http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports/c..._in_s.html

Yes, Malzahn is a huge name and a great get for the lowly Belt.

It is a head scratcher, more for why Malzahn is taking the job than for Arkansas State breaking open the piggy bank to get him.

In these tough economic times, where did they find the extra $600,000 in the budget to lure Malzahn? It was kind of refreshing to have the lowest paid coach take his team to the Sun Belt title and get a nice reward for it.

Couldn't ASU have set out and found another Freeze, instead of going for a name like Malzahn?

While getting coaches like Dan McCarney, Carl Pelini and Malzahn is good for the Sun Belt, breaking the pay scale is not.

Later…

(12-14-2011 11:34 AM)KAjunRaider Wrote:  http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports/c..._in_s.html

Yes, Malzahn is a huge name and a great get for the lowly Belt.

It is a head scratcher, more for why Malzahn is taking the job than for Arkansas State breaking open the piggy bank to get him.

In these tough economic times, where did they find the extra $600,000 in the budget to lure Malzahn? It was kind of refreshing to have the lowest paid coach take his team to the Sun Belt title and get a nice reward for it.

Couldn't ASU have set out and found another Freeze, instead of going for a name like Malzahn?

While getting coaches like Dan McCarney, Carl Pelini and Malzahn is good for the Sun Belt, breaking the pay scale is not.

Later…

What a loser! I'm not sure this guy realizes that it is Arkansas law that the University can only pay about $150k and all of the rest must come from private donations. While Gus Malzahn is a pretty big name nationally, it's even bigger here in the Natural stAte, thus the big $ folks were ready to pony up.

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this guy is Florida Atlantic's beat writer? he openly insults the Conference and FAU lets him continue to write for yall? that's BS.

I usually defend Ted. I enjoy his blog and he usually gives great coverage to the 'Belt and FAU.

However he is way of the mark on ths one.

(12-14-2011 12:00 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  this guy is Florida Atlantic's beat writer? he openly insults the Conference and FAU lets him continue to write for yall? that's BS.

I agree. Total BS. We have similar issues with UNT's beat writer Vito.

It's just HIS opinion... we all have them, that's why we are here, to talk about them. Take it or leave it is what I say. He does give the owls great coverage, so most of us are thankful for his efforts, even if if we can't agree with his comments from time-to-time!

GO OWLS!

yeah but the problem is NCowl is that this guy's opinion carries weight, as he is your program's official beat writer. he's not just some random poster on this message board, his opinions are read and considered reputable by many. so, he needs to think before he types this garbage. insulting the Sun Belt is unacceptable by ANY SBC program beat writer.

Well he is entitled to his opinion and I am entitled to disagree with it.

Why Malzhan? Well, he turned Tulsa in to a top notch offensive producer. He then turned Auburn into a top notch offensive producer. Did Auburn fall of this year? Yep. But losing 15 starters and the heisman trophy winner will gut most teams. I think ASU was looking at a coach who can get great offensive weapons, has a name, and has a pretty darn good chance of being successful. This hire is great publicity. This will help with recruiting. Oh, and if you haven't watched Auburn or Tulsa, ASU will be a running team that operates like a spread offense. That is going to cause problems for SBC defenses that are really designed to stop the spread, as a whole.

Oh, and "lowly Sunbelt"....come on man! You cover an SBC team. People don't need your help in trying to run down the rep of the conference!!!

(12-14-2011 12:38 PM)InjunJohn Wrote:  Oh, and "lowly Sunbelt"....come on man! You cover an SBC team. People don't need your help in trying to run down the rep of the conference!!!

THIS

Do you really disagree that in comparison to the SEC, the SBC has less prestige? He could have worded it better, perhaps, but the actual content of what hes saying isn't necessarily untrue.

That being said its not really a "head scratcher" why he's taking the job... you need HC experience to get great HC positions and stAte seems like the perfect place for him to do so.

Raising the bar is never a detriment, and stAte has just done so, but frankly, so did UL and WKU with our reupping of our coaches contract. Football in the SBC is getting to be a serious business, and I think 4 bowl eligible teams will be common every year (like this year) and I think soon a top 25 team year in and year out will be usual instead of a rarity. Strap in guys, the league is moving places quickly, keep up with the joneses or be left in the dust.

Bush league . . .

(12-14-2011 01:41 PM)Tuffguy21 Wrote:  Raising the bar is never a detriment, and stAte has just done so, but frankly, so did UL and WKU with our reupping of our coaches contract. Football in the SBC is getting to be a serious business, and I think 4 bowl eligible teams will be common every year (like this year) and I think soon a top 25 team year in and year out will be usual instead of a rarity. Strap in guys, the league is moving places quickly, keep up with the joneses or be left in the dust.

