Countdown doom: Leach’s closet, Tiger effect, Dogs’ ‘honor’
The Count excelled in the dark.
The Count never played college football. Oh, he had mad skills in high school. Great quickness and an ability to disguise his coverages. For some reason he always excelled at night games. But he figured if everybody was going to call him bloodsucker all the time, he might as well go to law school and be an agent. Worked out well. Made a nice living getting Sesame Street to bust its budget every year and he avoided some of the sideline wackos that are now molding young minds. What is going on with college football coaches lately? First, there are reports of South Florida’s Jim Leavitt grabbing a player by the throat and punching him in the the face twice at halftime of a game. Then Mark “Jabba The” Mangino of Kansas loses his job after being tagged for all sorts of bizarre abuse of players, including one incident in which he forced a player to “bear crawl” across a hot turf practice field, where the artificial turf has reached temperatures of 199 degrees. The player ended up with singed hands. But Mangino got the the worst of it. A judge ordered him to eat a salad. Now comes Mike Leach, who has a thing for dark closets. We count down . . .
♦
10. He’s got a concussion? Rub some dirt on it
Mike Leach on his throne. Looks like an electric chair.
ESPN has dropped former SMU great Craig James from its coverage team for Saturday’s Alamo Bowl between Texas Tech and Michigan State. Smart call there. Might as well eliminate any chance of an analyst yelling, “Creep! Thug! Nazi!” at one of the coaches on national TV. James’ son, Adam James, a receiver on Texas Tech, has accused Leach of more bizarre and over-the-top abuse, including being made to practice with a concussion, and being forced to stand in a dark shed for three hours because Leach thought he was faking, according to the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. ESPN also reported James was ordered to stand in an electrical closest, which, of course, leads to the question: Does Lubbock have electricity? Now, if you want to wait to see how this thing plays out, that’s fine. All I know is, Texas Tech just suspended its $2.5 million a year football coach for a bowl game, so there’s got to be something to this. In fact, word is that Leach doesn’t really deny anything — he just thinks there’s nothing wrong with it. All together now: Oy.
♦
9. Leaches rushes to Mangino’s defense (respect among thieves)
Former Kansas coach Mark Mangino yells at a waitress for running out of blue cheese dressing.
Do I need to be nice to Leach because he’s an offensive whiz and he coached at Valdosta State? No. He gives even psychotic football coaches a bad name. (And by the way, between Leach and Mangino, you would think Big 12 football teams actually hit somebody.) There’s a difference between disciplining players and humiliating them. And with sensitivity about concussions at an all-time high — even the NFL admits it’s an issue after decades of, well, standing in the dark — Leach’s alleged behavior is reckless. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. When the whole Mangino story broke, Leach came to his defense: “I think you try to select the most effective way to coach your guys, but my suspicion is, and nobody truly knows what went on in Kansas, but my suspicion is Mark is in the middle of a witch hunt, which is unjustified. Heaven forbid somebody should ask a guy to focus and for the sake of his coaches and teammates pay attention. Well there are different ways to do that. Sometimes after you’ve asked them a number of times, you raise the bar.” Your witness.
♦
8. This shirt pairs well with your NIT hat
If you were to make out a list of things that winning the Independence Bowl is better than, it would go something like this: 1) Losing the Independence Bowl; 2) Um… OK, yes it was a good thing Georgia dumped Texas A&M Monday night. The potential positives of a win were outlined here before the game. But Independence Bowl champions T-shirts? Sweatshirts? Hats? Seriously? Yes. Here’s the link. You can buy your gear now or just wait a week when they’ll be in a half-price bin at Value City, adjacent to the defective three-legged jeans and the discontinued prune-and-mulberry Pop Tarts. OK, here’s the deal. The Count doesn’t have much of a budget. But if you’re the first lunatic to buy one of these shirts, take a picture of yourself and email it to me (jschultz@ajc.com), I’ll send you $5. Ready. Go!
