The provision that sticks in Leach's craw the most is one that would trigger his firing and a $1.5...

The provision that sticks in Leach's craw the most is one that would trigger his firing and a $1.5 million penalty if he interviews for another job without athletic director Gerald Myers' permission. Leach's current deal has no such restriction.
``I don't have to have hall passes on this one,'' Leach said during an interview near his office a few hours before a deadline to accept what Myers said was a ``last and final offer'' that would be pulled off the table.

9 months ago Class of 66 9 comments 0 recs |

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For Mike Leach Fans

I’m not very good at posting FanShots.

For those of us who love Mike Leach — he turned down a big offer from Tech on a matter of principle.

He is a pirate.

Full story at: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/6267096.html

sjh

by Class of 66 on Feb 18, 2009 2:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

TT is blowing it bigtime. The proposed K is draconian. How can anyone at TT be pissed at Leach for wanting to honor the last two years of his contract. He didn’t demand to renegotiate a new K like some spoiled professional athlete. After Dorrell was fired, Leach and Chris Peterson were my favorites along with CRN for the UCLA job. I hope the Pirate sets sail from TT. It would teach the TT bullyboys a lesson.

by bruin75 on Feb 19, 2009 12:33 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Totally Agree

Leach was my favorite — but I realize that CRN was the right choice.

Here’s a guy with a ton of upside and opportunity who wants to stay in Lubbock and they demean him by demanding a “hall pass” to interview elsewhere.

Note, they don’t say “notify” us, which I can understand. They require the AD’s permission to interview.

Pirates don’t need hall passes.

This is really a dumb move. It’s rare that a coach “is” a program, but I wonder what TT will be without him and his unique system.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Feb 19, 2009 7:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I preferred Paul Johnson, But I liked Leach an awful lot.

My only reservation with Leach as head coach is (from what I heard) he wanted TOP dollar. I think he has done great things at TT, but the kind of money he wanted was the kind of money usually reserved for coaches who have already won a National Championship. As far as I know, he hasn’t even won a Big 12 Championship.

Be that as it may, I still think he is great coach, and certainly deserves to find the right fit for him.

A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment. John Wooden

by MexiBruin on Feb 19, 2009 9:07 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Jim Rome reports TT will fire Leach. OMG!!!

This a.m. Jim Rome reported that TT was in the process of firing Leach for not accepting their contract extension. That would be insanity! Before Bob Knight took over their BB program, I had not heard a peep about TT sports since the mid 1960’s when number 44, Donny Anderson packed the pigskin for the Red Raiders. Sure, Mike Leach is a pirate and a Pepperdine trained lawyer but for heaven sakes the guy is a friggin genius on the gridiron!

by bruin75 on Feb 19, 2009 2:31 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Can you believe this ... ?

TT has a contract with Leach with 2 years remaining. They offered him an extension in which he lost significant rights, such as royalties for books and endorsements — and with the “hall pass provision”.

Leach said, I don’t want that extension so I’ll just coach out the 2 years under my current contract. And, they are threatening to fire him.

Leach’s position is that he has a valid contract for 2 years and that they have no right to fire him for refusing to sign an extension.

I think he owns both the moral and legal high grounds — and would love to be on his legal team.

From what I’ve read, the Regents are finally seeing the mess they are in — it’s not pretty, threatening to fire someone for not signing an extension he does not want to sign.

And, they are messing with a man who can kill them in the media.

Interestingly enough, the reaction on Double T nation, which is a strong site, is mixed. Some see Leach as not being loyal — I don’t see it that way. And, some are upset with the AD (that’s how I see it).

Whatever happens, it’s not good for TT. If they fire Leach, who will step in? Really, would you go somewhere that claims the right to force you to sign extensions with what amounts to pay cuts, and if you refuse to sign them, violates a current contract with 2 years left to go? Not me.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Feb 19, 2009 5:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I have been meaning to write something about it ...

… but haven’t gotten around to it.

This has a connection to UCLA.

Remember why Washington and Washington fans soured on CRN? It wasn’t because of the secondary violations (clearly not as Sark has been committing one almost every week since he went up to Seattle). It was because CRN had the audacity to interview with the Forty Niners and wasn’t transparent about it. Keep in mind it was actually Donahue (who was the Niners GM at that time) who reached out to Neuheisel for an interview. Neuheisel talked to Donahue/Niners and decided to stay. He made the mistake of not being transparent about it and Washington’s AD and the administration basically looked for an excuse to fire him after that episode. They jumped on the March Madness pool news but turned out that they didn’t have real good reason for firing Neuheisel over it because their internal memo had given the green light on it.

So essentially Neuheisel was forced out of Washington because he was interviewed for another gig.

We saw the same thing just few months ago in Chestnut Hill when BC AD fired their HC because he had the audacity to interview for the NY Jets job.

What is happening is some of these ADs and school administrators have huge egos and they often get way too deep into meddling into these decisions. It’s kind of silly and in this case TT might be losing out on a very good coach.

If Neuheisel ends up turning the program around at UCLA, I think there is a good chance he will garner a lot of interest. If that happens I hope DG and UCLA are grown ups about it and RN is of course transparent about it. I think if it were to happen RN and DG will make sure the situation is handled in a mature, grown up and a productive way. But … hey that is looking way too far ahead … let’s hope he can at least get the rebuilding done.

Meanwhile, it is unfortunate for Tech fans wrt to what is going on with Leach. He is a solid coach. It would be nice if TT administrators were grown ups but as we have seen time and time lot of these NCAA execs. have huge egos which end up hurting the programs and the communities who get behind them.

Just my 2 cents.

by Nestor on Feb 19, 2009 6:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I May be Naive ...

but I take CRN at his word. He says UCLA is his “dream job.” My bet is he stays as long as we want him.

by snorkeldorf on Feb 21, 2009 11:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Leach Signs a "5 Year Deal"

Yesterday, with a regents meeting on the horizon, at which Leach planned to appear, the Chancellor stepped in and negotiated a new contract with Leach.

A story in the Houston Chronicle says the negotiations took “15 minutes” which makes sense since it seems TT caved on every significant provision.

Leach is free to interview elsewhere without a “hall pass” so long as he tells TT — which is the transparency Nestor talks about, above.

Here’s the good stuff: If TT fires Leach, he gets $400,000. If he leaves THERE IS NO BUYOUT.

The buyout in the contract he would not sign was $1.5 mill.

There is no winner in this — Leach was probably hurt and I bet he won’t be there in 3 years. TT stepped way back. And, the AD looks terrible.

One critic of Leach said that he was trying to live by the “old ways” in a new world. If old ways means older values, good for him. I’ve always liked Leach and wish him the very best. He is a principled man.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Feb 20, 2009 6:15 AM PST reply actions 0 recs