The Saga of Mike Leach and Texas Tech: Mea Culpa and Additional Thoughts on Contract Negotiations
by Seth C on Feb 8, 2009 9:39 AM CST
in Texas Tech Football
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PrintMea Culpa
Yesterday I had an exhaustive post on the contract negotiations between Texas Tech and Mike Leach where I stated that Leach had agreed to the four additional terms in the contract, and I based that statement from DMN's Brandon George's timeline from January 20, 2009 and stated as follows:
Baldwin counters with terms he says that "Mike Leach is ready and willing to accept." In the proposal, Leach’s agents seek $1.15 million more in incentive bonuses but maintain the primary compensation offer of $12.7 million over five years.
I took that to mean that Leach had accepted the terms of the contract. However, yesterday afternoon I found the actual PDF versions of the documents, and actually Tech92 found them earlier than me. In any event, Leach did not agree to those 4 terms and in an email from Mike Leach's agent Matt Baldwin to Gerald Myers, he stated as follows:
The new restrictions that you have suggested (liquidaated damages, personal property rights, outside employment) for Mike are not acceptable; but he is willing to continue to fully abide by the restrictions that are existent in his current contract: with the exception that we request that 50% of the remaining base salary and outisde income be guaranteed upon termination without cause by the University.
So this is my mea culpa, but I hope that it's clear that it was not my intent to mis-inform or mis-lead anyone.
So does this change my thoughts about this being about the money? Not really, I do think it's still about the money. I would also think that this might make Leach look a little worse in the sense that he wants the money, and he also wants the ability to shop himself to other schools without consequence or repurcussion.
Personal Likeness Rights
I found this article in the LAJ on February 7, 2009 and apparently Texas Tech and Learfield Communications, Inc. have entered into an agreement that will pay and save Texas Tech $31.7 million over over the next seven years for Learfield's right to control advertising and other revenue-generating items. Here's a portion of the article that explains the Learfield and Texas Tech relationship:
Traditionally, the athletics department has annually grossed about $2 million through its own sports marketing efforts, Tech Athletics Director Gerald Myers said. Learfield should be able to double that amount, he said. In addition, the athletics department anticipates saving $6.6 million in administrative costs over seven years by outsourcing to Learfield, a board document shows.Snip
The company is obligated to pay Tech at least $20.3 million over the life of the contract regardless of how much money it generates through the university, according to the board document. If Learfield makes more than that amount, a revenue-sharing clause will kick in, and they'll have to share 50 cents of every dollar they earn in excess with the university. Also under the contract, Learfield has agreed to rent Tech basketball and football suites for seven years at a total price of $740,000. They'll also give Tech an accumulative $1.7 million to add a new video screen for advertising on the south side of Jones AT&T Stadium and to invest in other advertising venues.
I think Myers has made it clear that this will not affect the money that Leach is to receive from any appearances or advertisements, but Apparently, Leach and his agent do not understand how this will affect Leach. On January 13, 2009 Myers stated as follows:
. . . the declined offer would not have adversely impacted Mike's rights to outside income onor his total compensation. Furthermore, the declined offer would not have affected in any way income arranged through Mike's agent, IMG World.
On January 28, 2009, Baldwin stated as follows regarding Leach's likeness:
. . . Coach's name, likeness, voice, etc., are personal property rights that only he owns. Coach will always have the final say in how these rights are handled.
It appears that we are at an impasse.
Leach and Myers = Do Not Like
Full control and responsibility for managing the Football Program
Will report directly to the Chancellor of the University
You think that Leach and Myers are going to be having brunch together anytime soon?
This is a completely fractured relationship and although Myers may not have handled negotiations perfectly, I still think he has Texas Tech's best interest at heart, while I am now convinced that Myers and Hance fully believe that Leach only has his own interests at heart, which is fine, but they want some repercussions should he decide to look elsewhere.
No, Seriously, We're at an Impasse
In the January 28, 2009 letter from Baldwin to Myers, Baldwin stated as follows in regards Leach having the ability to shop around every offseason to other schools:
As discussed, Coach is willing to notify Texas Tech of any prospective job pursuits, but he will never agree to the approval and penalty structure that is currently on the table.
Considering this is the last bit of correspondence from Leach's agents, I would guess that there's no forward progress from this point forward.
Texas Tech seems fairly resolved to make sure that if Leach is going to interview, they want to be able to give their permission, while Leach wants the ability to look for employment elsewhere, each and every year, without any sort of consequence.
