Today, however, I am in a better place spiritually and mentally and I have reached a resolution for myself that one can be for something without having to be against another; therefore because I am for Coach Leach does not mean I am against Texas Tech – the university. That the good ole boy saying which goes as such: “you are either with us or against us” is nothing but rubbish – just meaningless semantics with no real cause except to try to bully people. I do hold true to my beliefs of the other adage I posted yesterday on my FB wall which states: "A person who stands for nothing will fall for anything".
With that said and off my shoulders and with no more cross to bear, per se, this is my story.
As I began my morning ritual this morning, I kept thinking that I wish things were different in Red Raider land and that the public events which began Monday’s unfair suspension of Coach Mike Leach and his ultimate termination on Wednesday were just a dream. I say public events because the lynch mob, which is the Texas Tech brass, had already met and convened several days ago in regards to the Coach Leach allegations and had long ago decided on a “guilty verdict” and sentence to terminate his employment. Yep, they were going to show him! By the way the Tech brass, as I will refer to them going forward consists of: President Guy Bailey, Chancellor Kent Hance and Athletic Director Gerald Myers. They are the very culprits who paved the way for Coach Leach’s ultimate demise as head football coach of Texas Tech U. They are the ones who did the dirty deed yesterday and rid our university of the most successful Coach that our football program has ever had. How I would have preferred that the brass had instead extended an olive branch to Coach Leach and allowed him to tell his side of the story versus treating him like he had broken the Geneva Convention and been sending out orders of torture towards his players. This would be a non-issue if the school had been true to their own and allowed Coach Leach to tell his side of things first and foremost.
I do believe that this controversy was started by the Tech brass indeed when they listened to people (James family) who clearly never had Tech’s best interest in mind. The Tech brass began their witch hunt of Coach Leach and then had the audacity to believe that no one would care or pay attention to their unethical decisions against Coach Leach. Because the Tech brass did that, they had part in drawing a proverbial line in the dirt which in turn forced Tech fans/alumni to do what we thought was best. Thus “Team Leach” was formed and many of us have joined it in support of him. This is our stance and we stand true in our convictions and steadfast at what needs to be done. In the end, right is right and the Tech brass got it wrong as Coach Leach was “not afforded process” as he himself stated.
Coach Leach will have his day and the truth is certain to come out eventually, but for now, let's keep minds open as the Tech brass should have done and let due process run its course. I am not insinuating that the cited allegations should have been swept under the rug or kept hush-hush; no one is in support of torture of any player but this incident falls short of that by any means. As I stated above in reference to the Geneva Convention comment, Coach Leach broke no rules there - which has no bearing whatsoever on college ball, I merely used it to drive a point. Nope, no sir, no rules broken there much less any NCAA rules. In fact the NCAA says that they have nothing to do with said ordeal and are allowing Texas Tech to conduct their own in house investigation. If Coach Leach had indeed broken any rules by mistreating an injured player, the NCAA surely would have intervened and had their hands all over this issue - like “white on rice”! The Tech brass did need to listen to the allegations brought about by the James family, but they should have done it carefully and not so hastily…started out quietly (in house as the NCAA stated) and not made it so public so quick. It needed to be a lengthy process instead it was expedited. Coach Leach was not allowed the right which states one is innocent until found guilty. Unfortunately - it was vice versa and he was made to look guilty from the get-go stemming from actions that his own employers took against him.
Disappointedly so - in the end, this entire ordeal just places an ugly blotch on Texas Tech U. The Tech brass will be able to hide behind the curtain which is their authority and the James family will be allowed to continue their associations with the university (and ESPN) like things are okay and status quo. However, the reputations of the university, the football program and Raider Nation is forever tainted and perhaps jaded. I for one would like to kindly request that Adam James be removed from the Red Raider football team immediately and not be take part in the Alamo Bowl, and that he then register and attend another university. As I write this, I do wish him well.
“Thank you” to all my family and friends (FB friends as well) who are joining me in support of Coach Leach.
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