Arkansas stops paying Bielema's buyout, Bert wins settlement, Law in Shambles

[GatorInGeorgia]

Less than market value is one thing - their performance rates them “less than average” and the pay matches. Pigbert is volunteering, for the most part. That’s completely different. They’re taking advantage of the contract. I’m with Donk - Arky will win this one but the court fees will hurt. Most likely settle.

When you fire someone, you do damage their worth. McElstain is worth less now than say if he had taken the Oregon State job in 2016 or 2017. You can expect they may be below average at that point.

Taking an NFL job for less than a janitor makes in Boston however (and the amount being exactly the amount you can pocket) is a pretty easy call if Im the judge as evidence of lack of good faith.

If it were me defending the university (lets let Butters bc I know the situation better), I would argue that you damaged yourself by making false statements about the fanbase and publicly disparaging the AD. Essentially that you made yourself unemployable by malfeasance or misfeasance. Moroever, the product you put on the field damaged your own employability bc you were consistently poorly prepared and didnt bother to recruit until January. Again your own nonfeasance and misfeasance.

Yeah, I understand Donk’s point about McElwain’s false statements but let’s use Randy Shannon’s situation. The guy is making $250k because of his UF buyout. He will then jump to $1m after the buyout ends. I don’t think anybody, including you Seabee, could argue that isn’t dramatically below market for the sole purpose of taking advantage of UF and our financial resources.

So maybe I wasn’t clear in my original statement when I said less than market value. Truth be told I was talking about market value for a coach like McElwain that had been fired (believe it or not, there is a separate market value for coaches like that compared to successful coaches like Kyle Whittingham for example and I assumed that was implied) but for sake of discussion, let’s address a coach like Shannon being paid DRAMATICALLY less than fair market value (I hope that’s better)...why won’t UF pursue recourse? Thoughts?

 

[Swamp Donkey]

So maybe I wasn’t clear in my original statement when I said less than market value.

let’s address a coach like Shannon being paid DRAMATICALLY less than fair market value (I hope that’s better)...why won’t UF pursue recourse? Thoughts?

The simplest answer is the one I openly harp on constantly: our legal team is incompetent, lazy or both.

Fairly certain PDS was actually one of them back in the day. Remember when he was arguing that you couldn't lower someone's pay if they didn't follow a covenant not to compete?

Even an assistant gets harmed when they get fired though. They have to take whatever jobs available at the moment they get fired. That being said I wonder if Shannon lasts long enough to collect that higher salary. He certainly seems to be pulling the same thing at South Florida that he did here, putting garbage defenses on the field.

 

[SeabeeGator]

Yeah, I understand Donk’s point about McElwain’s false statements but let’s use Randy Shannon’s situation. The guy is making $250k because of his UF buyout. He will then jump to $1m after the buyout ends. I don’t think anybody, including you Seabee, could argue that isn’t dramatically below market for the sole purpose of taking advantage of UF and our financial resources.

So maybe I wasn’t clear in my original statement when I said less than market value. Truth be told I was talking about market value for a coach like McElwain that had been fired (believe it or not, there is a separate market value for coaches like that compared to successful coaches like Kyle Whittingham for example and I assumed that was implied) but for sake of discussion, let’s address a coach like Shannon being paid DRAMATICALLY less than fair market value (I hope that’s better)...why won’t UF pursue recourse? Thoughts?

Not sure how but I definitely missed the salary escalation when reading through the posts. My bad, need to read better.

That said, its kind of a tweener, right? He’s basically combining the cost of his buyout with a new salary to reach market value. Mac is making his perceived market value. Pigbert is volunteering strictly to take advantage of a contract clause. I wonder if there’s an offset in this contract - say the buyout Arky pays is only worth the difference between the buyout and his new salary?

 

[5-Star Finger]

They need to stop paying Chad Morris.

That's what this is really about. They are about to fall off a cliff financially and are not in a position to do what needs to be done and fire Chad Morris sooner rather than later.

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

Not sure how but I definitely missed the salary escalation when reading through the posts. My bad, need to read better.

That said, its kind of a tweener, right? He’s basically combining the cost of his buyout with a new salary to reach market value. Mac is making his perceived market value. Pigbert is volunteering strictly to take advantage of a contract clause. I wonder if there’s an offset in this contract - say the buyout Arky pays is only worth the difference between the buyout and his new salary?

For as bad as Mac was, I’d say $600k salary at CMU is much less than his market value and we’re getting taken for a ride. Guys like Lane Kiffin & Randy Edsall making about $1.5m, Mike Locksley making $2.5m, Dana Holgerson somewhere around $3.5m.

