This shoe was bound to drop at some point, but we just didn’t know when. This morning, as it turns out, is when.
The public counteroffensive against the James family — Adam James in particular — has begun in earnest. Man, has it begun.
In a piece from CBS Sports.com‘s Dennis Dodd, a not-so-flattering portrait of James has been painted via a series of emails obtained by the website. The kicker to this story, though, is that all of them have names attached to the emails.
From current Texas Tech coaches to former Tech players, the Red Raider receiver at the center of the Mike Leach controversy is portrayed at various times as a slacker, a kid with a Mt. Everest-sized sense of entitlement and, basically, someone who wants something — playing time — for nothing.
“He expected people to baby him and that he was going make it solely on the fact that his father was a very successful player,” former Tech player Eric Morris said of James, whose father is former SMU star and current ESPN analyst Craig James.
“Adam was a kid that seemed like he had been given everything he wanted his whole life and acted like if things did not go exactly how he wanted someone was treating him unfairly or someone needed to be blamed for his failures. He was a selfish player on and off the field that was counter-productive for our team and would be for any other team,” former Tech QB Graham Harrell said in his email.
Wait, there’s more. This one comes from receivers coach Lincoln Riley.
“The problem, though, is that Adam is unusually lazy and entitled. … He has an unbelievable sense of entitlement because of who his father is; one that hurts himself and people around him. Adam is the kind of person that makes excuses or blames people for things that go wrong in his life.”
Uhhh, ouch?
Simply put, this is officially a mess.
Blame Coach Leach all you want — and some are doing more than their fair share — but this whole mess seems to have been aggravated by the spoiled son of a rich and famous athlete who seemed hell-bent on doing whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. Allegedly.
Entitled? Entitled indeed. Entitled to attempt to find another Div. 1-A school who will take him and his (alleged) baggage once this whole sordid affair comes to an end.
Damn, after reading this. Leach should have had a roll of duct tape sent in that closet w/ that dick. But I’m sure he’s just a mis-understood young man.
Who cares what a few & that might be the key to all of this is it’s just a few guys talking & who are they guys. Isn’t Harrell playing in the CFL or some other league, not even drafted & never heard of the other ones. Listen both sides will have supporters, still doesn’t make it right if the Coach did what he is accussed of. Does not matter if the kid entitled or a prima donna, those are his actions & if the Coach did what they say he should be held accountable for his actions. When I played & someone on the team got too uppity or big for there pants, teammates would check the guy.
So the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle of this mess. The kid may in fact be a dick but as the adult in control, Leach had the responsibility to act accordingly.
All these acqusations are undoubtedly unbiased — a former QB who’s returning the favor after Leach ripped Eric Mangini for saying Harrell wasn’t a good NFL quarterback and a receiver coach who’s employed because of Leach.
If James is such a bad seed and horrible player, why did Leach not let him out of his scholarship? Seems like a no-brainer to me. James can’t play and has a bad attitude, but we’ll keep him on the team anyway.
Also, what did Leach hope to accomplish by sticking James in the shed anyway? If he can’t practice because of injury, why not send him back to football facility — isn’t that what’s it for?
Oh, and the day I stop trying to help my kids out of a bad situation is the day they lower me into the ground. I’m guessing you, John Taylor, are not a parent.
Mr. Taylor,
Great Post!
In regards to your final two paragraphs I think you fail to make the point that if Adam James was THAT bad of a player then Leach should have booted him off the team/asked him to leave.
As Head Coach you are responsible for EVERYTHING…It is great to know that many people involved in the program are coming to his defense, but the fact remains he let a player who wasn’t truly commited to the program hang around until this happened.
That is TOTALLY Mike Leach’s fault and deserves all the repercussions of that decision to let James hang around.
@DCViking: I have five kids. Two boys, three girls. Ages 19, 17, 14, 12 and 3.
If you look at the Mangino incident and Tiger Woods incident….
Once the intial allegations are made, you always have a snowball effect where more stories are brought to light by other people. Here not one additional player (or former player) has stepped forward to say they were mistreated by Leach. In fact, players have stepped forward to say they were never, have never seen, nor believe Leach would ever mistreat a player!
