Mike Leach Fired
Texas Tech head football coach Mike Leach was fired today, after he reportedly locked a player in an electrical closet for not practicing with a concussion. This is basically what Leach did:
A source close to (Adam) James' family told ESPN's Joe Schad that James sustained a concussion on Dec. 16, was examined the following day and told not to practice because of the injury and an elevated heart rate. The source said Leach called a trainer and directed him to move James "to the darkest place, to clean out the equipment and to make sure that he could not sit or lean. He was confined for three hours."
Obviously, it was the right move. You can't, under any circumstances, do that to a player. It didn't help that the player was the son of Craig James. But still, it was wrong of Leach, and he deserved to be fired.
Someone put a spoof of A Few Good Men, with the Leach case, on the web. A Few Good Men is one of my favorite movies. This spoof is hilarious. Read it below:
Thanks for returning to The Blog of Champions!A FEW GOOD PIRATES
Gerald Meyers (Tech AD): *Coach Leach, did you order the Code Shed?*
Kent Hance: You *don’t* have to answer that question!
Coach Leach: I’ll answer the question!
[to Meyers]
Coach Leach: You want answers?
Meyers: I think I’m entitled.
Coach Leach: *You want answers?*
Meyers: *I want the truth!*
Coach Leach: *You can’t handle the truth!*
[pauses]
Coach Leach: Son, we live in a world that has sidelines, and those sidelines have to be guarded by pirates with swords. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Meyers? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for James, and you curse the Pirates. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That James’s small shed, while tragic, probably saved games. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves games. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties with your fat little girlfriends, you want me on those sidelines, you need me on those sidelines. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very bowl games that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a sword, and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.
Meyers: Did you order the Code Shed?
Coach Leach: I did the job I…
Meyers: *Did you order the Code Shed?*
Coach Leach: *You’re G**damned right I did!*
Texas Tech Coach Leach Suspended….
....
And Just Like That, Meyer Is Back
That was quick. Remember how Urban Meyer resigned yesterday? Well, he's back. Meyer will return to the team after a leave of absence. He will coach their bowl game. It's just weird. If you're coming back, what's the point of announcing your resignation? What's the point of putting your team, and your fans through that? What about his family? It's a weird situation. Personally, I think there is something more to it. Not sure what that is, though.
Meyer Steps Down At Florida
Surprising news. Florida coach Urban Meyer has stepped down, citing health reasons. He will coach Florida in the bowl game. In an interview with the New York Times, Meyer talked more about his health issues:
“There was no heart damage,” Meyer said. “But I didn’t want there to be a bad day where there were three kids sitting around wondering what to do next. It was the pattern of what I was doing and how I was doing it. It was self-destructive.”
Meyer had severe chest pains after the SEC championship game, that made him lose consciousness, and enter the hospital. Obviously, he was worried about the implications of coaching with that chest pain. I don't blame him. Health, especially if it's a concern, should come first. Of course, when the news first broke, people thought it could be anything from an affair to an NFL job. Obviously, he's taking care of his health.
As for Florida, you can be a lot of big names will be throw around. Bob Stoops. Mike Shanahan. Other names are:Boise State’s Chris Petersen, Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh, Louisville’s Charlie Strong,Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, Mississippi St. coach Dan Mullen. I think Stoops would be a great fit. Former Florida assistant. Great coach. We'll see.
Notre Dame Fires Weis
In a very expected move, Notre Dame has fired head coach Charlie Weis. In five seasons, Weis was 35-27. He had six years left on his contract. Weis should be able to get a job as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. Many Giants fans want him to return to New York. That's a possibility, as is Carolina, New England, or Kansas City. As for Notre Dame, they need to start over. They don't need a big name. In fact, a lesser known name, while probably unsettling to boosters, is the best way to get the program on track. Brian Kelly of Cincinnati has been mentioned, as has Gary Patterson of TCU. Both would be good choices. If Notre Dame goes the well known route (which I suspect they will) someone like Tony Dungy could be of interest. He brings instant credibility. Recruiting would be easy. What 18 year old wouldn't want to play for Dungy? Of course, The Blog of Champions will continue to monitor the Notre Dame situation.
Why Don’t I Like College Football?
As you all know, I'm a huge sports fan. I love it. Can't live with out it. Yet, there's one sport that I have no interest in. You would think I would. But, I don't. It's College Football. For some reason, I can't get into it.
I should love college football. There's more drama than pro football. There are crazy finishes. There are great performances. But, it does nothing for me. I can't get into it.