♦
7. Wall Street now has bulls, bears and a Tiger (oh my)
Wall Street reacts to Tiger Woods.
If Elin Nordegren has her way, the only thing Tiger Woods will be left with after the divorce is an Independence Bowl shirt and the bent 5-iron she whacked over his cranium. But even if Nordegren takes Woods for $1 billion, it still wouldn’t match the projected $5 billion to $12 billion collective shareholder losses of the companies that Woods has endorsement ties with. Two economics professors from the University of California-Davis looked at recent stock market returns of Woods’ eight major sponsors, including Nike and Gatorade, and determined he makes 1929 look like a Tupperware party. Honestly, I’m not smart enough to break down numbers like economics professors. But when one of them says, “Total shareholder losses may exceed several decades’ worth of Tiger Woods’ personal endorsement income,” I figure that’s newsworthy.
♦
6. Meanwhile, Tiger works on his short game
Woods must be taking the report hard. He was spotted partying in Palm Beach over the weekend with mistress No. 1, Rachel Uchitel. I believe it was a Tupperware party.
♦
5. Anything? OK, here’s $50. Go paint my sanctuary
So people ask me all the time whether the media spends too much time reporting on athletes’ personal lives. I tell them, I don’t write about 90 percent of what I know. They say, “Yeah?” I say, “Yeah.” They say, “So how do you know when to write something?” I tell them this: If I’m sitting in a hotel lobby and I see a Braves’ pitcher walking into an elevator with, um, an independent
At what point does Tiger stop flexing -- and do I want to know why Rachel's holding a rope?
contractor, I’m not going to write about it. But if I’m sitting in the same hotel lobby and I see the Pope walking into an elevator with the same independent contractor, do I ignore it? No. I ask the Pope about his new follower. If he declines to answer, then I’ll ask him if he can make sense of the Javier Vazquez-for-Melky Cabrera trade. The point is you have to weigh what’s a story. Tiger’s a story. He’s not the leader of a religion but he has a significant flock, and this story long ago mutated far beyond the standard celebrity-cheats-on-wife story. Why do I tell you this now? Easy . . .
♦
4. Tiger, Britney and the Kardashians: One stop-shopping
Get used to this. TMZ.com, which excels in checkbook journalism and dumpster diving, has seen its traffic jump with Woods’ sexcapades coverage. So it soon will launch TMZSports.com. Producer Harvey Levin told the New York Times, “I really don’t see a difference between a sports star and a celebrity.” Forget that Braves pitcher/Pope analogy I just used.
♦
3. How do you say plummet in Russian?
When you're rich, you can get away with kilts.
If you believe Thrashers general manager Don Waddell, impending free agent Ilya Kovalchuk gave his agent, Jay Grossman, the go-ahead to start talking about a contract several weeks back because he liked the early direction of the team. But now you have to wonder if Kovalchuk’s thoughts have changed. Told you 11 days ago that negotiations between the player and team suddenly looked ominous. A few days later, Waddell admitted that negotiations had hit a “snag.” (A snag? Is that what they call several million dollars these days?) Now the worst news: The Thrashers are fading. After a 14-7-3 start, they’ve lost five straight and have won only four of 14 games in December (4-9-1). So if the money’s not there and the results aren’t there, what is Waddell going to sell Kovalchuk on? The weather? Nyet.
♦
2. Preview: Live tonight from Hawks-LeBron
Taking a break from football tonight to blog live from the Hawks’ game against LeBron James, the remains of Shaquille O’Neal and the rest of the Cleveland Cavaliers. The last time the Cavs were in Philips Arena, they were closing out a four-game sweep in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Something tells me things will tip in the other direction tonight.
