Tech offers Leach extension
BY DON WILLIAMS
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Texas Tech’s likelihood of hanging on to Mike Leach took a turn for the better on Friday. Tech sent Leach’s agents a five-year, $12.1 million contract proposal, and an Alabama newspaper reported that Auburn was not pursuing Leach.
The new contract offers a raise and a three-year extension. It would run through 2013 and is a contract Tech can live with, athletic director Gerald Myers said.
“I think we’ve made what we consider a good proposal,’’ Myers said. “We believe it’s a proposal that’s fiscally sound and one that we can support and still be fiscally responsible with all of our other responsibilities within the department. We feel like Mike’s done a good job and hope that he’ll accept it.’’
Though it’s still up to Leach to accept, Tech Chancellor Kent Hance said he hopes having an offer in place will calm fears of Leach’s leaving.
“I feel that it’s a great deal for Mike,’’ Hance said. “I hope he’ll accept it and that we can get back to doing the important thing of recruiting and stop these rumors that don’t help Texas Tech. … We like Mike, and we want to keep him.’’
Leach’s current contract was a five-year, $10-million deal that expires after 2010.
The proposal keeps in place contract-completion bonuses of $800,000 for Leach if he stays through 2009 and $200,000 if he stays through 2010.
Leach would make at least $2.7 million next season, $2.4 million in 2010 and $7 million over the last three years, Myers said, though he was reciting the figures off the top of his head and did not have the proposal in front of him.
The $2.7 million in 2009 breaks down as $1.9 million in base salary and guaranteed outside income, plus the $800,000 bonus. The $2.4 million in 2010 includes the $200,000 bonus, Myers said.
Myers and Hance said $3 million a year for Leach isn’t something Tech can afford.
“We just feel 15 million (dollars) over that period is a little stretch for us,’’ Myers said. “For us to be able to be fiscally responsible with all of our other obligations, that was just a stretch for us to go to three million a year.’’
Myers said a buy-out clause in Leach’s contract remains unchanged: Leach would have to pay Tech $500,000 to leave early. For Tech to terminate Leach would cost the university 40 percent of the money that remained on his contract.
If Leach’s wanted to leave, his leverage seems to have diminished. Washington appears set to hire Southern Cal offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian as its new head coach, and the Birmingham News reported Friday that Auburn was not interested in Leach and was focusing its efforts elsewhere in seeking a replacement for Tommy Tuberville.
Multiple sources have told the Avalanche-Journal that Leach and his family love Lubbock and that he simply wants a fair offer to stay. The same sources indicated that Leach felt disappointed when his agents were told over the summer that Tech had to wait until the end of the season to work out a deal.
On Friday, Myers said, “I’ve said all along that we’re going to make a nice proposal and I felt that we were going to do that and I felt that Mike was going to be our coach, and I still think he’s going to be our coach. So we put that (offer) together.’’
Leach, in keeping with his nature over the last several years, has worried Tech fans by not publicly dismissing reports linking his name to other jobs.
Early this week, he traveled to Seattle to look into the pending vacancy at Washington. Tech administrators said he didn’t tell them he was going and didn’t receive any communication from UW officials.
“That’s Mike’s business,’’ Hance said. “He mentioned it to me when I called him after he got back. I don’t blame a guy for looking around if he wants to. I just don’t think there’s a better job in the country for him than Texas Tech. He fits and we fit, and that’s kind of where we are.’’
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Finally! He is worth it!
How does this compare to the other coaches salaries in the Big 12? Anyone know?
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if the offer is 12 million and we just raised 3 million more than what was needed for the stadium expansion — east side, why can’t the 3 million be added to the 12 million and give Leach the 15 million — 3 million per year that Myers says we can’t afford?
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Mack the whiner and Sttops are ahead of Leach in terms of salary.
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Compared to the money, games, fans and national attention that you are going to lose if he does leave; 15 million is a deal; I doubt if Briles, Dykes or anyother coach you have in mind will ever get near to what Mike brings to the University or to Lubbock; And as a fan I would hate to watch a game with any less offence, excitement, enery and joy that he gives me with every victory; His players always have a positive attitude and play hard with no fear; He will be a tough act to follow for any coach and your loss of money will be greater compared to what he will generate if stays. Start cutting expenses you don’t need and salaries from people who want to wait for results, instead of doing their jobs on time. You knew Tech was going to have a good season because he built the program to have a good season this year; You should have been better prepared and established a better relationship instead of sitting on your high chair waiting for results. He’s done his job now do yours, what he has done here is priceless and his support here is strong.
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One website for Big 12 coaching salaries is:
http://marketpower.typepad.com/market_power/2008/07/big-xii-footbal.html
1. Mack Brown (Texas) $2.8 million
2. Bob Stoops (Oklahoma) $2.65 million
3. Mangino (KU) $2.3 million
4. Pinkel (MU) $1.85 million
5. Mike Sherman (Texas A&M) $1.8 million
6. Mike Leach (Texas Tech) $1.65 million
7. Bo Pelini (Nebraska) $1.6 million
8. Art Briles (Baylor) $1.4 million
9. Dan Hawkins (Colorado) $1.1 million
10. Gene Chizik (Iowa State) $1 million
11. Mike Gundy (Okla. State) $953,000
12. Ron Prince (Kansas State) $754,140
Also, sources say Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt just agreed to a contract extension today that will pay him in the neighborhood of $2.5 million annually.
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$2.42 mil a year puts him 3rd behind Stoops and Brown. Not chump change! I bet Vince Gill doesn’t make that much dough.
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Third highest behind Mack Brown and Stoops.
Sounds fair… I think Tech should also include bonuses for going to the Big 12 Championship game, Winning the Big 12 Championship game, going to a BCS game and winning a BCS game. $100,000 for each step sounds fair.
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ok who are these guys trying to kid…the reason Myers and Hance can even talk about there “other responsibilities” is because of the revenue Leach has brought to the program…Make the money garanteed salary. Oh thats right he doesnt have an option now, Washington has a coach and Auburn “isn’t interested”….I guess everyone has forgot the NFL exists. HHHHMMMMMM.
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Coach Leach has the same record and played the same teams that Oklahoma and Texas played, but yet he doesn’t have the blue chippers and and the income. That means the efforts of Leach are greater because he has succeeded with less. Can you imagine if he was at Texas or Oklahoma with all of that talent. Do you think Stoops or Brown would be successful at Tech? NO!!!!! Leach would be kicking their __ every year. Give him equal pay and challenge him to win it all, I can only imagine a season we willl never forget.
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Ok ok. So we’ve had our little bi-annual test the mkt trek – not really any surprises there if you ask me. I like , respect , and adimire Coach Leach, so don’t get me wrong. However, when it is freakin 4th and 1 we need an offensive line to be able to get us that 1st down almost any where on the field. In 9 yrs I’ve only seen it once and that was this yr. Yep! We need to run just a little bit more like we did this yr. I’d a put THAT in his contract since it was so successful. Or was Harrell just always checking off? Either way if we don’t go after Briles THIS YEAR it will never be a possibility again -NEVER. What a coach he is and we evidently missed on timing. Nobody bleeds red and black more than me. Sorry. I’m just a little selfish and the hair on my neck stands up and I pray to the good Lord that our kids are rarin’ and ready when we line up against the Okies and the Horns. In other words, nothin’s too good for our players and students.
