Back on the coaching topic. My top 5 has changed slightly.
Mack is still my #1 but my belief is that he is unattainable in our current situation. The rest of my top group in order is
Steve Prohm ($300K for 3 more years)
Archie Miller (was at $335 but extended so i'm thinking he is near $500K for 4 more years)
Brad Underwood ($400K for 7 more years)
Mike White ($600K for 5 more years).
I like that Archie has made 2 straight NCAA's now. Both Prohm and White got upset in their tourneys and go to the NIT - Murray St loss was particuarly tough on a tough last second three.
I'm really starting to like Underwood and have moved him up ahead of White. 2 years at SFA and 2 Tourney bids. Only 1 conference loss in 2 years and now has 2 of the 3 NCAA appearances in the school history.
If GT decides to make a change I wonder if we could get creative in going after a couple of these guys - especially given their current salaries. How about something like this.
5 YR contract. First year $1.1M (just above what Gregory is making now). Each year you get an automatic $100K increase - so year five you are at $1.5M. That's a total payout of $6.5M
Buyout would almost work in reverse. After first year full value of remaining contract. After year 2 - 75% of remaining contract ($3.1M), after year 3 - 50% ($1.43M), after year 4 - 25% ($375K).
In addition any year you do one of these three things - make the NCAA Tourney, Win an ACC Regular season or Conference Championship, or have a winning ACC record, you get an automatic $100K bump salary increase (so say you make the Tourney in year 2, instead of $1.3M in year 3 you are at $1.4 and every year after you still get the $100K increase).
in effect I am creating a little of a balloon that takes advantage of the fact that our buyouts would end after a few more years and so we could start to pay more.
For any of these guys, this would be a significant increase in salary. The contract would also effectively guarantee you at least 3 years and at least $5M in total compensation before GT would likely make a change.