Greg Auman, St Petersburg Times, Take On The

rcade · November 18, 2010

It hasn't even been one year since he was fired on January 8, 2010. He didn't file the lawsuit until March 15, so it's been two days over eight months. And...how many FBS head coaching positions have become available since January 8, 2010? Aside from the frenzy created when Lane Kiffin left Tennessee on January 15, 2010, I count three, including ours, and all three are still open....not exactly what I'd call "killing his attempts to get another head coaching job."

My bet is that neither Leavitt nor Leach gets a head coaching job while their lawsuits are unresolved.

It's a shame because they're both good coaches.

Cerebus · November 18, 2010

My bet is that neither Leavitt nor Leach gets a head coaching job while their lawsuits are unresolved.

It's a shame because they're both good coaches.

counterproductive?

true worth is found in ones name

always keep it clear

rcade · November 18, 2010

counterproductive?
true worth is found in ones name
always keep it clear

Ever been involved in a legal dispute, Cerebus? I have. The idea you can restore your good name that way seems farcical to me. Lawsuits will bleed you dry and take up a lot of your time -- costing you even more money. The smart move is almost always to avoid litigation. No matter how much you've been wronged, getting lawyers involved in your life will make it worse.

SAM Coach · November 18, 2010

My bet is that neither Leavitt nor Leach gets a head coaching job while their lawsuits are unresolved.

It's a shame because they're both good coaches.

I'm guessing Leavitt will be an assistant in the NFL before he gets an opportunity to coach at the college level again. He recognizes that he needs to reinvent himself and that probably won't happen at the college football level.

Edited November 18, 2010 by SAM Coach

MizzouTigers · November 18, 2010

If the lawsuit made other potential employers reluctant to hire me, hell yes I would give up the suit. A good coach has to be able to look at the long view.

You can blackball yourself out of a lot of careers by suing a former employer. I would be extremely reluctant to do it.

The way Leavitt should be answering USF's actions is by getting another head coaching job and kicking ass at it.

You would walk away from a contract that still owed you $7,100,000.00?

Yeah...right.

MizzouTigers · November 18, 2010

Ever been involved in a legal dispute, Cerebus? I have. The idea you can restore your good name that way seems farcical to me. Lawsuits will bleed you dry and take up a lot of your time -- costing you even more money. The smart move is almost always to avoid litigation. No matter how much you've been wronged, getting lawyers involved in your life will make it worse.

His attorneys are taking this on a contingency, so it's costing Leavitt nothing but time.

TheTastyGreek · November 18, 2010

His attorneys are taking this on a contingency, so it's costing Leavitt nothing but time.

Monkeypox · November 18, 2010

His attorneys are taking this on a contingency, so it's costing Leavitt nothing but time.

Time which is in turn costing him money. Not to mention that the lawsuit is actually costing him in public perception and future employability.

rcade · November 18, 2010

You would walk away from a contract that still owed you $7,100,000.00?

Even Leavitt's attorneys are not claiming he's owed millions. The school maintains that he's due one-twelth of his yearly contract ($66,000) after being fired with cause. Leavitt's attorneys say he's due one-twelth of the entire contract ($375,000).

So he's prolonging the damage to his employability for $311,000 minus whatever he's paying his attorneys.

He's an idiot for not settling.

wardly · November 18, 2010

Even Leavitt's attorneys are not claiming he's owed millions. The school maintains that he's due one-twelth of his yearly contract ($66,000) after being fired with cause. Leavitt's attorneys say he's due one-twelth of the entire contract ($375,000).

So he's prolonging the damage to his employability for $311,000 minus whatever he's paying his attorneys.

He's an idiot for not settling.

so is the school.its not worth the bad press and hard feelings with alumni. take the high road, pay him the $311,000, and thank him for having built the program from nothing to where it is today.this appears to be a no win situation[from the outside looking in.]

rcade · November 18, 2010

so is the school.

True. I live in Florida. USF was an up-and-coming program getting respect here before the Leavitt firing mess. Now it's getting about as much attention as UCF.

