As of now, odds IB is back next year?

[SubGod22]

If Pohto and Walton leave I can't see how HCIB stays on.

That won't dictate anything. Either he's gone or he isn't.

It all comes down to money and if Saal thinks another awful year with low attendance and donations is worth it. We've already previously discussed that you can't wait for the May 1 date and hope to hire anyone worth a damn next year. So it's either now or sometime after the 2024-25 season begins.

I suppose if he stays this year because of lack of funds there's a chance that Saal finds the money before May 1 of next year and could take action, but another season of Brown isn't going to do anything positive for the program.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

That won't dictate anything. Either he's gone or he isn't.

It all comes down to money and if Saal thinks another awful year with low attendance and donations is worth it. We've already previously discussed that you can't wait for the May 1 date and hope to hire anyone worth a damn next year. So it's either now or sometime after the 2024-25 season begins.

I suppose if he stays this year because of lack of funds there's a chance that Saal finds the money before May 1 of next year and could take action, but another season of Brown isn't going to do anything positive for the program.

It won't dictate anything, but another mass exodus would certainly make keeping HCIB look even worse, money problems or not.

WSU has gone on a bit of a run and some posters on here are suggesting HCIB will likely get another year - that we can ride it out until the buyout drops. I doubt people will be saying that if key players bolt in the portal again this offseason.

[BostonWu]

It won't dictate anything, but another mass exodus would certainly make keeping HCIB look even worse, money problems or not.

WSU has gone on a bit of a run and some posters on here are suggesting HCIB will likely get another year - that we can ride it out until the buyout drops. I doubt people will be saying that if key players bolt in the portal again this offseason.

Oh I expect both a mass exodus and the retention of IB. We simply don't have over 12M laying around for payoffs before we even approach a new coach. It's a worst case scenario.

[SubGod22]

Oh I expect both a mass exodus and the retention of IB. We simply don't have over 12M laying around for payoffs before we even approach a new coach. It's a worst case scenario.

So you think IB gets two more years? If we're that financially screwed, the program is ****ed

[ShockTalk]

That won't dictate anything. Either he's gone or he isn't.

It all comes down to money and if Saal thinks another awful year with low attendance and donations is worth it. We've already previously discussed that you can't wait for the May 1 date and hope to hire anyone worth a damn next year. So it's either now or sometime after the 2024-25 season begins.

I suppose if he stays this year because of lack of funds there's a chance that Saal finds the money before May 1 of next year and could take action, but another season of Brown isn't going to do anything positive for the program.

From this point until the end of his 3rd season, isn't the payout the same? WSU is in for the full ride on season 3 of the contract regardless. The only question is year 4 and 5 and whether it's half or all. Guess I'm hard pressed to think we'd give Brown the full enchilada rather than use that savings on year 4 and 5 on the new incoming coach. I think the damage is pretty much already done. Make a solid hire and I believe any additional fallout from this point forward will most all come back.

[Stickboy46]

From this point until the end of his 3rd season, isn't the payout the same? WSU is in for the full ride on season 3 of the contract regardless. The only question is year 4 and 5 and whether it's half or all. Guess I'm hard pressed to think we'd give Brown the full enchilada rather than use that savings on year 4 and 5 on the new incoming coach. I think the damage is pretty much already done. Make a solid hire and I believe any additional fallout from this point forward will most all come back.

The payout is the exact same until May 1, 2024. So it basically comes down to .. Do we have the money to pay a good 3rd coach until HCIB falls off the books.

[BostonWu]

So you think IB gets two more years? If we're that financially screwed, the program is ****ed

No I think he gets next season and then they'll move on after the 5/1/24 date. There are ways to deal with coaching agents and still hire someone after that date. I see no scenario where he fulfills the entire term of his contract.

[ShockTalk]

The payout is the exact same until May 1, 2024. So it basically comes down to .. Do we have the money to pay a good 3rd coach until HCIB falls off the books.

