Schools would solve a coaching salary cap

Posted: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 4:49 PM
Filed Under: New rules, Coaches

Today’s radical idea in a cash-strapped economy? A salary cap for college coaches.

Think about a world where John Calipari wouldn’t have his eight-year, $31.65 million deal, or Bill Self doesn’t get $30 million for the next 10.

OK, maybe it’s not so radical.

Especially when some consultants think it won’t cause coaches to bolt the NCAA for the NBA. Andrew Zimbalist, a professor of economics at Smith College in Massachusetts told the AP that “we’d still have the same talent of coaching in Division I that we currently have,” because his other options wouldn’t be as attractive, even if it meant more money.

That’s a debatable stance – given most people think money is the backbone for nearly every decision ever made – but probably not far off. After all, Memphis did offer Caliapri more money to stay put.

Maybe a salary cap could work. But it sounds like it’ll never happen.

Zimbalist says if the NCAA were controlled by the university presidents, they could go to Congress and ask for an antitrust exemption. The odds of the presidents stepping up and wresting control are only slightly better than me starting at point for Kentucky next season.

Besides, a coaching salary cap isn’t the reason schools are losing money. Funding anywhere from 15-30 varsity sports adds up and the salaries are minimal.

Calipari’s base contract is $400,000 per year. The rest comes from marketing, broadcasting and endorsement payments. Self’s monster deal includes an annual salary of $229,000 – the rest comes from private resources. No tuition dollars or state funds are used.

Those kinds of deals will become standard if a salary cap is put into place. NCAA vice president Wally Renfro thinks the top programs will always find ways to lure the top coaches.

"What'll you see is a shift in the source of compensation - not the amount of compensation,'' Renfro told the AP.

No kidding. Schools already know that trick.

Other news you may like:

• Three players can significantly alter the NCAA hoops landscape next season, writes Luke Winn. Great read on what could happen depending on what John Wall, Jeff Teague and Jodie Meeks decide.
• According to Gary Parrish, teams are staying away from Lance Stephenson for two reasons: His dad’s supposedly a pain, and the NCAA may question Stephenson’s amateur status. Still, it’s hard to believe that no one wants supreme scorer …
• Mississippi State is elated to have shot swatter extraordinaire Jarvis Varnardo back at school. Duh. Now the Bulldogs just have to hope Renardo Sidney is eligible.
• Great feature by Dana O’Neil on new Memphis coach Josh Pastner, a whirling recruiting dervish who was apparently born with a cell phone attached to his ear.
• Pauley Pavilion is getting a $185 million facelift, but BruinsNation.com isn't overly impressed.
• Sonny Vaccaro vs. the NCAA, summed up thusly: “Amateurism lost its virginity a long time ago.”
• Finally, Rick Pitino’s would-be extorter, Karen Sypher, was indicted Tuesday. She faces a combined maximum penalty of seven years in prison and a $500,000 fine if convicted.

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