The Three Parts To The Mike Leach Drama

You Just Can't Put People In Closets


Mike Leach doomed himself the minute he told Adam James to go into a tool shed because he had a concussion. Leach should have know better being an attorney. In the end his firing wasn't about putting the kid in harm's way, it was all about Texas Tech not wanting to pay him his contract. The school was upset when last year after Leach's contract was up he was interviewing for other jobs. That is totally within his and his agent's right to try and find the best deal available. Tech was held hostage because although they are in a major conference,no one really knows where they are. Leach and his offense made their school and football team relevant. Mike Leach was getting all the credit and media love when the school was winning and he felt he was a tad bigger than the athletic department and school president. Such a life lesson to learn, never think you are bigger than the people who employ you. Mike Leach putting a 20 year-old in the closet was just stupid and irresponsible. When running a mid-major or major college program you are the CEO and face of that franchise. When employers get mad or agitated at their employees they don't lock them away in the parking garage because they are disgruntled. You either mediate with the kid with other people there or you get rid of him, its as simple as that.


Craig James is not innocent in this situation either. The ESPN analyst has been accused of throwing his weight around with Leach and the coaching staff in trying to get his son playing time. James was an SMU great as well as playing in the USFL and NFL. Every parent who has experienced some type of athletic greatness wants the same for their child. However if your child is not nearly as talented then you should back off your child and the coaches who coach him. That's not the biggest issue I have with James. Overbearing parents are almost the norm today. What I take issue with is how he said when his son told him he was locked in the shed he was stunned but didn't do anything. Then when he called him two days later after Leach supposedly locked him in the medical closet, that's when James informed the school. As a parent when your child informs you of someone mistreating them, why wait. Your initial response should be to correct your child, especially when someone is hurting your child, you wait until after he is hurt again. No parent would wait to report wrongdoing. James did not have a good relationship with Leach. Hopefully this does not hurt James's ability to call games because people see that his judgment might be clouded.

The third part is Adam James and his role in this mess. Adam was goofing off at practice and not paying attention when his coaches got mad at him. What I can't believe is that when Leach told him to go into tool shed, Adam should have said OK and then left the field. I don't know any young men when someone tells them to do something that sounds crazy that they actually go and do it. To me that shows the immaturity of this young man. You can respect authority figures but if they tell you something that is misguided you don;t have o listen to that piece of advice. Adam James did not like Mike Leach and the fact that he wasn't getting a lot of playing time. For some reason Adam James thought he was and is Michael Crabtree. No one knew that Adam James was even playing football, now his notoriety will be the kid who was locked in the shed. I'm sure that wasn't the publicity that he wanted.

The rest of this drama will be played out in the courtroom as Leach and Texas Tech work on a settlement. I believe Leach will get another job. If it is in college it will have to be at a non mainstream school. Leach's quirkiness and swashbuckling attitude doesn't work at the big schools. One place it could work is the Oakland Raiders, where it is rumored Leach could be headed. His attitude would fit in great in Raider nation, as long as he doesn't lock JaMarcus Russell in a closet after he turns the ball over five times.