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Jay Mariotti

Calhoun Insensitive to Economic Times

Posted Feb 23, 2009 11:29PM By Jay Mariotti (RSS feed)

Filed Under: NCAA Basketball

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Yes, the question came from a guy whom Sean Penn might describe as a hippie, commie something or another. Yes, it was asked by a rabble-rousing political activist who, among other quirks, once was arrested for disrupting a gubernatorial inaugural parade. But just because it was presented by the notorious Ken Krayeske doesn't mean it was inappropriate, that millions of Americans weren't curious to hear the answer.

Why, Jim Calhoun, should the University of Connecticut men's basketball coach be the state's highest-paid employee at $1.6 million a year ... when the state has a $2 billion budget deficit?

In these difficult, paralyzing times, Calhoun should have welcomed the opportunity to inform people how his nationally renowned program pumps money into the state's largest university. He could have caught his breath, realized a lot of folks are hurting, grasped that Connecticut and the United States of America are hemorrhaging economically -- and calmly explained that his team, according to the most recent figures on the U.S. Department of Education's Web site, brought in $7,333,214 in revenues while the school's premier women's basketball program, coached by Geno Auriemma, brought in $5,270,541.

Instead, Calhoun morphed last Saturday into a hybrid of Bob Knight and Col. Nathan R. Jessep, he of "You can't handle the truth'' fame.

"Not a dime back," Calhoun shot back pompously at his post-game news conference. "I'd like to be able to retire someday. I'm getting tired."

"1.6 million isn't enough?'' Krayeske asked.

"I make a lot more than that,'' Calhoun said.

This wasn't the time to be thin-skinned, arrogant and condescending. This wasn't the time to remind people of his wealth and importance. He needed to bring facts about the popularity of UConn basketball and how the state benefits, which Calhoun eventually would relay to Krayeske but only after making an ogre of himself and becoming a brief YouTube phenomenon. By cracking wise, one of the best basketball coaches of his time momentarily became the Mike Gundy of 2009, the latest man who loses perspective in a press-conference setting and employs intimidation tactics when backed into a perceived corner.

"Are you really that stupid?'' Calhoun shouted at Krayeske, who was at the media session because he had obtained a photo credential.

"My best advice to you: Shut up. If you want to talk to me outside, I'd be more than happy to talk to you. We're talking about basketball."

"If these guys covered this stuff,'' said Krayeske, referring to the UConn media contingent known as The Horde, "I wouldn't have to do it.''

Groans emanated from The Horde. Though reduced in size by the Incredible Shrinking Newspaper Crisis, this group always has been larger than most college media contingents because the state has several mid-sized and small towns with separate papers. They are basketball writers who, at that given time, were assigned to report on UConn's 64-50 victory over South Florida and write their game stories.

It was not the prescribed place for them to ask such a question, keeping in mind that the Hartford Courant has peppered Calhoun and Auriemma with questions through the years about their complete financial packages. But as a handsomely compensated state employee speaking in a public setting, Calhoun owed it to the people of Connecticut to respond to them indirectly, if not directly to Krayeske.

He finally seemed to realize it, but the way the coach articulated his message was embarrassing, as if his program's finances were no one's business when they're actually everyone's business in that state.

"Quite frankly, we bring in $12 million to the university, nothing to do with state funds," Calhoun barked. "We make $12 million a year for this university. Get some facts and come back and see me. Don't throw out salaries and other things. Get some facts and come back and see me. We turn over $12 million to the University of Connecticut, which is state-run. Next question."

In truth, Calhoun and Auriemma collectively turned over $12,603,755 to the university. For the record, the men's program also incurred $6,097,728 in expenses and the women's program incurred $4,589,670 in expenses, for a total of $10,687,398. No one is moping about results in Connecticut, where Calhoun has won two national championships and transformed a previously nondescript program into a consistent power while Auriemma has won five national titles and is well worth his $8 million over five years. Via shoe deals and speaking engagements, Calhoun makes considerably more than $1.6 million a year, as he said. And he deserves to be paid among the best, given the intense pressure of Big East basketball and the tireless work ethic he has poured into his profession for decades.



In what has been a wonderfully skittish season in college hoops, where only unpredictability is predictable, many are rooting for Calhoun. Last year, he battled cancer for a second time and underwent
33 radiation treatments after a cancerous mass was discovered in his neck. He is noticeably thinner, and, at 66, probably won't remain in the coaching game much longer. He has coached in 1,138 games, more than any active Division I head coach, and a victory over Marquette on Wednesday night will make him the seventh Division I men's coach to win 800 games.

One could make a compelling argument that big-time college coaches, like corporate CEOs, should give back some of the money. What these men make in the current economy is disproportionate to reality.

But just the same, they're still selling out arenas and generating the same television revenue. If UConn men's basketball had $7.33 million in revenues, Calhoun's $1.6 million salary at a state university is fair enough. The university's elite basketball reputation sparks enrollment, spikes donations and engenders pride. No school in the country has a hoops double-whammy more potent than the UConn men's and women's teams, which probably explains why Auriemma, rumored not always to be chummy with Calhoun, rushed to his defense in an interview with the Courant.

"I think it was unfair in that setting," Auriemma said. "I would venture to say it's unfair in any setting. I'm sure Jim was thrown for a loop. He handled it better than most coaches would have handled it.''

Maybe, maybe not. All I'm asking for is some civility and understanding. In this economy, it won't be the only occasion when someone asks a coach about the practicality of sports in an ailing nation.

Next time, I just hope the coach comes up with something more sensitive than "Shut up.'' In 2009, no one is in the mood for Smackdown Millionaires.

Tags: connecticut, connecticut+huskies, ConnecticutHuskies, geno+auriemma, GenoAuriemma, jim+calhoun, JimCalhoun, ken+krayeske, KenKrayeske, uconn

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Jay Mariotti

Jay MariottiJay Mariotti is a national columnist and commentator for FanHouse.com. He is a daily panelist on ESPN's sports-debate show, "Around The Horn,'' seen Monday through Friday at 5 p.m. ET. Mariotti spent 17 years as a lead sports columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times and has covered every major sporting event -- national and worldwide -- on multiple occasions.