KO - A tough spot to be in

[huskysupporter]

Quite frankly, in all due respect, wrong. It will impact negotiations in a material manner. These numbers are public record and the poster pulled them from The Hartford Courant almost 3 years ago. Given these numbers I think the floor for KO is $5-6 million and he would probably really want $7 million. It’s not going to be an easy negotiations given where both UConn and KO sit.

They will have zero impact on negotiations. KO will be seeking as much money as he can get, which has nothing to to with divorce decree.

 

[JMick]

I doubt that but I'd like to hear how for sure sometime. I question the rumors no doubt although don't doubt he lost the wheel and maybe didn't hit the road as much as he should have. I mean no doubt having a pulse on recruiting and alike is his job but that doesn't point to mailing it in. Different intent with that statement - you're telling me he didn't give a rats butt about the program anymore right?

I mean all we have is what we've heard unless we ever get an on the record statement from someone but from the information I've gathered he stopped putting in the work after 2014

 

[CL82]

Zero?

You simply don’t know. You never want to be on the other side of a University or institution; but, Ollie - not knowing the “just cause” vague charge - has a contract with a buyout. UConn, also, doesn’t want to be the one CBB school who wipes out a coach.

This will settle. I suspect Benedict’s first conversation with Ollie wasn’t positive. Ollie will understand his stakes.

I actually think it was positive, they just didn't reach an agreement. I don't know that this will all that acrimonious. Right now both sides are just jockeying for position.

If we are handicapping based on nothing, which all we really know right now, I'm going with a longer deal that when discounted back will equal $3 to $4M. UConn gives dollar amount to get a longer payout and Ollie concedes timing to get a bigger amount. Just a WAG though.

 

[mauconnfan]

I mean all we have is what we've heard unless we ever get an on the record statement from someone but from the information I've gathered he stopped putting in the work after 2014

Fair enough. But not putting the necessary work and mailing in aren't necessarily the same or even close right? That's my only point.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I don't quite understand why a guy who made NBA money for 13 seasons, and well over 10 million as a college coach for the past several seasons, is so financially destitute that he's got to have another five million to pay off his ex-wife. If he's in that much financial trouble, he either has the worst family lawyers, spends more than every dime he has, or some combination of both. If it's more the latter, it's hard to have a lot of sympathy for his plight. He's made far more money in his mid-40's than the average person earns in a lifetime. If he never figured out how to manage it, that's his responsibility, not UConn's. He has been treated very well by the university financially.

I think we're completely off the rails now. Irrespective of how you feel about Ollie, concluding that a guy is "destitute" or in "financial trouble" because he's seeking to recover compensation to which he believes he's contractually entitled is pure lunatic s___. He's acting like any other rational human being would act in his situation, whether you want him gone or not.

 

[jibsey]

You know, if the infraction is not a big deal, he deserves all of his contract money. The fact that he didn’t coach or recruit well the last couple seasons is not just cause.

 

[huskysupporter]

You know, if the infraction is not a big deal, he deserves all of his contract money. The fact that he didn’t coach or recruit well the last couple seasons is not just cause.

If the infraction is minor and this goes to arbitration, I think he will get 7-8 million.

 

[J187Money]

They will have zero impact on negotiations. KO will be seeking as much money as he can get, which has nothing to to with divorce decree.

That's silly. Pretending that someone's personal financial situation is irrelevant to financial negotiations doesn't make sense.

 

[J187Money]

Not sure how many of you have been contract employees - but there is no chance any of you would just walk away.

 

[mauconnfan]

Not really but ok I give.

 

[Hurleyman216]

Yeah, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what Ollie wants or “thinks he needs” that isn’t part of the contract. My guess is the AD has enough dirt on KO that he knows KO will never go as far as arbitration and let all of that become public. I’m sure they already had a conversation about it and KO probably thought UConn would never try firing for cause due to how it would be perceived by the media. Well UConn called his bluff and my guess is this will be settled soon. I’ll be shocked if he gets more than $3M. Benedict knows what he’s doing, he’s not a dumb guy.

 

[August_West]

Yeah, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what Ollie wants or “thinks he needs” that isn’t part of the contract. My guess is the AD has enough dirt on KO that he knows KO will never go as far as arbitration and let all of that become public. I’m sure they already had a conversation about it and KO probably thought UConn would never try firing for cause due to how it would be perceived by the media. Well UConn called his bluff and my guess is this will be settled soon. I’ll be shocked if he gets more than $3M. Benedict knows what he’s doing, he’s not a dumb guy.

That's what common sense would tell you from afar but you can't deny that you are putting a bus load of faith in an administration that has proven to be ham handed time and again.

We will find out soon.

 

[CL82]

You know, if the infraction is not a big deal, he deserves all of his contract money. The fact that he didn’t coach or recruit well the last couple seasons is not just cause.

Under the contract, sucking isn't "just cause" but it pretty much would be by other any reasonable measure. Now, under the contract, any NCAA compliance issue is just cause.

