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Why exactly do coaches even have contracts? Fran went to TCU before fulfilling the length of his contract in New Mexico. Then he left TCU before fulfilling his TCU deal. And I read that he had a contract through 2006 or so, but now he's off to College Station.

If a coach gets fired, he receives either the salary called for in the remaining years of his deal, or some mutually agreed-upon financial settlement. Does anyone really think Fran is going to cut a check to the Bama athletic department on his way out of town? Of course not. It seems to me that coaches don't even need contracts. They can just shake hands on an agreed-upon salary, with a little nudge and a wink, and assure their employers that they'll coach and recruit as hard as they can - until a better offer comes along. Fran is the leader of the college coaching mercenaries.

Well I think we can all agree that Fran is an exception...he's just a greedy bastard.

Absolutely. If Fran is such hot snot, why didn't he stay at TCU and build a national champion there?

Sure his job would be easier at Bama or A&M, but he already had built a base of top talent in TCU. If he was loyal and built a champion at TCU, he probably could have commanded whatever salary he wanted. Salary plus endorsements alone in the Metroplex (you'd figue) would be as big as salary plus whatever measly endorsements he could get in a rat hole like college station.

I assume coaches aren't limited by the NCAA or anyone (except maybe the university) in obtaining endorsements.

PX, do you know?

Alabama bought him out of his TCU contract by paying TCU $1 million for the final 3 years of that deal.

He was allowed to break out of the Alabama contract because of the NCAA sanctions.

Peruna Punch's post could have stopped after "if he was loyal ..."
If there's one thing Fran's not, it's loyal. He'll be out of College Station in five years, max. If he does well, he'll jump at the next big offer that comes his way. If he struggles, he'll jump "to spend more time with his family" - and a year later, he'll surface elsewhere with another fat contract.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by PerunaPunch:

I assume coaches aren't limited by the NCAA or anyone (except maybe the university) in obtaining endorsements.

PX, do you know?[/B]</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think Coaches are prohibited from endorsing alchohol or tobacco products, but other than that there are no limits on what a coach can do to earn additional income outside the job. As someone posted after our bball game with TTech, Bobby Knight is endorsing everything in sight up there, he literally has dozens of commercials on local TV. Every decent college basketball coach and most football coaches have endorsement deals with Athletic equipment and shoe makers. Most well known coaches also get paid for speaking engagements, and other appearances of that nature.
I disagree, though, that the opportunities would be better in Fort Worth than at A&M or Alabama. At those places you arent marketing to a town, but to an entire state. Those schools have a fan base 4 or 5 times the size of TCU's, and thats who an advertiser is trying to impress when he buys a coaches endorsement.

HP, I just posted these on the TexAg's board. They were not well received.
-The check's in the mail
-I'm from the government and I'm here to help you.
-I'll respect you in the morning.
-Hi! I'm Dennis Franchione and I'm here to stay.

Hell, he's just being Dennis - or a modern coach - take your pick.