MizzouTigers · November 19, 2010

Even Leavitt's attorneys are not claiming he's owed millions. The school maintains that he's due one-twelth of his yearly contract ($66,000) after being fired with cause. Leavitt's attorneys say he's due one-twelth of the entire contract ($375,000).

So he's prolonging the damage to his employability for $311,000 minus whatever he's paying his attorneys.

He's an idiot for not settling.

Cerebus has asked us to be civil so I won't call you the ignernt idiot you are.

It takes two to come to a settlement and USF has absolutely refused to settle. They have even refused to pay him the one month severence called for in his contract if he is fired for cause.

His unfulfilled contract does in fact come to $7.1 million dollars. I don't know where you came up with your figures, but they have absolutely no basis whatsoever in reality.

MizzouTigers · November 19, 2010

so is the school.its not worth the bad press and hard feelings with alumni. take the high road, pay him the $311,000, and thank him for having built the program from nothing to where it is today.this appears to be a no win situation[from the outside looking in.]

It's complete misinformation like this rcade is putting out that keep people from knowing about the railroad cluster**** Doug Woolard has created at USF.

rcade · November 19, 2010

His unfulfilled contract does in fact come to $7.1 million dollars. I don't know where you came up with your figures, but they have absolutely no basis whatsoever in reality.

That's not how these contracts work. You don't get paid the full amount of your contract when you are fired with cause.

The numbers I got were from media coverage of the Leavitt mess here in Florida. His lawyers are not claiming he's owed $7.1 million dollars.

Google is your friend. Try it sometime.

rcade · November 19, 2010

It's complete misinformation like this rcade is putting out that keep people from knowing about the railroad cluster**** Doug Woolard has created at USF.

Where is the misinformation? I'm in Florida and I clearly have read more about this than you have.

UNT Five&Dime · November 19, 2010

Google is your friend.

I think Jim is too.

MizzouTigers · November 20, 2010

That's not how these contracts work. You don't get paid the full amount of your contract when you are fired with cause.

The numbers I got were from media coverage of the Leavitt mess here in Florida. His lawyers are not claiming he's owed $7.1 million dollars.

Google is your friend. Try it sometime.

You just can't fix stupid...

Fired South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt filed suit against his former school Monday and is seeking to recoup the more than $7 million left on his contract.

Leavitt seeks millions

It says Leavitt's firing will cost him $9.5 million, the value of his contract through 2014. Even if it is determined he was fired "with cause," his contract says that he is due $375,000, not the $66,000 USF gave him the day he was fired, the suit says.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/mar/15/151954/leavitt-files-lawsuit-against-usf-foundation/

Edited November 20, 2010 by MizzouTigers

MizzouTigers · November 20, 2010

Where is the misinformation? I'm in Florida and I clearly have read more about this than you have.

I own a condo in Broward County, so guess what?

You simply have no clue what you're talking about and I believe it is you that should use Google and educate yourself and stop making a fool of yourself.

rcade · November 20, 2010

You just can't fix stupid...

You should learn some manners. It's possible to disagree with someone without constantly calling them ignorant, stupid, and so on. I'm surprised the moderators are letting you get away with it. Go be childish on Mizzou boards.

You quoted the most important part of those stories: "Even if it is determined he was fired 'with cause,' his contract says that he is due $375,000, not the $66,000 USF gave him the day he was fired, the suit says."

Leavitt's attorneys can assert in a lawsuit that he's lost $9.5 million, but his own suit acknowledges that a with-cause firing would only net him $375,000. I think there's almost no chance a court will find that there was no cause to fire Leavitt.

He's got an incredibly weak hand here and the most he can hope to make is $311,000 minus attorney costs. If he had not pursued the suit, he'd be a front-runner for the UNT job and other jobs as well.

FirefightnRick · November 20, 2010

He's got an incredibly weak hand here and the most he can hope to make is $311,000 minus attorney costs. If he had not pursued the suit, he'd be a front-runner for the UNT job and other jobs as well.

