Texas Tech had to fire Mike Leach regardless of whether it can be proven that he actually he actually did something wrong in his treatment Adam James, son of former NFL player and ESPN college football analyst Craig James. of
According to ESPN:
“A source close to James’ family told ESPN’s Joe Schad that James sustained a concussion on Dec. 16, was examined the following day and told not to practice because of the injury and an elevated heart rate. The source said Leach called a trainer and directed him to move James “to the darkest place, to clean out the equipment and to make sure that he could not sit or lean. He was confined for three hours.”
If even remotely true, that’s all Tech needed to know. To keep Leach would be a disaster moving forward with an alleged fact scenario conjuring images of torture regardless of motivational motives. James was a college football player, not an al-Qaeda operative being interrogated. What about future recruiting? The new standard punch-line question for parents from schools competing against Tech for recruits would be to ask if they really wanted their injured son locked in a closet unable to sit or stand. There was also a much bigger-picture legal concern than some pissed off students and alumni who you would expect to come to Leach’s defense.
If Texas Tech did not fire Leach, they would be trying his case over and over both in a court of law and in the court of public opinion every single time a parent did not like the way their son/athlete was treated after an injury.
It would not be limited to football. In every sport at Tech, when a student suffered questionable treatment by a coach when claiming injury, parents could point at Tech’s retention of Leach and claim they condoned the conduct. The only way to cure this was to cut off the head ending it right here.
Leach will sue. His reputation and future as a coach is on the line. Tech knows this and is expecting it. It will not go to trial. Leach will make noise about wanting vindication and taking it to verdict but in the end he does not want the facts played out in court any more than Tech. They will make an offer, there will be a confidentiality agreement and everyone will move on. Leach will coach again. Schools with football programs have short memories when winners come knocking.











