[Adam]

Originally Posted by nevadaref

how does a team make the nit twice while winning only 26 total conference games? The nit has a rule (at least on the men's side) that a team must be .500 to be eligible. Granted that .500 mark is overall (i think), but for the sake of argument consider this. The pac-10 plays 18 conference games each season, so that would mean that nine wins are necessary in each of the two seasons that the team made that tournament. That leaves only eight conference wins total for the other three seasons. So going 3-15 or 2-16 a couple of times is going to get a coach fired.

As for paying out the final season of the contract in full, that is the school's fault. These institutions structure these deals in this manner in order to attract the individual they desire to coach their program. They enter the agreement perfectly happy. If it doesn't work out, they should have to honor the deal they made. They could just as easily have written the contract to state "we can fire you at any time we wish without paying you a dime" had they wanted.

+1