Perhaps This Is Why College Costs Are So High

From the April 3, 2014, USA Today "Coaches Salaries.

In these days of constantly rising college costs for students, the USA Today ran a payout breakdown for the salaries of the coaches of the 64 basketball teams teams that made it to the Big Dance, March Madness.  Now, I must say I watched a lot of the games and enjoyed it, but perhaps there has come a time when colleges need to reexamine what they're paying their basketball coaches (and football coaches are paid even more!!!)

Some of the pay of the coaches were unavailable, but the majority of the coaches were getting more than a million dollars, especially in the "Major" conferences.

Lowest pay was Wofford's Mike Young at $171,244.  Highest was Duke's Mike Krzyzewski at $9,682,032.

Some of the higher salaries:
Arizona $2,627,806
Florida: $3,905,964
Kansas: $4,960,763
Kentucky: $5,511, 381
Louisville: $$5,758,338
Michigan State:  $3,893,954
Ohio State:  $3,282,000

Check Them Out.  It is astounding.

Good Work If You Can Get It.  --RoadDog

Dorean Under Fire at NC State

It seems that the folks down at NC State might be thinking they made a mistake stealing Coach Dorean from NIU last year right after the MAC Championship game. Things haven't gone well this year for him and the Wolf Pack football team. They lost to a rebuilding Duke Saurday and have yet to win their first ACC game. Many want his head. And, I'm not sorry for him one bit.

I thought he would coach at least one more season at Northern (when they hired him, I knew he wouldn't stay long). He's one of those coaches who preaches loyalty until he sees a chance to get ahead.

At Northern, he inherited a program that was extremely good after three years with Jerry Kill, who also left for a bigger job at Minnesota. And, Kill inherited a great program from Joe Novak, one of those extremely rare college coaches who stays with a program instead of jumping ship every chance he gets.

Northern had two great seasons under Dorean, but those were Kill and Novak's guys. And, Kill already had proven himself turning around Southern Illinois' football team. Then, he comes to Northern and makes it better. NIU was Dorean's very first head coaching job and you need at least three seasons to see their impact.

Sometimes You Bite Off a Bit More Than You Can Chew. --RoadDog

Goodbye, Coach Novak

I was very sad to see that Northern Illinois' football coach, Joe Novak, retired this past Monday. He was one class act. I wish he had been able to do so with a good season under his belt, but that wasn't to be. This year's team ended up 2-10. Even so, he could have kept the job if he wanted it.

He brought Northern up to the level of competition it now enjoys. Before this year, Northern had 7 straight winning seasons and finished tied for first in the Mid-American Conference's Western Division four times to go along with a tie for 2nd and tie for third. Now, that's some good football.

He took over a struggling Northern football team with antiquated facilities, a lack of morale, and a losing tradition, and turned it around. Our previous coaches either didn't work out, including Lee Corso, or, if they had any success, were immediately gone to a bigger name school--Mallory and Pettibone. To Joe Novak's credit, even after success finally came under his regime, he did not leave. He stayed to build the program.

Six words that apply here: Toughness, Leadership, Accountability, Teachering, Learning, Winner. Joe Novak was all of these.

After playing collegiate ball at Miami of Ohio, he started coaching football at Warren Western Reserve High School in Ohio. He also had stints as assistant coach at Illinois, Miami, and Indiana.

His first three years at Northern, starting in 1996, were especially hard with records of 1-10, 0-11, and 2-9. At one point, there were 23 losses in a row. I was beginning to wonder about him. But, he stayed the course. He wasn't just interested in good ball players. He wanted men who had high morals and who strove academically. It finally started to turn in 1999 with a 5-6 record.

The 2003 season was special. NIU knocked off Maryland and ALABAMA who were both ranked in the top 25 at the time, and then went on the defeat Iowa State. We made our first-ever appearance in the top 25 and eventually got to #12!!!

Then came those seven straight winning seasons and finishes in the top rungs of the MAC West.
2000- 6-5 Tied third
2001- 6-5 Tied first
2002- 8-4 Tied first
2003 10-2 Tied second
2004- 9-3 Tied first
2005- 7-5 Tied first
2006- 7-6

I hope Northern will be able to find a coach willing to commit to continuing Coach Novak's plan. I also hope we can find one who won't bolt to a bigger dog as soon as he has any success.

Enjoy That Retirement, Coach Joe. --RoadDog

Big Game in Town: Colts Vs. Patriots

Well, not Chicago, but one I'll watch anyway.

That would be the matchup of the two unbeatens in the NFL, the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts. Now, I don't normally watch any NFL games unless its Da Bears or Da Pack, my two favorites. That's right, I like both teams, but definitely pull for the Bears when they play each other. I'll also watch a game if I'm at a bar and it's the only thing on TV.

However, this game today, is a BIG one.

I used to feel a bit sorry for the Patriots because the first time they went to the Super Bowl they lost against that great 1985 Bears team and it was a blow out. Then the second time was to the Packers, both at New Orleans' Super Bowl. However, of late, the Patriots have MORE than made up for those two losses.

I'm pulling for the Colts.

And, besides, the Colts are my third favorite team. A bunch of buddies and I used to go to Indianapolis for a game each year back when they were bad and you could get tickets, but those are hard to reasonably come by any more. Also, Tony Dungey is one of my favorite coaches after Mike Holmgren.

Plus, Indianapolis is a Midwestern team. Then there is Peyton Manning who also quarterbacked one of my favorite colleges, Tennessee.

Sad to see that the Patriots rallied to win the game.

Let's Go Colts!!!!! --RoadDog