Cash strapped states pay millions for basketball coaches

TidefaninVA · April 2nd, 2009, 03:27 PM

I can't believe that Coach Saban's name/salary or Coach Grant's name/salary didn't make it's way into this article. I'm very glad though. It's the lead story on the Foxnews.com website right now.

From Foxnews.com

When Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear announced in February that his state was taking nearly $3 billion in federal stimulus cash, he described the decision as necessary to save jobs, preserve "quality of life" and a "strategic investment ... to position Kentucky for the future."

Little did Beshear know that two months later, as teachers, police and other municipal workers breathed a collective sigh of relief that their jobs had been saved — at least for now — the state's primary institution for higher learning would "invest" $32 million in a well-traveled but highly successful basketball coach.

Read the rest here: FOXNews.com - Cash Strapped States Pay Millions for Basketball Coaches - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News

Bama-94-00 · April 2nd, 2009, 05:26 PM

They imply his salary is coming out UK's university budget, not the separate athletic dept budget. Then a few paragraphs into the article they straighten this out.

TIDE-HSV · April 2nd, 2009, 07:32 PM

You'll notice that Coach Grant's exact salary has been kept on the down low...

TIDEFAN7 · April 2nd, 2009, 10:20 PM

	Quote:	TIDE-HSV
	You'll notice that Coach Grant's exact salary has been kept on the down low...

Why do you think this is.. we all think we know "about" what is package is.

CapstoneGrad06 · April 3rd, 2009, 12:21 AM

Someone should have done a little better research with that article. Kentucky basketball, just like Alabama football, pays for itself. Calipari's base salary may be paid for by the state, but the majority of his income is coming from boosters and revenue from the basketball program. I remember the same comments in 2007 about Coach Saban's salary.

TIDE-HSV · April 3rd, 2009, 01:07 AM

I think the reason they didn't publicize Grant's package is obvious, after all the flak we took for Saban's...

TidefaninVA · April 3rd, 2009, 07:33 AM

It was a refreshing change not to see Alabama's name in an article like this. Thank goodness the article wasn't done by any number of sports websites. We would have been front and center I'm sure.

I loved Calhoun's comments in the article.

During a postgame press conference in February, following an easy win over South Florida, a political activist asked Calhoun about his salary.

"Coach, considering that you're the highest-paid state employee and there's a $2 billion budget deficit ... do you think ...?" Ken Krayeske reportedly said.

"Not a dime back," Calhoun replied. "I'd like to be able to retire someday. I'm getting tired."

After telling Krayeske to "shut up," Calhoun defended his salary, saying the UConn's men's program generates $12 million for the university.

Only $12M?? I honestly thought it would have been more than that. I guess that is profit right,, not total revenues?

bamacon · April 3rd, 2009, 01:29 PM

None of it is taxpayer money. This is just poor populist journalism that is playing off class envy. People shouldn't care what other people make unless they are doing it the Madoff way. If they take the money away from these coaches does their bank account go up? NO. Truly sad and truly ignorant, but it is all about perception and image in today's media. I don't think we will have to hear about AG's salary now that, as I and many suspected, UK broke the bank for Cal. FWIW I like the decision our Univ. made better the UK's. JMO.