re: Why does coach O have such a high salary and buy out?

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He is was and always has been low character.

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Allow me to share a personal story about Coach O to rebuke that claim.

Now, as a fan, I despise Coach O because of his performance over the past two years. I think the lack of production from the team the last two seasons is unacceptable and I believe it’s become quite clear that 2019 was almost exclusively the result of a flash in the pan.

However, I used to work at LSU and would routinely be required to work the recruiting events at home games. This was during Les Miles’ tenure. Before each home game, all the coaches with the exception of the head coach would work the Lawton Room with all the recruits, getting to know them and their families, eating dinner together, and just general small talk/recruiting talk.

Every coach who walked into that room ignored me and the other employees and made a b line directly to the recruits (and understandably so). Coach O, ont he other hand, would walk into the room and shake every single person’s hand, including little ole insignificant me. Every single time. Always a big smile, firm handshake, a quick “how ya doin” and his signature “geaux tigahs” before going on to the next person.

Coach O has become quite a douche personally off the field lately BUT to say he’s always been a man of low character is simply not true.

The contract reflected his accomplishments. We got him super cheap originally, which was smart and reflected his accomplishments up to that point. Then he went and won a national title in dominating fashion, and his contract was updated to reflect those accomplishments. It's pretty standard contract language for coaches to get big bumps for the kind of stuff Orgeron did in 2019. He earned that, and I don't fault him for getting paid at that point. Sucks now, though, for sure.

He is a Con Man... Those people are like politicians, they make everyone in the room feel good about things. I bet Nick Saban or Kirby Smart don't work a room when they step in it. Because..... they don't have to. They really on their product to speak for them.

Zero is #1- A well below average coach. He proved that at Ole Miss and LSU. #2- A con man. He talked Aleva into firing Miles because the team was under performing by winning 9/10 games a year. He also conned his way into polluting the coach selection Thanksgiving of 2016. I really believe he spilled the story to ESPN to move Texas to getting Herman before we could nail it down.

I am glad we had 2019. It was a magical season. I am afraid Zero has wrecked this team so badly it will be 3 years before we are contenders again.

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Why does coach O have such a high salary and buy out?

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He doesn’t really

It was a 6yr contract at 6mil per year and a 70% buyout. Coming off a national title. And basically a front-loaded $5mil “national title gift” life insurance bonus in the first 2 years

Totally reasonable contract, actually below standard market

Sucks that he imploded after only 2 years of the new contract, but nonetheless there was nothing wrong with that contract.

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Were we supposed to tell him to go frick himself after the natty?

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No, but you don't make him the 2nd or 3rd highest paid coach in the game! Literally no one was going to swoop in and hire him from you.

He should have been given a raise, but not the level of one he got considering the "CEO" arrangement. He knew he was dependent on his assistants, so pay him a little less and guarantee him top dollar for assistants.

I saw the list posted soon after this board opened. I do not know if it was correct:

Saban
O
Dabo


In that order were the highest paid. That ALSO is literally the order of the last three NC winning coaches. Most coaches have some sort of escalator after winning a NC. I do not think the orders are coincidental

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You think it doesn't affect the program if the boosters run out of money?

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call me when this happens

It’s funny to me that so many on this board think that LSU makes these decisions and then just sends a bill to the boosters to take care of

The contract O signed was approved by the boosters

The decision to fire O, in reality, was made by those boosters. They were well aware of the buyout when they signed it and they were well aware of the buyout when they agreed to pay it to get O out

There’s no point where the boosters can’t claim some level of responsibility or involvement in these processes. It’s pretty much the main benefit of being that large of a donor to the program

Alleva wasn’t savvy enough to navigate all parties and the politics and everything and get everyone on board and get the deal(s) done…he flirted with and failed in taking out Miles, failed with Jimbo, then failed again with Herman.

Everyone knows Alleva wanted Miles out well before 2016, but he didn’t have the skills and relationships to get it done and get everyone aligned and on board the train.

For whatever reasons, he failed at the most critical times an AD is supposed to navigate uncertain waters and quietly get everyone aligned and get the job done.

Those shrimp ain't gonna catch themselves baw.