Allegations of Abuse & Mistreatment at Texas Tech

[Urshurak]

Thanks @southie, I had not seen this. I think the AD screwed this up and failed the players. My .02.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

So much for the talk about Campbell.

It this an out of left field hire? Someone mentioned the Rice coach somewhere in this thread, she's really done a nice job building that program. I really don't know anything about UT Arlington.

It was a safe, home town gal hire for an AD under scrutiny. Reminiscent of Tenn's recent hire.

 

[DefenseBB]

It was a safe, home town gal hire for an AD under scrutiny. Reminiscent of Tenn's recent hire.

Well I don’t relish the thought of being a Tennessee acolyte, I disagree that this hire is similar. Other than both hires both played for the school, Kelly had much more celebrated success (albeit NOT at NC State, which at least was a P5 school) by winning conference titles and actually going to the NCAAT multiple times and having had success in her last year in the NCAAT at Mizzou State.
This hire has no such success.
While the Tenn program was in disarray and dysfunctional, abuse was not the reasoning for Holly’s departure (ineptitude maybe). This case was far too similar to others we have had the misfortune to witness-GA Tech, Nebraska, Boston U, Loyala-Chicago to name a few.
I find it odd for a P5 program to not select someone with either documented success coaching lesser programs to titles or NCAAT games or as an assistant at programs with titles or NCAAT games.
I would have been a huge Campbell supporter for Tech, with this hire, not...so...much...

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Well I don’t relish the thought of being a Tennessee acolyte, I disagree that this hire is similar. Other than both hires both played for the school, Kelly had much more celebrated success (albeit NOT at NC State, which at least was a P5 school) by winning conference titles and actually going to the NCAAT multiple times and having had success in her last year in the NCAAT at Mizzou State.
This hire has no such success.
While the Tenn program was in disarray and dysfunctional, abuse was not the reasoning for Holly’s departure (ineptitude maybe). This case was far too similar to others we have had the misfortune to witness-GA Tech, Nebraska, Boston U, Loyala-Chicago to name a few.
I find it odd for a P5 program to not select someone with either documented success coaching lesser programs to titles or NCAAT games or as an assistant at programs with titles or NCAAT games.
I would have been a huge Campbell supporter for Tech, with this hire, not...so...much...

The word I used was reminiscent. School's former PG returning to led the program back to glory. I didn't say the same or dead gonads on. Kelly has had more success but I wonder if having played for Pat has sorta left her mired in her playing philosophy the way Warlick was. Some Tenn fans were making that noise last year. TT could have done a lot better.

 

[j66kicker]

Stollings is going to sue TT now...

Ex-coach Stollings preparing to sue Texas Tech

Marlene Stollings has retained attorney Peter Ginsberg to pursue a lawsuit against Texas Tech over her firing. She told ESPN that she wants to coach again and wants to clear her reputation.

www.espn.com

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Her suit has a veneer of credence because the AD endorsed her continued tenure after having heard some allegations, then flipped when he allegedly heard more. The AD will want to settle quickly, but how one clears this coach's reputation in the face of the evidence, with multiple corraborating witnesses .... Paying her would be another black eye for the AD.

 

[eebmg]

Her suit has a veneer of credence because the AD endorse her continued tenure after having heard some allegations, then flipped when he allegedly heard more. The AD will want to settle quickly, but how one clears this coach's reputation in the face of the evidence, with multiple corraborating witnesses .... Paying her would be another black eye for the AD.

Thats ok. He has 2 eyes, but only one butt.

 

[Carnac]

Her suit has a veneer of credence because the AD endorsed her continued tenure after having heard some allegations, then flipped when he allegedly heard more. The AD will want to settle quickly, but how one clears this coach's reputation in the face of the evidence, with multiple corroborating witnesses .... Paying her would be another black eye for the AD.

It would be difficult to win a suit if all of the current and former players were called to testify. First hand accounts of abuse can be hard to defend to a jury, especially a sympathetic one. Attempts to discredit a witness, especially one who has nothing to gain can easily backfire. A "quick" out of court cash settlement is probably the desired target of the plaintiff in this case.

Stollings is toxic right now. No AD in his/her right mind would consider hiring her since this is NOT the first or only allegation of abuse of her program. If attempts to find a job since her termination by TT have been fruitless, she may feel that she has nothing to lose by filing a law suit, and maybe benefiting from an out of court settlement.

 

[Steelerone]

Mike Leach is a textbook case of everything that is dirty in coaching from the way he treats his players to the loose reins he is given by any school he has ever worked for. Coach's like Mike Leach don't get fired for any illegal act - they get fired because sometimes those acts are discovered and publicized.

 

[Steelerone]

It’s been so many coaches fired or were under investigation for similar reasons these past few years. What is really going on?

DeeHusky, I think the answer is social media. There are no longer any secrets in the world. They are all on facebook, instagram, or "I don't have a life so I'm going to spend the next eight hours posting things I've heard from other people."

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Mike Leach is a textbook case of everything that is dirty in coaching from the way he treats his players to the loose reins he is given by any school he has ever worked for. Coach's like Mike Leach don't get fired for any illegal act - they get fired because sometimes those acts are discovered and publicized.

He is very strange. I would not want him at my school, although is the devil you know preferable to the one you don't? For example, I liked RichRod when he was here at Arizona, even as I didn't agree with some of his behavior. At the worst, like others, he tried to operate the football team by a set of rules outside of the University's guidelines.

 

[Steelerone]

He is very strange. I would not want him at my school, although is the devil you know preferable to the one you don't? For example, I liked RichRod when he was here at Arizona, even as I didn't agree with some of his behavior. At the worst, like others, he tried to operate the football team by a set of rules outside of the University's guidelines.