Chancellor Kent Hance wants loyalty from his head coach:
"I like Mike and I want him to be our coach, but I don't want his agents shopping him around every year. I found it outrageous that I saw in the newspaper my football coach was interviewing for other jobs. We expect him to notify us. We want loyalty," said Hance.
I've had my head in the sand for the past two years because I've not wanted to believe all of the flirtations with Leach and Washington, Auburn, Clemson, Tennessee, Miami, and UCLA, I think that I can now say, where there's smoke there's fire.
What Happens February 18, 2009
I'd love your comments as to what you think happens the day after the Texas Tech imposed deadline?
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No, you
haven’t had your head in the sand for two years. You simply believed what Leach was saying. That was the only mistake. He’s a coach, he’ll never tell the public anything beyond what they expect and/or want to hear. To do otherwise would jeopardize the job they currently have without a guarantee of getting the one they want. They are actually trained in media relations and messaging by their agents, so don’ t feel bad.
Bad situation for both sides
Leach can’t really threaten to walk away, because nobody is going to hire him at this point. But on the other side of the coin, Tech can’t really tell him to take a hike, either, because they’re not going to get a decent coach right now. Gonna be a long staring contest here.
We'll carry the banner high!
Bring On The Cats
Leave him be
Poor coach Leach. He ONLY make about $1mm per year and really needs more to ensure he is what he THINKS he is, even tho he ain’t. Why should he have to pay to leave? No one else does. Of course, most do not make but about 5% or less than he now makes, so when they leave, so what? Just get someone else maybe better qualified for less.
It really sound bad. And it is. The football program is at a stage where it can expect to compete on a level plane with the elite programs very soon. Should the coach leave, that all could change in a negative way, possibly recovering, but not for several reestablishment years under a new coach.
I don’t know what needs to be done except that both sides surely need to meet in a sincere, face-to-face confab to get this all settled, one way or the other. No more emails. No more I said-he said duals in the media. Just get together and settle this mano-a-mano. PLEASE! For the sake of the university more than the sake of any one individual. I love this university and hate to see it being dragged into the national spotlight in such a negative manner. I sincerely hope the parties involved do get together this week and finalize the deal.
TTpilk
I say give him a lifetime contract with a fairly adjustable income rate based on Big XII averages and his final Big XII ranking with the title of Director of Football Operations, and a clause that says that he cannot interview with other schools and if he resigns his position, he cannot be a head coach at another school for 2 years.
I think that’d be a fair contract, right?
I want no part of Leach at Tech beyond the next five or six years. I think his shelf life as a coach will be somewhat limited…no evidence to base that on, just call it a hunch.
Yeah, but you’ve been a vocal Leach hater for some time now and I’ve gotten to the point where I just tune you out.
EDITED for content
Fair enough,
And you’re one of the bigger Leach apologists, so it’s a wash. I’ve not tuned you out because I respect your thoughts, but I do disagree with the idea that he’s the savior of Tech football that you often paint. He’s a good coach and I don’t begrudge him that. But even when he was hired, I didn’t have a good feeling about the guy and he’s done nothing to sway me.
You can like the result the man brings without liking the man. That’s where I fall when it relates to Leach.
I think the truth
is probably somewhere down the middle. As much as I love Leach, and I do, I don’t think he’s deserved a lifetime contract. There’s only a handful of coaches that I think have deserved something like that and Leach isn’t there, at least not yet. On the other side, I don’t see Leach having a shelf life for 5 to 6 years. He’s a football lifer and he’ll be coaching on some level with relative success for as long as he wants to coach.
It’s strange how Leach has divided a fanbase. On almost everything with Texas Tech, I side with Seinfeld . . . I generally cheer for laundry. I love for individual players to have success, but through it all, I cheer for Texas Tech.
Go Raiders . . .
Double-T Nation
I wouldn’t say that I’m a Leach apologist, I’m certainly a realist when it comes to acknowledging his problems and that sort. But I would say that I believe that Leach is the best coach that Tech can get at this time and stability breeds a better program for a school such as ours. A good example would be Virginia Tech who didn’t have an immediate turnaround under Beamer but slowly became a better and better program until now they are a yearly BCS program (and likely will stay atop the ACC even if the rest of the conference improves greatly).
