Mike Leach's Official Facebook Page Has 11,092 Fans! Keep It Coming!

Here is the link to Mike Leach's Official Facebook Page.

Let's show our support for Coach Leach and keep it coming!

By the way I believe he should have been suspended but NOT fired.






Mike Leach: I would like to dedicate this impending victory to all my fans, especially the ones here on Facebook, from Kevin Burson to Bryan A. Garner.
Guns up!

Mike Leach: Brandon, we're gonna come out with our guns up! AAAARRRRRGGG!

Mike Leach: Where I end up coaching next year has a lot to do with how many fans I get on Facebook... so keep it coming!

Debby Mills: I agree!!!

Mike Jaster: These people at ESPN are absolutely fools. They have tried and executed you in a "Hot Minute" you stood up for what you believe in and I respect that. It is not about holding hands and eating cake. I do not believe you did anything that would hurt any of the players/folks on the team. Too much whining on their end they should suck it up and grow a ... See Morepair, this is a tough game requiring concentration, discipline etc. Otherwise they should join the scouts may teach them a thing or two.

You should carefully analyze a position for next year where there will be better support for you and roll with that and build a stellar program like you did with the Raiders!

Mike Leach: I would like to thank all my fans! Please, we need more people to support this fan page if we are going to whip Oklahoma as badly as we whipped State!

Mike Leach: I'm sure mac brown is great at recruiting and with the boosters, but mike leach makes college football a wonder to behold. congrats on tonight's victory.





(From Facebook) Petition to Keep Mike Leach a Red Raider


This a group for anybody who thinks Mike Leach is a bad a** and wants to keep him in Lubbock. I know the Leach no longer has the opportunity to go to Miami but I think we should still rally behind this great coach.

He has taken a nobody football team and put us in national headlines. I am tired of the fair weather fans trying to put him down for a still winning season. All great programs have their set backs. If we could support our teams despite of a few mistakes, maybe they would have enough confidence in themselves to perform at the level they are capable of.

Some Facts about Leach:

- Leach's offense produced school records in nearly every passing category in 2000, but surpassed those numbers in each of the last four seasons. His five teams have combined for over 150 team and individual records at Tech.

- The Red Raiders have improved their total offensive numbers from 324.8 yards per game to 491.7 yards per game since Leach's arrival. The last five seasons rank as the top five all-time at Tech in total offense, while scoring went from 23 points per game in 1999 to 36.2 points last season. The most significant increase has been in the passing game, where the Red Raiders averaged 399.7 yards per game in 2004 compared to 175.4 yards in 1999.

- In 2003, Heisman Trophy candidate and quarterback B.J. Symons capped off his senior season with an NCAA Passing Championship and an NCAA single-season record 5,833 passing yards. A year earlier, current New Orleans Saints quarterback Kliff Kingsbury finished his senior campaign ranked in total offense (2nd), completions (1st), attempts (1st) and passing touchdowns (1st). The record-setting quarterback also set 17 NCAA records during his career and tied three other marks.

- Additionally, recruiting has been one of the top beneficiaries since Leach's arrival in December 1999. The Red Raiders' 2005 recruiting class was once again ranked among the top 25. From his first class in the spring of 2000 to this year's list of newcomers, each class continues to get better. Not only is Texas Tech recruiting the Texas area, but Leach also is extending the reach of the program across the country.

- "Since Leach got to Texas Tech, they've basically doubled attendance, doubled ticket prices and beaten some of the best teams in the country," O'Hagan said. "He's had winning records every year recruiting against Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and LSU.''

Open: All content is public to the Texas Tech network.



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Sources: Facebook, Texas Monthly, Google Maps

Mike Leach vs Texas Tech & Craig James, Possible Legal Showdown Brewing

What is Mike Leach's Legal recourse in this situation?




Craig James discusses Mike Leach's termination. Did Coach Leach cross the line with James' son?








Legal Showdown Between Leach, Texas Tech May Just Be Starting



The legal showdown between football coach Mike Leach and Texas Tech administrators reached a breaking point Wednesday when the university fired Leach for cause, effective immediately.

The firing relieves Texas Tech of its remaining financial obligations in Leach's employment contract, which runs through 2013 and sets the stage for Leach to bring a wrongful termination lawsuit against the university.

Leach, who had been suspended by Texas Tech on Monday, has come under fire for his decision to require redshirt sophomore receiver Adam James to stand in an equipment garage while the rest of the team practiced.

A son of ESPN analyst and former New England Patriots running back Craig James, James was reportedly recovering from a mild or slight concussion at the time, and speculation persists that Leach disbelieved either the existence or severity of James' injury. James apparently felt humiliated by Leach's decision and that he was being wrongfully punished for having suffered a football-related injury which precluded him from practicing

Leach received notice of his firing only minutes before he was to appear in a Lubbock, Tex., courtroom to seek a Temporary Restraining Order that would have reinstated him as coach. Leach argued that he was suspended without due process and in violation of his contract.
The TRO would have restrained Texas Tech from continuing its suspension.