Adam James and Craig James are looking like complete horses azzes right now, and TT is looking stupid for suspending their coach on a sole-allegation without investigated the situation first (of course they have an alternate motive – but still they should have made sure this claim was solid before they got behind it).
I don’t care what kind of an ass James may or may not have been, as an adult in charge of the care of 90+ students you CANNOT, under any circumstances, lock one of them in an equipment shed or electrical closet as “punishment” for having a diagnosed concussion.
Send him home to rest. Send him to the film room to watch tape. Send him back to another doctor for a second opinion. Hell, you can even kick him off the team, but you CANNOT lock him in a damn closet and then claim it was for his own good.
John Taylor says:
December 30, 2009 10:24 AM ET
@DCViking: I have five kids. Two boys, three girls. Ages 19, 17, 14, 12 and 3.
Don’t let us “posters” get after you too bad.
Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I think this episode hits people where it counts cause this is a case of a child having an issue and all parents have different beliefs and ideas on how much (or little) to be involved in a child’s life after they leave “the nest”.
I was a fan of Craig James since his SMU days, but just because “you can tote the rock” doesn’t mean you make great decisions as a parent.
Craig James should have seen Adam’s development (or lack there of) in the TT program and realized that he should advise his son to move to a different program (especially once June Jones took over SMU).
Just too bad both Leach and the James family let it get to this point that YOUR parenting skill are being called into question by posters on CFT!
I think cbfan has it right on the money. the truth lies somewhere in the middle and in the end Leach is responsible for whatever action was taken.
I do, however, believe Leach when he said Craig James “acted like a little league dad” with regard to his kid playing, or lack there of. Its probably where the kid got the bigger sense of entitlement.
And Hail2ThaRedskins makes a good point, not one other player (past or present) has said anything about the kid being right or Leach being a cruel coach. I think that side of silence says as much as people coming forward and saying James is a slacker and a douche.
In the end, the truth does lie somewhere in the middle, but it sounds like, in the end, it will lie way more towards Leach’s end of it than James’.
@RaiderRedleg: It’s all good. Like you said, everybody is entitled to their own opinion. However, not everybody is entitled to being right.
John Taylor says:
December 30, 2009 11:02 AM ET
@RaiderRedleg: It’s all good. Like you said, everybody is entitled to their own opinion. However, not everybody is entitled to being right.
Heck with the BCS I didn’t even think there was “right or wrong” anymore in College football…Just what ESPN says is right verses everyone else!
a) Holding someone against their will is against the law, period. Leach is on the line for that one.
b) Graig James sucked. So why the sense of entitlement? Is that to have the opportunity to suck just as bad?
Bottom line is the university has to act against Leach and the coach, regardless of obvious support, has no leg to stand on in his defense.
Now what Adam James will be entitiled to (from being locked in a closet) is a lot of Texas Tech gold. Enjoy retirement.
The Leach bashers continue to bash based him on a very one sided accusation. The truth is starting to leak out and it looks like James is rich little brat who thinks that the world owes him everything.
@Big G: GH should know what he is talking about since he was the star QB from 2006-2008. He played with AJ for two seasons. In terms of a data point, GH’s is far more valuable than any other except the current QB.
The key point here is that the doctor who examined James supports Leach’s actions and put it down in a deposition.
At the end of the day, you have spoiled brat kid, a seagull dad (flies in, makes a lot of noise, craps all over everything, then leaves), and a jealous/jilted AD who opportunistically tried to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
This will destroy little James’ football career, damage his father’s career, destroy the AD’s career, and setback TT football in a big way once Leach leaves for greener pastures.
In the end, the only winner will be Leach.
John -
I stand corrected – I apologize.
However, what I don’t understand is the argument that Adam James is less of a person because his parents are involved. I do realize that his father has a position unlike most parents which may (or may not) influence the situation.
Quite simply, if this were me and my son, and I thought my son had been wronged in the way the James’ alleged their son had been wronged, I would be involved.
At what point does Adam James become a man and responsible for his own actions? Once you get to college you shouldn’t have mommy and daddy fighting your battles for you.
