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Can Mike Leach’s Lawsuit Against ESPN Possibly End Well For Him?

I hope Mike Leach isn’t planning on coaching college football anytime soon. After first filing a lawsuit against his former employer, Texas Tech, Leach filed another suit yesterday – this one against ESPN and Spaeth Communications, whom he accuses of defamation.

The basics of the new suit: Leach’s issue is ESPN’s employment of Craig James, the father of Adam James, the player Leach allegedly mistreated before Texas Tech fired him. Leach’s suit says ESPN aired “false and damaging statements” made by James, while alleging James employed Spaeth to “creat[e] public opinion hostile to Leach.” ESPN rep Josh Krulewitz said that the network hasn’t seen the lawsuit, and so will not comment currently.

So what does this all mean for Leach? As far as I can tell, nothing good. Maybe he liked working and TV and wasn’t concerned about being out of the coaching game for a while…because with another lawsuit hanging over his head, he just got less tempting to potential suitors. Colorado supposedly wouldn’t go after him even before the ESPN lawsuit because he carried too much “baggage”…what will programs think now?

So even if Leach does have a case – debatable, considering ESPN had him on the air to give his side of the story when the controversy between him, Texas Tech, and Adam and Craig James first erupted late late year – is it really one that’s worth it for him to make? I can’t see how it is. This guy must really think he was wronged, because he’s sure going to extreme lengths to try and prove it. He better hope it works.

I’ve always greatly enjoyed Leach. He’s one of my favorite characters in sports. I loved his dating tips, his brand of meteorology, his concern over superants, his well-documented pirate obsession, his analysis of films, and more recently, his Key West expertise. Selfishly, I’d love for him to be back in college football because a personality like his adds to the enjoyment of the game.

But to get back into the game, he needs to be focused primarily on the future, rather than settling the score with Tech. In this Q&A from before the season began, Leach said he “need[s] to move on” from his bitter parting with the Red Raiders. He had it right then. But those were words. And with this lawsuit, I fear that even if this is all really about Craig James, Leach is getting the “moving on” thing all wrong.

[H/T Richard Deitsch]

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