University of Kentucky beat, Louisville, KY

Like I said, everyone I've talked to likes and respects Brett. I knew this UK job would be all-Brett, all-the-time. He was the only candidate, I bet.
However, with all due respect, this is pure opinion, no reporting. How can a beat writer, who covers the team objectively, shill for a coach to get a new contract? You don't think it makes him seem like his agent or something? To me, this reeks of a coach pulling a reporter aside and saying, hey, I could use another Mercedes. Can you put in a good word for me? Stir it up? Maybe I'll get a new contract? What other way is there to read this?
When he takes over the UK beat, you think he could make the same statement? Or would the paper get inundated with calls from U of L readers asking why a fan is covering the team?
I'm just saying, I think things will be different on this beat than his last beat.

 

Yeah, as if that cancels out all of that.

Yet another example of why this industry will never improve.

 

Yea, the Champaign paper has that kind of pull. When Brett says Bruce needs money, by god, the Illinois BOT produces a blank checque.

 

C'mon. Was that really my point? I'm not saying he has influence. My question is: should beat writers, whose job it is to report, really be lobbying for coaches to get raises? I

 

Moland, I really didn't take it that way. It's no different from beat writers doing things where they name people on the team as most improved or take a look around the conference and compare coaches.

I've seen many a column saying so and so's overpaid, so and so's underpaid, so and so doesn't get their due, etc.

 

I guess I'd have to see the context, but I think saying the coach is the most underpaid in the country is extreme.

 

Yeah Girl, I see what you're saying. Maybe I over-reacted. Beat writers are objective (with no opinion), at least where I work, so this really jumped out at me. I was trying to look at it from the point of view of him being the new UK beat writer. But no point in going around and around.

 

Blogs are more of a columnized take, I'm pretty sure, at most places. Still done by the beat writers, but with more of a take to it.

 

Well DyePack,

Bruce Weber was making $550,000 in 2005, among the lowest paid coaches in the Big Ten. All he did that season was lead the Illini to a 37-2 record and the national championship game.

According to the EADA form filled out by the University of Illinois for the 04-05 year, the school generated 11.3 million in revenue from men's basketball while spending $3.2 million. That's a profit of 8.1 million. And that doesn't include money the school generated in general donations because of the team's run.

I would say that Weber just might have been the most underpaid coach in college sports.

 

And he has since received a contract extension and a raise.

I thought we were talking about current blog posts. If we're jumping back two seasons, then that changes things slightly.

 

http://www.news-gazette.com/ngweblog/index.cfm?post=423&blog=1

Here you go. April 12, 2006

 

Weber got an extension and a raise after that.