Mac is making his perceived market value by using the buyout money, same as Bilema. UF admin should step up to the plate and say something, IMO.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

For as bad as Mac was, I’d say $600k salary at CMU is much less than his market value and we’re getting taken for a ride.
.

I think Butters is the fourth highest paid corch in the MAC. No way to win that argument.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

That's what this is really about. They are about to fall off a cliff financially and are not in a position to do what needs to be done and fire Chad Morris sooner rather than later.

Morris had the 20th ranked class last year but seems like he may drop off some this year.

After years of Lard Ass not bothering to recruit at all, theyd be silly.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

There is obvious concern from fans about the University of Arkansas losing football recruits.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Morris had the 20th ranked class last year but seems like he may drop off some this year.

After years of Lard Ass not bothering to recruit at all, theyd be silly.[/QUOTE










Yeah after ruining the resume of the only 3 time consecutive B10 championship winning coach in history they're now whining because they have no money to buyout the new coach who also can't win because the school WILL NEVER win unless someone cheats and pays recruits like Bobby P. or H. Nutt....who are both disgraced losers.

That sh!thole owes Bert more than what they agreed to pay him and I hope he doesn't even spit on it before making them holler whooo Pig Sooey….

 

[MJMGator]

 

[GatorInGeorgia]

I think Butters is the fourth highest paid corch in the MAC. No way to win that argument.

Don’t limit it to the MAC. Look at AAC, C-USA, Mountain West, Sun Belt, etc. Viewed through that lens, it’s obvious he’s lowballing it.

Now I think you’re right that we wouldn’t win the argument, but I also think that Arkansas will lose their case with Bilema, assuming the contract language is similar (big assumption). Bottom line is Arkansas brings nearly limitless resources to the negotiating table compared to Bilema. If they made a bad deal or their legal team screwed up the drafting and/or review of the contract, with all of the money and resources they have at their disposal, then I don’t see how that is held against the “little guy” football coach. Furthermore, coaches taking lower paying jobs or lower position jobs (coordinator, position coach or analyst rather than H.C. ) to avoid having to forfeit buyout money is common practice in the world of college football. So is taking a no/low paying job to rehabilitate oneself. Just look at all of Saban’s analysts that were former head coaches. Arkansas knew, or should have, known this to be a standard procedure for fired coaches.

Again, if they didn’t draft the contract in such a way as to prevent this from happening then it seems like their problem, not the former coach’s problem, IMO. I guess we’ll see.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Don’t limit it to the MAC. .

I limited it to the MAC bc he coaches in the MAC.

It isnt like Ohio State was chasing him.

 

[SeabeeGator]

Don’t limit it to the MAC. Look at AAC, C-USA, Mountain West, Sun Belt, etc. Viewed through that lens, it’s obvious he’s lowballing it.

Now I think you’re right that we wouldn’t win the argument, but I also think that Arkansas will lose their case with Bilema, assuming the contract language is similar (big assumption). Bottom line is Arkansas brings nearly limitless resources to the negotiating table compared to Bilema. If they made a bad deal or their legal team screwed up the drafting and/or review of the contract, with all of the money and resources they have at their disposal, then I don’t see how that is held against the “little guy” football coach. Furthermore, coaches taking lower paying jobs or lower position jobs (coordinator, position coach or analyst rather than H.C. ) to avoid having to forfeit buyout money is common practice in the world of college football. So is taking a no/low paying job to rehabilitate oneself. Just look at all of Saban’s analysts that were former head coaches. Arkansas knew, or should have, known this to be a standard procedure for fired coaches.

Again, if they didn’t draft the contract in such a way as to prevent this from happening then it seems like their problem, not the former coach’s problem, IMO. I guess we’ll see.

You know - never really considered that angle for Bama. Basically leaching off of every school’s buyouts while they a) pay a low salary and b) offer a low cost of living. Buyout runs out, promote From analyst to coordinator at competitive salary until they send off the “rejuvenated” coach to some sucker program and Bama promotes another from the stable. Wish our guys were that smart.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

You know - never really considered that angle for Bama. Basically leaching off of every school’s buyouts while they a) pay a low salary and b) offer a low cost of living. Buyout runs out, promote to coordinator at competitive salary until they send off the “rejuvenated” coach to some sucker program and Bama promotes another from the stable. Wish our guys were that smart.

They also add playbooks to their library and intimate knowledge of how the other coach adjusted and why.

It isnt that we arent that smart ot is that we are too cheap.

