Cottingham

[tower912]

Lost in all this is the decisions that Cottingham has made.    First, he hires Buzz from within, and weathers the storm of criticism from people who thought we should have taken one of the big time coaches beating down our door.     Second, he is in the process of changing our OOC schedule, like many have been begging for for years.   Yes, we will still have our cupcakes, but this is definitely trending well.   Third, while giving Buzz annual raises, he leaves large buyouts intact, making it nearly impossible for other teams to get beyond the sniffing around phase of trying to lure Buzz away.   We may never know if Buzz really wanted to go to TAMU, Arkansas, or Oklahoma, because it was too expensive for them to get serious.      He has gone all in for Buzz.    It is going to be tough for opposing coaches to negative recruit Buzz (he's leaving the first chance he gets) like they did Crean.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

and weathers the storm of criticism from people who thought we should have taken one of the big time coaches beating down our door.

I agree with everything you say except I was just wondering who were the big time coaches beating down our door?

EDIT:  You are right.  So obvious it went right over my head.

[tower912]

Forgot the teal.   Thought the sarcasm was obvious.   

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Cottingham didn't hire Buzz. Give me a break!

He was probably the last to know.

[Blackhat]

Cottingham didn't hire Buzz. Give me a break!

He was probably the last to know.

[4everwarriors]

Musta been a strong dick, then, aina?

[augoman]

I'm inclined to agree w/PRN and 4ever..., probably last to know.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Lost in all this is the decisions that Cottingham has made.    First, he hires Buzz from within, and weathers the storm of criticism from people who thought we should have taken one of the big time coaches beating down our door.     Second, he is in the process of changing our OOC schedule, like many have been begging for for years.   Yes, we will still have our cupcakes, but this is definitely trending well.   Third, while giving Buzz annual raises, he leaves large buyouts intact, making it nearly impossible for other teams to get beyond the sniffing around phase of trying to lure Buzz away.   We may never know if Buzz really wanted to go to TAMU, Arkansas, or Oklahoma, because it was too expensive for them to get serious.      He has gone all in for Buzz.    It is going to be tough for opposing coaches to negative recruit Buzz (he's leaving the first chance he gets) like they did Crean.

Several follow-ups

Do we know there is still a large buyout?  If so, is that the result of Cottingham (protecting school) or Buzz (not doing a good job to protect himself).  I don't know, I'm asking.  Steve is a solid attorney, it blows me away that Buzz would keep that high of a buyout...not smart of Buzz's part if it's still true.

We're in year 3 folks....a lot of golf left before making these ironclad statements that we did the right thing.  So far so good, as I've said for years...but so far so good has changed at a lot of places in years 4 and 5.  I don't anticipate that will happen here, but one never knows. 

In terms of the "hiring", it was more than Cottingham making that final decision.

[Blackhat]

You're probably right, it wasn't only him.  But it really doesn't matter what our hunch is or who we think made the choice.


C-ham is the one with the rep and job on the line, he gets the wrath if it turns out wrong and the credit if it goes right.

[Skatastrophy]

C-ham is the one with the rep and job on the line, he gets the wrath if it turns out wrong and the credit if it goes right.

That's the truth. 

[brewcity77]

Do we know there is still a large buyout?  If so, is that the result of Cottingham (protecting school) or Buzz (not doing a good job to protect himself).  I don't know, I'm asking.  Steve is a solid attorney, it blows me away that Buzz would keep that high of a buyout...not smart of Buzz's part if it's still true.

The buyout may protect the school from losing Buzz, but it also protects Buzz from being fired for a bad season or two. If he's truly happy here and making the reported $2.5M escalating, he's assured that if something goes bad and he is fired, he gets a year's salary.

The buyout only matters under two circumstances: if Buzz is on the verge of being fired or if Buzz truly wants to go somewhere else. My hope is that neither of those come to fruition any time soon, in which case the buyout could be $100 or $100M and it wouldn't make any difference.

[4everwarriors]

Huh? Dude, the buyout is what another school would have to pay MU for poaching him. If the cat gets canned with years left on his deal, a monetary settlement is negotiated. Buzz is on a rollover contract, but it's not a one year deal. Another year is tacked on the back after each season, it may be for 4-5 years in duration.

