Vanderbilt's best role model? Stallings
Posted: Monday, August 24, 2009 8:02 PM
Filed Under:
Coaches, SEC
Say this for Kevin Stallings: he’s a man of principle.
The Vanderbilt coach passed on a $100,000 raise to fund his team’s 10-day trip to Australia earlier this month. The school had made cuts of up to 20 percent this spring, leaving the trip in jeopardy. But Stallings decided the money would be better spent on his team.
I’d like to think most coaches would do the same, but I’m not sure. That’s a chunk of change. But maybe Stallings just understands how money should be spent.
He was one of the miffed coaches highlighted earlier this summer regarding the steep (read: ridiculous) admission prices for coaches to watch various summer camps and tournaments. The guy knows how and what money should be spent on.
Such as overseas trips teams can only take every four years. And he certainly earned fans at the school.
"He was just doing what he thought was the appropriate thing to do in light of a number of things. As much as he was being generous, he also understands completely the sensitivity to the fact that the rest of the university was having some financial pain,” said Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor David Williams, who added that he wished the news had never surfaced.
Sure, it’s not like Stallings donated the money to hungry kids in Africa or to war relief in Afghanistan. But it’s a nice reminder that some coaches have their eye on the bigger picture.
During a summer when other coaches in that region are dealing, with scandals, Stallings is a much-needed breath of fresh air. And that’s the kind of coach kids should have.