1. And finally . . .
Saw this linked on The Big Lead. A New York plastic surgeon is offering a New Year’s Eve breast augmentation package for $100,000. It includes roundtrip airfare between New York and Miami, luxury hotel accommodations for one month (!) and tickets to three parties, including the Lady Gaga show at the Fontainebleau. I’m not sure but I think the only requirement is that you name your new booms Mike and Mark.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
238 comments Add your comment
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 29th, 2009
10:46 am
hello? Hello? You dogs just aren’t listening. I SAID….
The real questions that are painfully obvious that no dog fans want to address here are (AND I REPEAT):
1. WHO will play in a BCS Bowl and who won’t?
2. WHO won THEIR conference Championship and who didn’t come remotely close to even playing in theirs?
3. WHO is currently ranked in the top 10 and who had to receive a charity vote from Bobby Bowden to avaoid being tied with 85 other teams for dead last!
Nobody Cares
December 29th, 2009
10:46 am
I just wanted to post for the 14th time how much I don’t care.
UGA Grad '08
December 29th, 2009
10:46 am
Georgia fans get your facts straight it’s not 8 of 9. FSU joined the ACC in 1992 so Mark Richt is 17 of 18 against Tech, undefeated at bobby Dodd. They should rename it Richt field at Bobby Dodd Stadium
Matt
December 29th, 2009
10:47 am
Thrasher Fans are getting royally screwed by ASG and Fraudell. This is just a pathetic joke of an NHL franchise!! I love hockey and am so frustrated that we cannot get it together to keep NHL hockey in Atlanta. (And don’t point to the Gladiators, I’ve seen better talent in high school games)
The coaching staff also deserves some serious scrutiny here. Why on God’s Green Earth is Todd White still playing? Bogo and Little have taken HUGE steps back this year as well. There is talent on this team, but it is not being brought out by this staff.
60-39-5 30-24
December 29th, 2009
10:48 am
You still have a long way to catch up with 1.4 millions post
IOWA RULES
December 29th, 2009
10:48 am
We are going to whip your A%S!
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
December 29th, 2009
10:48 am
Scraping paint off my a$$ is the last thing they will ever do. I was humiliated last night on national, er, on regional television. They said I was old and needed a spray painted a$$ to be a mascot. Give me some coveralls and I can dress like the rest of them.
dean
December 29th, 2009
10:48 am
What an idiot. Take a reading comprehension course at your trade school.
“$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl”
December 29th, 2009
10:08 am
Hey dean,
All the Super 8’s sold out over there?
Do you always wear a hat to your business meetings?
Typical dog. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
T-man
December 29th, 2009
10:49 am
Russ, Grinch said he would be glad to help. He loves to scrape paint off old dogs.
60-39-5 30-24
December 29th, 2009
10:49 am
We are not answering your questions 1.4 million because we dont care
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 29th, 2009
10:49 am
The questions that matter are:
1. Will I see a naked girl in 2010?
2. Will the level 3 super ninja spell I cast on Mark Richt work?
3. Will Georgia Tech continue to be second best in the state of Georgia?
sec fan
December 29th, 2009
10:51 am
you guys bicker like a bunch of 6th graders……30-24 45-42 blah blah blah…I think you’ll drive most fans to pull for the WAC. bunch of dorks.Go get a life and don’t come back you idiots.
IOWA RULES
December 29th, 2009
10:51 am
I am so pissed we have to play Georgia Tech instead of TCU. Beating the ACC champions is like beating up your kid sister! Nothing to Gain from it.
60-39-5 30-24
December 29th, 2009
10:51 am
Did somebody bring up the Tharshers on a Georgia blog Please stick to the script
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
December 29th, 2009
10:53 am
When I was a pup I thought Ray Goff was a god. He talked like a dog and I liked him. Now, the coach is a pretty boy and they want their mascot spray painted for the games. I say bring back Ray Goff.
Wizzard
December 29th, 2009
10:54 am
sec fan, I think it’s more like second graders. My school can whip your school. Who cares. Get a life already.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 29th, 2009
10:55 am
I love the feel of BeBe “Butterfingers” Thomas’s soft hands. I call our love “the perfect option.”