+1

I posted on Ted's blog that FAU fans want all these nice things (stadiums, High profile Coachs, etc..) but do not contribute. I think ALL Sun Belt fan bases are going to have to start going "all in".

Time to put up or shut up.

(12-14-2011 02:17 PM)OwlFamily Wrote:  

(12-14-2011 01:41 PM)Tuffguy21 Wrote:  Raising the bar is never a detriment, and stAte has just done so, but frankly, so did UL and WKU with our reupping of our coaches contract. Football in the SBC is getting to be a serious business, and I think 4 bowl eligible teams will be common every year (like this year) and I think soon a top 25 team year in and year out will be usual instead of a rarity. Strap in guys, the league is moving places quickly, keep up with the joneses or be left in the dust.

+1

I posted on Ted's blog that FAU fans want all these nice things (stadiums, High profile Coachs, etc..) but do not contribute. I think ALL Sun Belt fan bases are going to have to start going "all in".

Time to put up or shut up.

Though beat writers were supposed to suport their team and the conference they are associated with...The only headscratcher is why he would bash a SBC team with Donors willing to fork up 4 mil dollars...Malazahns deal is 5 year/800k...As these teams get better salaries will grow..FAU beat writer is just upset that FAU didnt get a Big name to apply fot that job...When you win 10 games your profile is raised..ULL is in same boat had HUD left they would have had a better shot at a big name coach than they did last season...This is common sense!!.ASU got a litttle lucky but Great name. Will Keep ASU on top of the belt for a few years..if malazahn leaves early ASU will probably hit 1 mill on contract..Wonder what FAU beat writer will say then??LOL

This sounds like the same old story of whats ok for the flagships isnt ok for the little brothers. Its asinine.

(12-14-2011 12:00 PM)Burn the Horse Wrote:  this guy is Florida Atlantic's beat writer? he openly insults the Conference and FAU lets him continue to write for yall? that's BS.

I know you haven't been exposed to legitimate journalism training, so allow me to help you out a little: Ted Hutton is a sports writer for the Sun-Sentinel, and not part of FAU's PR department. He's allowed a little intellectual leeway to speculate positively or negatively upon the developments he covers for the newspaper.

For that matter, Hutton isn't criticizing the hire [as a bad one] as he is posing some legit, unanswered questions: Why ASU now when Malzahn was making more dough at Auburn? Where was this financial rally when trying to retain Hugh Freeze? What will this hire mean for Red Wolves football considering the positives and negatives of last year?

Put this in perspective. This guy was the one who put in FAU fans' minds they were in contention of getting Mike Leach to come to FAU. He was the leader of the "Leach Campaign:....lol. I'm sure he was not going to moan about it if the Owls would've brought him in, even if it meant them shelling over 600k.

I want the very best coach/staff that is available to us. Whether it be for 200k, or if it takes 800k.

I know Ted and have defended him in the past. I continue to believe he should give us his opinion, however upsetting it is. But he was flat out ignorant with the "lowly" reference and I let him have it on his blog.

A few thoughts.

Writers aren't supposed to be the marketing department unless the school is paying their salary. But my journalism professors insisted that we treat our subjects with some degree of respect lest there be doubt about our role.

The meat of the argument is that a form of high level ball can be played in a cost containment framework. In my opinion the NCAA wrongly resolved this issue 30 some odd years ago by splitting Division I into I-A and I-AA for football. That ship has sailed.

The market is alive and well. A year and about two weeks ago ArkSt had the chance to hire a guy who had coached high school, spent 2 years as an SEC position coach, 2 years as NAIA head coach, and one year as a Sun Belt coordinator. There were 3 Sun Belt openings and 2 wouldn't have hired him and may not have interviewed him. He was offered a salary in line with that. He was offered a salary this year consistent with his Sun Belt peers.

Gus called ASU, we didn't pursue him. He blew up record books at Arkansas, Tulsa and Auburn and was the highest paid assistant in the country. He received an offer consistent to below his resume. That's the market at work.

It is rather haughty to suggest that if supporters are willing to provide 85% of his salary that they keep their money.

Gus has no rent or mortgage. He has no car payment. He has a five year guarantee vs no guarantee past this season. He is a four hour drive from home. He has old friends within minutes of his new home. His boss taught one of his college classes. He already knew his boss's boss the system president. Those who are surprised and think something is fishy are those believe that money is the only thing of consequence. I feel sorry those people.