It sounds like Craig James and his wife are reaping the rewards of their parenting. Most of us grow up having to respect our elders and that our teachers, coaches and mentors are always right. Apparently Adam grew up with the opposite approach and is now a social outcast who has no respect for authority and is not capable or knows how to deal with adversity.
@ DCViking: No need to apologize, and no offense taken at all.
I’ll just put it this way: the sense of entitlement in today’s youth is a big bug up my ass, as are the parents that allow it to happen.
I will never watch Craig “My son deserves everything for nothing” James on anything on ESPN. I will make that known to ESPN and to very friend I can get to let ESPN know. Maybe Woody Hayes Coaching is out, but there should be no toleration for someone who hasnt earned anything gettting something because his dad is a bully. Howie Long’s son got no such treatment. Chris earned his own way and when asked his dad refused to publically come out against the treatment. In Chris’s case it woudl have been right of Howie to do sp but he didnt. Chris James was a second rate player and a so-so sportscaster. I will never watch or listen to a thing he does for ESPN again!!!
For the record I am not a TT fan, I am a Gator fan. That was just in case someone thought my opinion laid with my allegiances.
Sounds like the Texas Techies are lining up to malign the victim and his family. If he was such a self-centered malingerer, CoachLeach should have booted him off the team, not lock him up in the “cooler” on more than one occasion as alleged.
John Taylor , SO WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS
THIS GIVES A COACH THE RIGHT TO DO BEHAVE IN A MANNER IN WHICH HE WAS ACCUSED OF , MAN YOU SURE ARE A GIANT DOUCHE, AND SO IS ANYONE WHO IS MAKING A JUDGEMENT BASED ON WHAT THE RECEIVERS COACH AND FORMER QB HAS ALLEGED.
None of this matters. It still doesnt make it right! If he is such a slacker and has such a bad attitude HOW DID HE MAKE THE TEAM? Was he GIVEN his roster spot for some reason? If this is the case, OF COURSE he will act entitled. All of that said, the young spoiled entitled slacker still had a concussion. I find it disgusting you ADULTS are passing judgment on this young man, anyway. Who wasnt an *sshole when we were young with a head full of hair and girls to boot on a major college campus on a major sports program with a rich dad? Stop hating on this young person!!!
As a HEAD COACH you have numerous ways to advance the ball on a football field within established GUIDELINES. Surely as a HEAD COACH there are numerous ways to deal with an athlete’s undesirable attitude within ACCEPTABLE GUIDELINES!
I agree that today’s youth have far, far too much sense of entitlement. However, if anything close to what is aledged to have hapened, happened, the coach should be fired, at the very least. There’s no excuse for that
piccolo says:
December 30, 2009 11:23 AM ET
a) Holding someone against their will is against the law, period. Leach is on the line for that one.
So James was literally imprisoned? He couldn’t have simply refused to go into the closet/shed/room? He couldn’t have left the TT program? He couldn’t have left the room once the situation became uncomfortable? If that’s the case, then why did the coach tell him if he left the room, he’d be off the team? It sounds as though he had a choice: Stay in the room or leave the team. He CHOSE to stay. Therefore, he wasn’t held against his will.
If I’ve misunderstood the situation, someone please correct me.
Let’s try and make sense of this all. Anyone who has played sports has at some time time been disciplined by a coach. In this case the coach wanted to discipline Adam for a lack of focus and a lackadaisical approach to his responsibilities.
Since the coach couldn’t make Adam run 5 miles because of Adam’s medical condition he put him in an equipment room and a media room to get his attention and help him focus. Sounds perfectly normal and legitimate to me. There were many times I would have rather spent an hour in an equipment room than having to run a half marathon for screwing up.
“Entitled” “Entitlement”, amazing how they all use the same language. It’s almost like they all got together and decided how they were going to bash the kid. Nah, couldn’t happen.
Was Craig James ever nailed for taking money at SMU? We’re talking 25 years ago, but I thought he and Dickerson were some of the players getting paid. If that’s the case, not only does he have zero credibility, but the guy should never be allwed near college footbal asa broadcaster or any other capacity.
Deb says:
>> If I’ve misunderstood the situation, someone please correct me.
Leach just got fired. You have been corrected.