I’m a fan of the concept of one in the hand is better than two in the bush and to lock Leach up in a variable contract for a long, long term would be beneficial over this period, provided that he abides by the rules of the contract (IE, no looking around).
Now if you don’t like Leach, well then you may be one of those who believes the grass could be greener. I admit that it could be, but I don’t believe that it is.
Kayak, I respect that. I am not sure the grass is indeed greener. But I know that it’s been a LONG time since a coach had this negative an impact on our fanbase with football. We are divided, no doubt. That is not a good thing, I don’t care what the result on the field is.
I’d sacrifice a win or two every year for a guy who, like Beamer, really wanted to be at the school. The thing about Beamer is he played at VaTech so his affinity for the school runs a heck of a lot deeper than Leach’s does with Texas Tech. Leach has no long-time connection with Tech aside from his employment for nine years.
Are you kidding?
But I know that it’s been a LONG time since a coach had this negative an impact on our fanbase with football.
I know it’s been a LONG time since a coach has put this much interest and excitement in our fanbase with football.
The division right now is two-sided, not just created by Leach.
The only reason it seems so intense is because of the unprecedented excitement and potential that Leach has put into the program!
by Houston Raider on Feb 8, 2009 6:10 PM CST up reply actions
Leach's Agents burried him here....
There is no other way around it at this point, his agents have completely F-ed him in the A. I mean with the finish Leach had to the season, most of his bargaining chips were left in the pot, yet his agents are acting like he still has all of the offers from other schools in front of him. Washington didn’t want him, Auburn wasn’t having it so where do these guys get off?
I hope Leach understands this one true point… Tech fans only want what is good for the school/program! That is where our loyalties stay… the minute that private interests start messing with OUR team/school, you can write off our support. The deals offered have been more than fair, all they ask is LOYALTY which is something Leach apparently isn’t willing to give. Many people might see it as cutting off your nose to spite your face, but we live in an age where head coaches come and go, Mike Leach has boosted our program to levels we haven’t seen … but is now becoming a cancer…. its time to cut this whole thing loose and find a new coach THAT WANTS TO BE HERE! (I NEVER thought I would be saying this)
Irritated
I get irritated at the fact that Leach shops himself after every year. It is becoming increasingly obvious that he is doing this strictly to get more money from Tech so he can stay in Lubbock. You can’t tell me that Washington, Tennessee and Auburn wouldn’t have been serious about Leach if it was apparent he was serious about them. But he’s not really serious.
Here’s a little newsflash though Mike. Tech is about to run out of money to pay a coach that can’t win the big games. The OU game was one thing. Trust me, I was there, there’s a reason why OU has lost less than a handful of games in that stadium. It was, without a doubt, the loudest stadium I have ever been to and I have been to a few. UT has a HUGE advantage not playing OU in Norman every other year…….that’s another topic, I digress. Anyway, I guarantee you our kids were just awestruck and sunk from the beginning in that game….next year will be different. HOWEVER, the Cotton Bowl was an embarrasment!!! The guys looked like they were not mentally ready to play a football game and Leach was outcoached BIG TIME!!! If Leach wants to be the man, then he has to learn how to coach in the big games and learn how to keep the team sharp during the long layoff between regular season and the bowl game.
All this said, I’m shocked we had the recruiting success that we apparently had. I’m still excited about next year. I can’t wait to see Potts as the starting QB. I think the schedule lines out well for us this year……..until December, when we have to put up with “Leach Watch” all over again.
Deja vu......
Why does this feel EXACTLY like the Jerry Jones-Jimmy Johnson falling out??? It appears to me that at this point, the egos have taken over. As large as the Tech campus is…it ain’t big enough to hold these egos.
At this point, I really don’t care what becomes of Mike Leach or Gerald Myers, I CARE ABOUT TEXAS TECH!!!!!!!!! This circus has a direct and significantly negative impact on OUR ENTIRE UNIVERSITY. If this issue continues in it’s current negative manner, it’ll be a gut-punch to not only the athletic program but the entire university that will take years to recover from.
Thank you, I feel better now.
"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." Woody Hayes
I agree with a lot of that. Seems some people in the Raider Nation only want what’s best for the football team, not the university on a macro level. I think that’s fine and they are entitled to that feeling, but I also think it’s misguided and misses a bigger picture.
You can try to say....
That because I want to keep Leach, I want what is best for the football team and not the university….but that is your opinion and not true from my vantage point.
