$800K Coaches

[Battering Ram]

I would love to get McKillop but I don't think he would take the job.  As 85 noted, he and his family love it down in the Carolinas and he's used Fordham in the past to get more money at Davidson.  I don't begrudge the guy for doing so -- just pointing out that we shouldn't get too excited about getting him.

[ace93]

A note on McKillop, 2 of his 3 sons already graduated from Davidson.  The middle son is an assistant on his staff and the youngest is currently a junior.  Not sure how that would affect things, but he either has to leave his son behind to finish his college career without him or bring him along and have him sit a year.  Presumably he would also bring his other son as an assistant, something that tends to raise eyebrows around here given that 2 of our last 3 coaches had sons on the staff.

[Rich93]

A note on McKillop, 2 of his 3 sons already graduated from Davidson.  The middle son is an assistant on his staff and the youngest is currently a junior.  Not sure how that would affect things, but he either has to leave his son behind to finish his college career without him or bring him along and have him sit a year.  Presumably he would also bring his other son as an assistant, something that tends to raise eyebrows around here given that 2 of our last 3 coaches had sons on the staff.

you are assuming our admissions staff would admit his son, probably would tell McKillop you are our new coach but your son does not qualify for admission. 

[Battering Ram]

I'm still getting my arms around this new development and last night's red wine is not helping.  That being said, this is Fordham so caution is advisable.  My two initial reactions are:

1. This could be a sign that we're going to overpay for someone like Lappas; and
2. We all assume that the $800K is per year.  I wonder if Fordham is talking about $800K over the life of the deal (3 or 4 years) which would mean Grasso (an option that I am not opposed to).

Sorry for being so negative and cynical but this is Fordham.

[ayteefie]

ACE clarified it was per year.  But why stop there, maybe its $400K a year in salary and $400K a year in escrow to fix Frank's mistake in 5 years when it blows up and we have to buy the guy out.

[ayteefie]

Rational thinking must apply with this kind of cash. The sad part is despite such a number being incredibly positive, many of us cringe to think of Frank being in charge of such a sum.

Regardless of who it is, it could be the greatest coach in the universe, it could be Coach K or Phil Jackson or Tom Izzo. It doesnt matter. Someone other than Frank has to negotiate and draft the contract and make damn sure Fordham is properly protected.  With such $$ the downside could equal the upside. 

[RAM71]

Ace, you have 183 guests on the board on a Sunday morning. Are you running a Valentine's Day special that I missed? 

[ace93]

I'm still getting my arms around this new development and last night's red wine is not helping.  That being said, this is Fordham so caution is advisable.  My two initial reactions are:

1. This could be a sign that we're going to overpay for someone like Lappas; and
2. We all assume that the $800K is per year.  I wonder if Fordham is talking about $800K over the life of the deal (3 or 4 years) which would mean Grasso (an option that I am not opposed to).

Sorry for being so negative and cynical but this is Fordham.

Cynicism is ok and expected.  We all need to take all of this 800k talk with a grain of salt.  I know I am the one that mentioned it, but I am comfortable in that I know that I am not the only one that was told this.  It was definitely communicated to me as a per year figure for the head coach, but it is very possible that some facts were confused between the decision being made and it getting to those who were at the RC.  It's like a game of telephone.  If it includes an increase for assistants and the head coaching salary to 600k I am still excited about this b/c that comes close to doubling our assistant salary pool which would afford us the ability to hire solid assistants.

[rambacker]

Cynicism is ok and expected.  We all need to take all of this 800k talk with a grain of salt.  I know I am the one that mentioned it, but I am comfortable in that I know that I am not the only one that was told this.  It was definitely communicated to me as a per year figure for the head coach, but it is very possible that some facts were confused between the decision being made and it getting to those who were at the RC.  It's like a game of telephone.  If it includes an increase for assistants and the head coaching salary to 600k I am still excited about this b/c that comes close to doubling our assistant salary pool which would afford us the ability to hire solid assistants.

Yes, there is a viral effect to these things that can trip the "game of telephone" syndrome.  $800,000/year for the entire coach's salary pool makes more sense.  Some further checking on this is definitely needed.

[rammot]

800k per year could be PJ Carlissimo type numbers.

[alanccrx]

Try this one:  We hire Digger Phelps to come back to court side, fulfill the remaining 3 years of his contract at a somewhat increased level of compensation, and give him a chance to ease his conscience.  Assuming he has one.

          I would go for the return of the Digger ONLY if Frank McLaughlin would
also agree to return as  his assistant coach and resign his poisition as AD.....   

[John]

I know you are a Molloy guy so can you handle a Chaminade guy?  What about Jim Larranagra, isnt he a Molloy guy?

I can handle a Chaminade guy just fine, if he's a good coach. Larranaga is indeed a Molloy guy, graduated about 3 years before I did. It's really amazing how many CHSAA guys from that couple of years have emerged as D-1 head coaches -- Baron, Wolff, Larranaga, McKillop and a bunch of others, not to mention the guys in the NBA like Mike Dunleavy, Brian Winters, etc.

The notion of Larranaga coming back to NY isn't that far-fetched. When he was coach at Bowling Green, he wanted to come back this way and would have taken our job if the timing was right. The Mason job was sort of a lateral move when he took it, but it got him back East. When he made the Final Four, he became the patron saint of mid-majors, and Mason did what Hofstra and some other mid-major programs have done -- give him a nice contract.  Mason let him interview at Providence, and he might have taken the job but for the fact that he was only a couple of years from the Final Four trip and it would have tarnished his "Patron Saint of Mid-Majors" title. A move to mid-major Fordham (ironically, a MUCH bigger school than Providence) wouldn't be viewed the same way.

That being said, if our package is $800K total, and Jim's already pulling down $600K at George Mason, I agree there's no reason for him to come here.

[joesunfish]

Ace, I love you but enough already with the age references. Don't you know that 60 is the new 40 and 70 the new 50!

[fufanatic]

800K on top of the other buyouts makes little sense to me? A few others have suggested it is the total coaching staff's salary not just the HC; have we confirmed this? sorry if I missed it. All things being equal, I would take Donahue from Cornell; I saw the game against Kansas, Syracuse, & Harvard and was really impressed. Knows how to get his team to play at a high level although the loss the other night to UPenn was a shocker.