@DCViking is a total jackass. Typical “You don’t know anything because you don’t have kids” mentality. No, I don’t have kids. But I know a bratty kid (and a crappy parent!) when I see some spoiled brat running around, say, J.C. Penney screaming a throwing a fit becuase they can’t get their way. Guess what DCViking: You’re “precious” kids are NOT the center of the universe! And John, you shouldn’t have fallen into that trap of quickly indentifying yourself as a parent to that idiot. Whether or a parent or not has NOTHING to do with it!
I once talked back and was disrespectful to a coach. The next practice I had to run laps for over 2 hours while the team practiced. After that I never talked back to the coach or was disrespectful.
So my question is which is more inhumane, running laps for over 2 hours or standing in an equipment room for an hour and a half?
Answer: Neither both are acceptable forms of punishment.
Those of you who think that coaches don’t discipline athletes have never played sports or you simply don’t know what your talking about.
Those who think the coach was acting inhumanely by putting young Adam in a room for an hour or two are just plain wrong. The coach was actually showing compassion to the young man’s diagnosed concussion and made his discipline as easy and as simple as possible.
He was never LOCKED in a room! He was never held against his will. He could have walked out and quit at any time. Far too many helicopter parents hovering and wanting special treatment for their child.
Deb, i think you have misunderstanding! whether or not the kid is a prima dona or he had free will to leave the shed is not the point! i do not understand how you cannot see the forrest through the trees here? you don’t tell your assistant couches to put a college kid in the darkest place you can find and keep him there for 2 or more hours,,,period! and oh yeah, HE HAS A CONCUSSION! so maybe he did not have the proper mindset to make a clear decision like you pointed out. football is a game and conmcussions are more important than games!
Graig James should be suspended from ESPN until further notice. He is destroying any credibility that ESPN had. He obviously is a helicopter parent of a spoiled child. A child who can not take care of his own problems. The Dad has ruined the college careers of his sons, however mediocre they may have been. Leach may be wrong and insensitive, but shouldn’t we all wait for the results of a completed investigation? Leach will probably be fired and end up at a better school and making a lot more money. We never heard of Texas Tech before Leach and will never hear of them again after he is gone.
Please someone tell me what Leach did wrong. He did not put James in any harm. He put him in an air conditioned room with no place to sit down after a doctor cleared him to go back to practice. The only thing he did was question his pride and manhood. That is done every time coaches tell someone to get off their lazy azz and win. Football is a tough game and concusions are very hard to deal with you have no idea weather its bad or mild (players dont have to come and tell you their heads hurt, you have to ask them if there alright) so you must be carefull with contact which he was. When you are around kids playing football you learn some need to made tough and it not always done in a nice way. Come on baby please play hard does not work. Coaches get paid millions to win games not nice guy awards. Coaches should never put players in harms way to win a game. Leach put him in no harm. I Know people will say kids at tech will be scared to say I have concusion. Trust me you dont have to ask if a kid has a concussion you just have to ask a doctor how bad it is.
@piccolo …
Look, I don’t know anything about Leach or James and have no dog in this hunt. It was an honest question. And Leach being fired doesn’t answer it. But the video of the rooms where this kid was supposedly “held” does. If he was held against his will, his parents would have called the cops instead of the media. Obviously, he wasn’t “held.” You have a lot to learn about the law.
@bonembob …
Good grief calm down. The only judgment I’ve made is saying the kid should have handled it himself instead of involving his parents. I had to handle worse in college without involving mine. I simply asked if he was held against his will–meaning was the door locked and a guard posted? Or was he tied up and a weapon used? If you’ve seen the video of the rooms where this kid was placed, you know by now that he wasn’t locked in “the darkest place you can find.” The shed/dungeon stories have been HIGHLY exaggerated.
I take concussions very seriously. Yes, they are more important than games. If a medical doctor diagnosed a concussion, the kid needed to be kept off the field. He was. So at this point, it doesn’t appear the coach did anything to harm him.
And…Leach is jobless.
Goodbye and good riddance. Hope the pointless power trip was worth it.
Simple observations
1) Did the University let a TV crew in to video the “shed”? I wonder hpow they got that footage
2) I did not know that Leech has a medical background that allows him to determine treatment of an injured player- Isn’t that the training staff’s job and a large conflict of interest. If a player is a medical hold out then the medical staff has jurisdiction.