In a setting where professors get tenure for life, comparisons can’t be made of much of this with many other work settings. The bigger picture is that MIke and the football program have done more for Tech to outsiders, than anything else. I love Tech not for the Board of Regents, nor for the professors and not for any administrators…..I love it for the Students, alum and people of West Texas. When is the last time we all had as much fun as October 31st, 2008?
by oldschoolraider on Feb 8, 2009 7:41 PM CST up reply actions
Let's not forget
Leach’s agents wanted to negotiate an extension at the end of last season. Tech refused to negotiate at that time. During the course of the season when coaching jobs at other schools became open, Tech had to scramble to get an offer together. Had Myers, et. al., negotiated a year ago, I doubt we would be in this situation. Instead, they basically said, let’s see how you perform this year, coach, and then we’ll decide how much we think you’re worth. This does not exactly convey the message that Tech wanted Leach for the long haul. Tech is far from innocent in this matter and left the door open a year ago for Leach to try and find a better deal. In fact, they practically pushed him through it.
I find the charge of insubordination interesting. While going to the Board of Regents is insubordinate behavior, let’s recall that Tech first wanted to negotiate with Leach directly. Leach has agents because he has signed an agreement that they represent him. Asking Leach to negotiate directly was essentially asking him to void his agreement with IMG and suffer whatever consequences may come. To this IMG said, if you are going to try and go around us, we will try and go around you. The Board of Regents thing was tit-for-tat. Again, Tech threw the first punch, but the second guy always gets the penalty.
I am personally not very pleased with the way our administration has handled this matter in general. Right now, they are in the drivers seat because there are no positions currently open for Leach to pursue. A line in the sand has been drawn. I imagine that if Leach does not sign the extension, then there will be no new negotiations and he will continue to operate under his current contract for next season. After that, who knows.
But let’s be very clear: Tech has taken a giant gamble here if they truly want Leach to be the coach as they have expressed. Their actions say otherwise. By giving an ultimatum, whether or not Leach chooses to sign, they have basically forced him out of Lubbock. The question now is only the timing. If he signs it as-is, it will be an expensive proposition for him to get out for at least 3 years. Maybe in that time things will smooth over. If he does not sign, the incentive for fulfilling the last year of his contract is not that great, and we should expect a new head coach for the 2010 season.
No one’s hands are clean in this mess. While I am disappointed in the overt flirtation that Leach has shown towards other universities in the past and my loyalty is always with the school over the coach, the administration has certainly not gone out of its way to extend its hand. What we see now is obviously the culmination of something that has been building for some time. This saga only confirms rumors that I have heard floating around for several years regarding Leach’s popularity among the powers that be in Lubbock.
I think your slight misunderstanding of previous acceptance is significant...
I think what Leach is saying about it not being about the money is that the current sticking points of the contract are not the total compensation package, but the restrictions that have been specified. That’s a bit of spin because almost everything ends up having something to do with money. But I can understand a basis for his position in that they have accepted the current "compensation package" on the table, but can not accept these other conditions. That is a reasonable statement of where things are at the moment.
It's hard for me to see Myers & Leach coexisting and being successful after this one...
Maybe we can get a coach that will be here for more than nine years and become the most successful coach we’ve ever had… But he wouldn’t ever entertain other opportunities or even have any interest to go anywhere else… And he would be happy with any contract that keeps him in the top half of the conference…
Does anyone have any candidates that we could guarantee to do this?
Until it’s all over, I’ll still hold out hope that all of the men in the middle of this can work together to work something out.
Loyalty is the Key
Loyalty: A West Texas trait. Does anyone remember the sting of David McWilliams’ hasty Tech exit flashing the hooker sign? My now beleguered perception (true or not) is that Leach is not a Tech man. He is an individual. Is Leach loyal to the Scarlet and Black? From recent events, I am not sure.
Loyal to Tech?
I see too many mentions of Mike not being loyal….this is NOT a cut and dry issue.
Should we limit our coaching base to only Tech grads that get tears in their eyes when the Alma Mater is played? Coaches, like everyone else on God’s green earth are looking for the best situation for themselves and their families. Is is more whore-like than the plumbing profession….yes it is.
What if all of Mike’s conversations with other schools and the issues w/ the extension revolve around the fact that he hates his boss at our fine university. Does that make him disloyal or human?