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I agree with chilldog. Saying that’s all Tech can offer is a crock! The money can be found somewhere if Tech really wants to.
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I have been watching the “Comments” on various articles on this web site for the past few days… And I have found it rather “humorous” as folks have tried to discredit Leach for being a “money grubber” and/or for not being “loyal” – and/or that Gerald Myers is a great AD… And “bleeds” red and black… And blah, blah blah….
Here is the “bottom line” of what is going on….
1) Gerald Myers may be a Red Raider through and through… And he may indeed bleed red and black… And that you can admire…
But he is a putz!!… He was a putz as a basketball coach – and he has been a putz as an AD… He was about the only person around who even wanted the job as AD at Tech when it became available in 1996…. Remember the NCAA investigations about that time??? So, it is not like Tech had strong/great people knocking the door down to become AD in 1996… NOBODY wanted much to do with Tech athletics back then…
And so Gerald “snuck in the back door”… He had been “dilly dicking” around the AD for 5 years since he had “retired” as the men’s head basketball coach in 1991, looking for something / anything to justify his presence there and to keep a paycheck coming… And I use the term “retired” rather loosely – because Gerald’s last two years as Tech’s head basketball coach yielded a “fabulous” record of 13-45 – and the program was heading into the crapper at warp speed…
Yeah, you can point to Myer’s hiring of Leach and Bob Knight as being a “sign “of his brilliance as AD… But in all honesty, Leach was an “unknown” back in 2000… In Leach’s only season at OU, they had a very mediocre year… So I doubt Gerald had any idea as to what he was getting with Leach – other than he had stolen the offensive coordinator from an OU team that had just posted a 7-5 season… Whoop – De – Doo…
Myers was “dumb lucky” with Leach… And yeah, I’ll take luck any day… But this is NOT to be confused with “brilliance”, either… So – don’t go looking at Myer’s hiring of Leach that year as an indication of Myer’s “superior insight” as an AD…
To save space, I won’t go into Gerald’s so-called “brilliance” in hiring Bob Knight – other than to say I truly like and appreciate Coach Knight, and it was a good thing for Tech at the time… But again, I don’t know that it was particularly indicative of any “brilliance” on the part of Gerald Myers. More a “marriage of convenience”, if you will…
But one thing for certain – Myers has certainly enjoyed basking in the glory that Leach (and to a degree, Knight) has brought to TT athletics in the past several years… Trouble is, Gerald’s head has also grown… And as of late, I am certain this little pecker-wood feels like he is a “deity” of the same caliber as a DeLoss Dodds (UT) or a Mike Garrett (USC)… Myers has been growing quite an ego I am certain, considering he was pretty much a “warm body” at best at Tech from the late-80′s going into the early 2000′s… And now, in light of an 11-1 year and some national exposure, Gerald is “feeling his oats” and ready to “flex a little muscle” to show the world who the “real star” is at Tech… After all – he hired the fellow who took Tech to this level of success? That must mean Gerald is an Einsten, right?….
And hence the problem here with Leach… Even Ray Charles can see what is going on here… Myers doesn’t don’t praise his coach to the world following a fantastic win over the #1 football team in the country?? Leach takes off to Washington recently – and everyone is caught “off guard”??? He refuses to meet / talk with Myers in person???…Come on folks – what is that telling you is going on here??? Somebody has a “personality” / ego problem here…And while I don’t “know” Mike Leach other than what I have read about him, I don’t gather Mike has a lot of “personality” problems with people (coaches, players, etc)… And in 8 years, I think if he had any, they would surely have surfaced along the way…. SO – WHO CAN IT BE????
Duh…..
2) College football left the days of “Rah – rah – sis – boom – bah – Goooooooo Team!!” a LONG time ago… Like it or not, top flight programs are all about winning and packing the stands and corporate boxes and national television coverage… Team loyalty and bleeding your team colors is all great and fine… And there have been those on these boards who have certainly accused Leach of not bleeding enough red and black as of late…
Wake up, Pollyanna… College sports is business… BIG business… The “Gipper” is long gone, like it or not… Mike has come in and brought a LOT of excitement back into Tech football… They may not always win – but 99.9% of the time you are going to come away from a Tech game thrilled & entertained… And this, folks, sells tickets… LOTS of tickets… It brings in national media attention… And this brings in money – and future talent… And this brings better facilities and more donations…. And the circle goes round and round and round…
Even if Mike Leach has said something ugly about Gerald Myers’ momma recently or in the past that has gotten Gerald’s panties in a knot (and I am not saying Mike has) – you’d think Gerald and Kent Hance would realize as business people what a “golden goose” they have with Mike Leach!! If I were AD, I would let Mike talk about my momma all day long – keep my fat mouth shut – pay him whatever it took – and then laugh my arse off all the way to the bank as I watched the stands sell out game after game after game…
Do these two numb-nuts not realize they have THE hottest “celebrity” out there short of Sarah Palin right now??? Even “The Donald” sees him as a “hot commodity” (and I can’t stand Donald Trump)… And I don’t see Mike fading off into the sunset as a coach anytime soon, either… He is “different”, unconventional… And if he can get a defense put together that can stop the run, he WILL win… And win BIG TIME…
And all this song and dance from Gerald and Kent about “we don’t know if we can pay him $XXXX…. We have to work within our budget….” Blah, blah, blah…
Puh-lease!!!!!! If these two aren’t any better business men than this – then I think Tech has a REAL big “financial” problem… And it isn’t Mike Leach’s salary… This type of myopic thinking is what kills corporations all the time… This mousy, meal-mouthed ruse of “well, we’ll have to look at our budget” is pathetic, and something you hear out of the mouth’s of ignorant junior management… Not from a savvy CEO… Here we are at a VERY rare point in time where have the opportunity to take Tech’s football program – and along with it, other areas of Tech’s athletics as well – and become a national “household name”… And here are Gerald and Kent, on the verge of “cutting off our nose to spite our face”???
Tell me – who do you figure has the best chance to take Tech’s entire athletic program to the next level? Mike Leach – or Gerald Myers???
I truly hope someone at Tech has some “sense” – common, as well as business – and gets Mike Leach a SOLID contract that pays him well… He has proven his value/worth to Tech… It hasn’t been Gerald Myers who has been packing the stands…. Even though I am certain he thinks he is “The One”…
And if/when they get this resolved, I can only hope the Board of Regents realizes it is time to put Gerald Myers out to pasture once and for all… It is more than obvious Gerald is more into himself – and power – and not being seen as a “little man” – than he is about Tech… We need someone of the caliber of a DeLoss Dodds, who is happy to bask in the victory and glory of an athletic program from behind the stage, who enjoy things all the way to the bank when others are in the limelight, who recognizes a “golden goose” when he sees one – and knows, at the end of the day he has truly kept his university first.