3) I remember reading that Leech refused to sign a memo stating that he would not return a player to the field without medical clearence
4) Lets say all of the stuff out there about James is true- Even worse for Leech as now it can be made to look like this was simply punishment for a kid he and his staff didn’t like.
I think there was another parent (former athelete, current broadcaster) that was pretty adamant about his son playing quarterback some years ago. Mack Brown threw Major Applewhite under the bus to let the less than talented Chris Sims start at QB. Works for me, the Sooners owned the Horns while Chris was there
Ok, so they fired Leach. They will be paying him big bucks once the lawsuit is settled. Everyone will now say ” texas who” as they descend into obscurity. Leach will go to a “major” school and take them to a higher level.
I hope Leach also sues Graig James for defamation of character. I can’t believe ESPN will allow James to continue as a commentator. A poor one at that! ESPN get some kahunas and do the right thing! Get rid of James.
Still another Head Coach that threw his football team under the bus. Colorado Coach Hawkins sacrificed the entire CU football program by starting his incompetent son at QB. His son, a nice kid, but a sorry football player.
Hawkins will pay the price by being fired after next season (thank God), but he still ruined CU football for years to come.
I have been to a Texas Tech game and believe me folks; after seeing and meeting this kid, there is no doubt in my mind he was a spoiled, selfish, elitist son of bitch. I remember his ass talking to about a dozen cheerleaders just bvefore kick off while the rest of the team was warming up. Honestly there is something about him that is just not right. He has really brought down the entire Texas Tech football program and one of the best if not the best offensive minds in College football. I wish the truth would come out sooner than later to save Leach’s character. This whole thing is character assassination and malignment; the biggest the state of Texas has ever seen. Please dont judge this great mind before you hear the facts, it will be a travesty of justice!
The James boys! All spoiled since birth. They got to ruin a career of one of the best coaches of all time. Hopefully the “boy’ will never play a down of college football again. If he stays at Tech I would expect the rest of the team to take the appropriate action against the boy. There should be a price to pay for single handly ruining a football program and the college careers of the rest of the Tech team.
How could ESPN let Craig James continue? Absolutely no credibility from now on.
Being held against one’s will is a crime, yes? Where is the criminal complaint? The James family family has no problem speaking to the press, how about speaking to the law? Oh, that’s right you can go to jail for filing a false complaint.
Besides that Leach is ultimatly responsible for his actions and he should have seen the potential for trouble. He did not cut out the cancer soon enough and for that he will pay the cost.
Good luck to Leach and the James’s. James may need some luck if the program goes south and he meets a TT fan in some alley.
The facts are the James is a pussy. And why would he even allow himself to be put in a closet? is he 2? really……man up and say no, and not go along with it then bitch about it later. Sad that TT will lose on of their best coaches…..glad Bear Bryant wasn’t coach this decade with these pussy players. I think this kids dad didn’t give him enough hugs or attention.
Leach’s payout is $400K per year for the remaining 4 years on his contract. Hardly big bucks considering the $12.7M contract he signed last year.
CJ didn’t say anything that could remotely be construed as defamation of character–no payout there.
Leach is an idiot, and all the defenders on here who say AJ wasn’t hurt by the punishment completely miss the point. By punishing AJ in any way, Leach created an environment where players could be reluctant to report concussions or concussion symptoms. As a result, rather than face a similar humiliation, the players could choose to take their chances with their health. THAT is the issue and that type of environment is not acceptable in any sport at ANY level, much less D1 football. Tons of research shows that even minor concussions can cause problems. Leach showed all of his players that if he doesn’t believe it’s a problem, then the player will be punished. And that’s why he is standing in the unemployment line today.
Texas Tech, just made it much easier for Texas, now that Tech has fired Coach Leach. Easier days ahead for Texas.
Seriously, why would any of the current players stay at Texas Tech? Why would any recruit ever go there? TT is now and will be a non entity from now on. There are many great schools in the State of Texas, so advice to all, go somewhere that has a decent football program. Not one with a cry baby administration that knows absolutely nothing about sports. A school that is interest in turning boys into men, not into cry baby moma’s boys.
