UVA’s athletic department is making the same mistakes over and over, and it’s costing a fortune.
The school’s head football coach, Al Groh was fired on Sunday. He will be paid the remainder of the $4.33 million he was owed for two more years of coaching. He won three games this year and got killed by Virginia Tech again.
UVA had to pay millions for two other coaches who no longer work at the school: Pete Gillen, Dave Leitao.
Leitao had four years left on his $1 million per year contract when he resigned in the Spring.
When UVA fired Pete Gillen in 2005, it paid $2 million to buyout his 10-year, $9 million contract, which he signed after the 2000-01 season.
I haven’t spoken with the school’s athletic department, but I would imagine they would say that they cannot recruit a top-notch coach without those guarantees.
I say hogwash. Remember all the athletes who say it’s not about the money. That it’s about the love of the game. Prove it. Plus, coaches spend most of their time at work, so what does another million really do for them, in terms of happiness. Surely coaching brings them much more value.
And shouldn’t coaches be confident enough in their abilities that they take a job with fair pay and without a guaranteed contract? Or shouldn’t most of their compensation be based on clear benchmarks, like a winning season or reaching the post-season?
Aaron Kremer is the BizSense editor. Please send news tips to Editor@richmondbizsense.com.
Pleassssee don’t take Mike London from us UVA! How about Jim Zorn, he would be a great Cavs coach.