Guns Up, Raiders!!!!
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Several things:
1. Leach would get KILLLLLEDDDDD in the pros and he knows it. His system is not a pro system and never will be.
2. The deal is fair. Why does Leach need to be the highest paid coach in the Big 12? He is a great coach but he has never won or played in the Big 12 Championship game, the BCS, or the National Championship Game. Those other guys have both won National Championships, play in 80,000 seat stadiums and play for the Big 12 title every year.
3. I would recommend that everyone who posts asking Tech to pony up more cash should 1st make a personal $10,000 donation to TTU earmarked for Leach.
4. I’m worried about Briles as well. However, I am not sure that Baylor or Tech is the final destination for Briles.
5. I think the more important question than Leach’s salary is whether we have Ruffin McNeal signed, sealed and delivered. The defensive turnaround with a really young defense is what has made this season special.
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one thing i would like to no. after 9 seasons leach finnaly takes an establised program to the national level and everyone goes crazy. and thinks leach is a great coach which he is but did anyone think of ruffin mcneal. that is the real reason tech is were it is at right now. leach tryed and failed to win games with his offense alone so he got mcneal and a turnaround. guys mcneal is techs best keeped secret. without him we would not be were we are. i love leach and want to take no deserving credit from him but im wondering why no teams have pursued him… and i belive this is a fair offer. take us to a big money bowl… a big 12 championship… then you will get like stoops and brown.
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RAIDER FAN— YOU REMIND ME OF A BUSINESS SAYING,……YOU CAN BE SMART BUT IT TAKES AN INTELLIGENT PERSON TO ACTUALLY DO THE WORK….., YOU ARE SMART BUT YOU ARE LACKING IN INTELLIGENCE WITH YOUR THOUGHTS THAT DON’T MEAN WE WILL BE 11-1 AGAIN; CAN YOU SHOW ME A COACH THAT WILL BE 11-1 IN THE BIG 12 SOUTH OTHER THAN LEACH WITH WHAT HE HAS TO WORK WITH? AND THEN YOU PAY HIM WHAT YOU THINK HE SHOULD BE PAID TO BE UNDER BROWN AND STOOPS.
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The offer to Leach is what it is, I personally think it should be more, but i will say this, the $500k buyout is chump change to the bigger name Universities if Leach has another big year next season, and make no mistake, Taylor Potts and the returning Raiders are very capable of continuing the success of late, especially with Ruffin running the defense the way he has, and i will tell you one thing, if Coach Leach continues his success, we will be having this discussion again, and he’s not going to want $12.1 million next time, and if he leaves, regardless of who we get, as coach, we will see a lull in excitement which will be noticed by the bigger donors. Also for those that think we can just run out and talk Art Briles into coming over, i wouldn’t count on that just yet, Briles has Baylor doing some pretty spectacular things, and already has them out of the conference cellar, and they have ALOT of money to throw at a coach, and trust me, a bowl season at Baylor and we won’t have enough money to outbid our baptist friends from East Texas, they have very very deep pockets. Texas A&M, by the way, is getting pretty tired of hanging out in the conference cellar, or toilet if you will, they are stinking up the place. They get great recruits, and they also have a ton of money, if they grow a brain and decide to steal our coach next year, we are going to be hating ourselves for being well…. aggies in negotiations. I think Gerald Myers served his purpose in the 80s and 90s, but i also think he should be more supportive of our coach. I still remember the fiasco that was created with the the postage for the football team a few years back. Kent Hance was a great congressman, and a nice guy, he can raise money with the best of them, i hope he realizes that in the future, his decision on this matter could result in grave consequences for the school. I hope Coach Leach takes the offer, because the fans love him and appreciate what he means to the University, the community and the Big 12 conference. He has earned all the respect he gets. Go Raiders, Lets win a bowl game.
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told ya’ll, the defense killed us at ou, the defense has miles and miles to go. the offense has saved the defense all year until the baylor game………i love ruff, but there should be no worries about where he is going to be…….leach gave him a chance, ruff was an assistant before he let go the dead head defensive coordinator sienich……….
leach is built for lubbock and lubbock built for leach……..now, let’s rebuild our o-line and get ready for next year, we are loaded at qb, rb and wr’s. defensive is young and we need corners,, but all is good!!!!!!!!!!
let the recruiting start mike!! go get them
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11. Mike Gundy (Okla. State) $953,000 is the best value. And they have T. Boone Pickens!
Travel expenses paid, meals paid, cell phone paid, clothing paid, … and salaries like that…what the hell do you need all that money for?
Something’s got to give in this country. Sorry guys. I love Leach and wish he would stay till he retires or dies like Joe at Penn State, but like Joe he and other coaches need to get a grip at what’s going on and who is paying them…non-profit learning institutions! If Leach likes Lubbock and likes Texas Tech the two need to settle on a lifetime contract and end this every 2-3 year mess.
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Gundy got a raise yesterday>>>$2.2mil
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Is this a contract replacement (like previous ones) or additional 5 years (to 2015) as the AP is reporting?
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Can I get a 110% raise?
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RAIDER FAN……. YOU DIDN’T ANSWER THE QUESTION,…YOU ARE SHOWING HOW SMART YOUR ARE; LOOK UP THE DEFINITION OF INTELLIGENCE; IT WILL SHOW YOU THE DEFINITION OF MIKE,…HE ACTUALLY WILL DO THE WORK; MIKE PROVED HE IS INTELLIGENT BY ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK WITH A RECORD OF 11-1 ,…. GIVE ME THE NAME OF AN INTELLIGENT COACH THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BEAT STOOPS AND BROWN WITH A LOWER INCOME AND LESSER TALENT AND WITH A RECORD OF 11-1; UNLESS YOUR GOALS AND THOUGHTS ARE MONEY DRIVEN AND WITH HOPE THAT WE GET LUCKY AND WIN. THEN I WOULD UNDERSTAND YOUR LOGIC.
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http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/28027754/
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I am a lubbock native and have lived and breathed Texas Tech football for 38 years…I have sat in the stands for the Moore and Spike years…I remember the 5 and 6 wins seasons yet I was proud to be there. I never dreamed of an 11 and 1 season but it happened…. The agent of that change was Mike Leach… Leach brought in a system that could compete with texas and ou without the blue chips….He deserves more money than Mack or Stoopes because he did it with much less… I will pay more for season tickets (call it the mike leach surcharge) just get it done.
