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Gifts for all occasions in the Galleria! Add your comments on this week's "What is the Deal?" column at Uncle Hiram's Bulletin Board. May 11, 2003 What is the Deal with Coaches? By Jan A. Larson The University of Alabama fired head football coach Mike Price before he coached his first game. Iowa State University accepted the resignation of head basketball coach Larry Eustachy (before he was fired) with eight years remaining on a multi-million dollar contract. The timing of these two incidents was coincidental but the reasons were basically the same. Both coaches seriously damaged not only their personal reputations, Price more seriously than Eustachy, but more importantly, they both brought negative attention to their respective universities. Price's actions were something that one might expect from a single man in his 20's and not from a family man in his 50's. Eustachy, after his transgressions at a student party at the University of Missouri became public, admitted that he was an alcoholic and indicated that he had been seeking treatment. The two situations are different in that most people can muster compassion for anyone that admits to problems with alcohol. It is harder for many people to accept that Price merely made a "mistake" in going to a strip club and then, with details admittedly sketchy, allegedly paid a $1000 room service bill charged to his room by a woman that was obviously not his wife. Neither coach slipped silently into the night. During a press conference after his firing was announced, Price questioned why he was not offered a second chance and has since stated that while he won't take matters into his own hands, he will take them to court. Eustachy initially refused to resign from his position, but a settlement offer of nearly $1 million apparently persuaded him to do so. The problem for both of these men is that in their respective positions, they are basically the "face" of their respective universities. When someone in Montana or Pennsylvania thinks of the University of Alabama, they don't think of the great math department or the world-renowned physics professor. They think of the Alabama football team and the coach of that team. Parents considering sending their children to Iowa State think of Larry Eustachy, and more importantly, the standards and ideals that Larry Eustachy represents. Those standards and ideals are the standards and ideals of Iowa State University. You get a second chance if you fall off your bike and skin your knee, but you don't get a second chance if you fall off a cliff. Some endeavors simply do not afford one the chance to "make a mistake." Coaching major college athletics at a high-profile university is one such endeavor. Those that choose to become head coaches at high-profile universities are handsomely rewarded for walking on the edge of the cliff. There is simply too much at stake for a university to retain coaches that, for whatever reason, do not maintain the "face" the university wants to project. Recruiting and support for the athletic programs are obviously affected. Some parents would certainly change their minds about sending their son to play for a coach that doesn't lead by example. The success of recruiting and support for athletic programs aside, major universities are dependent on the support of alumni for academic programs and research. Evidence suggests that athletic success translates into increased student enrollment and increased donations to academic programs. I sincerely hope that Eustachy can resolve his problems with alcohol and that Price resolves the issues that must certainly now exist in his personal life. High profile coaches at high profile universities earning millions to coach sports must know that those millions are not guaranteed and the edge of the cliff is just one misstep away. -- Send feedback to the author. The "What is the Deal?" column will appears weekly on the Pie of Knowledge website. Guest submissions are welcome and encouraged. To submit an article to "What is the Deal?" click here. To subscribe to the "What is the Deal?" mailing list and receive early notification when a new column is available, click here. The Pie of Knowledge will never, ever divulge email addresses to any third party for any reason unless so ordered by a court of law. Contributions to the Pie of Knowledge are greatly appreciated. 
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