Post-game press conference, he gets asked by a non-sports journalist about being the highest paid state employee (which I’m not entirely sure is correct, he gets paid a lot, but it’s not all state salary).
They exchange words, with Calhoun tearing the guy a new one about getting his facts straight etc.
If nothing else, Calhoun should have answered the question much better. But, he’s also a giant prick, and is wont to answer questions of the sports media in the same manner, and does so with decent regularity.
The guy had false credentials and should not have been there in the first place. He was completely out of line with his questions. He deserved to get ripped. Actually, the real sports reporters should have kicked his ass.
So, what does he want Calhoun to do? Should he leave and go to a more prosperous state? Should he leave and go coach for a private school? What should he do? Fuck that. Calhoun has turned UCONN into a perrenial powerhouse. He has noting to apologize for.
Ha, he was just pissed that he was accused of being the highest paid CT employee, while he knows that he’s not even the highest paid b-ball coach at UCONN - Geno gets more coin
It would be interesting to see how much money he has MADE for the school in terms of TV contracts, increased ticket sales, etc. Whether purists like it or not, successful basketball and football programs raise a schools profile, get rich alums to donate more money, etc.
So it’s OK that he makes more $$ than any other state employee because he gets alums to donate $$ to the school?
But it’s not OK that CEOs of company’s make big money? Or rock stars? Or movie stars?
If we start mandating salaray caps for company execs, do we do the same for entertainers? Athletes?
This is outrageous. Let Mr. Calhoun make as much $$ as UConn will pay him. Same for CEOs athletes etc. It’s only when pols start mandating pay structure and capping pay that I get annoyed.
That’s true all across the nation. The football coach here at UTEP is Mike Price. His salary is about 3 times that of the President of the University.
And we sure don’t win much. On the other hand, the XC coach does a great job and the guys here tear it up. Paul Ereng is also an olympic gold medalist (800m, Seoul). Nearly no one knows him on campus.
I’m not certain how much can be said regarding the impact of a highly-paid coach for the university, because of the way the budgets are separated. There is ‘some’ return, but it’s nowhere near as much as what is claimed. For instance, the major alumni donation for us was a $10M building…FOR the Football players…
When taxpayer money is inserted into the equation, things get murky don’t they.
A company is free to pay their CEO whatever they want. But if they are begging for or taking money from the government then they better be prepared to deal with demands of this new shareholder. Seems fair to me. If I personally infused tens of billions of dollars into a company that was struggling I sure as hell would demand to have input.
Yes it is. Although if you knew a bit more, you’d know that accreditations are delivered to colleges and/or departments (AACSB, ABET etc).
The same type of accreditation the college you went to has…
So it’s OK that he makes more $$ than any other state employee because he gets alums to donate $$ to the school?
It is an interesting question. Kirk Ferentz (head football coach, University of Iowa) is the highest paid state employee in Iowa (I’m pretty sure). But I think the Athletic Department at Iowa actually is revenue neutral to the state. Yes, he makes over $2MM per year, but they sell out the football stadium for 6-8 games a year (65000 X $50/seat X 6 games = $26MM per year). I can see both sides of the argument…Iowa’s state employees are being laid off, taking furloughs, getting 0% raises or pay cuts…and the University of Iowa just gave Ferentz a contract extension for $2MM+ per year. Is it right?
Kind of like the story on SI.com about the Carolina Panthers signing two contracts last week to pay a player $60MM (or something like that) and then laying off 20 employees in the office. It sucks, but you don’t buy tickets to watch the folks in the office play on Sundays.