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Ya know at the risk of sounding religious maybe God knew all along where we were headed at Raiderland. Maybe he allowed Gerald Myers to be the right man at the right time to get the Tech AD position. Just maybe he allowed Gerald to find Mike with our first ever National search method of getting a new coach. Just maybe he allowed us to not get Rich Rodriguez (OH! THANK YOU LORD JESUS!!!!!). And, just maybe he has allowed Gerald and Mike to co-exist this long so they can realize the mature relationship of respect and friendship they have achieved. Looking back I see Mike was not Gerald’s actual first choice. And, Gerald may not have been Mike’s first choice. But , what the hell! Works for me…
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Whoever leaves last please turn out the lites –
10-4 good buddies!
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Man I think TECH has found replacements for MYERS and HENCE.Chilldog and TEX DOC.I vote for you guys.lol.I think eveything will be settled by Sunday night.I just need to get my tickets to where ever we are playing.Question?What happens if Mizzou,Alabama and USC loose.Does that not change allot of things.Remember we hold the head to head against TEXAS.And I would for sure be in someones *** If they put TEXAS ahead of TECH.And we would not be whiners, we would be right.There is a differance of whining, and be right……
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Maybe money wouldn’t be so tight if the department would make better choices. Wouldn’t it make more since to add 20,000 to 30,000 more seats that to add more box suites? 25mil$$$ could add a lot of NEEDED seats and would create more revenue. How bout we add 20,000 seats (those seats create revenue) then we add more box suites. Listen for a loud pop right before this happens.
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one year of great success? come on…Tech in the top ten for 3 or 4 years out of five…..to my way of thinking…. the leach administration has some work to do… get a defense and Tech gets the same respect and “fear” as Miami or FS of a decade or so ago…that would be the ultimate for the football program
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FIRE MYERS!
MAKE MIKE THE AD.
NOBODY IN THIS WORLD SHOULD HAVE TO LABOR UNDER GERALD MYERS.
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UNLESS WE CAPTURE OSAMA BIN LADIN
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Mike’s agent actually thinks he is entitled to more money than the coaches that have actually got his teams into BCS Games?
I think Chillidog works for IMG.
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wow-tex doc, nice book-compares to war and peace.
regarding leach, i hope and think he will stay. 2.4 or 2.5 whatevr the average is, will put him in the top 3 or 4 in the conference. that is more than fair.
regarding leach doing less with more, people, wake up. In case you missed it, The Man Leach has been consistently and drastically improving the talent level in Lubbock. The days are gone of Tech taking the UT, AM and OU leftovers. Yes fellas, we are now standing toe to toe with these same schools and we are now winning the recruiting war. Go to rivals. com and see the recruits that we are getting and what other schools they were offered by: Miami, Florida, OU, etc. Leach is the primary reason for that. Even if Harrell and Crab are gone next year, trust me that we will only reload with the underclassmen that have been recruited. Detron Lewis, batch, swindall, leong, etc-these guys can flat out play and could start at UT and OU. Yes at UT and OU. Lets hope leach stays so we can compete not only for a big 12 title but a National Championship.
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Well it is done, but I suspect that Ok. St., Baylor, and Tech will be fighting for 3rd for the next few years. If you thought it was tough this year, wait a while.
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I’ve been reading these comments and I’m sure disappointed with the intelligence of some of you.
Raider Fan said is best in one of his entries higher up in the postings. Texas Tech can only pay a person so much. Our stadium revenues aren’t anywhere near a UT or OU simply because of ticket revenues. I love Leach as much as anyone else and I want him to stay but until he starts beating UT and OU on a regular basis and wins Big 12 and National Championships there is a cap on his salary.
Obviously most of you don’t own your own businesses and don’t understand the cash flow situation at Tech. There’s been deficits the past several years in the athletics department and you can’t run on deficits long.
He certainly has earned being a top 3-4 highest paid coach in the Big 12 and that’s it for now until he continues to step up to the next tier. And for any of you nuts who says the NFL might come calling, please don’t change your day job to prognosticating sports; Leach’s system would not work in the NFL.
Like Raider Fan stated, if you think Leach deserves more, then step up to the plate and write a check you idiots!
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The main things that I see about the contract offer is that it is an extention that looks to be very helpful for recruiting. A recruiting coach can say ‘the head coach has a contract in place to be here as long as you are here’.
The money is not the best, it is not the worst, it does not reflect achievement as it has been presented to the reader. There surely are incentives which can make impact on the money based on wins, championships, graduation rates, etc.
I hope it is sufficient to be acceptable or is readily negotiated to everyone’s satisfaction…everyone being the two parties negotiating.
I am ready to start reading about football…
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I think coach Leach knows anyone of Techs old QB’S could step in and run that offence whether they are headcoach or not. Tech could then Hire a defensive minded coach and win a championship.
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Glad to see that we’re making progress and I hope the deal gets finalized today. I’m with everyone else wishing we could pay Coach Leach whatever amount he deserves – there are people I’d like to hire and investments we’d all like to make in our businesses if we had the money. Tech’s Athlectic Department is already one of the lowest-funded in the conference. Mike Leach is not the only one at Tech that has done a lot with limited resources. While I certainly don’t always agree with Gerald Meyers I do believe that he and Kent Hance are trying to act in a repsonsible manner in terms of the University’s finances. Yes, there is a budget and there is not a bottomless well of money to draw from. Anyone who has owned or managed a business knows that there are always limitations – even if the potential payoff is great.
We’ve got a great coach and a great program and I’m hoping that in coming years, with the continued success we all anticipate, Tech will be able to compensate our coaches at levels comparable to any school in the country.
WRECK “EM
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Tech has a great coach in Mike Leach. He is very much respected in Oklahoma to this day even tho he spent only one year here. Do what is necessary to keep him and keep the excitement level up in Lubbock!
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Over the last few years the Raiders are now selliing out Jones Stadium with regularity, graduating players in high percentages, have defeated Oklahoma the last two times they played in Lubbock (and for those of you nay sayers about beating Oklahoma in Norman, that almost never happens for anybody), they have posted bowl victories in dramatic fashion, and we are at a point where many are disappointed because we will be playing in a non-BCS bowl game, Raider fans are excited, the media is covering Lubbock like never before, and the Aggies are actually correct when they say that we do not have a rivalry with them. The Raiders own the Aggies. All that said, keep in mind that we are in the recruiting hotbed of the country, everybody wants Texas athletes, and although we get great players, its because of the coaches and our exposure, which Coach Leach has brought to the University. so Raider Fan, not to be confused with me, and all the others that are criticizing Coach Leach for one reason or another. Keep in mind what he has meant to Tech, and remember, regardless of if he signs with us, or if our nightmare becomes a reality, he leaves, he deserves our admiration and respect for what he has accomplished here. Coach Leach, thanks for all that you have meant to this community, and if you stay, thanks for all you will continue to do.
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Hey, as far as seating compacity and coaches salaries – how about our stadium expansion?
We’re gonna have more luxury boxes for the corporate executives, conservative financiers, wall street rip-off artists, etc.
The crowd Hance has been mingling with before he came to Tech.
That’s where the money is. Not the riff-raff that have regular seats and write-in to sports chats.
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Memo to Mssrs. Hance and Myers:
You can’t afford not to sign Mike.
