Tom Dienhart Thinks Mike Leach Should Get Paid

by Seth C on Aug 6, 2008 11:00 AM CDT

Tom Dienhart wonders what the hell Texas Tech is thinking in deciding to wait to extend Captain Leach and on some level I agree with him, but on the other hand I understand the economics the situation. Dienhart wonders why Leach and the Texas Tech fanbase should pay the price for bad administrative decisions:

A major reason Tech finds its budget squeezed is because it still is paying four coaches – a women's basketball coach, a men's basketball coach, a baseball coach and a defensive coordinator – who no longer are at the university. Want more? Tech also is paying the women's basketball and the men's basketball coaches' secretaries.
How is this Leach's fault? Why should he suffer and be made to wait because of bad decisions by the Tech administration? Maybe Tech wouldn't be so pressed for money if Myers was a more aggressive fund-raiser.

Of course Dienhart doesn't take into account the fact that I'm pretty sure that Bob Knight raise enough funds to take care of all of the men's scholarships for quite some time and Larry Hays will also raise more money than he's paid for years to come. Of course, that still leaves a women's basketball coach and a defensive coordinator on the payroll. I can't speak to the women's basketball coach, but I would imagine that Leach is the one that told Setencich he couldn't coach any more, and that shouldn't be on Myers in the very least.

You'll note by looking at the IndyStar's NCAA budget database that the Texas Tech football and men's basketball programs are quite sufficient (Texas Tech's expense statement and revenue statement), but the difference between Texas Tech and Texas is that a good year for Texas Tech is making $1,000,000 while Texas makes $39,000,000 (go ahead and compare the two schools to get a feel for the difference in revenue). The economics of the two schools are completely different

Certainly Leach deserves to be compensated, but coaches and athletes have it pretty good. I wonder how many people have their contracts re-negotiated when there are still two years left on them? I know, we see it every year, coaches and players get extended all of the time, it's a part of business. It sucks that he can't get extended and that he can't get paid, I'd love to keep him around for a long time, but it's not hurting recruiting.

Leach will get paid and although he's had a wandering eye, I think he knows that Lubbock is where he needs to be.

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If Texas Tech is going to have the year alot of people think they are, they should pay him now because the price tag probably will grow quite a bit next winter.

by sammy vegas on Aug 6, 2008 11:51 AM CDT 0 recs

agreed

There is no other coach that would work so why even risk it. Just sign him to whatever he wants and let us fans enjoy the next 10 years.

"Once in awhile, a pirate can beat a soldier"

by crabtreeforheisman on Aug 6, 2008 4:09 PM CDT 0 recs

Be careful when pointing the finger

“Maybe Tech wouldn’t be so pressed for money if Myers was a more aggressive fund-raiser”

Until this year, I lived in Houston since graduating from Tech in 1999. When the Raiders played in Houston, I went to the games. I was always disappointed by how little support Tech received from their fans. In a metro area of over 5 million people, you would think that it would be easy for Tech to nearly fill Rice stadium (capacity 47,000). Yet at the Tech-Rice game last year, the attendance was 21,543. When Texas played Rice in Houston in 2006, they moved the venue to Reliant Stadium because Rice stadium wasn’t big enough.

Why is Jones stadium not as big as Kyle field or Memorial Stadium? Because we would never fill it. Has anyone noticed the lack of scheduled televised games this season despite the preseason hype and 2 potential Heisman candidates? On 9/13 FSN picked Washinton State v Baylor over the Tech-SMU game. Even games versus Texas and A&M aren’t planned to be televised at this point, yet ESPN network has already committed to the like of Syracuse at Northwestern and Alcorn State at Grambling State.

Tech splits the revenue from games with it’s opponents. If we, the fans, would put forth a better showing, it might go a long way.

by NM99 on Aug 6, 2008 4:44 PM CDT 0 recs

i don’t believe a lot of what you’re saying.

by kayakyakr on Aug 6, 2008 4:57 PM CDT up 0 recs

I think the support part of it is accurate

I think fans need to do a better job of getting out to games. I’m still amazed that UT can pull $20 million from ticket sales and Texas Tech pulls $5 million. Not to mention the $4 million in Texas Tech contributions to UT’s $15 million. That’s the difference between paying your coaches whatever you want and having to deal with a program that is in the red. Still, the football program made over $1 million.

I too have see a little bit of the projected football coverage and am a little worried, but those things tend to work themselves out, except for the non-conference games where unless I receive a small inheritance, I’m going to listen to quite a few of those on the radio.

Go Raiders . . .

by Seth C on Aug 6, 2008 8:24 PM CDT up 0 recs

I'm in the same boat.

I’m sure that several of the TBD time slots that are allotted to the Big XII will be filled with Tech games. I do get tired of Tech being snubbed by networks year after year (though last year was better) and getting a game that, at least regionally, few people care about. Though I guess from a network’s perspective, many Tech games are unlikely to garner many advertising dollars nationally. But in general, teams with larger, more active fan bases get better coverage despite how well they perform (see Notre Dame).

Since there aren’t any games in the DFW metro area this year and I will have a hard time making it to Lubbock, OU might be the best chance to see them play live.

by NM99 on Aug 6, 2008 9:04 PM CDT 0 recs

Yeah, but...

...we get to see the Tech vs. OSU game every year for about a decade at Jerry World starting next season. There’s one less roadtrip to make. I am TOTALLY bummed they moved Baylor to Thanksgiving weekend the next few years. That game has been a family tradition of ours for years (wife is a Baylor grad), but we have family at our place all Thanksgiving and can’t get away. Crap!

by Tech92 on Aug 7, 2008 4:17 PM CDT up 0 recs

Strange

Think it’s a little odd that the athletic department has raised $20mm to increase capacity at the Jones – but can’t find $6mm to give him three more years at $2mm per?

Actually, of his salary, only a percentage comes directly from the school so raising $6 mm is not necessary. Only $300K of his $1.6 comes from Tech directly. The rest of the $1.3 mm comes from boosters and outside contracts for TV/Radio. So really, Tech would only have to pony up an additional $500K per year to get him in the $2.1 mm range that seems to be the mark all the good one’s are at. So find $2 mm and add four years to the deal.

There are only 12 coaches over $2 mm, and he is probably right on the cusp of that elite level, though maybe not quite. If Tech proves to be an elite team this year (and let’s face it, if we don’t break through this year, we may not ever do it. It think it’s very safe to say our offense will take a large hit in ‘09), then pay him. If not, just add years, not dollars to a new deal.

by Tech92 on Aug 6, 2008 9:52 PM CDT 0 recs