Mike Leach

Last Thursday, my boss, Joe Shannon, Jr. received the Texas Wesleyan University Excellence In Justice Award. I was honored that Joe invited me to attend the awards ceremony. The key note speaker at the Lunch was former Texas Tech Head Football Coach Mike Leach. Joe correctly figured that I would be interested in hearing Coach Leach speak. I had to agree to control my “Texas Techness” in order to attend.

The Awards luncheon was held in the Fort Worth Club. I have been there a couple of times more often as a speaker at some professional’s organization. Since Joe was getting “The” award, I was seated at the table right under the podium. I had told Joe my goal for the day was to shake Coach Leach’s hand and thank him for the win over the Texas Longhorns in 2008.

As I was visting with a law professor at my table, I heard a voice behind me I recognized. I realized quickly that Mike Leach was sitting at the table right behind me. I turned to Joe and said “I’m going in”

I waited until the person that Coach Leach was talking to walked away and went over and introduced myself. I informed him that the Texas win in 2008 was right below the birth of my grandchildren in importance. Leach politely noted that it was an important win. What surprised me from here was that he then began to break down the game with me. We engaged in about a 10 minute football conversation about that game and officiating in the Big 12. I had never imagined my conversation going this long. The cool thing about Coach Leach is that you really don’t have to carry it.

I looked up and could tell that every Red Raider in the room figured if I could talk to him, so could they. As a crowd started to form around Coach Leach, I broke off the conversation and thanked him again and for the notoriety he brought to Texas Tech University.

I headed back to Joe’s table quite proud of myself to have successfully pulled off my goal.

Mike Leach gave a classic Coach Leach talk. I sat politely through the awards ceremony while texting everyone I knew I had just chatted with Mike Leach about football.