re: Les Miles' contract - why the buyout would cost Zero or close to it.

Yeah, sure, but there is certainly risk involved, as LSU would owe that cash regardless of any other facts.

If you buy a house, and the note is $1500, you can get somebody to pay you that amount to live in the house and it will therefore not cost anything to own. But you better have a renter lined up, and even then, you cannot control how long they rent it for.