Autzen Zoo’s Thoughts on Latest Mike Leach Scandal
By Brian Spaen
Marquess Wilson sent a revealing letter to Washington State that accused Mike Leach that him and the coaching staff “has preferred to belittle, intimidate and humiliate us” and “this abuse cannot be allowed to continue.” Leach has had a rocky history with Texas Tech on this subject. What are your thoughts on this issue?
Nov. 10, 2012; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State Cougars head coach Mike Leach walks off the field after a game against the UCLA Bruins at Martin Stadium. UCLA won 44-36. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-US PRESSWIRE
Mike: I hate that it could make the Craig James’ family look good but I have read contrasting points that said Wilson has been known to dog it. But in today’s world coaches need to know how to deal with kids today. It’s really a no-win because Washington State got a coach who knows success (plus the baggage he brought) but loses a great player who’s been good at the school.
Ricky: Now, I cannot say if Leach should be fired or not because I personally do not know all the details about this topic. However, as a man who wants to be a teacher someday, I can say that I feel that “to belittle, intimidate and humiliate” is no way to teach the youth of today’s world. I feel that if it is true that Leach and his staff treated the players like this that he should never coach in college again. There are positive ways and negative ways to teach and motivate. This is definitely a negative way.
Raymond: This is a huge story because I don’t ever remember anything similar. It seems controversy follows Leach so this will be talked about a lot in the future. Wilson is one of their better players so if he wrote the letter you have to believe other players feel the same.
Joe: I tackled this issue in a piece a few days ago, and the thing is that it is absolutely wide open until we get word from an official investigation. This isn’t the first time Leach has been accused of “abuse”, and it was an unfair accusation. But I bet Leach did something to tick Wilson off, but both parties have reputations that go against them. A few Washington State writers and fans have told me that Wilson doesn’t take strenuous practices well and has behavior concerns that manifest themselves in games (lack of concentration and effort). It’s telling that Wilson quit during a strenuous workout, but I bet stuff was going on with regards to both sides.
Brian: Remembering the season opener between Washington State and BYU, Wilson definitely showed signs of frustration and late in the game quit on some of his routes. It was an awful game for WSU and figured a talented player didn’t like how bad the team looked in its opener, but his attitude is definitely in question. The results of the investigation should be very interesting.
The Autzen Zoo staff includes lead editor Brian Spaen along with staff writers Mike Vamosi, Raymond Mencke, Jr., Ricky Widmer, and contributor Joe Soriano.