[avid1010]

Several follow-ups

Do we know there is still a large buyout?  If so, is that the result of Cottingham (protecting school) or Buzz (not doing a good job to protect himself).  I don't know, I'm asking.  Steve is a solid attorney, it blows me away that Buzz would keep that high of a buyout...not smart of Buzz's part if it's still true.

I don't think so.  I think Buzz knows exactly what he is doing.  Perhaps the best way to protect yourself is to do everything you can to give yourself the best chance to win at the school you want to be at.  The whole "shucks I should probably have an agent, but that's not me" seems to work pretty well for him be it sincere or not.  

[jsglow]

Respectfully, it was Steve and Fr. Wild that made the decision.  Buzz pushed them hard for the job, just like he pushed his way into his first real assistant's job in Texas.  And give them both credit for taking a chance.  That was a gutsy move and resulted in significant criticism.

[Tugg Speedman]

Buzz has a rolling six year contract.  That means every year he automatically has a new six year contract. 

If Buzz is make $2.5/year, and MU fires him, they owe him $15 million (the balance of a six year contract).  Anticipating a question, yes he gets all six years, that's the point of a contract.  You get this money unless you die or leave.

So Buzz was a genius to get a $15 million severance to get fired.

But to get this, he had to give MU a huge buyout, which according to Rosiak is around $5 million, or about a 1/3 of his potential severance.  This ratio sounds about right.

(Technically Buzz would owe MU the buyout if he left but he would not leave unless the hiring school paid it.)

Good deal for both.

[tower912]

There is discussion on the scout board about Buzz's appearance in Chicago on Wednesday.     djgoldenboy gives the largest synopsis of what Buzz said.    About how he wants to be compensated fairly, wants a long term commitment, and to have his family taken care of.   MU does all 3.    Talked about how he pretty much stalked Cottingham after Crean left and why.   How coaching in the BEast is beyond any childhood dream.    Rolling this all in with what he has said before....he's not going anywhere.     The big buyout may just be there to keep the vultures from getting serious and to keep other coaches from claiming he's leaving. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

The buyout may protect the school from losing Buzz, but it also protects Buzz from being fired for a bad season or two. If he's truly happy here and making the reported $2.5M escalating, he's assured that if something goes bad and he is fired, he gets a year's salary.

The buyout only matters under two circumstances: if Buzz is on the verge of being fired or if Buzz truly wants to go somewhere else. My hope is that neither of those come to fruition any time soon, in which case the buyout could be $100 or $100M and it wouldn't make any difference.

No it doesn't.  I've seen this repeated here several times and that is absolutely not what it does.

If Buzz is canned tomorrow with 5 years left on his contract, he's entitled to 5 years salary (unless stated otherwise)...of course that will get negotiated into a settlement at a different rate but has nothing to do with the buyout.  Now, some buyouts work where the school can buyout a coach as part of a separation...no question.  Typically this is not how it's done and there are plenty of big coaches contracts with state schools that outline this as part of State Open Records laws.

The buyout protects the school to prevent another school from stealing him and in essence paying a penalty for taking him.  Has nothing to do with what he is covered if he is fired.  Not sure why that thought keeps hanging on around here, but time to nip it in the bud.  It's simply not how it works.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Respectfully, it was Steve and Fr. Wild that made the decision.  Buzz pushed them hard for the job, just like he pushed his way into his first real assistant's job in Texas.  And give them both credit for taking a chance.  That was a gutsy move and resulted in significant criticism.

Are you suggesting that certain "funders" of the contract didn't have to sign off on the deal first?  Sure, at the end of the day someone has to say yes or no, but many kingmakers have to be lined up first for that to happen.  If they are not, they defacto "make the decision" not to hire someone.

[Goose]

Cottingham is the AD when Buzz was hired agreed on that. However, his role was minor in the process. He actually is in great position because BOT member and supporters made the call.

[tower912]

Then Buzz, after a year at MU to learn how things worked, was stalking the wrong guy.   Doh!   We never should have hired Buzz!   Who wants a coach who, after a year as an assistant, doesn't know who's butt he has to kiss to get promoted to the big chair?    These last three years need to be stricken from the books and we need a Bo Ryan acolyte!