Freelance journalist confronts Jim Calhoun, who channels Drew Rosenhaus

I looked thru the board for a post about this but didn't see anything. Usual mea culpas apply if I missed it. But Ken Krayeske, well-known for various reasons in CT journalism circles, asked Jim Calhoun why he makes so much money in a state running a billion dollar deficit. Hilarity ensues.

It's a valid question, but the guy comes off looking like an attention whore by opening Calhoun's presser with it and declaring that "...if these guys would cover this stuff I wouldn't have to." He also doesn't do himself any favors by linking to the coverage of the incident on his website, nor with the wounded puppy dog/passive-aggressive "I was working, see here's the proof" act therein:

http://www.the40yearplan.com/index.php

 

I loved Calhoun's response. It was a thing of beauty.
"Not a dime back."
The man is quick.
But I loved even more that when this buffoon says, "If these guys would cover this stuff" that you can hear the other reporters start to bark at him. Would have loved to have been there for that.

 

This same guy caused a ruckus during Gov. Rell's inauguration, getting arrested.

I don't understand these 'freelancers' who have his or her own Web site and rail on everything and anything. Who reads this stuff????

 

he needs every dime to pay AAU coaches for recruits

 

How much of Calhoun's salary comes from the university's general fund and how much from non-taxpayer funds?

 

Saw the exchange on TV last night. Calhoun was awesome.

 

It seems really weird, but it's not unusual for a successful college coach to be state's highest paid employee. First time I realized this, UCLA football coach Terry Donahue was California's highest paid employee. Now, I think, it's UCLA basketball coach Ben Howland (could be wrong about this).
I thought Calhoun handled this as well as could be expected. Saying we'll talk outside afterward was the right way to do it. He didn't blow the guy off, didn't ignore him, didn't stonewall him.
From SportsJournalists.com I know that people more familiar with Calhoun than I am don't like him much. I've met him a couple of times -- the first time was when he was coaching Northeastern -- and thought he was OK.

 

If I were in Calhoun's position -- two titles, and a hammerlock on a geographic location which is frankly NOT an attractive lifestyle option for bluechip recruits -- I'd be defensive, too.

 

If the highest paid state employee is not having their salary altered in these hard times, it is worth mentioning.

Not that I agree with the method used, but is a question many readers would like explained.

 

Not in this case, not when the employee in question -- unlike 99.9 percent of the leaches on state payrolls in this country -- actually produces wealth and generates almost ten times his income and thus is not costing the taxpayers a dime.

 

Are there any high-dollar coaches breaking even? If not now, what about next season?

 

Happy some of my CT tax dollars go to pay Calhoun's salary. He has performed better than many of the other high paid leaders of the state.