Texas Tech trainer tells university officials he didn’t agree with treatment of James

Texas Tech trainer didn’t agree with treatment

LUBBOCK, Texas — A Texas Tech athletic trainer told university officials he did not agree with Mike Leach’s treatment of receiver Adam James after the player was diagnosed with a concussion.

In an affidavit released Saturday by the university, Texas Tech trainer Steve Pincock said he told James he was “sorry” for having placed the player inside an equipment shed near the practice field.

On Dec. 21, Pincock spoke with Tech officials, telling them that he did not agree with that “form of treatment for anyone” and that Leach “wanted James to be uncomfortable.”

In an interview a day later, team physician Dr. Michael Phy told university officials that James “may not have been harmed” but he “considered this practice inappropriate.”

The affidavits were dated Jan. 1.

Leach was fired as Texas Tech on Wednesday, two days after he was suspended by the university while it investigated James’ allegations for mistreatment.

James is the son of former NFL player and ESPN analyst Craig James.

On Friday, Leach denied he mistreated Adam James and said Craig James lobbied frequently to get his son more playing time. Leach said the elder James meddled “more than any parent I’ve dealt with my entire career.”

Leach also claims he was fired for financial reasons. He was in the first season of a five-year, $12.7 million contract.

Leach was fired with cause, which means the university does not have to pay him any of the money remaining in his contract.

Leach’s attorney said he plans to file a lawsuit against the school.

According to the affidavit, Pincock told university officials that “Leach was upset and concerned about James’ appearance and attitude” when the sophomore showed up Dec. 17 for practice wearing street clothes and sunglasses. Earlier in the day, James was treated by Phy and diagnosed with a concussion. Pincock said injured players are expected to wear jerseys, cleats or workout gear to practice even if they are not participating.

Pincock said Leach used an obscenity to refer to James and told the trainer he did not want the player on the field or in the training facility, according to the affidavit.

Pincock said the shed James was placed in is about the size of a single-car garage. The building had no windows. James was in the shed for two to three hours, according to Pincock’s statement.

Two days later, James arrived at practice at the football stadium wearing what Pincock called, appropriate attire.

Pincock told university officials Leach said to put James back in the equipment shed, according to the affidavit. Instead, James was taken to a media interview room.

Pincock said he “noticed an electrical closet in that room, and walked inside.” Pincock said, according to the affidavit, that he “commented on the noise in that room” and told James not to go inside.

The trainer’s affidavit also states he was “not aware” of any other football player in his eight years with the program being placed in a darkened shed or room similar to James.

Pincock said in his statement “players with concussions were “sometimes placed in physician’s examination room with the lights dimmed, or in a weight room or athletic training room.”

AP College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo in New York contributed to this report.