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OK, I work at “Best Buy” and I want to increase my salary.
Monday I’ll go in to my boss and tell him that Wallmart and Market Street are wanting to talk to me about a better job, surely I’ll get a raise up to $9.75 and hour. Is that how it works?
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No, you look around and see what your co-workers are making for their end-results.
Then you say: “Why not me?”
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No jo-jo, first you have to call down to Circuit City and have them tell everyone you’re on the short list of new employees, then you’ll get your raise.
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UT Coach “Boom MFer” (Will Muschanp) is now being paid $900,000 to run the UT defense — and wait for Mack Brown to retire and play golf with DKR. Course they gots the mad BCS bowl money.
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I think Coach Leach just may be on the verge of building a dynasty at Texas Tech. Over the last several years he has built an offense that is one of the best in Division I. By building the defensive unit to the same level, Tech should be in the top 10 every year. I still have high hopes that one day Tech will play for the national championship. The university should do everything possible to keep him. I am sure thre are lots of schools out there that would just love to have him as head coach. I am 66 years of age and grew up in a farming community near Lubbock. I did not get my bachelor’s degree at Tech, but I did receive my master’s degree from Tech and lots of graduate work post master’s. Both my son and daughter are Tech graduates. We are a red and black family that will always be cheering the Red Raiders.
I am so proud of the team and the coaches. Best wishes for a great bowl win.
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The overall comments made on this story reflect a great debate and have several key reminders for us all.
1) Ruffin McNeil is great and will hopefully be around for a long
time to come. What a difference maker he is.
2) Kent Hance was an excellent politician and a very good
lawyer. I can promise anyone out there, he knows where the
money is and he knows how to go get it.
3) As much as I know Gerald Meyers loves Texas Tech, he has
never been anything more than just average at anything he
has ever done. I can tell you from personal knowledge that
almost all Tech coaches spread over all sports love Meyers.
But I will never forget how Gerald got this job-it wwas by default,
and most of his training has been on the job training.
3) As a Red Raider speaking to my friends, my suggestion to all
you at this point is simply this – Trust Hance! He knows what to
do: The money, the expansion, the personnel, etc. Hance
knows whats at stake and he also understands the limitations.
He also knows how vulnerable we are right now, and he’s not
going to tolerate mediocrity – Not even from Gerald Meyers!
Kent Hance is a calculated risk taker. Our future is bright!
Lets get our guns up!
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The debate of who would do what where is irrelevant, the old money schools dont want their traditions turned to pirates and press conferences thrown off the cuff. To them football is “serious”. We are the perfect fit just like we were a good fit for Coach Knight, West Texans understand ruffing up a kid if he doesnt listen. Just like we know inventive football beats old school any day as long as its not in Norman
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i just got off the auburn message boards and saw how divided there fan base is there right now. please myers get this deal done and sealed we dont wanna look for another coach and go through that. the only thing we would be together on is demanding your head! watch out pirates dont take prisoners
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Oh, I do own my own business… Have for over 20 years… Not too bad for an “idiot”, huh? Must have been “dumb lucky” I guess… :) And no, I don’t understand Tech’s cash flow or their budget deficits…And I more than realize we don’t have a stadium the size of UT or A&M….
But you know, until someone besides the AD gets to looking at the numbers, we will never really know what is possible, will we? If there is indeed a deficit (btw, anyone seen the actual numbers – or is this just web “innuendo?”), instead of belly-aching about what we are paying “the cooks in the kitchen”, maybe we ought to be taking a much harder look at the “administrative costs” associated with running the athletic department… It has been my observation over the years that it is a very typical management “stance” that when the numbers are running a little lean and/or “in the red” – well, hey, we must have too many employees running around… And/or we must be paying them way too much money… So – let’s make some cuts!!!… Surely we can find someone who can do the job and produce the same results for less money and/or the money we have in our “budget”…
You RARELY hear upper management when times are “tight” say, “Hey – maybe we’re the ones not doing such a hot job of managing what we are doing with the $$ our employees are earning for us….” And/or, “Maybe we need fewer “chiefs” running around here…”
Mike Leach and all the other “cooks” at Tech go out there each and every week and prove via their win / loss record that they deserve to be there another week… And when they are winning and recruiting and packing the stadium, that they deserve to be paid comparable to their peers… On the other hand, what is the criteria we are holding our “upper management” to? And/or are they “immune” from such scrutiny once they get into those positions?
Kinda reminds one of Washington, D.C., don’t you think? Many of us are out here are “cooking” real hard – but our “upper management” has let THEIR budget get into the “red”…. And what does our “upper management” do? They, too, decide the “cooks” are getting paid too much – and they “cut our pay” (i.e., raise our taxes) to resolve THEIR budget deficit…
Come on, folks – If we have winning programs – and I think we can establish that is the case at least with the football program – but the budget is in the red – who is truly at fault about that?? The “cooks” – or the “chiefs”?
I may be an “idiot” – but at least I know who is REALLY responsible for what regarding this “budget deficit” issue…. And who is REALLY responsible for being able – and/or not being able – to set-up a plan to pay Mike Leach something comparable to other winning coaches in the Big 12…
I also know this is a whole lot more than just about the $$$… Again, there are some big-time “personality” issues here… This budget and deficit talk is just the “smoke screen”, the ruse… A head coach just does not typically take off unannounced to Washington (state) to go talk about a head coaching position with a 0-11 team in a conference that certainly has a good history to it – but that other than USC is also way behind the Big 12 right now… Especially right after completing an 11-1 season in possibly the most challenging conference in the nation this past year… He does not refuse to meet personally with the AD to discuss $$$… That is, unless there are some BIG problems with SOMEBODY’s personality and ego… And while I haven’t lived in Lubbock in a while, I think I made it clear in an earlier post as to who I suspect IS the “problem” as I observe things from afar…
For those of you who feel Leach doesn’t deserve more – and/or those of you who can’t seem to find a way to justify it amidst this “budget deficit” – then I have 3 questions for you:
1) Who are you going to find to coach that is going to produce similar or better results for less money? You challenge some of us to write the check… Tell you what – you give us a name (or two)…
2) Are you going to be prepared to endure a 4-5-6 year “rebuilding” phase, while your new coach gets his ducks in order? (And if you don’t think it will take that long – think again!!)
3) Other than his supposed “brilliance” in hiring Mike Leach & Bob Knight – which I have discussed at length already – you show me just 1 thing – just 1 thing – that in 12 years “establishes” that we should be keeping Gerald Myers as AD at Tech… If indeed there is a “deficit” – just under whose guidance/direction did that take place??? To my knowledge, Mike Leach’s salary was way down the totem pole as we were incurring this deficit…. So that can’t be the blame… Mike Leach has won games, has recruited talent to Tech, has packed the stadium, and has brought positive national attention to Tech… IMHO, he has successfully fulfilled his job criteria – and done it where the whole world could see… No lack of transparency here… Now – since there seems to be a “rift” between Myers and Leach – and possibly a pretty good one – you tell me all about the “virtues” of Gerald Myers… And why he isn’t the one maybe we should be looking to replace at a lower salary…. Go ahead… I am all ears….