60-39-5 30-24
December 29th, 2009
10:56 am
You guys dont have a life either if you guys are still here Wizzard
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
December 29th, 2009
10:57 am
Some gal named PETA called me this morning about my a$$ painting.
Dan
December 29th, 2009
10:57 am
I want my “Georgia ACC Champs” shirt!
Wizzard
December 29th, 2009
10:58 am
60 – good point. You get a gold star for the day.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 29th, 2009
10:58 am
Who got their butts whipped 30-24 on their own field and in their own little stadium? Georgia Tech
Who exposed Georgia Tech as being America’s most overranked and overrated team? THE GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Who is the second best team in Georgia? Georgia Tech
Who is the BEST team in Georgia? THE GEORGIA BULLDOGS
Who cries, whines and makes excuses when they get beat? Georgia Tech
Who’s fans are whiny snivling wimpy skinny necked redneck wannabees? Georgia Tech
Who cheats academically to keep players eligible? Georgia Tech
Who cries louder than anyone in football? Georgia Tech
Who wears skidmarked panties? Georgia Tech fans
60-39-5 30-24
December 29th, 2009
10:59 am
No just whipping tech every november
60-39-5 30-24
December 29th, 2009
11:01 am
I told you he was a closet Dawg
DawgInLex
December 29th, 2009
11:07 am
Hell, YOUR $1.4 million Shreveport bowl vs. OUR $1.4 million BCS Orange Bowl, I’ll answer it if you will just leave us alone:
1. Tech/Georgia
2. Tech/Georgia
3. Tech/Georgia
There. happy? Now leave!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 29th, 2009
11:10 am
Thank you DawgInLex! You have made my life worth living. I have to go to sleep now to get ready for the night shift at the Waffle House. Excelsior!!!!
60-39-5 30-24
December 29th, 2009
11:15 am
This not twitter we dont care what you are doing or going to do just leave already Please
Clint
December 29th, 2009
11:17 am
I’m sure somewhere a Georgia Tech fan has like 15 t-shirts from the Humanitarian and Emerald Bowls.
The Grinch
December 29th, 2009
11:17 am
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 29th, 2009
10:46 am
Okay, johnny, just to make you happy I’ll answer your questions:
1. WHO will play in a BCS Bowl and who won’t?
Answer: Alabama and Duke
2. WHO won THEIR conference Championship and who didn’t come remotely close to even playing in theirs?
Answer: Alabama and Duke
3. WHO is currently ranked in the top 10 and who had to receive a charity vote from Bobby Bowden to avaoid being tied with 85 other teams for dead last!
Alabama and Duke
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
TTU Alum
December 29th, 2009
11:17 am
I hope he is fired for it, no matter how successful he has been.
You don’t develop men by breaking young boys.
The Grinch
December 29th, 2009
11:19 am
This day looks to be shaping up fairly well so I guess I’ll move along and go play 9. Have a great day all.
Seriously...
December 29th, 2009
11:22 am
Really. Nobody cares. All Georgia fans are classless and stupid.
Clint
December 29th, 2009
11:24 am
Georgia Tech. They go to one BCS game and next thing you know, they’ll sue for the right to play in the Super Bowl. Enjoy this blip while it lasts Nerds. Pretty soon you’ll go back to winning your customary 6-8 games a year. No good high schoolers want to play in a high school system that will not get them any love from the NFL.
Russ, the Temporary Mascot
December 29th, 2009
11:24 am
Apple truck flips on I-285 ramp
We are back at work running this state.
D(r)ooley
December 29th, 2009
11:27 am
Another year, another half a cupcake for the Dawgs to play in a bowl. A&M, Michigan State, Hawaii (yes,Hawaii), Wisconsin, Purdue, Virginia…………………..the list goes on. ESPN 2 – 5:00 P.M. – Two second tier programs battling it out. Richt, Dawgs, call your daddy down in New Orleans and ask them if you guys can come home late.
