The SEC knows how to make a splash. The splash comes with cash.
Alabama did it in football two years ago when it made Nick Saban the highest-paid college football coach in the country. Kentucky did it Tuesday when it made John Calipari the highest-paid coach in college basketball.
Who says this is just a football league?
Sure, winning in football is the No. 1 priority in the SEC. But winning in everything else isn't that far behind. SEC programs have the canceled checks to prove it.
Don't tell Anthony Grant that the SEC is a football league. He was making $850,000 to coach Virginia Commonwealth University. Alabama more than doubled his salary. Georgia was trying to do the same thing for Mike Anderson, who is getting $850,000 at Missouri.
No one should be surprised by the SEC's willingness to spend this spring. That's how it rolls. The conference logo should include the inscription: "If you don't win, spend."
And if you still don't win, spend some more.
Look what just happened in football. Tennessee paid longtime coach Phillip Fulmer $6 million to vacate the premises after a 5-7 season. Auburn gave Tommy Tuberville more than $5 million in "go-away" money after a 5-7 season.
Finding money always has been easier than finding the right coach for your average SEC school. Finding money became even easier when the SEC negotiated long-term television deals with ESPN and CBS last summer.
The conference will get $2.25 billion from its 15-year deal with ESPN. It will get another $55 million from its 15-year deal with CBS.
With that kind of money lying around, losing becomes less tolerable than ever. No wonder Alabama and Georgia couldn't get rid of their basketball coaches fast enough when their seasons went south. Neither Mark Gottfried at Alabama nor Dennis Felton at Georgia lasted the season.
Coach Billy Gillispie wasn't doomed when Kentucky lost in the NIT. He was doomed when it made the NIT.
Kentucky making the NIT is worse than Tennessee not making a bowl. It's not acceptable for a fan base that expects its team to travel in the same elite circle with the likes of Kansas and North Carolina.
Paying $4 million a year to a basketball coach is acceptable.
Ask Alabama fans if that's too much. You think they are complaining about Saban's contract after his team went from 6-6 to 12-2.
Not that 12-2 is a goal for Alabama football. But it's at least a good start.
Calipari can relate to that. He didn't need a full day to figure out the expectations for Kentucky basketball.
He has won 30 or more games each of the last four seasons at Memphis. He has come within a few agonizing seconds and shots of winning a national championship. He didn't have to go to Kentucky to be rich or successful.
By accepting Kentucky's offer, Calipari isn't just taking the money, he's embracing the expectations of the SEC's premier basketball program. And if he wins championships - emphasis on the plural - Kentucky fans will embrace him back.
Meanwhile, the rest of the SEC will wait for the next big splash.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knoxnews.com.
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Comments » 8
RussellP writes:
I see Calipari got smart and moved to a real conference where his team will have a real schedule, not the powder puff schedule of Conference USA. As Memphis showed in the NCAA tournament when they lost to Missouri, playing real teams isn't a piece of cake.
nicksjuzunk#646117 writes:
volsgatorbait - tool
He can't write.
txsvol#372416 writes:
Nivram, Looks like we were on the Hill at the same time. I remember Pistol Pete's sophomore year at LSU at Stokely. What excitement! But, primarily, I remember the great '67 football team--how well the OL, led by Bob Johnson, took us on long scoring drives. And, how slow the Swamp Rat was sweeping left end into the end zone. Kept time with a sand-dial! BTW, I agree with you about the lack of couth of many posters, but I don't know where else I can find out as much about the Vols! SAVol
CrankE writes:
Alabama: 12-2, no SEC Championship, no national championship, no bowl win. You left that out, Alabadams.
johnlg00#206211 writes:
I have ragged on CUSA as much as anybody on here, but Calapari at UK is a HUGE upgrade for UK and an even bigger obstacle to UT's hopes for SEC dominance. If you thought Cal was a great recruiter at UM, wait til you see how he does at UK. I still don't see UK winning, what?, 60-something conference games in a row now, but it will be the coaching job of his life if Pearl manages even to tie for tops in the SEC-East next year. It will only get harder as UK continues to upgrade its roster.
The biggest benefit for UT is that it will focus CBP's attention on COACHING more than promoting to an extent we haven't yet seen. From now on, there CAN'T be any more games blown to inferior competition or even blown possessions in games.
UF losing Calathes to the NBA may slow their recovery and UGA may take a couple of years to regroup but SC and Vandy will still be respectable and UK will be far less likely to blow games than they have been. And, lest we forget, the 'Cats handled us pretty well last year. If Patterson and Meeks stay and Cal brings a couple of his UM commitments with him, the bar just got raised a LOT higher for CBP and the Vols. I hope they are ready to make the leap.
Volunatic writes:
You might want to get a doctor to look at the butt pimple with Big Orange in it. That could be a bad sign.
murrayvol writes:
I can relate to everything in your post. Best to avoid the freshmen. Rising to the bait only encourages them.
beartn#223846 writes:
<<I see Calipari got smart and moved to a real conference where his team will have a real schedule, not the powder puff schedule of Conference USA. As Memphis showed in the NCAA tournament when they lost to Missouri, playing real teams isn't a piece of cake.>>
This view is a bit delusional. Conference USA was a pretty good basketball conference when Calipari went to Memphis (Cincinnati, Lousiville, and I think Marquette where in it). Conference USA was hurt when all their best basketball teams except for Memphis left for the Big East.
As for this year, they made the final 8 for the 3rd or 4th time in the last 4 years, something we have yet to do once. He would have won the title last year if his team could make free throws (though I think the intercepted inbounds pass when they were up 9 was a big a factor). Like it or not, they have had far more success in basketball than we have. They made the championship game in the 70's under Gene Bartow and under Calipari last year. They have made the elite 8 and Final Four more than once, which we have yet to do.
Calipari is a good coach, and a great recruiter. He got top flight talent to Memphis after CUSA lost their luster. He will get top talent to Kentucky. As for Memphis, this is the most critical hire in their history. Now that CUSA is a 2nd tier conference, it will be hard for them to stay relevant if they make a bad hire. As for us, I think it's just a matter of time before Pearl breaks through to the Elite 8 and the Final Four, provided that we can keep him.
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