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RUFFIN NEEDS A RAISE…
I agree with some of you in that Ruffin has done a great job this year, and probably deserves a minimal raise.
However, before he can be considered one of the top defensive coordinators in the Big 12, he needs to be able to develop a game plan that totally shuts down struggling offenses such as A&M and Eastern Washington. He also has to be creative enough to not allow OU to run up the score.
Aside from that… the defense was MUCH better this year, and it showed with all the Big 12 selections.
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most of us on this comment line are red raider fans. we have all enjoyed the wins this season. but what many of you seem to forget is how close we were to losing to nevada, nebraska and texas. if that had happened it would have been the same old story.
he has been here 9 years or so. still not a really good defense although certainly better than in the past thanks to ruffin. he sure deserves a raise.
but leach continues to fail to perform against oklahoma on the road. we only won last year at home because we got lucky and their qb was hurt. so the bottom line is leach has never won the game that would take tech to the next level. and there does not seem to be any change in sight. one can only imagine how badly we may lose next year in austin.
most of you have not been a fan for as long as me. 1957. so while i share in your praise of the program, leach is not the only game in town. he should be paid well just like other coaches. but until he wins championships he is no better or worse than most of the coaches i have seen in the last 50 years. all of whom had the same problems recruiting.
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Ruffin McNeil is NOT the answer as Def Coord. You guys are all non-savvy football fans. Our defense against the pass is one of the WORST in the country. Our overall defense is one of the WORST in the country. Our scoring defense is one of the WORST in the country. So. Why do we want this guy to get more money? Two great games does not make for a great coordinator. Did anyone see the OU game?
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I think this is a good offer and hope he stays. I was glad Auburn and Washington already took their names out of the pot and I think Leach may have used those interviews, phone calls to his advantage to get Myers to hurry and make an offer.
Bob stoops will be the highest paid coach this year with his bonus $3M bonus for coaching at OU for 10 years.
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Vince:
Leach has never won the game to get us to the next level? We beat #1 texas in November if you slept through it. That was just the first time IN HISTORY that tech defeated a #1 team.
all your ifs and buts, blah blah blah, but we WON. the bottom line is winning. we beat nevada, nebraska and texas. There is no shame in losing to Oklahoma at their place. Tech picked the wrong year to have their best team ever. There is some pretty stout competition in the big 12 south. So give credit where credit is due.
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*reply to vince*
Vince, I understand where you’re coming from but Texas Tech has turned the corner. You mention that Tech barely beat Nebraska, Nevada, and Texas. Well in previous years we would have and did lose to those types of teams. Remember the UTEP game a few years back. I could go on an on. Fact of the matter is we are winning these games and stepping up to be a force in the Big 12.
Also about beating Oklahoma on the road. Stoops has lost twice in Norman since he’s been there. So to bring that up as an argument is only reporting one side of that story.
We probably will lose in Austin, but you cannot blame the coach in this instance. You have got to realize that Oklahoma and Texas have top 10 recruiting classes year after year. Before Leach got in we weren’t even on the map in recruiting, now we’re inching our way up into the 20s-30s.
What it boils down to is if Leach happens to leave Tech will go back to being a 5-8 win team a year. With Leach (and ruffin) we can become a perennial double digit win team.
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Mike, pleeeeease don’t leave. You are so good for Tech…Tech loves you and the fans love you. The team is only as good as their leadership…… and you are a leader.
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Vince, although I have not been a Raider fan as long as you, just since 1965, I beg to diagree. Leach is far and away better than Moore or Dockery, better than King or McWilliams, about to pass Dykes in wins with a much better winning percentage, and at least on a par with Carlen and Sloan, the last two coaches who had double digit winning seasons. One of the problems with Carlen and Sloan is they left before we could tell how good they could be. And they did not do as well after they left as they did at Tech, if my memory serves. The fact is, past Tech teams WOULD have lost to Nebraska, UT, Nebraska and even Baylor. BUT THIS TEAM DID NOT! That is a credit to the players recruited by Leach, coached by Leach, and led by Leach as well as the fine coaching staff he has assembled. I don’t want to see him leave because I am sick and tired of coaches using Tech as a stepping stone – a la Carlen, Sloan, McWilliam. However, I do not have the money to put into a Leach contract fund. I trust Hance to do what is best, but Myers seems to be out of his element. Hopefully, this will all get put to rest over the weekend and the guys can get back to football. As an aside, I thought Harrell’s comments about Leach leaving were not helpful at all. He should have kept his mouth shut.
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if this is going to happen every year, i’d just as soon he leave now before we pony up big money. i’d love for mike leach to stay as i think he is a very good coach and i think he has done a good job with Tech. but this is getting old, every year he almost leaves. this year our own QB is saying he might leave. while i think Graham was speaking out of turn, i think there is some truth to Leach looking for a “new challenege”, if Leach is going to pt Tech through this year after year, I would just as soon have someone else. my opinion is the damage has already been done to the current team and to recruits who have been watching tech all season. they probably think the same thing we all do, if he chooses not to leave this year, maybe it will be next. i’d love for mike leach to stay and i appreciate all he has done for this program, but please don’t let this be a yearly occurence.
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Hey Leach,
Don’t let the screen door hit you where the good Lord split you.
Amen!!!
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Can you imagine all of the fine folks at Texas Tech that will not get a well deserved raise because of Mike Leach.
Texas Tech can not generate enough cash flow from a 50,000 seat stadium to pay him anyway and without a BCS game Texas Tech will have to pass over secretaries, admin-assistances, professors and many others to make a deal that has never taken us to the next level (BCS game).
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no i didnt sleep through the game. but as usual the defense let texas get the lead back. the only reason we won was because a freshman defender dropped a sure interception.
no shame in losing to oklahoma? by 40 points. that is the problem with too many fans. they have come to accept less than winning against teams like oklahoma. i know the team has not. not sure about the coach.
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vince my man you seem like a glass half empty kind of guy. who else could complain about an 11-1 season. and we lost by 44 not 40.
wreck em tech
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Vince,
The reason we almost lost the game was because the Zebras failed to call 2 different clipping penalties that both occurred when Jordan Shipley returned the punt for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. Momentum shifts can be huge and penalties can be magnified at times – even when they are not called. Just ask Oklahoma. Two timely “awful calls” (Personal fouls) cut their hearts out against Texas in the 2nd half. Both calls were horse manure. I don’t think there is any way to substitute how good the officials were to Texas this year!
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Hey XTECH – You’re an idiot! The only split is in your brainless head!
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What about the other Tech sports ?
