Texas Technicalities: Craig James Denies Role in Leach Firing, Son Calls Shed Treatment “Funny”

Mike Leach has been fired, is now in the news for being a coach (NSFW language), and has no chance of getting his job back. Because of that, we haven’t checked on the hit courtroom drama As Texas Tech Turns in a while. I wonder what’s going on in Lubbock?

⇥Craig James, whose complaint of mistreatment against Adam led to Leach’s firing in December, denied claims he had business ties with university administrators and described his role as limited in the coach’s firing during his nearly four-hour deposition Saturday afternoon in Tech’s administration building, said Dicky Grigg, an Austin-based lawyer for Tech.⇥⇥⇥...⇥⇥

⇥⇥“You can’t say that Craig James influenced the decision, but you can say from early on he was angry and wanted him fired,” he said.⇥⇥

So being angry and threatening to sue the university doesn’t count as influencing the decision? Okay, then. How about what the person who was actually punished thinks?

⇥Grigg said Leach also denied Adam James even had a concussion and pressured a trainer to make him practice, a claim Leach’s attorney denied.⇥⇥⇥“That is backed up by virtually no facts or evidence,” Ted Liggett said, adding Leach “treated (Adam) like he’d had a concussion from the moment he heard he had a concussion.”⇥⇥

⇥Liggett said the younger James’ testimony made light of his Dec. 17 isolation treatment, quoting the player as saying “being placed in the shed was funny.” Adam James testified he felt no threat of physical harm and didn’t believe Leach’s actions that day warranted his firing, Liggett said.⇥⇥⇥ ⇥

So one side says Craig James had no influence on Leach being fired and another reports testimony from Adam James that indicates he had no great issue with his punishment and didn’t want Leach gone.

At what point does someone from Texas Tech fall on a sword and admit that the administration had tired of Leach and suspected that a trumped-up charge of mistreating a player would be a good way to get him fired for cause? Because I can see that twist coming when Leach’s side starts talking about a settlement.

(HT: College Football Talk.)

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