Video of Coach Mike Leach’s “Torture Shed”
The recent blow-up of the Mike Leach / Adam James story out of Texas Tech has been on my mind lately. Over the past few years I’ve come to admire Coach Leach, and when I first heard the story I was shocked. I mean, player mistreatment? Mishandling of injuries? A torture shed manned by guards? Really? If so, W-O-W.
But something about the story never sat right with me, and as more details emerge I’m happy that I was initially skeptical. Turns out that the so-called “shed” is actually a large garage, complete with a ventilation system and even an ice maker. That “electrical closet?” “Large press-room with many big screen TV’s” would be more accurate. The “guards?” Try “certified athletic trainers.”
Here’s a video tour of both:
Putting a person with a concussion into a dark, quiet area? Since concussions carry with them a sensitivity to light, that’s pretty much what you’re supposed to do.
I don’t know what Texas Tech is trying to pull here, or if Adam James (or his father, ESPN sports analyst Craig James) are in on it, but I think I can call B.S. when I smell it. And this whole thing stinks to high heaven.
If I had to guess, I would say that Texas Tech didn’t want to pay Mike Leach the increased salary he was seeking. When it became clear he would be leaving Texas Tech, Tech sought to sabotage his career by scaring the bejeezus out of young recruits. College football is all about recruiting, and if a coach can’t attract top high-school talent (and their parents), he won’t be coaching for long.
Like a deranged and jilted lover, Texas Tech is jealously screaming, “If we can’t have you, Mike Leach, no one will!”
Updates
- Video: Coach Mike Leach speaks out: Says Adam James’ laziness and sense of entitlement is well-documented by players and coaches, and that his father, ESPN analyst Craig James, “required more [face-time and hand-holding] than all of the other parents, combined.”
- In a letter to Texas Tech Administrators, Offensive Coordinator Lincoln Riley calls Adam James “unusually lazy and entitled.”
- Leach lashes out at Craig James. Leach said that Craig James called the assistant coach Lincoln Riley so often to lobby for playing time that they had a meeting with Adam James. They played him two of the messages and asked, “How would you feel if we went in there to the meeting room and we stuck speakers up and we played these two messages for the team?”
Leach added: “After that we didn’t get any more phone calls from Craig, but he did proceed to call administrators.”
- Emails from Players, Coaches Slam “Lazy”,”Entitled” Adam James
- Report: The Worldwide Leader in Sports had 2 emails supporting Leach’s account of events – one from a Texas Tech assistant coach, and another from a Texas Tech doctor – but sat on them until the New York Times (The Worldwide Leader in News) ran this story. As facts continue to emerge, it’s becoming clear that Adam James’ daddy Craig was a driving force behind Leach’s firing.
Also interesting: Apparently Adam James filmed a video while in the alleged “closet.” Why is he in street clothes? Why does he have a cell phone/camera? Hear him say, “Turn the lights on so I can get this.” This was a con-job from the start.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPTUV-Obndo&feature=video_response
Full text of the youtube comments on this video:
So we have a player showing up to practice (as a non contact observer) wearing sunglasses, having his cell phone, what appear to be non workout clothes (not sure on that), and as players and coaches support, a bad attitude. Leach had plenty of reasons to discipline him, and he did so in an extremely safe manner for someone with a concussion. There is a chair in there, thought everything was removed? Looks like the story of no lights and locked doors is false too, also, wheres the light switch, outside? The video is the room adjoining the press room, he easily could have walked in here while being isolated, but regardless, its large. If he was SOOO worried about his well being, why didnt he call someone? Also, we are assuming this video is actually from December 19th.
Makes some wonder, why they released this now? Where was this video from the get go? Why was the Dallas PR firm SpaethCom the group to originally released this video on Youtube (look at the original here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZqvaj... , and note the user name)??? Looks like this whole ordeal has been a professionally orchestrated PR attack by the James Gang and ESPN.
This whole seedy bed of lies gave the shady TTU administrators the feather they needed in their cap to get rid of Mike Leach, a man that they purely had a problem with due to differing personalities.
ESPN is neither balanced or fair. They manipulate stories to add controversy and ratings, as well as favor their own instead of reporting the news objectively.
Fire Craig James, an opportunistically selfish man, with no care for anyone but his own, Who takes advantage of people and his media connection.
Fire Gerald Myers, a lame duck AD with a chip on his shoulder.
Fire Kent Hance, a puppet Chancellor
Fire Guy Bailey, an irrational and knee jerk President.
Clean house in the Board of Regents, who don’t do their job, which is to look out for what is best for the University, Students, and Alumni.