! I’m really thinking we drop out of the Big 12 and join the CUSA cause with these ideas/opinions that where TTech belongs!
Chris Level tweet...
ChrisLevel>>>Anyone wanting Gerald Myers fired had no concept of how this thing went down. Besides he’s going to retire next May anyway I’m told.
SHIT BEFORE HE HAS A SAY IN WHO WE HIRE AS THE NEXT HEAD FOOTBALL COACH!
American farmers feed & clothe the world!
by Extramp83 on Dec 31, 2009 12:31 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
This is bad, REALLY BAD
…………I’m at a loss for words right now. This was obviously premeditated and confirmed by the fourth email from Jan 9, 08, stating: “I hope he doesn’t sign, that gives us a full year to find another coach after we fire him after next season and pay off the remaining year on his contract.”
This disgust me to no end, and that maybe because of my ignorance to business and how stuff really works. A very good friend of mine and fellow Texas Tech Alumni questioned wether Adam and/or Craig James were possibly paid off by one of these individuals or boosters to remove (from what an unknown individual claimed in the fifth email) Leach because he is not a “good ’ol boy”
While many have been speculating what really happened, the Captain himself said in his statement:
“Over the past several months, there have been individuals in the Texas Tech administration, Board of Regents and booster groups who have dealt in lies, and continue to do so. These lies have led to my firing this morning. I steadfastly refuse to deal in any lies, and am disappointed that I have not been afforded the opportunity for the truth to be known.”Leach knew all along what is really happening. This has extremely negative effects for our University and every individual involved. My disbelief and anger has now developed to utter disappointment
“Texas Tech’s decision to deal in lies and fabricate a story which led to my firing, includes, but is not limited by, the animosity remaining from last year’s contract negotiations. I will not tolerate such retaliatory action; additionally, we will pursue all available legal remedies.”
Some may question whether the actions of Mike Leach were inappropriate. I, however, firmly believe this situation had nothing, or very little to do with, a concussion. But more so with power and money. Do not allow any psuedo-intellect to attempt to undermine you, or contort the facts now presented. The Administration and Board of Regents found a gateway through the James family to remove Leach from Texas Tech while ultimately place themselves in a situation where the result is very terrifying.
In my opinion, I believe this story will become worse every day. Mike Leach is a smart man and has been winning a battle of wits with the University. His statement reveals he will now do everything possible to reveal the facts that lay before us. I also truly believe Leach loves our school and the city of Lubbock, but has been dealt the card of death. He simply has no choice but to pursue a damaging case against our school.
Finally, If these emails are true and who knows how many more exist, It would make my day to see every individual involved on the Administration (this includes the AD) terminated, Mike Leach is payed the money he is owed, and he be rehired to Captain this sinking ship which is Texas Tech.
+1 but I'm afraid Leach is gone....
Even if the ADMIN. could get cleaned out Leach couldn’t come back….this in many ways is the same thing that happened to Tommy Tuberville!!!!! All very sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Extremely Short sighted
These are extremely short sighted bunch of individuals, who shirked to give away Leach the money he should have received after the Alamo bowl, and found a way to fire him, without realizing the multi million dollars that the university might stand to lose as a result of loss of alumni revenues, loss of quality recruits and loss of students from this. I am actually surprised that these regents were the same bunch of people who were there when Tech was a mediocre football program under academic probation, still they could not see the value in retaining someone like Leach. I have only one conclusion to make, these might be very smart individuals in their individual fields but they do not understand the business and economics of higher education.
Can someone give me a shout when Hance et al are gone?
As much as I love Texas Tech, I cannot support the kind of bush-league good ol’ boyism at work here. It’s corrupt, and it serves the egos of a dozen rich old wannabe-Illuminati over the interests of the University. You provided these emails as a sort of Rorschach test, so here’s my interpretation: every time you’ve ever been frustrated by administrative incompetence at Texas Tech- whether it be the accreditation debacle, or the long, abortive campaign for Tier 1, or any other instance, here are the culprits, and here is why your University will continue failing to live up to its potential while men like this sit on its board.
Due to the Army’s IRR call-ups, I will be spending most of the next year deployed overseas. I had been looking forward to doing so as an ambassador of all that Texas Tech and West Texas has to offer. Now, I cannot, because from where I sit not only has the board turned the University into a laughingstock overnight with their dollar store Machiavellian plotting, but they’ve detonated the foundation of a football program that was right in the middle of being expanded at great expense to the University in order to raise our national profile, and aid the drive toward Tier 1 status. Not only this, but they did so in a way that is setting the University up for a costly and embarrassing legal fight, and a full-blown alumni revolt.
Many of you have expressed your disappointment in, but continued loyalty to, Texas Tech. I cannot join you in that loyalty, because I see it as a tacit endorsement of the hubris and stupidity of the University’s leadership. Hopefully one day Texas Tech can reform itself and join the rest of higher education in the 21st Century, but until it does I cannot count myself as one of its full-throated supporters.
God Speed Mojavereject
Be safe in your service to our country – in spite of how fucked up it is, just know that there will be some of us here, fighthing to make positive change for OUR university and OUR country.
Unbelievable
that this Dallas alumni could ruin Tech like this. What kind of idiotic prideful worthless (probably worth a lot) alum would do this? Who is this guy and why does he have so much clout? Probably a major contributor to the Kent Hance campaigns and maybe a major donor to Tech. So what did Leach do to make him so angry and anti Leach?
Inquiring minds want to know…
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