Leach, who reportedly refused Texas Tech's request that he apologize to James, asserted that he received no credible opportunity to present his side of the James story and that he would be personally harmed if not able to coach the Red Raiders in the Alamo Bowl on Jan. 2.

By firing Leach for cause, effectively immediately, Texas Tech relieves itself of any compensation owed to Leach. The "for cause" aspect of the firing is extremely important: it relieves Texas Tech of financial obligation to Leach (though reports indicate that Texas Tech might still pay him a $800,000 payment that will be due Dec. 31).

If Leach had been fired without cause -- for instance, if Texas Tech simply felt a coaching change would help the Red Raiders succeed -- he would have been owed $400,000 each year from 2010 to 2013. It is plausible that Leach will seek a wrongful termination claim, among other possible claims, against Texas Tech, seeking to recover not only damages under his employment contract, but also damages for harm to his reputation.

Was Texas Tech legally entitled to fire Leach for cause?

Leach's contract lists the circumstances under which Texas Tech could dismiss him for cause:


1) The commission of a major NCAA violation or an excessive accumulation of secondary violations by Leach.

2) Knowingly condoning NCAA violations by any staff member under his direct control.

3) Failure to take appropriate disciplinary action against any staff member committing NCAA violations.

4) Failure to take appropriate disciplinary action against football student-athletes.

5) Indictment for a felony criminal act.

6) A misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.

Worded literally, the six circumstances for cause might not cover Leach's alleged misbehavior. Leach has neither been charged with a felony nor a misdemeanor (Nos. 5 and 6), nor is there any indication that he will be.

Even if Leach is eventually sued by James in a civil claim, such as for false imprisonment or intentional infliction of emotional distress, such a claim would not constitute a criminal charge. There is also no indication that Leach failed to take appropriate disciplinary action against football players in this situation (No. 4).

Similarly, there are no allegations of major NCAA violations or accumulation of secondary violations (No. 1).

An arguable nexus between James' behavior and the "for cause" stipulations could emerge in Nos. 2 and 3.

The NCAA has developed player safety rules that Leach arguably breached when he instructed staff members to isolate Leach. The NCAA is also considering new rules that would demand particularly safe care for players who have suffered concussions.

With many disputed facts as to what happened, however, Leach could maintain that it was at best premature for Texas Tech to fire him for cause. Leach might also argue that his firing reflects wrongful retribution because it occurred right before he sought to protect his legal rights in the form of a temporary restraining order.

Potential litigation might extend beyond Leach and Texas Tech. James, for instance, could bring a torts lawsuit against Leach for false imprisonment and intentional infliction of emotional distress and also argue that Texas Tech was vicariously responsible for the coach's actions.

In addition, both the NCAA, which is considering a new rule that would sideline a student-athlete for at least the rest of the day if he or she loses consciousness, and Congress, which recently held hearings to examine the relationship between concussions and playing football, are likely monitoring the Leach-Texas Tech battle with great interest.



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Sources: AP, Texas Tech, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Washington Post, NCAAWiki, Youtube, Google Maps

Mike Leach Terminated Following Player Injury Controversy (Video)

(Fox 34) Texas Tech Fires Mike Leach


Sources tell FOX 34 Texas Tech has fired Mike Leach as head football coach.

Before the hearing this morning, Mike Leach's personal attorney, Ted Liggett, received a letter from Texas Tech signed by President Guy Bailey terminating Leach's employment effective immediately.

Liggett shocked the courtroom full of spectators with the news. No hearing took place as scheduled.

According to the letter, Leach is in violation of Article Four of his contract. The article reads in part, "Coach shall assure the fair and responsible treatment of student athletes in relation to their health, welfare and discipline." The contract goes on to say the breach of those guidelines can result in penalties ranging from fines to termination.

Leach's suspension and subsequent firing comes after a complaint filed by wide receiver Adam James and his family.

The James family contends Leach treated Adam James improperly by putting him in a dark room during practice because of a concussion. The complaint says the incident happened about two weeks ago.

According to court documents filed by Texas Tech, President Bailey and Athletic Director Gerald Myers met with Leach Saturday to discuss the incident.

At the meeting, Leach was presented with a letter outlining the University's concerns and setting forth several conditions. As they read in the letter:

"Any player claiming an injury will be examined by a physician and cleared in writing prior to practicing or playing; You (Leach) must recognize that the players you are working with are student athletes and that you have an obligation to treat them with respect and further to conduct yourself in a manner consistent with your position; You (Leach) must at all times assure the fair and responsible treatment of student athletes in relation to their health, welfare and discipline; There will be no retaliation against any student who has suffered an injury."

Leach was instructed to sign the letter confirming he'd received it. He refused to do so.

The University maintains these guidelines tie directly into Article Four of Leach's contract.

Texas Tech has canceled a press conference originally scheduled for today at 3p.m.

Liggett tells FOX 34 Leach will be filing a lawsuit against the University "soon."