Football – great
men’s Basketball – below average
baseball – get a grip this is a joke
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Tex Doc nailed it. Look at the so called”mystique programs” that went losing or unranked this season and then look at what Leach&CO accomplished this year in the shark pit of the big 12 south. How many higher paid head coaches would kill for a one loss season. Leach has d–n sure made money the old fashioned way…Earned it. The only hangup is paying an subordinate more than you make in the case of Myers. Hance is truly doing this out of love of Tech… He’s got more money than Davy Crockett, But Gerald “MO Money” Meyers’s only contribution in this dream year is talking about moving a game to Dallas to accomplish WHAT? Pay Leach, Wise up Myers…be thankful that something done on your watch went well, shut up, sign the offer, hope Leach’s agent returns your call and smile in the picture when the Avalanche Urinal comes by.
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Gerald Meyers can be replaced in 15 minutes. Replacing Mike Leach would not be near that easy. Rick Leach would be an excellent AD. Who said that coach Leach wanted a new challenge? did this come out of Leach’s mouth? This doesnt sound like anything leach would actually say himself but I think Tech needs to at least play for a big 12 championship or get to a BCS game before a new challenge is brought up.
Don’t yall just love that Va. Tech #25 will be in BCS. You always hear about other schools getting screwed this time of year. Never knew how they felt til now.
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leach is going to stay and the recruiting is going great!!!!!!
leach deserves more and running a business has to do with selling your best product——THAT’S MIKE LEACH FOOTBALL
ONE THING HANCE SAID IS TRUE., FOOTBALL IS THE GATE TO A OVERALL SUCCESSFULL COLLEGE!!!!!!!!!
THANKS GUYS SEE YOU IN THE COTTON BOWL! WIN BIG AND WE WILL END UP IN THE TOP 5
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I hope some of you younger whipper -snappers (like Blockhead) have a longer d–k than your memory. Or maybe people are just punch-drunk over all this. Myers and Hance are means to an end and we are lucky to have them. You should have more respect for your elders. And, you cannot compare UT salaries to Techs simply because of all the lawyers and oil money poring into their athletic dept. You have no idea how incredibly rich they are. Brown’s salary comes from interest now on an endowment and if the school needed to pay coordinators $1,000,000plus per yr it is no problem for those guys. Lets get on with being positive and successful and go win another bowl and then try to get this thing up to the next level!
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Ditto Flash…Ditto
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I AM WITH YOU FLASH! exactly why leach fits tech!!! not a glory hog or money hog!!!!!
leach may have his problems, but i would rather have his pirate fetish but he does not have stoopes and browns whine and arrogance…….
leach is number 1 in my book!! wish we could get a top defense coor. to finish the deal. ruff maybe the man, but maybe we need to recruit on the defense side for awhile. we have to have more speed at linebacker and a new offense line………
i love tech and have suffered through the years.,, with mike leach there is always a chance with time on the clock!!!!
go leach and get your guns up red raider nation
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Hey Flash,
You left something out about Texas. In spite of all their money, they can’t even graduate half of their players. I wonder what it’s like to be a U.T. alum sitting in the stands at U.T. watching your student athletes perform knowing that half of them will never graduate? It must be a great sense of pride for the burnt orange!
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Hey Prayercap
Just in case you didn’t know, UT is top a 10 school academically in the United States, Tech no where near.
Second thing I wanted to add is that one of the reasons that the Tech players are all graduating is because only a few are ever drafted to go and play in the NFL. They have no choice but to get their degrees.
As soon as the NFL scouts start looking at a player, many of them go to the NFL for the money.
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Texas Queen….
Supporting UT and Austin
not surprising as the maybe a top ten school in Queens per capita too.
Could not resist….
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Gerald should have lowered Mike’s salary. We are in a recession and it’s obvious Leach is over-paid. Mr Hence is right about there not being a better place to coach than at Tech. Art Briles would work here for half of what Mike is getting. Kudos to GM and KH for not giving away the store.
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That’s what Tech is = a store.
Conservative businessmen — conservative is the key word here.
Fans don’t get it. They think they can go vote Republican every year & still bust the budget on a coach.
Isn’t conservatism F U N ??
Tech fans just get swept away & start thinking like sports fans instead of like unemotional conservative businessmen.
Shame on them!!
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Dear Chancellor Hance
Pay Leach…..get er done!
Myers retires ……hire Marsha Sharp as new AD
Raider Up!
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1. “Lucky” to have Gerald Myers???
How do you mean? Lucky that he is such a great/loyal Tech fan…. That he is, indeed… But there are quite few of those around, too, in all honesty…. Lucky that at least somebody wanted the AD job back in 1996 in light of the NCAA investigations? Maybe… Lucky that Gerald and crew have supposedly let the athletic department slip into the red (am still waiting to have someone present the numbers) in the past couple of years? Yeah – and we are “lucky” to have Barney Frank and Chris Dodd and Nancy Pelosi overseeing our government as well… Lucky that we have an AD that has obviously used all of his Dale Carnegie talents (you know – the “How to Make Friends and Influence People” fellow) to create such a “warm atmosphere” that his head football coach who just came off an 11-1 season doesn’t even want to meet with him in person to talk about his contract? Yeah, we sure are “lucky” for Gerald creating such a wonderful environment there…
I guess you are right after all…. We sure are lucky….
And I WAS more than around when “Mr. Lucky” was leading our BB program to a 13-45 record in his last 2 years as head BB coach… Seems to me “Mr. Lucky” has a tendency to struggle with finishing things successfully towards the end of tasks he has been given…
2) Yeah, it must be that UT has such a low graduation rate due to all the players on their team that enter the NFL each year…. Let’s see… Looking at the 2007 UT roster, I count 25 seniors…. And looking at last year’s NFL draft, I count 5 Texas players that made were drafted… And only 3 of those were seniors….
Yeppers…. Sure looks like the reason a lot of those UT players are not graduating is due to matriculation into the NFL all right… Tell me – do they still teach Advanced Math on Our Fingers at UT?
3) A tip of this Raider’s hat to OU after watching them demolish Mizzou last night…. OU is a buzz-saw right now – and I wish them well as they show the arrogant, snot-nosed sports world that the SEC is NOT the ONLY solid football conference in the world after all…
The truly sad thing this year – barring a miracle – is that the BCS bowls are most likely going to showcase “powerhouses” such as Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, and Utah (I live out here in Utah now – and trust me, Utah is going to get their sack lunch eaten alive… They are no where near the capable team that I saw Urban Meyer take to the BCS 4 years ago)… Leaving Tech sitting at the kid’s table in a year that they truly deserve so much more… I am sick and tired of listening the Brent Musberger and Kirk Herbstreit basically “laugh off” our Tech team this year after our debacle in Norman… Like we never ever had any business being ranked #2 at the time anyway… Don’t get me wrong… OU handed us our head on a platter that night for a reason… But we sure as h*** shouldn’t be kissin’ our sister here during the bowl season…. Ol Miss is on a roll… They are the one team that has handed Florida their only loss… I can only hope that the TTech team I saw that took care of UT and whipped OSU shows up to manhandle Ol’ Miss… And prove to the sports world that we were indeed the real deal this year…
Guns Up, Raiders!!!!
