Aston buyout, press conference link and some leftovers

Harry · April 3, 2012

I will have a story in tomorrow's paper that goes into more depth about Karen Aston's departure from UNT.

For now, here are a couple of important tidbits.

The press conference in Austin is going to start here in a few minutes. You can watch it here: Link

There have been a couple of people who have asked about if Aston has a buyout in her UNT contract. She does. The contract calls for Aston (or the school that hires here away, Texas in this case) to pay nine months of her base salary.

Read more: http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/archives/2012/04/aston-buyout-press-conference.html

DeepGreen · April 3, 2012

$114,375 buyout? Sounds like pocket change considering the grief this will cause UNT.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · April 3, 2012

Every penny counts here.

NT03 · April 3, 2012

Someone please correct me , because I want to be wrong Here. Didn't we pay a million for her buyout from charlotte?

UNT Five&Dime · April 3, 2012

Someone please correct me , because I want to be wrong Here. Didn't we pay a million for her buyout from charlotte?

Looks like just $100K.

MeanGreenBlog - 04/06/2011

flyonthewall · April 3, 2012

Someone please correct me , because I want to be wrong Here. Didn't we pay a million for her buyout from charlotte?

The buyout from Charlotte was $100,000.00. She paid half and some donors were recruited to pay the other half.

LakeTravis · April 3, 2012

my question is if a head coach leaves, cant the recruit void their agreement on the scholarship?

If so, we are even more screwed

GrandGreen · April 3, 2012

my question is if a head coach leaves, cant the recruit void their agreement on the scholarship?

If so, we are even more screwed

No, contracts are with the school not the coach.

Green Jackal · April 3, 2012

I figured buy-outs would be higher than that. At a minimum we should use a waterfall buy-out, where if you leave in the first year of your contract it is higher than if you leave in your last year of a contract. Leaving after only one year stinks for the team.

NT03 · April 3, 2012

The buyout from Charlotte was $100,000.00. She paid half and some donors were recruited to pay the other half.

Okay thanks. Glad I was wrong

KRAM1 · April 3, 2012

So, will a certain player get a chance to return to the squad that that Coach Aston has left for Texas? Haven't heard much posted here from our more ardent women's BB fans who feel they are really close to Coach Aston and the players, but I believe one of our better players was "dismissed" by Coach Aston just after the Sunbelt Tournament.

maybe I missed that discussion, but a possibility of a return? I also have heard that several others were/might be considering transferring. Could be wrong, but haven't heard much about this situation.

I know Coach Aston is a "take no prisoners" kind of coach, and she'll need that at Texas. Just wondering perhaps if some of our ladies return or stay to see if they new coach will accept them...

I wish Coach Aston nothing but the best at Texas and sure wish she was staying at UNT, but cannot blame her in any way. It's her dream job and will pay a bunch more (but the pressure to win will be a bunch more as well). I like to think people should honor their contracts, but seems in sports at all levels that just is not the way it works. So, good for Coach Aston. I wish you nothing but success at Texas....

Now...

"The Queen is dead...Long live the Queen" (whomever that might be for UNT in the near future)!!!!

Mean Green 93-98 · April 3, 2012

my question is if a head coach leaves, cant the recruit void their agreement on the scholarship?

If so, we are even more screwed

Not technically.

But usually it is common courtesy for a school to release commits from their LOI's if the coach who recruited them leaves and they want out. It is terrible PR for schools to hold them to their LOI's in that type of situation, and it is pretty much a waste of money to give scholarships to kids who don't want to be here.

As someone else pointed out, the new coach is going to have to do a great sales job to basically re-recruit them to the commitment they have already made to UNT.

GrandGreen · April 3, 2012

Not technically.

But usually it is common courtesy for a school to release commits from their LOI's if the coach who recruited them leaves and they want out. It is terrible PR for schools to hold them to their LOI's in that type of situation, and it is pretty much a waste of money to give scholarships to kids who don't want to be here.

As someone else pointed out, the new coach is going to have to do a great sales job to basically re-recruit them to the commitment they have already made to UNT.

Very few schools release players from LOI's because of a coach change and most of the ones that do, do so because the new coach thinks he can get better players. What recruits can do if motivated enough is go the Juco route if they are that unhappy. I guess in retrospect, NT wasted a lot of money on ships during the Stephen's reign; because I don't think any of them wanted to be here after a taste of her coaching.