REALLY!!!! WHO CARES!!! REALLY!!! Didn’t anybody think it would come to name calling and finger pointing? Everyone should get over yourselves, if you are not directly involved with this matter.
I teach in public schools. I know what it is like to have a student who can never be wrong and whose parents would always defend them rather than help them grow up. I would trust multiple emails from those who played or worked with Mr. James. It sounds as if he probably has trouble accepting his own shortcomings. It is too bad that his parents do not help their son see the need to be more mature and hard-working. On the flip side, when I have a student, that I know is trouble, I don’t do unethical things or challenge them in a way that is inconsistent with how I would handle my other students. I just inform the parents of my observations and if I can help them help their child grow up then I do. If my information is ignored or minimized then I just do my job in the same way that I always have. The child is hurting himself and not me. I think letting the kid go back to the facility and letting the other players deal with him, would be a good natural consequence. I am sorry for Coach Leach. I hate that one bad situation can cause so much hardship for so many.
Obviously Tex123 never played any sport. Wah, Wah, Wah. Puzzy players and wuz parents what a disgrace. In the end Leach will win and TT will pay a big price for their actions. Not just the millions they will end up paying Leach, but their football program is done for. Toast! I guess that is what you think is appropriate. How about the current players who have to play out their careers there? Do you care about them or just a not very good player who went crying to Mommy and Daddy?
Hey guys, please go to – Consider This – at kcbd.com(Lubbock TV station) There is more here than meets the eye.
Since Mike Leach and Vince Gill look like they were separated at birth, perhaps he has another career in country music? Don’t worry Mike, in the words of the great Nashville singer Gill….”I Still Believe In You…”
James girlfriend just dumped him because he wouldn’t take her to the movies. “I wanted to see Avitar, loser”.
Craig James reported that he and his family never have turned offthe lights in their house. “We even slept with the lights on since we met, it’s the way everyone did it at Tech”
Meanwhile Adam refuses to drive at night. “I think my sunglasses scare me a little”
Craig James needs to be put in a dark room.
Lincoln Riley’s email to the university claiming James did this to get back at him and Leach is ridiculous. Riley claims he and Leach disciplined James a couple of days before the incident and that instigated the retaliation. Are we to then believe that James somehow intentionally caused a concussion to himself during practice and had a physician diagnose him with a concussion knowing that Leach would have him locked in a dark room/shed twice so he could then complain? If this plan was concocted by James, he sure is a lot smarter than I’ve heard. I’m an SMU fan and have no use for James or his father, who hasn’t been a strong supporter of SMU in his post-collegiate career.
So now that other TT players are coming out and supporting James and his allegations…will you change your tune a bit John Taylor?
It appears that everything is not as cut and dry as you are presenting it, sir. Where is the column talking about how other players are posting on their facebook in support of James? It looks like the majority of the players are supporting James over Leach.
@PonyFan …
I think Riley was implying that James took advantage of an opportunity. But then again, James wouldn’t be the first football player to exaggerate an injury for his own ends. I’m certainly not saying that happened because I have no reason to say that in this case. But NFL players have been known to use “injuries” as an excuse to sit out during tense contract negotiations.
The bell can’t be un-rung. It is probably the sound of justice to many (and I mean VERY MANY), athletes and sports fans that quietly hope that the spoiled, arrogant brats, who tarnish the fun in sports, get what they truly deserve. In the case of Adam James, his persistent whimpering on the stage of big time college football and his play to move his stack ‘all in’ with this ‘confined to a dark room’ accusation will have a backlash greater than he and his family could ever imagine. His prospects for pro ball is small to begin with, but this makes him undesirable anywhere. Unfortunately, his father Craig James is culpable. He allowed this situation to unfold and publicly came to the defense of his spoiled child. As a ‘dad’ Craig James should have realized that Adam was in a personal battle that didn’t need his ‘dad’ to fight it for him. The senior James should have seen that his son suffered no physical nor mental injury from the alleged poor treatment and, in fact, would have grown from the experience. Dad’s actions through these events does nothing more than show how he has enabled Adam to become an arrogant, spoiled, slacker. Dad assuredly protected his son from challenges that would have helped Adam build the mental strength he would need to follow dad’s foot steps into the NFL. If not that, then dad got in the way of Adam becoming a be a better human being. If parenting was done right, Adam would have put himself in a darkened room for either reason; coping with the effects of a mild concussion and for not working hard enough.
