Hudspeth Gets Pay Raise--Now Over $1 Million

GreenMachine · June 17, 2014

Alabama is a public university so I guess the public has a right to say it's too much. Alabama has needs that are much more important than a successful football program. Hell, that university has many needs more important than football.

Paying Saban 28 times as much as a nobel-prize winning physicist is stupid.

Saban brings in way more than $7m annually to Alabama, they think he is worth it so that's what they pay him. I would guess the average citizen of Alabama feels the same way. Are movie stars and musicians paid too much? If people are willing to pay outrageous amounts to go to the movies and concerts, then no they aren't.

UNT90 · June 17, 2014

Saban brings in way more than $7m annually to Alabama, they think he is worth it so that's what they pay him. I would guess the average citizen of Alabama feels the same way. Are movie stars and musicians paid too much? If people are willing to pay outrageous amounts to go to the movies and concerts, then no they aren't.

People forget the state of Alabama football before Saban's arrival.

MeanGreenTexan · June 17, 2014

Alabama is a public university so I guess the public has a right to say it's too much. Alabama has needs that are much more important than a successful football program. Hell, that university has many needs more important than football.

Paying Saban 28 times as much as a nobel-prize winning physicist is stupid.

I don't think you'll be able to fill Bryant-Denny Stadium every Saturday with over 100K people paying $100 - $10,000 per ticket to see a Nobel winner lecture for 3 hours.

Remove academics & football, and think about money. That's what drives everything.

Ben Gooding · June 17, 2014

Whoever asked, yes, musicians & movie stars are paid too much. So is Nick Saban and the majority of coaches.

GreenMachine · June 17, 2014

Whoever asked, yes, musicians & movie stars are paid too much. So is Nick Saban and the majority of coaches.

So how much is too much? $20/hr? $150k/year? $10M per movie? At what amount does Ben Gooding determine someone is overpaid?

tylermeangreen · June 17, 2014

Whoever asked, yes, musicians & movie stars are paid too much. So is Nick Saban and the majority of coaches.

Hey Ben, I teach economics and have done so for 38 years.

The basic principle of the free market system is supply and demand.

It goes like this, Ben - If the demand is low, and/or the supply is high, price will tend to be low.

If the demand is high, and/or the supply is low, price will tend to be high.

Personally, I believe in an unfettered free market EXCEPT in cases of safety concerns and when the product under consideration is a necessity (where government regulation can, sometimes, achieve a common good for all of society).

Now, Ben, it seems that college football coaches achieve neither of those limiting characteristics........there is not a "safety" issue nor is the good/service they sell a necessity, thereby necessitating price controls.

Is Dan McCarney worth $650,000 a year? The market (and the ability to pay) says "yes"!

Is Nick Saban worth many millions of dollars per year? The market (and the ability to pay) says "yes"!

Would I rather see those millions of dollars spent on other societal issues/projects? Yes.

But Ben, you either believe in the overall good of a free market system or you don't. With the two exceptions noted above (safety concerns and necessity), the competitive free market DOES work.

Sorry Ben, but your generalized "paid too much" argument shows you to be in opposition to our free market system while favoring allowing the "Bens" in the nation to determine for all of us what is and what is not "over-priced" based on your personal choice.

After reading your many postings on this board, I just don't feel comfortable believing you to be omnipotent.

GTWT · June 17, 2014

the competitive free market DOES work

Yes, short-term the free-market works. It means choosing short-term profit over long-term good. It means drilling on the north slope so the BP & Exxon can make huge profits while the ecosystem is damaged for the fore-seeable-future. It means pulling oil out of the tar sands that will increase atmospheric C. It means paying a football coach $7m/yr that fills a stadium this year and sets a precedent that will cost all NCAA institutions for years to come.

Damn, I sound like Karl Marx.

UNT90 · June 17, 2014

Yes, short-term the free-market works. It means choosing short-term profit over long-term good. It means drilling on the north slope so the BP & Exxon can make huge profits while the ecosystem is damaged for the fore-seeable-future. It means pulling oil out of the tar sands that will increase atmospheric C. It means paying a football coach $7m/yr that fills a stadium this year and sets a precedent that will cost all NCAA institutions for years to come.

Damn, I sound like Karl Marx.

Self realization is a good thing. ;-)

VideoEagle · June 17, 2014

The free-market isn't perfect, but it's better than any other system ever tried for allocating people and resources. Think FBS football coaches are over paid relative to high school teachers? Nothing is stopping them from applying for the job. There are 128 FBS head coaching positions in the US. There are over 128 high school teachers in Denton. It's all a matter of supply and demand.

Payment has never, ever been about relative value to society. I can't think of anyplace or time in history when that has been tried successfully.

If paying a coach $7 million a year causes a problem, then the market WILL shift. Why did UTA and many other schools drop football? Because the market caused them to. Lamar dropped football under one set of market conditions and now that the market has shifted they brought it back.

If ULL can pay Hudspeth a $1 million a year, good them them for being able to do so and good for him for being in a position to receive it.

Ben Gooding · June 17, 2014

Hey Ben, I teach economics and have done so for 38 years.

The basic principle of the free market system is supply and demand.

It goes like this, Ben - If the demand is low, and/or the supply is high, price will tend to be low.

If the demand is high, and/or the supply is low, price will tend to be high.

