FW*Telegram NT notes, DD's contract not settled

OldTimer · November 15, 2006

UNT NOTESDickey's contract yet to be settled

By TROY PHILLIPS

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

DARRELL DICKEYDENTON -- Fired North Texas football coach Darrell Dickey and the university have yet to reach a contract settlement, but UNT spokesperson Deborah Leliaert said Monday that UNT's office of general counsel has set the contract's remaining value at $524,167.

Dickey, who signed separate contract extensions in 2003, 2004 and 2005, had three years remaining through December 2009, according to records released Monday. He was fired last Wednesday, effective at the end of the season. UNT is 3-7.

For this season, Dickey will earn $262,425 in total compensation, the most he has made in any contract year because of an escalating base salary.

During the 2003 and 2004 seasons, Dickey earned bonus pay ($40,000 and $35,000, respectively) for conference titles, total victories and coach of the year awards -- incentives he hasn't reached the past two seasons.

UNT hasn't made an initial settlement offer to Dickey, who had no comment on the situation. It's unlikely UNT will match the contract's remaining value. Leliaert said the university has made no determination.

Notable start

UNT's 90-72 victory at Charlotte to go 2-0 in men's basketball for the first time in 12 years was also the biggest nonconference victory in coach Johnny Jones' five-plus seasons.

"We don't take lightly what they've been able to accomplish," Jones said of Charlotte's seven postseason appearances in the last eight seasons. "It ranks up there pretty high in my time here. The big thing is how we respond and how we handle it."

Jones is getting strong play throughout the lineup, especially off the bench. But center Keith Wooden, a transfer from Arizona State, is struggling with foul trouble.

"That comes from not playing for a year and a half," Jones said. "He has to get back into it."

James out again

Guard Mamie James, a women's basketball transfer from Tyler Junior College, likely won't play this season after recurring back trouble.

UNT coach Tina Slinker said James is suffering numbness in her right foot, the result of a congenital lumbar disk problem.

"Her doctor says she has the back of a 60-year-old," Slinker said. "At this point, I don't want to take any chances with her safety."

Before the season, James was told she needed surgery but was cleared to play by a specialist weeks later.

Volleyball match set

UNT's volleyball team (22-12, 13-5 Sun Belt) won the league's Western Division but is the No. 4 seed in the Johnny Carino's Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Thursday against No. 5 New Orleans (23-9) at 7:30 p.m. UNT is the host for the three-day event.

UNT had the fourth-best league record after three teams tied atop the Eastern Division at 14-3.

Top-seeded Middle Tennessee (23-7), a likely second-round opponent, lost to UNT earlier this season 3-2.

ONLINE: meangreensports.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Troy Phillips, 817-390-7760 tphillips@star-telegram.com

GrandGreen · November 15, 2006

DD's contract was extended in 2004 to run thru 2008, which I thought was a very poor decision. This article states he has a contract thru Dec. 2009. This makes the situation even worse and means if true that DD's contract was extended again. Why?