Vick=Dog killing thug
December 29th, 2009
11:27 am
Whoa that Mangino is a fat slob. I do understand that many over weight cannot help it but this dude is gross. How do you live with yourself ?
UGA 2010
December 29th, 2009
11:28 am
(((((30-24))))) NOT EVEN A MONTH AGO!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, oh, and by the way, Davis said y’alls turf tasted like the way y’all played…… LIKE CRAP!!!!!!!!
"Chef" Tim Dix
December 29th, 2009
11:34 am
Tj: Chipper faced the music on the front page of the AJC. Public apology referencing directly his situation. Manned up. Didn’t spin it.
Matt "Choke" Ryan
December 29th, 2009
11:39 am
72 Million and no playoffs = BUST
How many years should the Falcons wait for the franchise quarterback to lead the team to a SINGLE playoff win before he is labeled a bust.
I mean if the Ravens beat the Raiders on Sunday, Joe Flacco will be leading his team to his 2nd STRAIGHT playoffs and adding to his resume that already includes 2 playoff wins in his ROOKIE season. This season their defense sucks, so you can’t use the same pathetic excuse that was used last season for his success.
Flacco has also improved in every quarterback statistic from his rookie season and the CHOKE has regressed big time.
So Falcons fans, will you be saying the same thing, if the CHOKE in his 3rd season still is winless in the playoffs.
What does that make you, as a fan if you are still making excuses?
Dawg Tired
December 29th, 2009
11:42 am
I’m the original Dawg Tired and I’m tired of someone else using my handle. How can two different people ahve the same monicker?
LizDawg
December 29th, 2009
11:49 am
Have to admit Jeff the 30-24 triumph over the best the ACC had to offer was MUCH sweeter than a 24 point annihilation of a team from the Big 12, even though the Dawgs have the third most all time bowl wins.
THERE GOES CALEB KING UNTOUCHED FOR ANOTHER 75-YARD TOUCHDOWN GEORGIA!
GOJAXST!!
December 29th, 2009
11:53 am
Why are Tech fans still happy about an 08 win vs UGA?? U got a stupid ring for that??? Bet that made you guys feel very SPECIAL!!!! Retards!!! Listen the way you loosers keep bringing that game up would be like UGA fans bringing up that game when a certain QB forgo what down it was(REGGIE, REGGIE, REGGIE)….. UGA fans be happy with the way you guys ended the season. 4-1!!!! As for TECH, be happy you made it to the ACC Champ game…. However its sad that there where more folks at the NAIA Nat Champ game in Rome then at the All Mighty ACC chmp game!!! Does that make you feel good as a fan??? Listen i know it was a bad season in Athens, but the Red and Black will be ok next year( PLEASE DONT HIRE KIRBY SMART!!!) GT if you jouniors stay, ur goin to be good next year!!!! If not it may be 9 of 10
Big time?? Not
December 29th, 2009
11:53 am
Four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes
bob horner had a sweet compact swing
December 29th, 2009
11:54 am
No Racism????? Charlie Sheen is a druggie partier…that’s a known fact….Tiger was considered a God by millions of people…..your comparison makes little or no sense…..
MiltonDawg
December 29th, 2009
11:56 am
Good Stuff JS- maybe college football will resort to becoming soft and PC due to the fact coaches are torturing the players. whats next?? waterboarding for too many penalties??