I think he has USF over a barrel and has an excellent chance to recover what he has coming to him. But mostly, his reputation is what he is after and I imagine he has received some well thought out advice from others in the coaching profession to fight this to the fullest. He has only been unemployed for 9 or 10 months, with the level of salary he has been at previously surely he isn't hurting? And he wouldn't even be a consideration for the NT job of it were not for being fired and I'm hoping we take advantage of it. The opportunity to get a $2 million a year coach for $600k doesn't come along very often. Considering where we sit regionally and with the newest stadium in the land he would be kicking ass here in three years.

Rick

MizzouTigers · November 20, 2010

You should learn some manners. It's possible to disagree with someone without constantly calling them ignorant, stupid, and so on. I'm surprised the moderators are letting you get away with it. Go be childish on Mizzou boards.

You quoted the most important part of those stories: "Even if it is determined he was fired 'with cause,' his contract says that he is due $375,000, not the $66,000 USF gave him the day he was fired, the suit says."

Leavitt's attorneys can assert in a lawsuit that he's lost $9.5 million, but his own suit acknowledges that a with-cause firing would only net him $375,000. I think there's almost no chance a court will find that there was no cause to fire Leavitt.

He's got an incredibly weak hand here and the most he can hope to make is $311,000 minus attorney costs. If he had not pursued the suit, he'd be a front-runner for the UNT job and other jobs as well.

Dude...I was responding in kind to your lack of manners and civil discourse. You went into a Roseanne Rosannadana rant with the fictional numbers mixed with a big dose of ignorance and then declared Leavitt an idiot.

You are simply wrong, have no idea what you are talking about and don't understand the very basis of a lawsuit. USF trumped up some allegations, kicked Leavitt to the curb and then declared he was fired for cause. Leavitt filed a lawsuit for breach of contract disputing the "cause" AND he has a very strong case. Your declarations are not just based upon ignorance, they are based upon willful ignorance.

rcade · November 20, 2010

Dude...I was responding in kind to your lack of manners and civil discourse. You went into a Roseanne Rosannadana rant with the fictional numbers mixed with a big dose of ignorance and then declared Leavitt an idiot.

Me calling Leavitt an idiot for not settling is different than you repeatedly calling me an idiot. Leavitt's not here. You and I are, and your repeated attempts to make this personal have been reported to the moderators. Grow up.

As for my numbers being fictional, I said the issue was $375,000 vs. $66,000 for a with-cause firing and you backed me up with your own link.

rcade · November 20, 2010

I think he has USF over a barrel and has an excellent chance to recover what he has coming to him.

We'll see. I think Leavitt's a fine coach worthy of being considered here, regardless of whether he did everything he was alleged to have done. But I think the allegations plus the lawsuit have all-but-eliminated the chance UNT will hire him.

FirefightnRick · November 20, 2010

We'll see. ....... But I think the allegations plus the lawsuit have all-but-eliminated the chance UNT will hire him.

Yup, we shall see. Personally, whether he gets our job or not, I'm hoping he takes USF to the cleaners.

Rick

UNT90 · November 20, 2010

You should learn some manners. It's possible to disagree with someone without constantly calling them ignorant, stupid, and so on. I'm surprised the moderators are letting you get away with it. Go be childish on Mizzou boards.

You quoted the most important part of those stories: "Even if it is determined he was fired 'with cause,' his contract says that he is due $375,000, not the $66,000 USF gave him the day he was fired, the suit says."

Leavitt's attorneys can assert in a lawsuit that he's lost $9.5 million, but his own suit acknowledges that a with-cause firing would only net him $375,000. I think there's almost no chance a court will find that there was no cause to fire Leavitt.

He's got an incredibly weak hand here and the most he can hope to make is $311,000 minus attorney costs. If he had not pursued the suit, he'd be a front-runner for the UNT job and other jobs as well.

I respectfully think you are wrong here, sir.

Leavitt's lawsuit claims that he was fired without cause, which is why he is seeking 7 some odd million dollars in compensation. It wouldn't be worth the attorney's fees to sue for $350,000.

Why do we even care if he is sueing USF, it doesn't affect his ability to coach, recruit, or build a program? I would be far more concerned if he laid down and let USF run over him.

Edited November 20, 2010 by UNT90