We're on the same page.

[Aargh]

Why not just hire the new guy as soon a the 2024 season ends and just not terminate IB until May 1, 2024? I think the Wedge buyout pretty much locked in one more year. for IB. Saal is going to have to pull a rabbit out of his hat to do anything this year..

[Stickboy46]

Why not just hire the new guy as soon a the 2024 season ends and just not terminate IB until May 1, 2024? I think the Wedge buyout pretty much locked in one more year. for IB. Saal is going to have to pull a rabbit out of his hat to do anything this year..

Lawyers would probably have a field day with that.

[SubGod22]

From this point until the end of his 3rd season, isn't the payout the same? WSU is in for the full ride on season 3 of the contract regardless. The only question is year 4 and 5 and whether it's half or all. Guess I'm hard pressed to think we'd give Brown the full enchilada rather than use that savings on year 4 and 5 on the new incoming coach. I think the damage is pretty much already done. Make a solid hire and I believe any additional fallout from this point forward will most all come back.

The problem is it's not until the end of his 3rd season, it's May 1 after the end of his 3rd season. He cannot be terminated before that date and not be paid the full amount. If you wait until May to fire him, pretty much every good and decent option is off the table and you're choosing from the scraps and hoping someone good got missed. So if you're going to wait until May 1 of 2024, you might as well wait until March of 2025. If you try and make a hire after May 1, you may end up with another lackluster coach who doesn't do anything for the program.

The only exception I could see is if the money isn't there right now to do what is necessary, but it is before May of next year.

So if he's getting year 3 because of money, he almost has to be given year 4 for the same reason, and that you'll have slim pickings for a replacement by then.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

I'm not very tuned in to WSU baseball, but am I correct in my understanding that Eric Wedge stepped away for personal/health reasons, now appears to have recovered from these issues, and is going to return to coaching in the MLB? Why is he getting a buyout?

[SubGod22]

I'm not very tuned in to WSU baseball, but am I correct in my understanding that Eric Wedge stepped away for personal/health reasons, now appears to have recovered from these issues, and is going to return to coaching in the MLB? Why is he getting a buyout?

Because he was essentially asked not to come back and is being compensated for not being allowed to finish out his contract. Him stepping away wasn't described as a forever situation, until it was announced that he would not return. All speculation had been that there were circumstances that made Saal and Co. decide having him around wasn't in the best interest of the program and are paying him to go away.

Nothing was ever said that he was willfully and voluntarily stepping away.

[shockerfan_realist]

The problem is it's not until the end of his 3rd season, it's May 1 after the end of his 3rd season. He cannot be terminated before that date and not be paid the full amount. If you wait until May to fire him, pretty much every good and decent option is off the table and you're choosing from the scraps and hoping someone good got missed. So if you're going to wait until May 1 of 2024, you might as well wait until March of 2025. If you try and make a hire after May 1, you may end up with another lackluster coach who doesn't do anything for the program.

The only exception I could see is if the money isn't there right now to do what is necessary, but it is before May of next year.

So if he's getting year 3 because of money, he almost has to be given year 4 for the same reason, and that you'll have slim pickings for a replacement by then.

I don't entirely agree with this. You see Assistants and even lower level coaches leave jobs all the time during the Summer. We probably wouldn't be able to get our first choice which I wouldn't want but we also have to be realistic with where we are now. After November of this year we will have nearly $2 mill off of the buyouts and only have Gregg on it. Then we can add on IB haha

[TrackSuitAndTie]

Because he was essentially asked not to come back and is being compensated for not being allowed to finish out his contract. Him stepping away wasn't described as a forever situation, until it was announced that he would not return. All speculation had been that there were circumstances that made Saal and Co. decide having him around wasn't in the best interest of the program and are paying him to go away.

Nothing was ever said that he was willfully and voluntarily stepping away.

Thanks for the clarification. Sounds like another great hire by our departed AD...