Why I'd want Mike Leach? He'd Make Football Fun Again
Thursday, November 6, 2008
If I had to hire someone to be the next head coach of Tennessee that I think would best fit my own personality, I'd hire Mike Leach. Why? Because Leach makes football fun. He's also a fellow lawyer who gave up the practice of law pretty soon after graduation. In fact, Leach turned down lucrative job offers (even while having a wife and child) to accept a $7,000 coaching salary. Michael Lewis (of Moneyball fame) wrote a tremendous profile piece on Leach for the New York Times Play Magazine. The article came out in December of 2005 and I remember reading it that week. It's extraordinary. You're doing yourself a disservice if you don't read it here.
Leach is what Spurrier was fifteen years ago, smart, brash, weird, and always entertaining. How long has it been since you watched a UT football game and were really entertained? By that I mean sat back on your couch and rubbed your hands together with glee because you had no clue what was going to happen next but you knew it was going to be good? 2001. Probably....maybe. Basically I think Leach would make us all feel like Bruce Pearl makes us feel now, slightly giddy, a bit drunk, ready to laugh and scream at any moment, but most importantly, ready to have a good time.
I was reminded of this article by Jeremy Davenport who emailed the following:
Some of my favorite quotes from this article:
-So one goal is to throw as many different things at a defense as he can, to see what it finds most disturbing. Another goal is to create as much confusion as possible for the defense while keeping things as simple as possible for the offense.
-there's a ton of touchdowns to be had.
-The Texas Tech offense is not just an offense; it's a mood: optimism. It is designed to maximize the possibility of something good happening rather than to minimize the possibility of something bad happening.
-When Leach recruits high-school players, he is forced to compromise on most talents, but he insists on speed.
-Field position is simply a thing to improve.
You just get the feeling from this article the guy understands something no one else does. He adjusts his game plan to what is happening during the game, he gets more out of less-talented players, and he’s not tied to college football’s ‘conventional wisdom.’ If anyone can take the reigns from Urban Meyer and the spread option and bring the next great offense to the SEC, it’s him. He’s the Spurrier of the 21st century. Let’s get behind him and make it happen.
Oh, and I love the pirate thing. Classic. Labels: Mike leach new york times
Posted by Clay Travis at 11:22 AM
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