From: owen@ducvax.auburn.edu
Subject: Re: Sheridan Update
Organization: Auburn University, AL
Date: Fri, 11 Dec 1992 21:46:53 GMT

In article <1992Dec11.192435.23607@news.duc.auburn.edu>, steinse@eng.auburn.edu (Scott E. Steinbrink) writes:
> 
> This rumor has also been heard in Auburn, although I heard it was a ten-year, 
> SIX million dollar contract.  Auburn President William Muse has denied this
> report, saying that the search has not been concluded for a replacement for 
> Pat Dye.
> 
> Speaking as a student at Auburn, my thought is as follows:
> IF anyone is offered that kind of money, an EXTREMELY loud protest is 
> unavoidable.  AU has cut (or at least slated to be cut) over 2000 periodical
> subscriptions from the library budget, in order to save $600,000.  To then
> turn and offer the new football coach a $600,000 annual salary (which, 
> incidentally, is four times what Dye got,) would necessarily and rightly be
> seen as gross financial irresponsibility.
> 
> I don't know how this rumor got started, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn
> that it was begun by some Bama fan trying to make Auburn look bad -- as if 
> Auburn needed anyone's help with that.
> 
While Dye only received $150,000/year in *salary* (ie. what he got from
the state of Alabama), his *contract* guarantees him several times that
amount, including things like fees for pre-game shows on the Auburn
Radio Network, the weekly TV review show, guaranteed endorsement income
via some of the movers-and-shakers who are big athletic dept. contributors,
etc.  I have read reports in the past that Dye's income from things in
his base contract was in the $600,000 range.  Throw in the shoe contract,
the house donated by the alumni association, etc., and you can see that
he's done all right here.  Dye is a millionaire several times over,
thanks to his tenure at Auburn.

By the way, that's one of the injustices in Dye's settlement.  His pension,
like everyone else covered by Alabama Teacher's Retirement, is based on
his last x years' (I believe it's 3) salary.  Up until now, his *salary*
has only been $150,000, although his earnings have been well in excess of
half a million.  Although his total pay will go down under the settlement,
his pension benefits, when he retires, will go way up as the amount of
compensation he receives directly from the university goes up.  The losers?
The Alabama retirement system (and contributors/future beneficiaries
thereof).

By the way, Dye's total compensation is not out of line with what most
of the top coaches with any longevity receive.  The package is structured
in different ways at different places, but very few top coaches can
really be considered middle class.

And, speaking of opportunities for Auburn to look bad ... Fall quarter
graduation is next week here on the Plains, and our friends Eric and
Twilitta Ramsey have completed their coursework at an unnamed school in
the D.C. area, transferred the credits back to Auburn, and plan to
walk in the graduation exercises.  Graduation has degenerated into
a quite undignified occasion over the years anyway, but this one may
turn into a mud-wrestling tournament.  I may take off an hour or two
and go watch the show myself, although it may be SRO ;-).

Larry Owen