Knights, you had a guy at either Arizona or Arizona State years ago who was a was the type of coach that the Mike Leach's worshipped. He treated his players like dirt but had a winning record so the school kept him around until he finally went overboard. Can't think of his name but you might know him.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Knights, you had a guy at either Arizona or Arizona State years ago who was a was the type of coach that the Mike Leach's worshipped. He treated his players like dirt but had a winning record so the school kept him around until he finally went overboard. Can't think of his name but you might know him.

Nope - I've only been out here 10 years (slightly less). Arizona had one of the Stoops brothers that they let go because he wasn't winning, RichRod (who wasn't nice with his players, really, but it was the separatist macho culture that he tried to instill that brought him down although he also wasn't doing so well with results) and now Kevin Sumlin. The only well-touted former coach here is the late Dick Tomey, who was anything but what you describe.

I know nothing about the folks at Arizona Normal School up north. Didn't like the last coach, don't remember his name, now they have Herm Edwards.

 

[Plebe]

The Lubbock paper ran another in-depth piece today, featuring some former players at Tech, Minnesota and VCU.

UConn fans will recognize the name of David Benedict, who at VCU hired Stollings in 2012 after Beth Cunningham left for Notre Dame.

Silent no more: Additional former players speak out on Stollings’ coaching methods

When she took the reins at Virginia Commonwealth in 2012, Marlene Stollings sold the program an American dream-like...

www.lubbockonline.com

 

[Steelerone]

Nope - I've only been out here 10 years (slightly less). Arizona had one of the Stoops brothers that they let go because he wasn't winning, RichRod (who wasn't nice with his players, really, but it was the separatist macho culture that he tried to instill that brought him down although he also wasn't doing so well with results) and now Kevin Sumlin. The only well-touted former coach here is the late Dick Tomey, who was anything but what you describe.

I know nothing about the folks at Arizona Normal School up north. Didn't like the last coach, don't remember his name, now they have Herm Edwards.

KnightBridge, the school was Arizona State and the coach was Frank Kush who was recognized at that time as the most phisically demanding coach in college football. His career at Arizona State ended when he punched a punter named Kevin Rutledge in the mouth after a bad punt. Rutledge sued the University for one million dollars. Kush was found guilty of attempting to interfere with the investigation and was fired. There was a huge uproar from the fans because he was the winning-est coach ever there.

 

[EdSaid]

Texas Tech Red Raiders softball coach steps down after review of program

Texas Tech softball coach Adrian Gregory is stepping down, saying she has "found it best to part ways" and offering no other explanation.

www.usatoday.com

There are more issues in Lubbock, Texas.

Its clear the AD and his $1.9 million salary need to go as well.

 

[DefenseBB]

Well, Holcutt is in the last year of his contract so I am doubtful the school would fire him now to have to pay another AD, albeit an interim any salary. Under no circumstances should the school retain him especially at that salary. I was encouraged that the school does conduct an assessment after each season on all the coaches, it is dismaying though that given such negative reviews of Stallings and Gregory that it took something else to force the school to conduct a formal review to oust these two. Tough is one thing, demanding and accountable is also logical, abusive is not acceptable in any form and good coaches know that line and you hear their student athletes tout that in their comments. Geno/Dawn/Kim/MM etc. are/were all tough, demanding and accountable coaches whose students say as much. Having 10% never mind 60% complaining about a negative environment would be unheard of. Thanks for posting @EdSaid

 

[EdSaid]

Knights, you had a guy at either Arizona or Arizona State years ago who was a was the type of coach that the Mike Leach's worshipped. He treated his players like dirt but had a winning record so the school kept him around until he finally went overboard. Can't think of his name but you might know him.

Yeah, Frank Kush was a legend. I was a freshmen at ASU when he slapped the punter and got fired. Years later they named the field after him and erected a statue. They forgave him in the end.

 

[EdSaid]

Review of Texas Tech softball program uncovers another issue: baptisms

A review of the Texas Tech softball program amid resignation of head coach was expected to look into player abuse and racial insensitivity.

www.usatoday.com

Not quite sure what to think about this.

 

[j66kicker]

Review of Texas Tech softball program uncovers another issue: baptisms

A review of the Texas Tech softball program amid resignation of head coach was expected to look into player abuse and racial insensitivity.

www.usatoday.com

Not quite sure what to think about this.

That IS weird.

So... Racial insensitivity, player abuse, and a player who is a Fellowship of Christian Athletes "volunteer chaplain" baptizing other players as well as her Associate Head Coach who is male and Jewish.

SMH

 

[Steelerone]

Let's face it. In today's society, short of being the only person in the room while standing over the body with a smoking gun, the main criteria for a coach is can you win, will you win, and did you win? And if the answer to all these questions is "Yes" then the body will be moved and the gun broken down and thrown in parts into the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico.

 

[j66kicker]

Stollings files suit against Texas Tech and AD...

Ex-women's hoops coach files suit vs. Texas Tech

Former Texas Tech women's basketball coach Marlene Stollings has filed a lawsuit against the school and athletic director Kirby Hocutt.

www.espn.com

 

[JellyBean]

Let's face it. In today's society, short of being the only person in the room while standing over the body with a smoking gun, the main criteria for a coach is can you win, will you win, and did you win? And if the answer to all these questions is "Yes" then the body will be moved and the gun broken down and thrown in parts into the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico.

This right here!! Well said. If you are winning, anything goes. The rest of the stuff will be swept under the rug, moved to the basement with the extra hidden room, behind the other hidden room.

 

[Beemer]

Knights, you had a guy at either Arizona or Arizona State years ago who was a was the type of coach that the Mike Leach's worshipped. He treated his players like dirt but had a winning record so the school kept him around until he finally went overboard. Can't think of his name but you might know him.

Frank Kush= IIRC he coached briefly in the NFL after he was fired