Leach colorful but not correct

By John Hillman  |   Sunday, May 03, 2009  |  Comments( 1 )

Texas Tech Red Raiders
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Reporters needing quotes gravitate toward Mike Leach. It’s a natural inclination; after all, Texas Tech’s head coach frequently responds to questions with colorful, off-the-wall remarks.

Last week, however, Leach stepped over the line. The director of the Red Raider football program since 2000 criticized the actions of Texas A&M and the Dallas Cowboys.

Stephen McGee triggered the remark. In last month's NFL draft, the Cowboys took the former A&M quarterback as the first pick in the fourth round (the 101st overall choice). A signal-caller had not appeared on the Dallas draft list since it took Quincey Carter in 2001, and McGee became only the second taken since 1991.

The selection did raise a few eyebrows. McGee, who spent his first three years in Aggieland running the option, suffered through an injury-plagued senior season and started only two games at A&M in 2008. However, the quarterback performed well at the East-West Shrine practices and at the combine, prompting the Cowboys to make him a mid-round pick.

Dallas’ action created a ripple effect for Leach when every NFL team passed on Red Raider quarterback Graham Harrell -- whose snub in the draft obviously irritated Leach and prompted him to state the Cowboys coaches must have liked McGee better than the coaches at A&M.

Reaction came swiftly from Aggie head coach Mike Sherman and McGee. Sherman questioned Leach’s purpose in making the comment and reinforced his confidence in McGee’s ability to play professional football. McGee then praised both Dennis Franchione and Sherman as quality collegiate coaches and thanked them for his experiences at A&M.

The incident will undoubtedly fuel the long-standing feud between the schools. For decades, the Aggies and Red Raiders have battled for the second position behind the Texas Longhorns as the Lone Star State’s best football program. Although the victor gains little more than bragging rights, those mean a lot to the passionate partisans of both universities.

In recent years, the series has favored Texas Tech. Under Leach, the Red Raiders have emerged victorious seven of nine times with A&M’s last win coming in 2004.

Bad blood spilled between the two teams in 2001. After a 12-0 Tech win in Lubbock, students tore down the south end-zone goal post, hauled it across the field, and deposited in the visiting Aggie section.

In the ensuing melee, Mike McKinney, father of A&M football player Seth McKinney and chief of staff to Governor Rick Perry received a gash above his eye that required eight stitches. The next summer, A&M had to recall 10,000 press guides and cover up the phrase “childish behavior” in a paragraph reporting the incident.

Although the recent McGee dust-up doesn’t match that magnitude, it does highlight Leach’s tendency to spout controversial thoughts. Without a doubt, the Aggies will recall the quote verbatim when the teams tangle this October.
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About John Hillman

John Hillman graduated from Baylor University in 1974 with a BBA in accounting and earned an MBA from Baylor in 1987. He worked for accounting firms until 1982 when he became the chief financial officer for an independent insurance claims adjusting service, a position he still holds today. ...
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