Tags
Big East, Bobby Knight moment., Calhoun shut up, Calhoun tantrum, Calhoun's salary, college baskeball, Huskies, Jim Calhoun, UConn
So, some freelance reporter, not part of the rump-kissing crew that usually sucks up to UConn’s Jim Calhoun, had the audacity to ask a coach who makes his living showing the mentally disadvantaged how to shoot a ball through a little round hoop, to explain why he should make $1.5 million annually when local, state and federal budgets are in a meltdown.
In brave, Bobby Knight fashion, Calhoun had one of those ” you have a nerve” responses, even though he is a public employee and the public has a right to ask such questions.
Maybe Calhoun’s cancer medicine is affecting his temperament, or maybe he just grew up with a major hair across his ass. But for someone who has so little to show for his millions in salaries and endorsements at UConn (just two NCAAs? How many did Wooden have?), I am not surprised he would be so defensive. He should be defensive.
At least four times Calhoun pounded out the idea that his basketball program contributes $12 million to the university. In fact, if you look at net figures, the program is a big loser. Sure, it generates those revenues, but with Cal’s salaries, the other coaches, travel costs, the opportunity costs of running his gym, the scholarships, the PR programs, etc. etc. That program is costing Connecticut money.
Of course, Huskie slaves in CT deserve the chance to pay for the honor of having such a mediocre program. I listened to one of their games, just a few years ago. They are the worst college basketball fans in the Big East, probably in the U.S. Their team — I stress, THEIR team — was down a few points and they started booing their own college players and their over paid coach.
So, I guess everyone is getting what they deserve.
Connecticut is getting screwed financially and loving it. Calhoun is finally coming out of the Bobby Knight closet to prove what a creep he is. And the basketball media in Storrs shows that the only balls are on the court — certainly they haven’t any between their legs or anywhere else where it might do them some good.
So here’s Calhoun telling a reporter to “shut up — my public salary is none of your business.” It will be fun to replay this when he finally retires.
Enjoy!
Tthis is the dumbest article i have ever read in my life. I’m sorry I wasted a minute of my life reading it. So apparently all basketball players are mentally challenged? And cancer is now funny? You’ve got a hell of a nerve. I don’t think a team that is consistently in the top 25 is “mediocre”. There are only 13 teams that have won more than 2 national championships, so I don’t think 2 is bad at all. And as for the fan comment, I don’t know what they hell you were listening to but uconn has one of the best home court advantages at gampel pavilion. Students camp out days in advance for games, but apparently we are the worst college basketball fans in the U.S.? As for the reporter, have some respect. The post game news conference is for basketball talk. Ask him that question at any other time, just not right after a game. Jim had every right to react in the way he did. I would like to see how you would react to someone basically coming out and saying you don’t deserve what you are getting paid in a public forum. By the way, he makes 1.6 million for a salary, so get your number right before you go writing another stupid article such as this one.
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*Two or more national championships, sorry about the typo but i guess you can’t judge because you can’t even get his salary right when its been all over the media for days.
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According to Calhoun, even $1.6 million isn’t the right number. As I recall, he actually said he made “much more” than that. So, you’re wrong, too, and you ARE an idiot.
After listening to UConn radio and hearing so-called fans boo their own team, I was embarrassed for the decent college basketball fans that I know like the Huskies. Again there is no excuse for that type of behavior. It is a game. If you are losing, play better or get over it.
There was absolutely no disrespect in the question. Calhoun, because he is such an arrogant prima donna, turned it into a media event. He made this mess, not the reporter. In the process, he got the governor and the state legislators to reprimand him. Boo hoo.
And no matter what his accomplishments have been on the court (and I don’t belittle 800 wins), he will always be remembered for losing his temper and acting like an asshole. ESPN will play and replay that video the day he dies and every time they do a retrospective story about him. It’s right up there with Knight throwing a chair across the court.
So, if you are a UConn alum, get ready for the fact that this is how your school, your team, your coach will be remembered. Forever. Nice work, Huskies!
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Calhoun also made the unconscionable error of confusing gross with net. While it is hard to measure the real impact of basketball on the university’s economy, culture and reputation, when one subtracts the costs from the revenue it can’t be all that profitable. Of course no one is talking about the now hundreds of former players and how they’re doing now. Hard to imagine that 1 in 100 has made great fortunes in professional sports. It’s like a big exploitive gamble – a shot at the gold ring in exchange for years of hard work that doesn’t prepare the players for much else than more basketball. Perhaps some end up coaching in high schools (where they presumably make 1/1000th of Calhoun’s salary), but some may have nothing (even livelihoods) to show for it.
Personally, I am sick of him, bored with Huskey Mania and wish CT would focus on some of the many other things we have to be proud of.
That guy has NONE of the grace of Gene Aueriemma and I wouldn’t be surprised if be women’s basketball nets about as much money for the university while giving us as succession of young women who are role models, were often good students to boot.
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I can only say, as a horse, that ol’ Rip Calhoun has my vote for King!
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