Coach Mike Leach Fired at Texas Tech

It was announced today (12-30-09) that Texas Tech has fired their highly successful college football coach. This comes as a surprise after the school gave the coach a 15 million dollar contract extension back in February after he lead the Red Raiders to a fantastic season last year. Leach was fired just before he was to have a  court hearing in order to get a temporary restraining order to allow him to coach his team in their upcoming bowl game.Coach Mike Leach's latest troubles at the school revolved around allegations that a player made that he had been mistreated by the coach. Adam James claimed that he was forced to sit in a small dark equipment warehouse on two consecutive days after he received a concussion during practice drills. Adam James is the son of former SMU running back and long time ESPN football commentator Craig James.

James version differs from that of Leach's attorney that was interviewed on ESPN. Whatever, actually took place, it was enough to convince the Texas Tech administration that they were ready to part ways with their football coach of the last ten years. The feeling among some commentators is that Mike Leach and his somewhat quirky and unusual coaching ways had rubbed enough of the Texas Tech administration the wrong way for long enough. Basically, that they were ready to part ways with him and that this was the time to do it. It's interesting to note that Leach was also do an $800,000 bonus if he was still the Texas Tech coach on December 31st which just happens to be tomorrow. Perhaps, the chance to save this $800 grand was too big to pass up for the school. Now there will certainly be a show down between Leach's legal team and Texas Tech's over the money they will owe him for the remaining years on his contract. It was said to be $400,000 per year owed to him if he was let go as coach. Hey, that's not bad at all. You get fired and they still have to pay you another 1.6 million bucks. Wow! Such is the nature of big time college sports these days. Football is the economic engine that drives most big time athletic departments and the salaries for the supposed top coaches have sky rocketed. Alabama decided to pay Nick Saban tons of money and now they stand to play Texas for the BCS national championship. Some could argue they're worth it I guess. Anyway, I'm sure there will be much more fall out from the story here at Texas Tech. I welcome your comments here and thanks for reading.