Do you think MIke would have been more loyal if Tech had given him this offer prior to this year, when most of us were screaming for this? There are many that have been waiting for this timing w/ Leach because they don’t like the way he runs up the score (aka-keep playing until the games over) and his quirky personality.
Many people mention Briles…..he is 1) A ‘loyal’ guy and will probably not break a contract very easily w/ a university that loves him 2)Is making over 2MM and would cost us the amount that would make this whole Leach thing go away.
We lose professors, deans, administrators and janitors to other universities all the time. We should hire the best people possible and do our best to give them the best working environment….if they leave we will move on.
A little too much......
I understand Leach wanting to keep his options open, keep his feelers out……whatever you want to call it. But must we deal with this every year? How would your boss react if you let it be known annually that you were looking at another position elsewhere? My boss would freak! It HAS to whittle away at the moral of the entire organization when your head coach is visiting another school year in and year out. And it obviously gives rival coaches a leg-up in recruiting. If he wants to go that badly, let him go. I’m sick of worrying about whether he’ll be back next year or not. I’m in favor of stealing Briles away from Baylor and moving on.
Bosses...
I had a two year timeframe where I knew that my boss was a jackass, and I had a plan to either change that with the same company or with another. This sounds like Mike’s dilemna.
To my previous point…..1) I don’t see Briles breaking a contract after one year 2) No guarantees he can achive what Mike has and is on his way of doing 3) When its all said and done, you would pay more for him that what it would have cost to keep Leach.
Should we not try to make a move to ingratiate some serious loyalty from Mike or are you so pissed that his agent contacted our BOR and that he shopped himself around? Make him an offer where GM isn’t his boss and place a massive buyout and notification of interview in his contract. Show me that, and I would be willing to move on one way or the other.
I don’t see how conducive to overall esprit de corps it would be to have one coach report to some other entity while all the other coaches report to the AD. I’[m not convinced our fearless pirate is very popular with his colleagues at Tech, or the higher up’s. Strikes me as a guy who goes his own way and doesn’t like to mix with his contemporaries.
I can’t envision matrix reporting like that working well at Tech.
My guess is after the 18th, both sides will stop negotiating and work under the original contract.
Just like Tech’s wait-and-see gamble for not doing the extension last year, Leach is now the one waiting to see if he can put consecutive great seasons together and win the big games. If he does, then he’s in the driver’s seat. If he doesn’t, then Tech is.
I doubt either scenario equates to Leach staying here for a bowl game. Because, if his gamble pays off, he will jump at the best opportunity just to screw Meyers and Hance. If his gamble fails, and Meyers and Hance still want him, they will offer something equal to or less than this extension which Leach’s Leeches have already deemed unacceptable.
I honestly think that some of these “fact finding” trips he takes to other schools are his vacations on the school’s dime and he has no interest in the job. That is why I think that if he can put together a 10 – 12 win season in a rebuilding year, he will leave as an “FU” to the administration. If he gets 7-9 wins, the options are a) leave as an FU , b) the school boots him as an FU, or c) both sides realize they need each other and work something out.
by Red Raider in South GA on Feb 8, 2009 7:54 PM CST reply actions
I’m disappointed in how this has fractured our fan base into two camps. You can’t dump the administration (that has, overall, peformed quite well in the last 10 years). You can dump the coach (who has also performed well). Not advocating that, but Leach has zero pull within the university and found that out the hard (and slightly embarrasing) way.
You're disappointed...
But you seem to be working pretty hard in here to divide up the participants in this forum…
I don’t want to and don’t mean to get personal, but that’s just an honest opinion from what you must consider “the other side.”
by Houston Raider on Feb 9, 2009 1:11 AM CST up reply actions
If I’ve created the impresson to divide, I’ve not communicated well. That’s not at all my intent. I just happen to have a pretty strong opinion on this topic. It’s not secret that I’m not a huge fan of Leach the person (I do like his coaching for the most part). I appreciate all the various opinions on the board…some agree with me, some don’t. I don’t take your particular comment personal, just as I hope none of my comments are construed as personal at anyone here.
It’s clear that my voice, for some reason, pisses some people off here – even though many are saying essentially the exact same thing. I don’t understand that, but I can live with it as I have no choice. I’m certainly not going to back off of my criticism, though. That’s one of the reasons we’re all here – to have a voice.
I hope that underneath all of this my love and admiration of Texas Tech as an entity doesn’t get lost.