Think we even considered hiring Durkin and others when they became available? No fvkking way. The budget is the budget and the AADs get bonuses for coming in underbudget, 4-8 or not.

 

[SeabeeGator]

They also add playbooks to their library and intimate knowledge of how the other coach adjusted and why.

It isnt that we arent that smart ot is that we are too cheap.

Think we even considered hiring Durkin and others when they became available? No fvkking way. The budget is the budget and the AADs get bonuses for coming in underbudget, 4-8 or not.

Ugh, probably right. But I prefer to think of our team as incompetent. Makes our lack of problem solving less frustrating.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Ugh, probably right. But I prefer to think of our team as incompetent. Makes our lack of problem solving less frustrating.

It depends on what you think the goal is.

Did you see any evidence of concern or mea culpa after the last two hires? Changes in plans? Investments? Trying to figure out why Bammer and Clempson are winning and we arent?

A new baseball field and LEDs in the lockerrroom? pffft

Hell, mostly the lexture us (through their parrots). They dont talk about championships, they talk about competing.

 

[SeabeeGator]

It depends on what you think the goal is.

Did you see any evidence of concern or mea culpa after the last two hires? Changes in plans? Investments? Trying to figure out why Bammer and Clempson are winning and we arent?

A new baseball field and LEDs in the lockerrroom? pffft

Hell, mostly the lexture us (through their parrots). They dont talk about championships, they talk about competing.

I know what MY goals would be but they obviously don’t align with the UAA’s. I guess they feel like all NCAA championships are created equally and the others require much less investment - higher ROI. They’re wrong but I’m guessing that’s the thought process.

 

[BMF]

Bert gets paid:

Razorback Foundation settles lawsuit with Bret Bielema

Razorback Foundation settles lawsuit with Bret Bielema

The Razorback Foundation announced Friday it has settled its months-long lawsuit with former University of Arkansas football coach Bret Bielema.

The foundation will pay Bielema a final buyout payment of $3,529,167. That will bring the foundation’s total amount to $8.085 million in buyout pay to Bielema, which is equal to 25 1/2 months of severance payments.

The foundation will be released from $3.85 million in buyout payments.

In 2018, Bielema and the foundation agreed to an $11.935 million buyout.

“We believe the resolution of this matter is in the best interest of the Razorback Foundation and our membership,” Razorback Foundation executive director Scott Varady said in a statement. “We wish Coach Bielema and his family the best moving forward.”

Bielema, who was hired as head coach at the University of Illinois in December, filed a lawsuit against the foundation last summer demanding to be paid more than $7 million. The Razorback Foundation filed a counter suit demanding Bielema repay more than $4.5 million in buyout payments he had already received.

At the heart of the dispute was whether Bielema attempted to maximize his earning potential to offset the foundation’s financial obligation to him while he worked as a special assistant for the NFL’s New England Patriots in 2018. That role, as well as a draft advisory role with the Patriots the same year, paid Bielema a combined $125,000, according to court records.

The foundation’s buyout to Bielema could have been offset after the first $150,000 Bielema was paid in 2018. The foundation stopped making payments to Bielema in January 2019, citing breach of contract.

In April 2019, the Patriots promoted Bielema to a full-time assistant coaching role that paid $250,000, and he worked for the New York Giants as an assistant coach in 2020 at a salary of $400,000, according to court records.

Bielema was hired at Illinois less than two weeks before his buyout period with the Razorback Foundation was set to expire. The Illinois job will pay him an annual salary of $4.2 million, according to court records.

A trial date in the case had been scheduled for January 2022.

The 10-month legal dispute in the U.S. District Court of Western Arkansas included several filings on behalf of Bielema and the foundation, as well as counsel for the Patriots, who persuaded the court to keep email correspondence between New England owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick from being made public.

Bielema was fired as Arkansas’ coach at the conclusion of a 4-8 season in 2017. Bielema coached the Razorbacks to a 29-34 record and three bowl games in five seasons.

Following the Razorbacks’ 31-7 victory over Texas in the Texas Bowl to cap a 7-6 season in 2014, then-UA athletics director Jeff Long signed Bielema to a six-year contract extension through December 2020.

“I am pleased to announce the resolution of our differences with the Razorback Foundation,” Bielema said in a statement. “We wish everyone in Razorback Athletics nothing but the best in the years to come.”

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Stupid thread title is stupid.

They didn't lose. They settled, and Fatass didnt get $4 mil of his buyout money.

We were the only one that paid (the other) Fat Ass all of his money.

 

[gatormandan]

You just dont do that to the best coach in football.......Crete....