Jibsey, isn't it inconsistent to say rely on the contract language for support for Ollie getting the full $10M, but ignore it when it comes to the NCAA compliance section? KO was represented. He agreed to it.

 

[Chief00]

That's silly. Pretending that someone's personal financial situation is irrelevant to financial negotiations doesn't make sense.

That’s the only reason I brought it up. I feel bad if some thought it was a hit job. It had been in the public domain so that reaction surprised Chief. In negotiations as in sales you should always try to understand the needs and desires of the party on the other side of the table. From that you understand flexibility and parameters for a settlement given other factors.

 

[Hurleyman216]

That's what common sense would tell you from afar but you can't deny that you are putting a bus load of faith in an administration that has proven to be ham handed time and again.

We will find out soon.

I’ve actually been pretty surprised at how good Benedict has been. I mean, he lured one of the top OC’s from a top SEC school to UConn and the guy took a pay cut to come. Now clearly something there didn’t work out, maybe a personality clash with RE? Either way it shocked most UConn fans. Let’s just see what kind of rabbit he pulls out of the hat this time before dismissing him as incompetent...the sample size so far is small and the facts don’t back up your opinion of “incompetence”

 

[August_West]

I’ve actually been pretty surprised at how good Benedict has been. I mean, he lured one of the top OC’s from a top SEC school to UConn and the guy took a pay cut to come. Now clearly something there didn’t work out, maybe a personality clash with RE? Either way it shocked most UConn fans. Let’s just see what kind of rabbit he pulls out of the hat this time before dismissing him as incompetent...the sample size so far is small and the facts don’t back up your opinion of “incompetence”

The athletic department was lying to donors 3 months ago.

 

[JMick]

The athletic department was lying to donors 3 months ago.

Sauce? What did they lie about?

 

[UConnNick]

I think we're completely off the rails now. Irrespective of how you feel about Ollie, concluding that a guy is "destitute" or in "financial trouble" because he's seeking to recover compensation to which he believes he's contractually entitled is pure lunatic s___. He's acting like any other rational human being would act in his situation, whether you want him gone or not.

I'm not the one who suggested he needs the money to pay off his ex-wife, Chief did. Unlike his assertion, I have no idea what Ollie's personal financial situation is. I also never indicated he shouldn't try to collect what he's contractually entitled to. What that is remains open to serious question, based on the terms of the contract.

My only question is how he could be in a position where he is in desperate need of cash, if that assertion is true. Chief appears to want to portray him as a victim. I don't get that, in view of the many millions he's earned over the past 20 years or so.

 

[August_West]

Sauce? What did they lie about?

Sorry you aren't on the PM list

 

[Travelman6]

KO is in a tough spot.

Really hard to feel even an ounce of sympathy to be honest.

 

[JMick]

Sorry you aren't on the PM list

I only ask because I know some donors were unhappy that we were firing Ollie so they couldn't have been lying about that

 

[UConnNick]

Under the contract, sucking isn't "just cause" but it pretty much would by any reasonable measure. Now under the contract any NCAA compliance issue is just cause.

Jibsey, isn't inconsistent to say rely on the contract language for support for Ollie getting the full $10M, but ignore it when it comes to the NCAA compliance section. KO was represented. He agreed to it.

Legally Ollie's not in a very strong position here. If you enforce the contract terms as written, it's essentially a zero tolerance rule, sort of like Bobby Knight's situation regarding his personal behavior at Indiana when he got fired.

About the only way I see this turning in Ollie's favor is if a court were to rule the essentially zero tolerance for any transgression, however slight, makes it a contract of adhesion or unconscionability, almost impossible to fully comply with in all respects. However, courts are very reluctant to make such rulings except under extreme circumstances. It throws the provision out and puts the court in the position of re-writing the contract. As you correctly point out, both sides had legal representation. I don't see any way that happens.

At some point, Ollie may come to the realization that it's a losing proposition. If so, he will likely try to settle for whatever the school might be willing to pay to avoid any further negative press.

 

[CL82]

Legally Ollie's not in a very strong position here. If you enforce the contract terms as written, it's essentially a zero tolerance rule, sort of like Bobby Knight's situation regarding his personal behavior at Indiana when he got fired.

About the only way I see this turning in Ollie's favor is if a court were to rule the essentially zero tolerance for any transgression, however slight, makes it a contract of adhesion or unconscionability, almost impossible to fully comply with in all respects. However, courts are very reluctant to make such rulings except under extreme circumstances. It throws the provision out and puts the court in the position of re-writing the contract. As you correctly point out, both sides had legal representation. I don't see any way that happens.

At some point, Ollie may come to the realization that it's a losing proposition. If so, he will likely try to settle for whatever the school might be willing to pay to avoid any further negative press.

Yeah tough to argue that NCAA compliance isn't a legitimate requirement for a NCAA coach. Also keep in mind that the CBA, if I recall correctly, mandates that the Arbiter not expand or modify the agreement. So that argues in favor of strict interpretation of the contract language.

 

[whaler11]

The athletic department was lying to donors 3 months ago.

It wasn’t that long ago.