MARK MY WORDS
If Leach and Tech part ways, I see Leach coaching in the Big 12 within a year. Given the opportunity and the poor or good timing, I think A&M would have hired Leach over Sherman[ still may]. I also think Baylor would of hired him over Briles, Kansas St. or Iowa St. a given. Leach’s success over these teams would have made him a good candidate. Leach and Nebraska before their new coach? I see Leach staying in the Big 12 ,, because of his offensive success at Tech. Bank It --!!!!…………that being said, sign or go away, don’t be mad, just go away!
I don’t think Leach will re-enter the Big XII. He worked to change the philosophy, but the schools that he would be interested in are not really matches.
Then again, I would have thought that about TTU too.
I agree, I can’t see him resurfacing in the conference. At least not as his next destination should this deal with Tech completely fall apart and they make a clean break (which I don’t think will happen for a year or so at the earliest – if at all).
If he does leave, I’d bet he really sets his sights on the Pac-10. If his style (coaching and personality) would be a good fit anywhere else, it would be there.
Tech92-quit!
Simply put your post on here is only subject to posting (crap) that is embarrasing yourself.There is no basis or fact that the fan base is (fractured).That statement is just plain dumb.If so there would not be enough space for the thousands of fans on all the blogs,who still believe that all will turn out well and that Leach and Tech will work all this out.And I would hope that everyone would just calm down and see that all will end well.Your Post are more deviding than Leach or anyone else for that matter.Just Chill!This is no time to BASH anyone! Yes I am frustrated just like anyone,but Loosing your head and spouting off your mouth does no good!
Three things…one, I’m not embarrasing myself with my strong opinion. I’m saying what a decent percentage of other poster’s are saying, so why you choose to single out my opinion is puzzling.
Second, I’m not dishing any ad hominem attacks against anyone on this board. I may disagree with a position, but I don’t attack the person writing them. I’m voicing frustration with the actions of a coach. I’d appreciate the same in return. Meaning, go after my arguments, not me.
Finally, you give me entirely too much credit if you think my opinion has the effect of fracturing our fan base. I tend to think most people here have a free will and are capable of forming their own opinion. My voice is mine alone and I seriously doubt it has the effect of changing people’s opinion of the situation.
Regarding your mea culpa
Seth,
Thanks for the apology, but what you apologized for seems pretty minor in comparison to the theme of your post. Which is to say, that it is all about the money. Since Leach has stated over and over again that money is not the matter, you are basically accusing him of outright duplicity in his dealings with everyone.
I think that you can assume that the money end is basically worked out. They probably could have worked it out last April if Gerald Myers had been a little more open to either working out the contract AT THAT TIME, or if he just would have asked Hance for help then, and not later. I do remember reading in the Spring that Leach was upset about the backhanded way he was treated by Myers, very upset, but the story quickly faded.
So, I think you can assume by all of this that Leach, rather than being an out and out liar, is someone who may hold a grudge and is becoming increasingly unwilling to bend to an administration that does not show a little love to him for what he has accomplished. Adding in the four new clauses may be understandable on the admin’s part, but the timing was very ill advised.
It looks as of now that no deal will be done. Offers WiLL come his way during the next season. Those of you that maintain he has no market value because he is “quirky” need to set that piece of stupidity aside. You hire the person for your organization that you will feel will do the best job. He is widely considered as one of the best coaches in football by those who know the most about the game. Put two and two together and it does not take long to conclude that he will not stay long somewhere if he is not happy.
No one is attacking you Tech92
Yes you have the very right to voice your opinion on this board,even though I think seth allowing you to put a poll on this board is a little over the top.You don’t have to keep hammering the point Tech92 that you are a Leach naysayer.
>I want no part of Leach at Tech beyond the next five or six years. I think his shelf life as a coach will be somewhat limited…no evidence to base that on, just call it a hunch.
>And you’re one of the bigger Leach apologists, so it’s a wash. I’ve not tuned you out because I respect your thoughts, but I do disagree with the idea that he’s the savior of Tech football that you often paint. He’s a good coach and I don’t begrudge him that. But even when he was hired, I didn’t have a good feeling about the guy and he’s done nothing to sway me.
>You can like the result the man brings without liking the man. That’s where I fall when it relates to Leach.