As far as Texas Tech is concerned. They did what they had to do given the unorthodox methods Mike Leach resorted to. But this reflects poorly on the school as well. On the surface, it appears that Tech may have acted under the influence of the James family clout and may have bargained in bad faith in last February’s contract negotiations with Leach. Fact is, this successful football season brought a lot of revenue in for Tech. And that revenue generator was helmed by Leach. To sever ties without due process, to find ‘guilty’ by accusation a day before a large bonus would be due Leach will no doubt cost the school much more in both tangible and intangible terms.
Craig James was a pussy when he knocked the U in the 1980′s as a commentator. And now his son his probably just as big a pussy as him. And if we recall C James was at SMU during the time they commited various violations that resulted in the death penalty from the NCAA.
What a sad and pathetic series of comments-even ignoring the over use of classless language and poor spelling. Almost all of these comments reinforce the case that ANY college coach (who wins, of course) will be defended for ANY action, regardless of ANY evidence. Coaches can do no harm, commit any misdeeds, or be ever at fault: they are college sports coaches, just that one step above God, whose unquestioned lives (cushioned with millions of dollars) must be allowed to shine brightly, as long as they win. It is not relevant that this player is of any social, racial, or whatever class-if mistreated…it is the fault of whom? No truly successful dictator in any field has ever made a mistake (?), or been without their stolen fortunes-but some such as Madoff or Saddam find people willing to stand up to them. In the field of college sports, not so much. Rant on! O loyal defenders…your cause is: sad, just sad, but know he’ll be paid, regardless how this plays out, for sure, after declaring “it’s not about the money”.
Maybe he can sue his way onto an nfl practice squad?
It is clear to any parent that loves their children that you cannot constantly come to their defense irrespective of their perceived injustices. One need only to ask teachers of the problems they encounter on a daily basis due to constant interference from overly protective families. The James family could have rendered a great deal of service to Adam had they just stayed out of this issue and told him to either turn in his “Man Card” or try playing Jacks or Hopscotch. At least then he would not be forever labeled a “cry baby” and the University could go about its primary business of educating our young people and maintaining their reputation.
this was a no win situation for Leach after granting that scholarship, at the behest of Craig James. Cut him, and get bad mouthed on ESPN, Keep him, and get bad mouthed on ESPN. Simply no win… further proof that no good deed goes unpunished
@jwestc …
I’m an editor, but I’m going to resist the temptation to correct your errors to make the point. However, please remember that it’s a blog and noting that people make spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes doesn’t make you sound smarter.
Despite the self-righteous fervor of your remarks, you don’t have any greater insight into the right or wrong of this situation than the rest of us. The university fired this coach without giving him time to address the accusations or mount any kind of defense. Yes, sometimes winning coaches are treated like gods and allowed to get away with unconscionable behavior. And sometimes spoiled, entitled kids make mountains out of molehills, and rich parents use their power to get their way. Which was it in this case? We don’t know. But based on what’s come out so far, it doesn’t appear this coach mistreated this kid. And certainly there should have been an adequate investigation before he was terminated.
So please stop acting as though those of us who question the university’s motives are blind fans who care about nothing but winning at all costs. I’m not a Tech fan and don’t care if they never win another game. I’m just an interested observer.
To Quote a great line from the movie “Stand By Me”
“Is it just me, or are you (Adam James) the worlds biggest pussy?”
ESPN gave an open forum for Adam’s daddy to whine and cry and give one side of the story. I guess we are all finding out that little Adam was nothing but a whiner and a cancer to the team. What business does he have bringing a cell phone to FOOTBALL PRACTICE anyway?
