Mike Leach Suing Four-Letter And Pee-Ahr Firm

((HT: KCBD-TV Lubbock))

In an effort to clear his name... since it has been sullied so...

The HQ has chronicled the back-and-forth between Craig James and former Texas Tech head football coach Mike Leach.

Leach sued both Texas Tech and James back last year. Leach was fired in December 2009 amid allegations that he didn't treat James' son Adam like a normal human being- a few days shy of the university having to pay a performance bonus as part of Leach's contract in Lubbock. Leach has always denied what James has asserted.

Leach's local attorney, Ted Liggett, says the reasons behind the lawsuit against ESPN and a Craig James-hired Pee-Ahr firm- Spaeth Communications- are easy to see. Despite sworn testimony from Adam James stating Leach never locked him in that electrical closet we all saw him in, ESPN provided "misinformation and comments to the contrary."

The James' family attorney, Scott McLaughlin, told KCBD:

"I think it's consistent really with what he's done all along, and that he is trying to find someone to blame for his own conduct." McLaughlin continues, "He needs to man up and accept responsibility for what he did and try to move on instead of blaming everybody around."

Spaeth is being fingered by Leach as the group that released the Adam James video to Youtube in the first place...

The HQ would also remind the Leach's defense team that all they really need to do is find the four-letter broadcast of a bowl game from 2009 where James and, we think Bob Davie, kinda forgot the word "allegedly" in their discussion of the topic...

Here's NewsChannel 11's coverage- actually, part of it...


The court documents are hyah...

Leach Expands Lawsuit Against Texas Tech

((HT: KCBD-TV Lubbock))

Mike Leach's lawsuit against Texas Tech University has now been expanded expanded to include Texas Tech officials as defendants. The attorney for former head football coach Mike Leach, Ted Liggett, claims those being sued over-stepped the limits of their jobs and interfered with the University's investigation of Leach and Adam James.

They now include Tech Chancellor Kent Hance, University President Guy Bailey, Athletic Director Gerald Myers, Regents Larry Anders and Jerry Turner, and ESPN Analyst Craig James.

"We started this lawsuit to try to find the truth. We believe Mike was fired so the University could save money. He was fired and the University saved money. The University is paying the current football coach less than they were paying Mike Leach," Liggett said.

Here's coverage from our friends at KCBD-TV...


Leach and Liggett believe that the coach was fired a day before he was due an $800,000 bonus- the day after he signed a new contract.

The HQ has long thought this suit was one long, wasteful shenanigan, but if Leach wants to take his Pepperdine law degree and put it to use, then go for it...

Leach Files Amended Documents

((HT: KCBD-TV))

Embattled and embittered former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach has filed even more documents in Lubbock County court. The lawsuit is weighing itself down with all the paper Leach and Ted Liggett are using...

Here's what the Expatriated Pirate is looking for now...

Strangely enough, it's a bunch of words in front of the word "damages..."

Actual damages
Consequential, special and incidental damages
Punitive damages
Reasonable attorney fees
Prejudgment and post-judgment interest as allowed by law.
Costs of suit
All other relief, in law and in equity, to which Mike Leach may be entitled.

We're not surprised... and we're waiting on more paper...

Leach Files For Expedited Discovery

((HT: KCBD-TV Lubbock))

Former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach is using that law degree of his to its full value...

He has filed a motion for "expedited discovery" in Lubbock County court.

All that means, in legaleze, is that Leach wants documents from the university quicker than normal... Leach maintains that any delay will harm his case...

Here's the full document Leach and his attorney, Ted Liggett, filed...

Meanwhile, Chancellor Kent Hance updates us all on the coaching search that does not include Baylor head man Art Briles...