Have you have lunch with the guy?Has he taken your lunch money?Yes you have a right to your opinion but Like kayakyakr I will need to tune you out.That is not disrespect ,but it seemd like if we were all sitting around a table talking about this no one would have a word edgewise with you.I guess some of us will have to bite the bullit and tolarate some of these post.But we get your point your are a Leach hater and so we will write that down in the history books and alocade you the later.And note that Seth an you are apologists, for each other.One last thought, you write:
I’d sacrifice a win or two every year for a guy who, like Beamer, really wanted to be at the school.
How many times does Leach say he wants to be here.There are people out there who have no idea what it is to run a program like Tech. My opinion is that yes I would like to see Leach not run to other places and he needs to give the respect to let Myers know If he has a desire to go else where.Has anyone ever stoped to think that Myers has made this so.That Leach feels like he (has) to look around?We all do not know what goes on behind closed doors either.And I would never be one to speculate.Oh and one last question Tech92? If we were 1-11 or,5-6,would your opinion be the same?I would think then you have a more basis to BASH Leach.But then you would sacrifice wins? right?…ummmmmmmmm?
a word about Leach
I think every Tech fan would have ended the season SCREAMING for a “lifetime” contract for Leach if not for 1 thing. The Miami interview. I said then that I thought that’d kill a percentage of his support in Lubbock because THAT was the one that made him look “disloyal” as some are saying. The UW one was the final straw, I STILL think Leach’s antics in December hurt our play on the field. He’s a great coach, but two things will KILL your ability there:
#1. You’re not paying close enough attention
#2. Your players aren’t buying in
I can’t prove #1 (but I think it can easily be inferred), but #2 was obvious. And before anyone quotes players loving Mike Leach (and make no mistake, I DO think our players like our coach), there is only ONE quote you need to remember and that is Harrell (QB and team leader) saying he was pretty certain that Leach would be gone at the end of the season. (and this is in a season where UT got Muschamp to agree to that idiotic “coach in waiting” nonsense)
I think if you put the Miami interview next to the UW interview (which REALLY ticked off the university IMO) and then parlay that along side the end of season collapse and there are people that want to KNOW that Leach is dedicated to making TECH a success (rather than building his rep, which are compatible goals FOR NOW, but how long will that be true?) or else figure out what to do without him.
Now, as I told Tennessee fans, this whole calculus changes ENTIRELY if Leach can actually win a Big XII championship outright or (even better) a national championship. If he pulls off the latter he’ll get a statue and whatever else he wants even if he interviews every week. And if he gets the former, he’ll at least rebuild most/all the goodwill. But being third in the division and him always looking for a new job makes one wonder. Mike Leach has a chance to become THE name on the Texas Tech program for generations, it’s up to him if he wants to build a legacy or a career.
I am not sure how the poll is inflamatory. It’s just an unscientific opinion poll posted out of curiosity about the ratio of Leach supporters on this particular board. Not sure how that qualifies as over the top, but like me, you are entitled to voice your opinion of it. More than 100 people have voiced their opinion in the matter by voting. To me, that’s just creating a little more involvement. I tried to ensure that the wording of the poll was not at all slanted one way or the other, but if I failed and that caused a problem with you, I apologize.
On one thing you are right…nobody knows the rhyme or reason as to why certain events have unfolded. And no, I have no more insight into the program than the tree in my backyard does. I’m basing my opinion of Leach right now in large part on the inconsistency of his words about staying and his seemingly consistent interview pattern.
I am not trying to convince you or anyone else that my view is the right view. It’s just an opinion of the situation and this board allows people to share views. Don’t let it hack you soo much that we disagree. I am certainly not offended by good debate. It’s all good, just don’t make it personal.
then don't
“go after my arguments, not me.” There,in my last post I scripted your arguments on the post.I might be mistaken but those are not arguments but a PERSONAL attack against Leach. You clearly have stated you “DON’T LIKE” Leach.So you say don’t make it personal with you,but fans(weather someone supports him or not) can tell the differance between an argument and a clear(personal attack) on your post? In my thoughts and clearing my head I can honestly say,I have been (hardnose) about your post,but to see anywhere in the scape of my mind,I see no way in any way,shape form or fashion,that I have made this personal with you.If you tell me to not make it personal (then don’t) take what I say personal. That gives me too much credit and that is not my purpose here.Regards,Slycanyon.
You totally misunderstand me. When I say I’m not making it personal, I mean I’m not going after anyone on the board for their opinion on the issue. My opinions are aimed at the parties directly involved (Leach and/or Myers and Hance), not the people on the board who disagree with my opinion. Follow?
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