I want to like college football. I do. I want to sit down on January 1st and watch game after game. But, I can't. What am I missing?
Rudy! Rudy!
One of my favorite movies of all time is Rudy. Rudy tells the story of a small, nonathletic, but highly determined football player who dreams of playing football at Notre Dame. Through hard work, he finally does. Bored today, I was searching YouTube, when somehow, I came across the actual video of Dan Ruettiger playing football at Notre Dame. How cool is that?
This Should Not Be Legal
In the Miami-Georgia Tech game, there was a hit that was too good to be true. Take a look:
Wow. I mean, wow! He got (wait for it) JACKED UP! Amazing. How that wasn't a penalty I'll never know.
There’s Something About Tate
Quick note before I start: I apologize for the lack of updates the past couple days. I've been incredibly busy. Is it an excuse? No. Will I try and make up for it? You bet. Now onto the post
I was watching the Michigan-Notre Dame game, in which Michigan won 38-34. It was a topsy turvy game, but with just minutes left, Notre Dame was on top. But then something amazing happened. True freshman QB Tate Forcier took over, leading the team downfield, eventually throwing the winning touchdown pass. And while I was watching it, I couldn't help but think: This guys is special. He has that it factor. He has something that most don't. In his second college game, he beat a ranked team, in a rivalry game, in a game that was so important to the program. With all the allegations against Michigan, Forcier is providing a sense of hope for this program. As a fan, I can only hope he continues to do that.
LeGarrette Blount Should Be Dismissed From Oregon Football
UPDATE (6:23 EST) Blount wasn't dismissed, but he was suspended for the year, including any bowl games, ending his college career.
Oregon Coach Chip Kelly:
"We will provide him with instruction if necessary for him to succeed. He's going to practice with this football team, he's going to student support services, he's going to go to class. We're going to make sure LaGarrette gets the goods. And if this is a teachable moment for him, then he can bounce back from this," Kelly said.
I believe this is the right move. It's clear Oregon needed to do something, and something drastic. Suspending him is a good move. They have to make sure he follows up with his studies, because the chance of him getting drafted in the NFL are slim to none.
After last night's loss to Boise State, Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount put on a display of bad character, behavior, and sportsmanship. Watch the video below:
Blount, I believe, should be dismissed from Oregon football. When you're trying to recruit players, seeing someone like Blount will turn off recruits. Blount was wrong for punching the Boise State player. He was wrong for fighting his own teammates. He was wrong for going after fans. He was wrong. If he can't control himself, the Oregon program will, by dismissing him from the program. That's the only way to do it. A one game suspension does nothing. He needs to be dismissed from the program until he can show that he can carry himself like an adult. It was childish behavior.
Here's what his coach Chip Kelly had to say:
"There's no place in college football for that," Kelly said. " ... This [Boise State] is a heckuva football team. It shouldn't be marred by something after the fact. They beat us, and to react poorly after the game is not what we're all about. I just told the kids in the locker room that we have to learn how to play with emotion, not let emotion play with us. When you go out and get beat in a football game, you go out and shake that guy's hand and you go in the locker room and prepare for your next opponent. That stuff has no place in our program and won't have any place in our program."
If Kelly, the first year coach, wants to make an impression on this program, he'll heed my advice. He'll dismiss LeGarrette Blount from the program, and make a promise that any player who does something similar will join Blount. It's the only way.
Enough is Enough: Time to Recognize College Players For What They Actually Are
With the alleged Michigan NCAA violations , in which they practiced more than they're supposed to, it's time for a frank discussion on the state of athlete-students in college sports. Academics is rarely a priority. For some players, who know they have no future in pro sports, academics can be a priority. And there are some who enjoy school. But for a majority of players, football (or basketball) is a priority. Getting to the pros is a priority. In college basketball, it's mostly "one and done". In football, the best players leave after three years. So this is what I propose: First, instead of skirting around the issue, be clear about it. Athletes are athletes first, students second. Second, they should get paid. For the money they raise for the school, it's the least they could do. It wouldn't be much, and nothing near what you get in the pros, but maybe on par to a minor league baseball salary. Third, real-life classes. Classes are not a priority. But let's make the ones they do take valuable. Things like basic math, finance, balancing a checkbook, things they'll need when they go off into the pros. If we pretend that athletes are going to class, and if we pretend that school is a priority, we're just fooling ourselves. So enough is enough. Let's recognize college players for what they actually are: athletes who happen to go to class. Collegiate sports will be a whole lot better.
