Posted on 06/20/2005 9:47:45 PM PDT by Columbus Dawg
HARTFORD, Conn - University of Connecticut coaches are to be treated the same as other state employees concerning rules on gifts and outside work. The ruling by the state's ethics commission Monday ends a policy that allowed "celebrity" state employees to bypass rules governing the conduct of Connecticut state employees. The decision will allow the coaches to keep previously approved endorsement deals but subjects future contracts to stricter review. The commission spent three months reviewing its treatment of "celebrity" employees at the request of Gov. M. Jodi Rell. The review followed reports that UConn basketball coach Jim Calhoun and women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma were paid by Nike, partly for providing their teams with Nike gear in apparent conflict with state ethics laws. Messages were left Monday at UConn for both coaches. A lawyer for Auriemma attended Monday's meeting but declined to comment. The commission's staff determined there is no basis for treating celebrity state employees or public officials differently from other state employees and public officials.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
Here in Ohio, this would certainly be something controversial. It is arguable that OSU Head Football Coach Jim Tressel is the most powerful person in the state of Ohio. I do not know if he receives some retirement benefit from the State of Ohio. He does teach a class, so he may receive state teachers retirement. He has his endorsement deals and other things. I could see an uproar if the State of Ohio tried to stop that sort of thing. But I wanted to see what the folks in the Land of the Huskies think about this. Others can respond too.
Then Auriemma and Calhoun will leave. They bring millions of dollars to the table and they are going to be paid a pittance of what other coaches of similar caliber are paid? I think not.
Connecticut is going to lose two very fine coaches.
And this is ALL an over-response to take care of the deals that landed former Governor Rowland in trouble.
Will this improve their job performance? Or was the celebrity status of successful coaches part of the incentive?
I hope we don't have a similar response in Ohio after what is going on right now....
I hope not or you'll lose some good coaches. They bring a lot of money to their states...way more than the average state employee.
The extra money attracts and keeps top level coaches. Would you rather be paid a million dollars, or civil service rates, for doing the same job?
"The highest paid football coach is LSU’s Nick Saban. He will make $2.3 million this year." http://www.collegeathleticsclips.com/archives/000168.html
How long do you think he would stay if Louisiana cut his total pay to $60,000 a year, and he could get one or two million for coaching in another state?
Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.
You have it exactly right.
The coaches are bringing much more than some money to the universities coffers through ticket sales, concessions, parking, apparel sales, etc.
They give the university exposure. Through their teams, they are able to be on ESPN several times a week in the winter time. This gives prospective students an opportunity to see what UCONN is all about. This helps the school!
Then you have alumni donations, along with just fans of the team. When the teams are doing well and winning championships, the money comes flowing in. In January 2003, Ohio State had money coming in (probably it's best month ever) like crazy while the state was in the midst of a nasty recession and high unemployment. What happened? The Buckeyes won the national championship.
There is also the economic and civic impact. People come to these games all over and they stay at hotels, they eat at restaurants, they shop at stores, they fill up with gas, and they buy beer at local businesses. This helps the business community and generates local tax revenue. You could go on and on with economic positives.
The civic impact is something that can't be explained. It is part of the community for generations.
Hate to tell you this but Nick Saban left LSU and the former Okie State Coach with the big mouth Les Myles is the new LSU coach. Still cannot figure out that hire by LSU.
As a UConn alum, I think this is stupid.
Prior to Calhoun and Auriemma, UConn was a close to being a pit. Cracked sidewalks, dorms that would make prisoners riot, facilities that were in bad need of repair. Those two brought (and bring) in a lot of money from people like me, who give back to the U partly because of the pride we feel from their successful basketball programs.
Short-sighted burrocrats strike again.
Thanks for reminding me. I had forgotten that Saban had 'gone pro', and I call myself an SEC football fan.
This'll just turn the coaches into contractors.
thanx fer the ping. it kinda gets me that someone like Calhoun, who makes over a million taxpayers bucks a year thinks he can get even richer with endorsements, when his atheletes cannot even accept a necklace from a booster.
a few years back i was offered a computer if i accepted a bid that met specs. even though it did meet specs, accepting the gift was improper, if not illegal, so i declined. and i make considerably LESS than Calhoun.
what's good for the goose...
The good news from what I read earlier is Calhoun and Auriemma won't leave as a result of this (except maybe after their current contracts are up.) They will be the last decent coaches they get, though, because all future contracts will be reviewed to make sure they meet the state criteria.
That's for sure.
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