David Collier stands at attention for the latest...
((HT: KAMC-TV Lubbock))

TWTW: Sunday "My Little Pony" Update

((HT: KCBD-TV Lubbock))

The HQ grants ESPN analyst Bob Davie for the line of the weekend:

He claimed that, with everything going on in a very hectic week in Texas Tech football history, that Interim Head Coach Ruffin McNeill was going "95 miles an hour through a school zone all week long" having to prepare for the Alamo Bowl contest with Michigan State.

Ruffin's Red Raiders survived their audition 41-31 as they had to go for the win with a substitute QB when Taylor Potts went down with an injury to his non-throwing hand.

The HQ would like to think that McNeill passed his audition and find it somewhat ironic that the game was held at the Alamodome...

Think about it...

We also think that McNeill will, probably, end up as the new head coach for the red Raiders. Tommy Tuberville has lobbied long and hard for the gig- thinking he'll elevate the program from the point that Mike Leach has taken it.

But consider the amount of the settlement that the university will be handing out to Leach in lieu of a lawsuit from the expatriated pirate, and we think McNeill will be "economically feasible."

Shall we say...

We're skipping highlights from the game to show you the new revelations in Leach's case- as presented by the university's point-of-view. Five pages of documents and affidavits have been sent out from the Red Raiders team physician, Dr. Michael Phy, and the head football trainer, Steve Pincock, detailing the James diagnosis and the subsequent reaction of Leach at the mid-December practice.

KCBD's Tiffany Pelt has the breakdown...


Here's Phy's affidavit... and here's Pincock's affidavit...

Both Phy and Pincock are pretty disappointed in Leach's actions, and the old coach still shows no bit of remorse in the handling of the James issue.

The investigating attorney, apparently, when asking Leach about trying to make sure the only way James can find his ass is to reach around for it... allegedly... found Leach's response to be:

"If I didn't say it I wish I had."

It's stuff like that that'll keep Leach from getting a bigger settlement than he wants... bank on that...

Thursday Early "My Little Pony" Update

Okay...

Leach got fired by Texas Tech and we're gearing up for a big battle in the courts...

Ted Liggett admitted as much in front of the Lubbock County, Texas courthouse on behalf of his client...
((HT: MyFoxLubbock))


Here's the termination letter in full...

Texas Tech University claims that Leach violated Section IV of his contract stating: "Coach shall assure the fair and responsible treatment of student athletes in relation to their health, welfare and discipline."

It is their view, obviously, that he did not...

In an interesting bit of television, ESPN placed Craig James in front of a camera to get his take on what happened...


Leach, later on Wednesday, released a statement claiming in part:

“Texas Tech’s decision to deal in lies and fabricate a story which led to my firing, includes, but is not limited by, the animosity remaining from last year’s contract negotiations. I will not tolerate such retaliatory action; additionally, we will pursue all available legal remedies,”

Leach did not give any details as to what the "lies" and fabrications were...
The line about legal remedies is the HQ thought on why there will be a settlement before all is said and done in Lubbock and all points in between.

Remember, Leach has a law degree from Pepperdine.
Nothing gets past the pirate...

But the HQ thinks that it all came down Wednesday to prevent the payment of the $800,000 lump sum that would have been in Leach's pockets if he was under contract Thursday at the university.

Had the university come out and said that, yes, we just don't want to pay the coach the money while we pursue legal action then we might have believed their tack.

The timing is just too convenient for words...
Typed or otherwise...

BREAKING NEWS: Mike Leach Is Done At Texas Tech

The Mike Leach era is officially over at Texas Tech. The university fired Leach Wednesday.

You recall Tuesday Leach's attorney Ted Liggett filed for an injuction hearing to be heard in court the next morning to force Texas Tech to allow Leach to coach the Red Raiders in the Alamo Bowl.

Well when arriving to the courthouse for the hearing, Texas Tech officials handed Liggett a termination letter.

Liggett told the Associated Press that the letter said Leach is "terminated with cause effective immediately." The letter was signed by Texas Tech president Guy Bailey. After that the hearing was cancelled.