Personally, I believe in an unfettered free market EXCEPT in cases of safety concerns and when the product under consideration is a necessity (where government regulation can, sometimes, achieve a common good for all of society).

Now, Ben, it seems that college football coaches achieve neither of those limiting characteristics........there is not a "safety" issue nor is the good/service they sell a necessity, thereby necessitating price controls.

Is Dan McCarney worth $650,000 a year? The market (and the ability to pay) says "yes"!

Is Nick Saban worth many millions of dollars per year? The market (and the ability to pay) says "yes"!

Would I rather see those millions of dollars spent on other societal issues/projects? Yes.

But Ben, you either believe in the overall good of a free market system or you don't. With the two exceptions noted above (safety concerns and necessity), the competitive free market DOES work.

Sorry Ben, but your generalized "paid too much" argument shows you to be in opposition to our free market system while favoring allowing the "Bens" in the nation to determine for all of us what is and what is not "over-priced" based on your personal choice.

After reading your many postings on this board, I just don't feel comfortable believing you to be omnipotent.

Thanks for clearing that up for me, Tyler.

GrayEagle · June 17, 2014

A coach's salary is only as high as what someone is willing to pay. If Alabama wants to pay Saban $7Myear, who are we to say it's too much?

Because it's greed and overkill. The SEC has a virtual monoply on college football revenue. They can and do pay their coach that much because they know that 90% of the FBS can't afford to do that and it keeps them at the top. Are they just being competitive? No, they are setting the price. This is not professional sports. If non-profits are going to pay that kind of money then they should pay their players and pay taxes. Of course, they would no longer be non-profits and might not be able to afford to pay their coaches that much due to player salary demands.

Edited June 17, 2014 by GrayEagle

Ben Gooding · June 17, 2014

No, no, no. Do not criticize the free market of this great country! You will be told that you are not a God of any kind to make those kind of personal opinions.

GreenMachine · June 17, 2014

Because it's greed and overkill. The SEC has a virtual monoply on college football revenue. They can and do pay their coach that much because they know that 90% of the FBS can't afford to do that and it keeps them at the top. Are they just being competitive? No, they are setting the price. This is not professional sports. If non-profits are going to pay that kind of money then they should pay their players and pay taxes. Of course, they would no longer be non-profits and might not be able to afford to pay their coaches that much due to player salary demands.

Since Ben can't provide an intelligent response, I will ask you knowing you are capable. At what dollar amount does a salary go from being fair and competive to being greedy and overkill? I am sure there are many wealthy donors that would shudder at the thought of ONLY making $7m per year. Are they greedy too for working hard and being successful?

GreenMachine · June 17, 2014

No, no, no. Do not criticize the free market of this great country! You will be told that you are not a God of any kind to make those kind of personal opinions.

We aren't being a drama queen now are we?

Ben Gooding · June 17, 2014

Not at all. I just didn't want grayeagle to get hit with Tyler's economic dissertation on a sports forum. And for someone to chuckle at 7mil, that's greed. Also, you insinuated that people who make 7mil a year work hard? I chuckled at that.

MeanGreenD · June 17, 2014

I chuckled at that.

greenit · June 17, 2014

Not at all. I just didn't want grayeagle to get hit with Tyler's economic dissertation on a sports forum. And for someone to chuckle at 7mil, that's greed. Also, you insinuated that people who make 7mil a year work hard? I chuckled at that.

хорошо сказал (well said), comrade. Pass the Stoli when you are done.

GreenMachine · June 17, 2014

Not at all. I just didn't want grayeagle to get hit with Tyler's economic dissertation on a sports forum. And for someone to chuckle at 7mil, that's greed. Also, you insinuated that people who make 7mil a year work hard? I chuckled at that.

I am trying to pull a number from you but can't seem to do it. At what point is it greed? I want your opinion on whether it's $15/hr, $250K/year, $1M/year, $7M/year etc.

Bill Gates gave away billions the last several years, is he greedy for making more than $7M/year even though he gave away more than that?

TheTastyGreek · June 17, 2014

Bully economics?

tylermeangreen · June 17, 2014

Not at all. I just didn't want grayeagle to get hit with Tyler's economic dissertation on a sports forum. And for someone to chuckle at 7mil, that's greed. Also, you insinuated that people who make 7mil a year work hard? I chuckled at that.

Well, did you chuckle while attempting to understand the so-called dissertation on supply and demand?

Being a 27-year old taking classes/working toward a degree from our fine university, are you really suggesting that the concept of supply and demand/the free market is not relative to a sports forum topic on coaching salaries?

Let me tell you something, Ben - Grayeagle has a helluva lot of credibility on this board - He is not going to get "hit" by anything from me - I have been reading his postings for years - and his postings are reasoned and loaded with critical thinking and wisdom.

Yours? Not so much.

Grow up, Ben!

Ben Gooding · June 17, 2014

Of course it applies. It's very relevant to sports. This is another example of people putting words in people's mouth. But critical thinking and wisdom? This isn't an insult towards eagle, but critical thinking? This right here is what is wrong with this board. There is nothing critical to think about on this board. It's sports. Everything else is in the gray, like what this forum has turned into.

As for growing up...you have no idea who I am. No earthly idea. You don't know the trials and tribulations I may or may have not had to go through. You're literally letting uneducated, misinformed bullshit flow out of your mouth.