There are many things to worry about in today’s world, but one of them is not the financial health of the University of Georgia Athletic Association. The association—the nonprofit corporation that runs UGA’s football and other NCAA sports teams—posted a whopping $46.3 million surplus in the 2021...
flagpole.com
The Georgia Bulldogs football program is supporting the entire athletic dept and providing millions for the school. That all comes back to the head coach.
There comes a point where you have to wonder.
I quit watching pro football a long time ago, in part due to the amount of money being paid and all the drama.
A team wasn't a team. The roster kept changing as players left for huge paydays.
If that's all the sport was to them, then I decided it wasn't much of a sport (and still isn't) and I could care less.
I am sure they don't miss me.
Jed Fisch was given an opportunity at Arizona (nobody could figure out why they hired him....and frankly, some of us thought it was because they couldn't get anyone else). And he turned that that thing around in a hurry.
He beat ASU the last two years.
And I worried what would happen....sure enough....it's off to Washington and more prestige and money.
Lute Olsen came to Arizona when it was in the toilet. I can remember when I learned he'd been hired....I could not believe it. He had the program hitting on all cylinders and I thought he'd move on. He didn't . He is an icon in Tucson (and really in the state). They loved him there.
Larry Smith and John Cooper were coaches at Arizona and Arizona State respectively. At one point, I think they had the #3 and #6 teams on the AP poll. They were both rolling. The state loved both of them.
I worried about Larry Smith and sure enough, he jumped to USC. He was an immortal in Tucson. He wowed them at USC for three seasons....but things went downhill and they fired him Never would have happened in Tucson. There just were not the expectations and I knew he could have kicked butt (his successor Dick Tomey did a great job building on what Smith had done.....I think Smith would have done even better).
John Cooper had put ASU back on the map. He was loved in Tempe. He was successful. Then Ohio State called. He was successful, but never really liked (not like they liked him at ASU). He did some good stuff but was eventually fired (after a winning, but not winning enough) season.
Money, prestige, whatever. A program is a program. And Lute Olsen proved you can take a little known program to the stars (something like 24 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances).
13 million is stupid. You've probably got kids working at McDonalds to get by and this is the message you send ?