KJTV, the Fox affiliate in Lubbock, reports the termination letter said Leach was in violation of Article Four of his contract which is the performance clause. That deals with the health and welfare of the players.

Leach's reaction, well according to Liggett, he wasn't thrilled.

Saying he guarantees the fight has just begun, Liggett will file a lawsuit on Leach's behalf against Texas Tech in his words "soon."

Liggett also says the decision to suspend Leach in the first place was without merit and he has the evidence to prove his case.

"So they pulled the trigger," Liggett told the AP. "They don't want that coming out."

Remember Leach and Texas Tech agreed to a five-year, $12.7 million contract back in February 2009. In the agreement the University was to owe Leach an $800,000 bonus on December 31 should he still be the head coach. With Texas Tech's action today the university is off the hook.

Craig James, the father of Adam James, and you know him as a college football analyst at the four-letter released this statement on behalf of the James family:

"We appreciate that the university conducted a fair and thorough investigation. From the family's point of view this has always been about the safety and well being of our son and of all the players on the team."

Photo Courtesy: AP

BREAKING NEWS: Leach Seeks Court Order To Coach

((HT: Lubbockonline.com))

Texas Tech coach Mike Leach is seeking a temporary restraining order that would allow him to coach in the Alamo Bowl.

The motion was filed Tuesday in Lubbock County, Texas court.
An in-chambers hearing was set for 8:30 a.m Wednesday morning in the 99th District Court.

In the filing, filed with "great regret" by Leach, the coach says he "would never intentionally harm or endanger a player" and that he has been "forced into this situation without being afforded any process."

Leach's legal representation claims there are "no legal grounds for the suspension and no provision in Mike Leach's contract authorizing it."

Last time the HQ checked, we thought all contracts gave ourselves the right to suspend ourselves if we saw fit...

Cute...

Leach's reps ((Ted Liggett signed the bottom of the TRO document request)) also claim breach of contract...

This should be cleaned up in a hurry...

Here's the motion filed on Leach's behalf...

UPDATE: ESPN's Joe Schad relays that Texas Tech University may, within the next 48 hours, attempt to fire Leach with cause from his position at the school.

Tuesday Update-Recap Thingy: Mike Leach Suspension

((HT: redraiders.com))

The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal staff gets major kudos for assembling all angles of the Mike Leach suspension, so here's what we all know by now...

Leach’s attorney, Ted Liggett, is going to do everything he can to get Leach back on the sidelines for the game in San Antonio...

“We’re going to do everything we can to see that our client is duly served justice and that he’s reunited with his boys as soon as possible,’’ Liggett said. Asked how he planned to go about it, Liggett said, “Through the court system, don’t ya?’’

Those of us at OSG HQ can think of a lot better reason to go to court, but this doesn't surprise us considering the amount of coach-ego that's involved.

The university completed its own initial investigation before the suspension. Apparently, Leach thought he had done nothing wrong in his treatment of Adam James.

Leach also, from what all parties understand, thought James was a "slacker" and that his father- ABC/ESPN analyst Craig James- acted like "a little league dad" with his involvement in the Texas Tech program.

Leach has never been one to pull punches, so this reaction should not surprise... Earler in the year, The Swashbuckler blamed his players' "fat little girlfriends" in a loss to Texas A&M...
((HT: KAMC-TV))


Leach had until Monday to write a letter of apology.
He didn't and, thus, the suspension...

The whole "standing in a dark space" thing we talked about earlier Monday happened in mid-December on two separate dates...

If Leach is going to be "Mangino'd" in Lubbock as a result of all this, he would be due $400,000 per year left on his five-year contract...

That's $1.6-million...there is no buyout provision...
Here's KCBD-TV's coverage- obviously, it's their lead...
Colin McElroy stands behind the desk to start us off before a phoner and a sidebar...


Craig James was scheduled to work the Alamo Bowl for ESPN.
He has been removed from that duty...