Yesterday, Texas Tech head Mike Leach filed a lawsuit against the school to force them to let him coach in Saturday’s Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
Mike Leach is taking his battle from the football field to the courtroom.
Attorney Ted Liggett filed a motion seeking a temporary restraining order on Tuesday that would allow Leach to continue coaching Texas Tech in Saturday’s Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
[…]
Leach, 48, is alleged to have ordered [wide receiver Adam James, the son of ESPN announcer Craig James] placed under guard inside dark, confined rooms on two occasions after the player said he had been told by a doctor he could not practice because he had suffered a concussion. Leach also directed abusive, profane language toward James, according to a spokeswoman for the James family.
A series of e-mails and statements from former Tech coaches and players that have been obtained by the Chronicle include praise for Leach and criticism of Adam James’ talent, attitude and work ethic.
“The family is confident that the university has proceeded and will continue to proceed in a fair and thorough manner with its investigation,” the family spokeswoman said Tuesday. “It’s unfortunate that coach Leach has stooped to personal and unfounded slurs against a player and his family.”
Today Tech fired him.
Leach’s attorney Ted Liggett said that 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.
When Liggett entered the courtroom he told the judge there was no need for the hearing on Leach’s request that he be reinstated to coach the Alamo Bowl.
[…]
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.”
Boy howdy is this going to be a circus. The Trib has a copy of the original suit. Is it just me, or does anyone else think this will be a bit of a distraction for the Tech players on Saturday?
One more thing:
Leach is the second Big 12 coach in recent weeks to be accused of improper treatment of players. Kansas coach Mark Mangino resigned this month in the wake of allegations by former players that he made insensitive, humiliating remarks to them during games or practice, often in front of others.
Perhaps the conference needs to take a look at this to see if there’s something they could do to improve things. I’m just saying. Richard Justice, Jake Silverstein, who had previously joked about the Texas Monthly cover jinx, and Martha have more.