Double T - Double Cross

by Michael Lee Lanning

The Firing Of Coach Mike Leach: The Backroom Deal That Deflated the Red Raider Nation. Acclaimed author Michael Lee Lanning uncovers the backroom dealings that led to the firing of Coach Mike Leach and turned the Red Raider nation against the Texas Tech administration. 78 percent of all Texas Tech students and alumni believe Coach Mike Leach should not have been fired. 67.5 percent feel Chancellor Kent Hance and the Texas Tech administration badly mishandled the situation and never should have dismissed Coach Mike Leach. 72 percent have an unfavorable opinion of ESPN announcer Craig James. Based on survey of Texas Tech students and alumni conducted September 2-3, 2011. "I strongly urge you to not close this matter concerning Adam James ... I don't want to eliminate our ability to use this to our advantage should we determine to use it to terminate Leach." --- Email from Regent Larry Anders to Chancellor Kent Hance, December 27, 2009 "Contract obligates TTU to pay 'completion bonuses' (800K in 2009 and 200K in 2010) only if he is head football coach at University as of December 31, 2009 ... but if we fired him on November 30, 2009, contract does not entitle him to receive the completion bonus." --- Email from Regent Jerry Turner to Regents John Scovell and Larry Anders, February 20, 2009

202 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Lieutenant Colonel Michael Lee Lanning (USA, Ret.) is an American retired military officer and writer of non-fiction, mostly military history.

After spending his early life in Texas, in 1964 Michael Lee Lanning graduated from Trent High School (Trent, Texas) and entered Texas A&M University (College Station, Texas), where in 1968 he earned a BS in Agricultural Education.

Upon graduation from Texas A&M in 1968, Lanning was commissioned a second lieutenant and received infantry, airborne, and ranger training at Fort Benning, Georgia. After serving as a platoon leader in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as an infantry platoon leader, reconnaissance platoon leader, and rifle company commander in the 2d Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment of the 199th Light Infantry Brigade. During subsequent tours of duty he served throughout the United States and Germany, as (among other things) an instructor in the U.S. Army Ranger School, a mechanized infantry company commander in the 3rd Infantry Division, and executive officer of an infantry battalion in the 1st Cavalry Division. He also served in several non-command assignments, including positions as public affairs officer, serving in that role first for General H. Norman Schwarzkopf and later as a member of the Department of Defense public affairs office. In 1979, he earned an MS in Journalism from East Texas State University (Commerce, TX); he was selected to attend the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (Fort Leavenworth, KS) that same year.

Lt. Col. Lanning's first book, 'The Only War We Had: A Platoon Leader's Journal of Vietnam' was published by Ivy Books/Ballantine Books/Random House, Inc. in September 1987.

Reviews

[Dave Cottenie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Double T - Double Cross - Double Take" looks at the firing of Head Football Coach Mike Leach. It is pretty straightforward and factual. There is plenty of information here considering that few, if any, of the key players (Mike Leach, Craig James or Texas Tech admin) provided the author with information. The ordeal makes one question the relationship between college football and academics and just how much of an "old boys club" it really is. This newest edition provides information on Leach and James and the rest of the Texas Tech admin in the aftermath of the firing and offers some satisfaction as James is painted as one of the main villains in the ordeal and has subsequently fallen. Definitely interesting and worth the read.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book details the Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach and his eventual ouster from his job due to some issues with a player who happened to be the announcer of ESPN personality and former NFL player Craig James. While I happen to agree that Leach probably got a raw deal in his termination from the school, this book is extremely slanted to his side of the story. While it was an interesting story, I think it would have been a little better had it been a little more impartial. But, if you're a fan of Texas Tech or Mike Leach, I think you'd enjoy the book. If your a fan of Craig James, maybe not.

[Kim Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick and easy read covering all the facts that led to Mike Leach's firing from Texas Tech, my alma mater. It is disgusting and disturbing how he was railroaded by Tech regents that didn’t want to pay his contract. This book also made me hate Craig James and wormy son even more, thought I didn’t think that was possible. A good read for Tech fans, but expect to be nauseated.