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it sounds like Leach will stay. And Crabtree.
Lets now get ready for a bowl game please.
Then, after a win in Dallas, we can worry about the QB position and some new muscle up front. O-Line was so good this year, so lets see if there is a couple of guys to step up to fill the seniors’ shoes. Not to mention some more defensive talent.
Then focus on expanding that running game.
We are on the right track, let’s keep this program growing into a tradition like this year: Highest ranking, 11-1 regular season, contension with UT/OU
GUNS UP
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Hey kyle
Did you hurt yourself coming up with that?
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Gerald Myers and Kent Hence are doing a great job and you Leach shipmates need to get a life. Mike has been trying to abandon ship ever since he got here. Pirates are normally not welcome in other places so he needs to be thankfull we gave him safe haven.
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HireArt
Are you a football fan, or a snob
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“O-line was so good this year” – yeah like all the times we needed 4th & 1-yard & missed.
Like the 4 quarters against OU, 2 quarters against Baylor, & just half of most of the other games.
Giant NFL linemen & we couldn’t get 1-yarders.
All Tech needs to improve on is blocking, tackling, & speed.
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I am a Tech fan who appreciates the job Gerald and Kent are doing for our great university. These Tech grads gave up other opportuniies where they could be making a lot more money just to work at Tech.
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Yeah, Gerald could be a great interrogator against the terrorist detainees. Every morning he would just love to waterboard someone. He might work for nothing there.
Kent Hance could go to help Phil Gramm in Switzerland or Dick Chaney in Dubai at Haliburton.
2 old conservative scrooges for sure!
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Detainees on the UT campus??? that would be a community organizer
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Leach has done a wonderful job of coaching at TTU. He does it w/o 5-star recruits and deserves condideration for a new contract. On the other hand if and when he signs a new contract, he needs to stop publically nibbling at every major college coaching opening across the county and become committed to Tech. You don’t see coaches like Brown and Stoops, who consistently recruit the 5-star’s, shopping opportunities each time a major job opens up. This is Leach’s year to make his value statement. Now IF he wants to stay at Tech – GREAT! And if so, stop allowing his name to be attached to each major opening and give the new recruits confidence he will be consistently leading the program for some time. If the fair contract offer is NOT acceptable – Coach Leach, good luck and quickly sail your ship in other waters!
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“2 old conservative scrooges for sure!”
KH beat GWB in Shrub’s first run for political office. I guarantee you that this country would be in a lot better shape if Kent Hence was president and Gerald was vice-president!!
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nough said! I guess we are lucky to be where we are and who we are.. let’s get to work.
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Let a Texas grad make some sense of all this craziness for you raider fan,
1) You can’t get a top defensive coordinator because all of your money is with Mike Leach
2) Your best player lives with a coke dealer
3) You guys will hold on to that Texas win forever
4) Cotton Bowl…*sigh*
5) If it were down to Texas and Texas Tech, and Texas got the nod, you guy would whine just as much as Texas fans
6) Your coach is bat-poop crazy
7) Being in Texas’ shadow isn’t so bad.
8) Having no championships is better than having one championship from the 30′s that your fanbase still clings on
Seriously Raider fans, just giving you a hard time. Let’s just hate on A&M together. At least you don’t call us TU or t-sips…seriously, it’s annoying. Mainly cause its dumb.
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Tex Doc is right on, Myers EGO is getting in the way of keeping Leach and watching him raise this program up a level towards UT-like a Florida State program,who passed Univ of Florida for many years.
The Board needs to get rid of Myers NOW… this chance we have with Leach will not happen for a long time if we lose him!!!
I would be gald to kick in some extra money to make this happen-if we get rid of Myers!!!
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Hey T-sip go enjoy your state land revenue!
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Those of you who want to support our administration should at least spell their names right. Who the hell is Kent Hence?
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If you want to see where TU gets all of there money and what they do with it read this article. It will make you sick to your stomach.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/2008-11-01/feature.php
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I think Leach deserves a raise based soley on the graduation rate. Most schools have sold out academics. Jim Harbaugh, the Stanford coach and former Michigan QB, called his former school on it last year. Most schools just don’t care, and make excuses like saying the kids leave early for the pros. The truth is, it’s all about winning to them, and I don’t completely disagree, until they start touting themselves as these great bastions of elite higher learning. What most of the universities in our country are truly elite at, is squandering enormous amounts of money. Unlike most athletic or academic programs, Leach has made Tech football a hot and profitable commodity, and he should be rewarded for it.
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Hey Leach you there? We would like to hear from you! :-)
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Hey Dodge…. you sound like a whining t-sip from t.u.
You forgot to make the most important point…Tech beat the shorthorns this year with mostly 3 star recruits, with very few 4 star recruits. Texas has mostly 4 star with a few 5 stars.
That would be like 4A Elgin beating 5A powerhouse Katy.
It could happen… but it’s not supposed to.
Anyway, we won’t have to hold onto beating Texas this year… I see it becoming an expectation… just like our domination over Texas A&M the past 10 plus years.
Guns Up!!!
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Darrell, that’s good reading. but answer me this with the economy souring, what would happen if they couldn’t make those payments on their building costs? Could the “Foundation” go into bankruptcy and the University get a pass? Interesting…
The frugal and steady approach wins in the end. The high is enjoyable, but the crash is deadly.
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Is Leach in hibernation, is he so arrogant that he has lost sight of reality, or is he playing the University? Yes, he has done a great job with the talent pool he has recruited – but it is time to either sign or leave. With security in his present contract and no immediate incentive to sign a new one, he is playing the University to no end while he shops opportunities. In reading some comments, you seem to think Leach is the “Messiah”. There are other young quality coaches just waiting for an opportunity to lead the TTU program. We have already lost one four star recruit and several others are reconsidering their commitment to Tech. This is no time to be totally focused on yourself Coach Leach…..sign or leave.
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Ditto. The ramifications increase every hour and if Leach does bolt even next year Tech is hurt in the long run by loosing those recuits which are now questioning signing on for 4-5 years. If he does end up signing he still looses some of those recuits, thus his legacy all for a few more dollars. It’s time to put up or shut up. We (recruits and fans) need to hear what’s going on!
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Put an iPhone in the contract for Leach so he can be in touch when traveling! Gosh this wait is painful and dangerous for recruiting as well.
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Pay Leach the extra $3M earned over the cost of the stadium expansion. That would put him at $15M for 5 years. Looks like $3M per year to me. The money is already pledged. (Isn’t the program under Leach putting more folks in the stadium? Simple economics.)
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I can’t believe Leach doesn’t think the offer is good enough and wants more. This is the only year in his history at Tech with less then 3 loses. Plus, he still has no big 12 titles. If he doesn’t take what is offered…give him the boot. There are plenty of good coaches that will think that is a good salary. Most of the schools across the country can’t offer that kind of a salary!
Build a defense then you can ask for more!
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keep Leach – dump Meyers
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