<p>The matter of salaries for coaches has been discussed before on CC. There are valid criticism on the pro and con sides of the issue. But the most substantive point is, the big revenue sports, i.e. football and mens’ basketball, fund everything else. And Title IX mandates have made athletic department revenue all the more important, because most college students are women (if I’m not mistaken) and the schools have to provide athletic opportunities for women, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, at this time womens’ sports aren’t big money generators. Although you folks who’ve never attended a women’s college basketball game don’t know what you’re missing, IMO.</p>
<p>The issue of revenue is what drives colleges sports today. It’s why there are virtually no more ‘independents’ at the major college level. Penn State saw the writing on the wall a few years ago, forgoing its independent status in sports to become a member of the Big 10. Why? Because major conference members share post-season revenues [gasp, socialism!] and non-revenue sports require, guess what, revenue. It’s why the Southeast Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference expanded.</p>
<p>As for the particulars of John Calipari, and even John Calhoun at Connecticut; sure, they are overpaid when you compare them to other workers who are technically state employees. But other state employees typically are not asked to represent the university and the state itself. That cat is out of the bag, long long ago. And as others have noted, in places like Lexington KY, Tuscaloosa AL, Tallahassee FL and Norman OK the coach will have an inordinate amount of influence in the college community, to the occasional detrimerit of the college’s academic mission. Every so often you’ll get a distinguished coach for whom actual education is a priority; a John Wooden, a Dean Smith, a Kay Yow or an Eddie Robinson. But more likely than not, you get a John Calipari or a Rick Neuheisel. And you have to pay him or her, if they win and keep winning.</p>