Head Defensive Coordinator Ruffin McNeill is in place to act as interim head coach for the Red Raiders when they play Michigan State Saturday in the Valero Alamo Bowl.




(MSN Fox Sports)Texas Tech Fires Leach As Head coach


Texas Tech fired coach Mike Leach on Wednesday, just two days after he was suspended by the school as it investigated his treatment of a player with a concussion.

The school handed a termination letter to Leach's attorney, Ted Liggett, just minutes before the two sides were to appear in a Lubbock, Texas, courtroom for a hearing on the coach's suspension.

Liggett said Texas Tech general counsel Pat Campbell approached him outside the courtroom and told him that win, lose or draw in the hearing, Leach was out effective immediately.

Liggett told the judge there was no need for the hearing on Leach's request that he be reinstated to coach the Alamo Bowl. Texas Tech plays Michigan State on Saturday in San Antonio.

As for Leach's reaction, Liggett said, "Well, he's not thrilled."

Liggett said he planned to file a lawsuit on Leach's behalf against the school "soon."

"We can guarantee that the fight has just begun," he said.

Liggett said Leach's side has evidence that shows the decision to suspend the coach was without merit.

"So they pulled the trigger," Liggett said. "They don't want that coming out."

In February, Leach and the school agreed to a five-year, $12.7 million contract. According to terms of the deal, Leach was due a $800,000 bonus on Dec. 31 if he were still the head coach at Texas Tech.

Leach was suspended by the university on Monday after receiver Adam James alleged the coach twice confined him to small, dark spaces while the team practiced.

James is the son of former NFL player and ESPN analyst Craig James.

"We appreciate that the university conducted a fair and thorough investigation," said a statement from the James family. "From the family's point of view this has always been about the safety and well being of our son and of all the players on the team."

Tech is the second Big 12 school to launch an internal investigation into a coach's treatment of his players.

On Nov. 16, Kansas investigated Mark Mangino, who got a big raise after he was national coach of the year and went 12-1 in 2007. Some players said he was insensitive, though others defended him.

Mangino resigned Dec. 3 after reaching a settlement with the school that was later disclosed as a $3 million buyout.

In an affidavit included in Tuesday's court filing, Leach said he "would never intentionally harm or endanger a player" and that he has been "forced into this situation without being afforded any process." He also said "absolutely" no evidence had been given to him that showed he had violated any university rules or standards.

Several former and current Texas Tech players and coaches defended Leach and harshly criticized James' work ethic in e-mails obtained by CBSSports.com.

Among those were former Texas Tech wide receiver Eric Morris, who wrote that James was "never known as a hard worker" and "seemed to have a negative attitude toward the football program the majority of the time."

Morris told The Associated Press on Wednesday the letters were written as school administrators began looking into the incident, before Leach was suspended. Morris said they wanted to show their support for Leach and show James' possible motives.

Morris said he spoke with Leach as the incident began unfolding.

"He told me he would never do anything" to harm a player, Morris said. "He was trying to hold someone accountable."

Leach's dismissal comes a year after he was Big 12 coach of the year and led Tech to the best season in the history of the program. The Red Raiders went 11-2 last season.

A quirky coach sometimes called a mad scientist because of pass-happy offense, Leach arrived in West Texas in 2000 with his high-octane spread offense. Since then, eight times has a Texas Tech quarterback led the nation in passing.

He parlayed his penchant for pirate lore into his coaching, telling his players they need to "swing their swords" to perform at their best. He began to not acknowledge players' injuries in 2003 to the media.

In 10 seasons, he won 84 games, surpassing predecessor Spike Dykes this season as the winningest coach at the school.

He was not able to out-recruit Big 12 South rivals Texas and Oklahoma, but during his tenure the Red Raiders challenged those teams better than they ever had before.

The year before he came to Lubbock, Leach was offensive coordinator under Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. Before that he spent two years at Kentucky and five years at Valdosta State in Georgia.

Quite an ascension from the being the head coach for a European League team in Finland.

While piling up victories, he's also occasionally spoken to Donald Trump -- an acquaintance since the time Leach tried to just drop in on Trump before even meeting him while visiting New York.

Not unlike Bob Knight when he came to coach the Red Raiders basketball team for 6 1/2, Leach has raised the profile of the city and the school. He appeared on "60 Minutes" and been profiled in the New York Times Magazine.

For his success on the field and unique personality off it, he has become generally adored by Texas Tech fans.

He's handed out dating advice on his weekly local show, done the weather forecast for a Lubbock TV station and drawn cheers by buying barbecue for the thousands of students camped out at the stadium before a big game.

Leach's name surfaced in recent years when other coaching spots have opened up. Two years ago it was Arkansas and UCLA. Last year there were reports Tennessee might be interested and he traveled to Washington during contentious contract extension negotiations when the school was looking for a new coach.



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Sources: Texas Tech, AP, MSN, Fox Sports, Fox 34, Google Maps