Coaching changes happen all the time, recruits know they take that risk when they sign. You don't want a bunch of malcontents on the team, but any good coach should be able to smooth out the situation.

Mean Green 93-98 · April 3, 2012

Very few schools release players from LOI's because of a coach change . . .

Per coaching change, you're right, that rarely happens. Most recruits are sold on the school, and while a coaching change may be disappointing, it's not necessarily a deal-breaker if the new coach shows them a little love. But if a recruit wants out and raises a stink, the school will usually release him from his LOI.

GrandGreen · April 3, 2012

Per coaching change, you're right, that rarely happens. Most recruits are sold on the school, and while a coaching change may be disappointing, it's not necessarily a deal-breaker if the new coach shows them a little love. But if a recruit wants out and raises a stink, the school will usually release him from his LOI.

Yes, that happens but it is usually a very high profile recruit that can assert that kind of pressure.

VideoEagle · April 4, 2012

Looks like just $100K.

MeanGreenBlog - 04/06/2011

What's three zeros among friends?

greenminer · April 4, 2012

link to Aston's introductory conference in Austin. Edited April 4, 2012 by greenminer

greenminer · April 4, 2012

link to Aston's introductory conference in Austin.

Just skimming through the video (it's 30+ minutes). Twice I happened to stop on questions to the AD about other candidates. You can kind of sense some edginess about Karen possibly being the only coach they even considered.

NorthTexan95 · April 4, 2012

I just watched the press conference and I got sad all over again. I think it's because Karen had that history here with being an assistant with Tina and knowing some of our former players. We're probably not going to have that again with a new coach. It's not a huge thing, though, and hopefully whoever we hire next will pick things up where Karen left off.

During the press conference they did say that Texas did contact RV first before contacting Karen. They have very good things to say about RV.

Harry · April 4, 2012

There is no doubt that Plonsky tied her ship to Aston.

The Fake Lonnie Finch · April 4, 2012

I just watched the press conference and I got sad all over again. I think it's because Karen had that history here with being an assistant with Tina and knowing some of our former players. We're probably not going to have that again with a new coach. It's not a huge thing, though, and hopefully whoever we hire next will pick things up where Karen left off.

During the press conference they did say that Texas did contact RV first before contacting Karen. They have very good things to say about RV.

Well...I mean...what would saying otherwise accomplish for them? They're richer than us. It makes no difference what RV said or did, they were going to be able to buy her away from us. Saying anything other than good things about RV would make them look like bullies for (1) stealing our coach, and (2) rubbing it in.

NorthTexan95 · April 4, 2012

Well...I mean...what would saying otherwise accomplish for them? They're richer than us. It makes no difference what RV said or did, they were going to be able to buy her away from us. Saying anything other than good things about RV would make them look like bullies for (1) stealing our coach, and (2) rubbing it in.

She did didn't have to say anything about RV. She went out of her way to say good things about RV. I believe they were genuine and makes me think RV has a lot of respect from the other AD's that he deals with.

Mean Green 93-98 · April 4, 2012

She did didn't have to say anything about RV. She went out of her way to say good things about RV. I believe they were genuine and makes me think RV has a lot of respect from the other AD's that he deals with.

The comments were all about what a nice guy he is. That's great and all, but sometimes I'd rather our A.D. command respect because he is a tough customer who knows how to work things in UNT's favor.

FirefightnRick · April 5, 2012

The buyout from Charlotte was $100,000.00. She paid half and some donors were recruited to pay the other half.

This here is pretty amazing if you think about it. Especially if what several of us have been told about, how she didn't come to North Texas, that instead, we went after her, is true, right? If so, that means we convinced her to leave Charlotte to coach at North Texas for less money, AND convinced her to pay half of her buyout?

That's some incredible convincing right there. I sure hope we can do that again as it would give us a shot at just about anyone within our price range.

Rick

Edited April 5, 2012 by FirefightnRick

All About UNT · April 5, 2012

This here is pretty amazing if you think about it. Especially if what several of us have been told about, how she didn't come to North Texas, that instead, we went after her, is true, right? If so, that means we convinced her to leave Charlotte to coach at North Texas for less money, AND convinced her to pay half of her buyout?

That's some incredible convincing right there. I sure hope we can do that again as it would give us a shot at just about anyone within our price range.

Rick

I never picked up on that but you're right....hopefully we use such Jedi Mind Tricks on the next coach!