Miami of Ohio is honoring the memory of Mike Leach during Friday's Bahamas Bowl by wearing a Pirate sticker on the back of players' helmets during the game against UAB.
Today we remember 'The Pirate' Coach Leach with a special #FlyTheFlag sticker on our helmets.#LoveAndHonor pic.twitter.com/sPs4axGpRG
— Miami Football (@MiamiOHFootball) December 16, 2022
Leach, a truly unique and game-changing coaches of the modern college football era, died this past week at the age of 61, producing an outpouring of stories and memories of his legacy.
Why the Pirate sticker?
Leach had an affinity for Pirates and always talked about swinging your sword heavy like a Pirate. Fans would send him Pirate items (flags, swords), and he was even referred to as the Pirate coach.
Perhaps the greatest sign of Leach's legacy is that Miami is honoring him despite the fact he had no connection to the school or its football program. He never went there, never played there and never coached there, but that is the type of impact he had on the college game.
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