Mike Leach got a raw Deal !

Ok, so Mark Mangino might be a real large, ominous, foul mouthed, heavy handed SOB right?  So were all my coaches while growing up playing sports and yes I competed on the college level as well. 

Mike Leach likes pirates, uses foul language, calls out his players when they dont play or practice hard or perform like is expected.  My dad did the same while I was growing up.  (with the exception of pirates)

Now we lean that Jim Leavitt of USF may have wrangled a kid and slapped him in the face.  Please do tell.  Whats going on out there?  All I'm hearing is the Lynch Mob coming down the road to wreck coaching careers.  What is to blame?  How can we fix this?

First of all, let me say that I dont condone any physical violence toward anyone, and I would be the first to break bad on anyone that hurt my kids. But i dont think thats what we're talking about here.

In my humble opinion, I can't help feel that both of these coaches were the end result of too much political correctness, Meddling and hidden agenda's at both schools.  Here's my Take:

1.  Mike Leach made TTU football relevant. TTU had little success prior to him and he made them mean something. Yes he's an oddball, but arent most successfull people a little devoured with idiocyncracies?  His quircky, "me against the world atititude rubbed the TTU boosters, administrators and higher ups the wrong way. 

 I can see a bunch of suits sitting around in a plush office office complex of a downtown Dallas building where a few millionaire boosters and investors of the TTU program sit and green light think ways to oust Leach just prior to paying him 800k in bonus. 

2.  Craig James should have stayed out of this.  Is it any secret that he pulls some weight at TTU? Sounds like James had it in for Leach, and once the perfect opportunity came, he used his son a pawn to help bring down leach.  All in the loving context of protecting his family. 

When I got slapped in the face by my catholic school nun for laughing in class, my mom didnt run to the school and call for her head on a platter. Couldn't have James met with Leach and had a man to man meeting and cleared the air.  Rumor has it, James was there enough.

3.  The kid was apparently a prima-donna.  Kudos to Leach for expecting maximum effort from the kid in an effort to help him perform better.  Coaches are hired to coach and those who think they are above effort or dont care to give any should have punishment dealt.  Do I think The storage she was appropriate? No.  you get the point

4.  Mike Leach embarrassed TTU during contract negotiations.  By self promotion, and seeing the world the way Mike sees it, the university was hell bent on making an example of him.  "you dont do this to us and get away with it", seemed the battle cry. Now as a result of hurt feelings, TTU has fired one of the most successful coaches of the last 10 years

5.   People didnt like the way Mark Mangino talked to them. No one likes to be talked to like a dog, I understand.  But, we are not playing in ceramics class here. Does the image of Mangino in your face, spitting out expletives every other word bother you?  Yes, but at the same time, its meant to.  He's a FOOTBALL COACH and he gets paid to get the best from his players.

6.  How much did the "weight thing" factor into all this?  I can hear it now.  Thats not the reason he got fired. No your right, at least on paper.  How much more was KU willing to hear of jokes about Mangino's heft?  I know its not supposed to be an issue, but dont you think after the season he had, it ultimatley was an unspoken issue? 

Im a heavy guy.  When I got a Career promotion 5 years ago, my Vice president told me that I should lose 20 lbs immediatley and go to the tanning salon so my complexion looked better.  I obliged to his request.  He said that he couldnt make me lose weight but people would warm up to me better.  Hmmm ok????  The issue is ALWAYS out there at the forefront.  Funny no one had issues when KU went to the BCS bowl.

I firmly beleive that both of these guys will be back coaching again soon.  How soon, it's anyone's guess.  Overall, I think these guys got a raw deal.  Will they change or will the people who will eventually employ them again change to accomodate Leach and Mangino?  Both Coaches brought success to both programs and got rewarded with a pink slips.  Go figure