The numbers are staggering...
- Thread starter Rick Cleveland
- Start date
Most of those guys, college football coaches, are really just astronomically overpaid PE teachers.
But that’s the society we live in and it’s values in life.
But that’s the society we live in and it’s values in life.
I think this is a good thing. It keeps our AD's from getting too stupid. Whole lot easier to fire a coach with less than four years than one with ten.
["Besides, state law limits Mississippi’s state-supported schools from offering contracts of more than four years."}
["Besides, state law limits Mississippi’s state-supported schools from offering contracts of more than four years."}
Really unbelievable is the state of college football these days...
This take is just so narrow minded. Starry Night by Van Gogh is just simple paint on canvas that people do all over the world every day. College Football coaches, through no fault of their own making, are a large part that drives a multi-billion dollar industry. Someone has to be paid the money they are generating. If it was an easy job that any PE teacher could do, then there wouldn't be so much failure. Since only a few guys seem to figure it out, their talent is in high demand. Therefore the high salaries.
Thanks, Rick...always appreciate how you concisely yet completely capture the situation in an entertaining way!
Plus, there is currently no off-season. These guys have to be dedicated to working almost 24/7, looking for any little edge they can. Especially in the SEC. That's why Freeze and Kelly are being criticized for playing golf.
Then there's this whole concept that tou can be fired at almost anytime and have to uproot your whole family and try again.
I disagree. I’ve personally played football and experienced different coaches at several different levels, and I’ve experienced high school coaches that were more capable than the college coaches. I actually experienced youth football coaches that were way more capable than high school assistants. This is not rocket science. Most of these guys were in the right places at the right times and made the right connections.
Most any good high school team’s head coach doesn’t have a real off season or summer either for the same reasons.
What do you disagree with? That coaches that work and are successful in a multi-billion dollar industry deserve to get paid? High school and youth football aren't even multi-thousand dollar industries. I am sure there are some guys that are very knowledgeable at those levels. There are quite a few major NFL players that give back by coaching at local High Schools. There are some people with the ability that choose NOT to go into that meat grinder. I know a few people personally that are very knowledgeable and took a taste of college coaching and decided it was not for them. You have to audition to get the part.
The whole point I’m saying is that what we pay football coaches as a society at the Division 1 level doesn’t match the exclusivity or uniqueness of the skill set. It’s not rocket science.
But you're only looking at it as an X and O skill set. There are many people that can play the guitar excellently. You see it all the time on social media someone you never heard of and they are as good as any of the big time guitar heroes. However they are missing the other part that makes those heroes famous. Maybe they don't have the drive or determination to take all the rejection. Maybe they don't have the creative flair to be unique and are just great at copying others. Maybe they don't handle the big pressure. Maybe they are just not likeable. There is something these guys have as the whole package to be successful in major college football. Therefore, programs will pay them handsomely to be successful at their school.
I know baseball as well as many coaches. I know hitting better than most. There are other parts of coaching that I wouldn't want to deal with. There are parts that I am not very good at such as being someone people gravitate towards. I am not very likable because I don't care to be. So no one will pay me the big bucks.
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No I’m not. With all due respect, I know what I’m talking about here. And I’m not necessarily really making a sweeping generalization either. But again it’s not rocket science either, and most definitely not worth what our society pays for the services. In my personal opinion of course.
I like your Starry Night example.
I disagree with your comment that someone needs to be paid the money that is being generated.
- It could go to the University for academic scholarships.
- It could go to lowering ticket prices and in-stadium game day costs.
- It could go to paying assistant staff more.
- It could go to further supporting low-revenue generating sports.
None of that will happen though, until everyone agrees to step off the crazy train at the same time.
Until everyone stops agreeing to insane buyouts, it will continue to happen.
Until everyone stops agreeing to insane salaries, it will continue to happen.
Until it is accepted that coaches who are coming into a program are not what made that program successful/big enough to pay them the insane salaries and buyouts, it will continue to happen.
Over the last 15 years, I think there are very few coaches who have justified their exorbitant salaries and buyouts.
I generally agree with you. (I don't think hell has frozen over???)
BUT
What COULD happen or what SHOULD happen is often NOT what DOES happen.
The problem with your "until everyone agrees" statement is the courts have said in multiple cases that is COLLUSION and is not allowed.