I never really comment on these things, but this is very frustrating to me. No one will win in this situation. No matter how it ends up no tier 1 NCAA program will think of picking up James if he has this reaction to being put in a small room. You may think he was being physically abused by his reaction. I heard a ESPN analyst say that there is no room for humiliating you players. If you have ever played sports competitively you have been humiliated by a coach. It start when winning matters say O about 4th grade. Finally I played I played in High School and I may have thought I was a little better than I was, and maybe was “entitled” to more playing time. If any similarities can be drawn to James my first reaction to being put in the closet would have been “Nice I don’t have to run sprints today.” Not to make a story that would in effect end my chances to play major college football.
Did it ever occur to anyone that Nancy Boy James was using his minor concussion as an excuse not to practice? And maybe the coach told him he could sit in the equipment room or quit the team? This is a reasonable demand by a coach to a malingerng 3rd string prima donna pretty boy. Craig James using his ESPN position to advance a person dispute is disgusting and James’ broadcasting career is done.
Why does Craig James want his son to come out of the closet so bad? I’m all for supporting your children, but let him come out when he is comfortable with his homosexuality. Leach was just protecting him.
2 things don’t make sense. If Adam James was such a poor talent and a malcontent to boot, and Mike Leach such a great coach, how was he even around long enough for this to happen? Secondly if all the e-mails suggest James wouldn’t participate, was entitled, wouldn’t work hard etc… how did they get him to go in the shed?
One e-mail on cbssports from the strength and condition coach talked about James dancing around during drills, moving at his own speed, not paying attention. So why would he have agreed to go stand in a shed when it sounds like he barley wore anything but street clothes to practice?
Something doesn’t add up.
Why can’t you people figure it out that Leach DID NOT lock Adam in anything. Again….he DID NOT lock Adam in anything. Read the statements from the Asst. Coaches and Adam could have left at any time.
He was more interested in pissing off his daddy so he would come to his rescue.
Loved seeing ESPN’s one sided coverage on this story.
Don’t see an issue with James coming to his son’s aid for the closet incident, but it seems he was involved much more than he should have been with everything else.
Does anybody in support of this douche-bag wide out realize that it would be impossible to lock anybody in that room because fire code for the facility would mandate that the door be able to be opened from the inside at all times… you cannot physically lock a player into an internal room without barricading the door… and until I hear anything about them putting a fridge in front of the door I don’t believe for a second that Mike Leech is to blame in anyway… If he was told to stay there by the training staff or even another coach that is completely different that being locked in and by all accounts It doesn’t sound like Leech said to make sure he didn’t get out of there.
This whole thing is stupid. Watch Junction Boys and get a life… We celebrate coaches like Bear, Bo, and Woody and if you think any of them wouldn’t have done something similar you’re all crazy. Those guys would’ve had this kid take an Ibuprofen and go work a full contact drill.
Its Football. Get Real.
The best place to learn the facts of this case seem to be from the Lubbock TV stations or the Dallas News (newspaper). http://www.kcbd.com is keeping up with everything that is relevant to this case. I think the statement from the trainer is most telling at this point. He says that Mike Leach turned Adam James over to him and told him to find a dark place for him. Adam James showed up to practice wearing street clothes and sunglasses and a cap backwards on his head. It is Leach’s SOP to require injured players to attend practice/team meetings as allowed by the doctor. Injured players participate in practice by doing whatever they can/are allowed to do by the physician. James was asked to walk around the field. After a few minutes, it appeared that he couldn’t or wouldn’t do this without being a distraction, he complained about the bright light, so Leach had him moved. The trainer chose the location and supervised him in both cases. James fabricated the “electrical Closet” story. In fact Taylor Potts reported that he went to the same two locations during practice after his concussion…The e-mails between the Tech AD, Hance and former regent Sowell show clearly that the intent of TTU administration was to never allow Leach to complete his contract this year-they planned last year to fire him this year. They just needed a smoking gun and James provided it. ESPN’s coverage has been irresponsible.
In earnest? I thought it was in Lubbock.
(Thank yew, thank yew. I’ll be here all week.)
[...] of course, was brought down at Texas Tech in part because of a helicopter dad that used his television “power” to push for his ouster, while Mangino’s [...]
[...] also wrote of Adam James’ sense of entitlement and lack of work ethic, allegations that were first aired shortly after the infamous “electrical closet” incident came to light. He [...]
[...] In an electrical closet, yes. Under a bus, probably not. [...]