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Ariana Baio
Dec 13, 2022
Mike Leach, One of College Football’s Most Innovative Minds, Dies at 61
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Mike Leach, the head coach for Mississippi State University, died on Monday aged 61 after complications related to a heart condition.
For 35 years, Leach coached several college football teams including Washington State and Texas Tech. The beloved football coach was well-known for his amusing personality both on and off the field.
In press conferences, out on the field, and even while doing the weather, fans could always count on Leach to make them laugh.
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As we remember Leach, we look back at some of his funniest quotes.
His breakdown of the pirate vs Viking lifestyle
In a 2017 press conference, Leach gave an in-depth breakdown of whether he'd rather be a pirate or a Viking.
"Pirates get better gear and better weather," Leach said.
"You know, Vikings, you'd have a better home life it seems. You know, you could still go back, if you didn't get killed, and you could go bounce the kids around once you got back home with whatever you hoisted out of Scotland, Wales, and Ireland," he added.
\u201cMike Leach interview from yesterday is up, including a breakdown of whether he'd rather be a pirate or a viking https://t.co/Wju1WMomoD\u201d— Lindsay Joy (@Lindsay Joy) 1508880310
He did add that both lives would be "scenic" making the decision extremely difficult.
His Viking axe
After a mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in 2015, Leach was asked about his thoughts on guns.
As a gun owner, Leach preached the importance of gun safety, telling other gun owners to keep firearms unloaded in the home and ammunition in a separate location.
"I keep my guns on one part of the house totally locked up, and I keep the ammunition in another part of the house. Because if you think about it carefully, statistically, you’re more likely to shoot yourself, a loved one or a relative," Leach said.
But as for personal safety? No problem. Leach revealed he keeps a Viking axe next to his bed.
"There’s this (absurd) notion of ‘if you come in my house I’ll shoot ya.’ I do have a Viking axe by the bed if I need to whack someone," he said.
"My wife bought me a Viking axe – the axe side curls down so you can grab the adversary around the neck and you can use it to climb walls, as a grappling hook."
His hatred of candy corn
"I mean I completely hate candy corn," Leach told reporters on the field last year after a game between Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.
\u201cMy all time favorite interview from Coach Mike Leach. He\u2019s funny even when he doesn\u2019t realize it and that\u2019s what makes him so special. \n\nPraying for him and his family.\u201d— Aidan Gallardo (@Aidan Gallardo) 1670819066
Over the years, Leach had echoed these comments about candy corn.
His pet raccoon
In a piece he wrote for the Player's Tribune in 2017, Leache spoke about his childhood pet raccoon, Bilbo.
"I really liked raccoons — still do," Leach wrote. "I know an inordinate amount about raccoons actually. People fuss about raccoons all the time, but I’ve never had a problem with them. At my place in Key West, raccoons will show up sometimes and I’m always happy when they do."
Leach recounted how Bilbo was a "fabulous" house pet that got along well with his dog, cats, and other humans.
However, Bilbo apparently did get into some trouble with pots and pans, which often came crashing down when the raccoon got ahold of them.
His one-time weather report
While working for Texas Tech, Leach requested to do the meteorology report one night at the local TV station.
The six-minute weather report was met with high praise, and lot's of laughs.
One of the more memorable quotes was Leach's opinion on his favorite weather pattern: raining mud.
"My favorite weather pattern happens to be when it rains mud," Leach said. "Dust comes through, rain on top of it, and it rains mud. Now, I know that people that have been here for a while don't like that particular phenomenon as well as I do."
"But think about it: How many times in your life are you actually going to see it rain mud?"
Mike Leach Does the Weatherwww.youtube.com
His thoughts on Bigfoot and aliens
During a 2017 press conference for Washington State, Leach addressed his beliefs in Bigfoot and aliens.
"I hope there is Bigfoot," Leach said. "I don't think there is."
He cited evidence against dinosaurs as reasoning that Bigfoot, probably, doesn't exist.
Leach was a well-known fan of Bigfoot, he even had a replica of Bigfoot in his office.
\u201cBig Foot? Aliens? Ask @coach_leach #gocougs\u201d— Alyssa Charlston (@Alyssa Charlston) 1504572786
As for aliens, Leach said he "suspects" they exist but doesn't know "if they're little green men."
His advice on weddings
One of Leach's more memorable moments when was a reporter who was getting married in a few days asked Leach for wedding advice.
In a two-minute rant, Leach explained what made wedding planning stressful - and seemed to use some personal anecdotes.
"You're going to get caught in a catch-22 and I'm certain you already have, and that catch-22 is 'well I want you to be a part of this too so what color invitations?' Alright, the blue ones. 'Well, I kinda like the tan ones.' Ok, the tan ones then. 'Oh well, you're just saying that because you want this over with you're not even thinking about this.' Which is, of course, true."
\u201cIt\u2019s rivalry week. #WSU is one win away from the @pac12 title game.\n\nBut a reporter getting married in 9 days asked @Coach_Leach for wedding advice tonight, and Leach\u2019s answer was incredible. I\u2019m dying. \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\u201d— Aaron Levine (@Aaron Levine) 1511322444
"In the end, you'll wish you eloped," Leach added.
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