Maybe they can come to the same conclusion separately and not buyout coaches any longer, shorten all contracts and make them coach out the existing contracts.
It would be great if businesses would pass some of it's extra profit on to the consumer in the form of lower prices.
HOWEVER
They are basically the hands on CEO of a multi million dollar business in the public eye and have to deal with the media daily and get way more criticism than other CEOs. I get you’re a genius but you are underselling what they have to do and the drive and determination it takes to get there.
I agree the buyouts are absolutely insane though and make no sense.
No I’m not. I’m saying that you on the other hand, are in agreement with grossly over paying them for what it is that they do. Again it’s not rocket science. Not to mention btw, the average salary for a rocket scientist is $110,000, and the top earners in that field making around $250,000 per year.
There is an adage that says, 'Sports are the ultimate meritocracy', and sports includes coaching. Like many other professions, good fortune often aids success and bad fortune hinders it but, 150 years of CFB history has demonstrated the clear impact the right coach has on the success of a program and the popularity of the output of that talent drives its value. One could argue that this talent has little true value because football isn't a necessity of life and that is true but it is also true of many other things in life as well. It just comes down to the value people assign to it. It is no different than elite entertainers most of whom make more than a college football coach. The output of their talent is not life essential but it is rare, and many people seek to consume it so it is very lucrative. Bottom line is, if elite coaching skills were either not rare or not in high demand it would not pay so well. But it is both. The failure rate is proof positive that it is an exceedingly difficult and highly competitive profession.
Same argument for me with regards to entertainers. I’ve seen plenty of talented musicians in small local scenes and actors at local theaters that are just as good if not better than most of whom you might call elite entertainers. Same with coaches. Have you ever read the book Outliers?
Rocket scientists are much smarter than football coaches but I bet rocket scientists suck at coaching. Coaching X’s and O’s Is 1/10th of the job and that’s why you’re underselling what all they do.
Rocket scientists contribute to technological innovation, national defense, space exploration, and scientific advancements and breakthroughs like satellite communications, GPS, and space travel ect, which have a profound and lasting impact on the world. A college football coach gets paid millions of dollars to coach a literal child’s game, (which includes more than X’s and O’s). I’m not underselling anything. I’m saying you’re over paying. But that’s a matter of societal opinion.
I’m not reading all that I know what a rocket scientist does. They should be paid more
The word "should" -- in a moral sense -- is out of place in discussions of the comparative compensation levels of entire professions.
Compensation is not based on the nobility of a profession or even its "value to society." It's generally just a measure of how hard it will be to replace you with someone similarly equipped to do what you're asking them to do at the level you're asking them to do it. You go as low as possible while still attracting the talent you want. If your "want" (low/medium demand) becomes perceived as a "need" (high demand), look out, because the suppliers have leverage.
Supply and demand eventually catch up to all attempts to evade them.
Compensation is not based on the nobility of a profession or even its "value to society." It's generally just a measure of how hard it will be to replace you with someone similarly equipped to do what you're asking them to do at the level you're asking them to do it. You go as low as possible while still attracting the talent you want. If your "want" (low/medium demand) becomes perceived as a "need" (high demand), look out, because the suppliers have leverage.
Supply and demand eventually catch up to all attempts to evade them.
I fully agree with your analysis that compensation is not based on the nobility of a profession or its value to society.
I disagree with your claim that it is a measure of how hard it will be to replace the person with someone similarly equipped to do what the job requires.
You did insert the word 'generally' in there, but that is so vague that it is largely meaningless.
Your replacement claim can certainly be accurate for some professions. and more specifically some people within some professions.
Your replacement claim is very questionable when it is applied to upper level Divisional management, CSuite positions, college coaches, and other similar leadership jobs.
- There are a ton of people who have the skills to be a middling upper level Divisional manager and stay in the position across multiple companies thru the years to make millions.
- There are a ton of people who have the skills to be brought into a CSuite position, do literally nothing different, and benefit from the company's growth by claiming it is a result of leadership or dismiss the company's struggle by claiming they havent been able to implement substantive change.
- There are a ton of people who have the skills to be hired as a Top60 college football coach, not meet expectations, and walk away with millions while picking up a job as an assistant and still making more money per year than 95% of Americans...then be fired and picked up again by another program.
