Read the arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan about whether or not Texas Tech made the right decision in firing Mike Leach as head football coach.
Texas Tech wide receiver Adam James (and his famous father, Craig) either wanted more playing time, or wanted to be treated according to a specific definition of fair by now former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach. In the end, though the dust is still settling from this situation, it seems neither outcome is likely.
James accused his head coach of mistreating him after being diagnosed with a mild concussion. He claims he was confined to a dark shed and an electrical closet on two separate occasions as a punitive action based on the fact that he suffered a concussion.
For Leach’s side, he is claiming that he treated James as he would any other player and that his treatment of the injured player did not do additional damage. Leach claims James is lying, and that frustrations about playing time have motivated a slanderous action on the part of the player and his family.
It is hard to pass blame on a father in this situation. Craig James likely acted as any concerned father would and exerted authority and influence to achieve his son’s desired outcome.
Today’s debate question, however, does not deal with Craig James’ actions. Instead, The Sports Debates will settle: Did Texas Tech make the right decision in firing Mike Leach?
Bleacher Fan will argue that Texas Tech was within its right to fire Leach and made the right decision while Loyal Homer will argue that Texas Tech was wrong in firing Leach, presenting some of the negative outcomes the institution’s handling of the situation has created.
One day Texas Tech announced an investigation into the incident, Leach was removed as head coach of the team. The boosters and administration clearly sided with James. Perhaps they were looking for a reason to remove Leach and his contract, or perhaps the investigation was legitimate and revealed some troubling information that could be damaging to the future of the program.
A multitude of question marks surround this decision. Texas Tech fired Mike Leach without appearing to have any kind of plan in place to replace the head coach. Eventually defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeil emerged as the replacement coach in the interim, and even coached the team, in difficult circumstances, to a bowl win over a depleted Michigan State team. McNeil will presumably get a shot at the head coaching gig, but Texas Tech is no defense-first program.
Texas Tech has also set a strange precedent in allowing an active parent/booster to become so intimately involved in the program that the decision of who should be the head coach for the program can be influenced.
This debate should not devolve into an argument over which person is more credible, as they both have some credibility issues.
This is an interesting debate that promises to ask tough questions and discuss real outcomes. I look forward to rendering a verdict!