Hmmmmm
December 29th, 2009
11:56 am
BOWL Name TTL Payout SEC Share ACC Share
Emerald Bowl 750,000 375,000
Meineke Car Care Bowl 1,000,000 500,000
Music City Bowl 1,650,000 825,000 825,000
Independence Bowl 1,100,000 550,000
Champs Sports Bowl 2,130,000 1,065,000
Chick Fil A Bowl 5,830,000 2,915,000 2,915,000
Outback Bowl 3,100,000 1,550,000 1,550,000
Capital One Bowl 4,250,000 2,125,000 2,125,000
Gator Bowl 2,250,000 1,125,000 1,125,000
Sugar Bowl 17,000,000 8,500,000
Cotton Bowl 3,000,000 1,500,000
Liberty Bowl 1,350,000 675,000
Papajohns.com 300,000 150,000
Orange Bowl 17,000,000 8,500,000
BCS Championship 17,000,000 8,500,000
28,415,000 18,980,000
Amount per team 2,367,917 1,581,667
Dawg Tired
December 29th, 2009
11:57 am
Yeah, I know. Bothers me too. Something ought to be done.
Paul's Johnson
December 29th, 2009
11:59 am
Mutt fans will treasure the tee-shirts forever. Remember, this is just one small step toward next years INEVITABLE national championship.
KidsRpeople2
December 29th, 2009
12:00 pm
U.S. Congressman George Miller, Chairman of the House Education Committee introduced Legislation this month to Prevent the Use of Harmful and Deadly Restraints (a texas teen died when his teacher sat on him and ignored his please that he could not breathe, he died on the classroom floor in front of his classmates, the teacher is teaching children in another state) and Seclusions (kids have died by commiting suicide in locked dungeon/coffin-like boxes/windowless concrete rooms constructed by school employees) on children in schools to provide Federal Oversight that will hold school employees accountable for criminal/civil liability, yet the legislation FAILS to ABOLISH Physical/Corporal Punishment, where school employees hit children with WOODEN PADDLES to deliberately inflict physical pain and suffering intended to punish them.
U.S. Government HYPOCRITES It is a dirty little secret that children continue to be struck with boards for SCHOOL discipline purposes in 20 states. It is a dangerous practice, a practice that is not evidence based, and a practice that puts us at odds with over l00 countries which have banned it.
North Carolina lawmakers recently dumped legislation to give parents a say in physical punishment of their chilren in schools.
It is CRIMINAL that a handful of U.S. SCHOOLS are still hitting children with wooden paddles to deliberately inflict physical pain and suffering intended to punish them, when it is ILLEGAL for school employees to do so in schools in 30 states!
U.S. Education/Government Officials continue to IGNORE research indicating corporal punishment is harmful to children, promotes anti-social behavior and lowers their IQ’s due to stress from fear, the exact OPPOSITE of the entire purpose of EDUCATION, and also continue to ingore official position statements of our nation’s most prominent and trusted Children’s Health and Education Organizations OPPOSING Physical/Corporal Punishment of Children in Schools including The American Medical Assn (AMA), American Academy of Pediatricians, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Bar Assn, American Humane Assn, American Psychiatric Assn, American Psychological Assn, American Public Health Assn, National Parent Teacher Assn (PTA), National Mental Health Assn and Prevent Child Abuse America among others.
Shocking news headlines of children suffering severe deep bruising injuries from paddling are all too common in states that allow schools to practice physical punishment. It is illegal to beat prisoners. The only group of people subjected to physical punishment are Children in substandard Schools that insist on perpetuating America’s Shameful “Cycle of Violence”. ALL Children deserve EQUAL access to safe and healthy learning environments.
A school discipline policy should be designed to guarantee the safety of students and staff, create an effective learning environment, foster respect for others, and teach students how to resolve conflicts.
Corporal punishment achieves none of these goals, so why is it still around?
Worldwide MEDIA exposure of this Travesty of Justice regarding neglect/indifference by U.S. Education/Government Officials to protect Children’s Fundamental Human Rights in SCHOOLS will result in PUBLIC OUTRAGE and DEMAND to ABOLISH Physical/Corporal Punishment of ALL CHILDREN IN ALL SCHOOLS, the Cost is $0.
No Racism?????
December 29th, 2009
12:01 pm
bob horner had a sweet compact swing
So CHEATING vs ATTEMPTED MURDER
You are stupid or racist. You decide.