Mississippi State Football Coach Must Visit Civil Rights Museum After Noose Tweet

In 2009, Texas Tech University dismissed Leach as its football coach for what it said was his mistreatment of one of his players, Adam James, a sophomore receiver who is the son of Craig James, then an ESPN broadcaster.

Leach was accused of isolating James in an equipment garage and a media room while he was sitting out practice with a concussion. Texas Tech officials said that Leach’s actions, including not signing a letter spelling out guidelines for dealing with players, and his reaction to their investigation forced them to fire him.

On Friday, Shannon Sharpe, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and a co-host of the show “Undisputed” on Fox Sports 1, criticized Leach on Twitter and on television.

“Given the history of Emmett Till and lynchings in the state of Mississippi, Mike Leach, as the head coach of Mississippi State, you seriously thought it would be cool to post a picture that had a noose in it?” Sharpe wrote.

Emmett, whose brutal murder in 1955 served as a catalyst for the civil rights movement, was tortured and lynched. He was 14. A bulletproof sign marking the spot along the Tallahatchie River where his body was found was installed last year after previous signs were vandalized.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/sports/football/mike-leach-noose.html