Paul Mills Slightly Toasty Seat

[JVShocker]

Just wanted to share. Don't know how or why this photo came up in my search this AM, but look at the fire in the eyes of this photo (I know completely off topic). This is the type of player(s) WSU needs. Just thought it was pretty intense. Not swagger, not athleticism, just a hunger. To play hard. To be better. To win. Find and recruit those kids. Get WSU a coach that has the fire to motivate student athletes to play hard, to have that same look on the floor.

[pinstripers]

From what I remember in the Shockernet coach speculation thread, we were all interested in Sampson, Griffin, and Abdur-Rahim. Mills was mentioned in that thread IIRC, but I don't recall anyone wanting him.

and still don't want him

[Stickboy46]

Here's what I recall:

Turgeon claims he was offered the job and rejected it. The timing of his statement indicates that this was the first move Saal made after firing Brown. There was also rumor that the school had reached out to Marshall to ask him to re-do his settlement into lower payments over a longer time in order to afford what it wanted to offer Turgeon. It's a lot of hearsay, but the genesis of these rumors - if the story is believed - is someone close to Marshall.

Devries also at some point stated that the school was not offering enough money.

So, there's two people.

If that all is true, Saal got caught in a brown noise situation when the people he had in mind when he fired Brown weren't coming.

Not even in the wild ranging opinions, rumors, and theories of Shockernet posters was Mills ever a consideration. I'm thinking Mills was way down the list and the Temu coach we could afford.

If Turgeon was 1 (which would have been a good "bridge" hire IMO), that makes it crazier. Turgeon wasn't coaching anywhere, which means there was nothing stopping ADKS from having an agreement in principle done BEFORE pulling the trigger on firing Brown. That's the biggest mistake, you don't pull the cord earlier and give 100% buyout without having something for sure better lined up.

Similarly, I want Mills gone as much as anyone, but he better not do that until he either has all the money he needs for a great search, or has a home run candidate lined up and ready to sign.

[Maizerunner08]

If Turgeon was 1 (which would have been a good "bridge" hire IMO), that makes it crazier. Turgeon wasn't coaching anywhere, which means there was nothing stopping ADKS from having an agreement in principle done BEFORE pulling the trigger on firing Brown. That's the biggest mistake, you don't pull the cord earlier and give 100% buyout without having something for sure better lined up.

Similarly, I want Mills gone as much as anyone, but he better not do that until he either has all the money he needs for a great search, or has a home run candidate lined up and ready to sign.

Agree. The last thing we need is to fire Mills and hire a Mills 2.0 because there wasn't a plan in place before firing him.

[vtshocker]

I wanted Sampson back then. I thought he would be a huge hire

[ShockHat]

I wanted Sampson back then. I thought he would be a huge hire

Same, but I also was okay with pulling trigger with heavily incentivized Griffin. He just makes so much sense in the NIL era honestly. I still want griffin ngl. Never really wanted Turgeon personally.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

I just want someone who can win games

[BostonWu]

I obviously don't know the details, because the original "source" of the rumors purportedly wasn't giving much, but my guess is it would have resulted in more money overall going to Marshall. For any contract (that's really what a settlement agreement is: a contract) there has to be consideration given. So, for Marshall to enter into a new contract regarding his settlement, Marshall was going to have to get something in return. Marshall was probably going to get more money overall, but it would just take longer for him to get it.

In the end it's just better to get GM off the payroll ASAP. No need to drag it out longer even with the present sacrifice.

[SubGod22]

Never really wanted Turgeon personally.

Me neither, but knowing what we know now I wish he'd have gotten it over what we have. Not sure how he'd recruit with the way things are now, but he sure as hell was a much better coach than Mills and had a little fire in him, at least his first go here. I'm not sure how much of that fire he might have had left as I think Maryland snuffed it out.

[WuShock16]

Me neither, but knowing what we know now I wish he'd have gotten it over what we have. Not sure how he'd recruit with the way things are now, but he sure as hell was a much better coach than Mills and had a little fire in him, at least his first go here. I'm not sure how much of that fire he might have had left as I think Maryland snuffed it out.

I also wonder if "recruiting" wouldn't be as much of a grind for him now. One example. Back in yesteryear, the coaches traveled during the whole month of July to find their recruits. While there is still some element of that now, with most recruiting being done via the portal, recruits come to see you, not the other way around.

Coaching certainly is not easy right now, but knowing Mark and knowing how his family is so important to him, I wonder, if he could take a swig from the Fountain of Youth and be 50 again, if his coaching experience would be different. Still a grind in many ways sure, but almost easier now in other ways.

[1972Shocker]

So, is that Mills getting off the "sinking ship" basketball program with his pockets full of gold doubloons?

That was pretty much identical to my initial reaction to that meme.

[1972Shocker]

Someone correct me if I am wrong...

Year	Marshall	Brown	Mills	Totals	Notes
2024	$1,248,000	$1,296,000	$1,300,000	$3,844,000
2025	$1,248,000	$1,296,000	$1,350,000	$3,894,000
2026	$1,402,000	$432,000	$1,400,000	$3,234,000
2027			$1,450,000	$1,450,000
2028			$1,550,000	$1,550,000
Totals	$3,898,000	$3,024,000	$7,050,000	$13,972,000
Contract Expires	11/30/2026	4/30/2026	6/30/2028

According to this Mills guaranteed compensation is:

APPENDIX B GUARANTEED COMPENSATION Contract Year Annualized Guaranteed Compensation
1 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) $1,250,000
2 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) $1,300,000
3 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) $1,350,000
4 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) $1,400,000
5 (July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028) $1,500,000

However, he also receives other compensation that includes a radio stipend, a TV stipend, other appearances stipend and a club membership stipend that total $294,000 for this year and $314,000 in years 3-5. If his contract is bought out the buyout includes both the guaranteed compensation and the other compensation.

[ShockerFever]

According to this Mills guaranteed compensation is:

APPENDIX B GUARANTEED COMPENSATION Contract Year Annualized Guaranteed Compensation
1 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024) $1,250,000
2 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025) $1,300,000
3 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) $1,350,000
4 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027) $1,400,000
5 (July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028) $1,500,000

However, he also receives other compensation that includes a radio stipend, a TV stipend, other appearances stipend and a club membership stipend that total $294,000 for this year and $314,000 in years 3-5. If his contract is bought out the buyout includes both the guaranteed compensation and the other compensation.

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[Dan]

and some want to burn more money firing Mills. As bad as he is, and he is bad, there’s too much uncertainty still with transfer and NIL rules. We just need to suck for a few years until it shakes out a little more and then have a real plan, and preferable donors on board to get a real coach, not another stop gap.

[1972Shocker]

and some want to burn more money firing Mills. As bad as he is, and he is bad, there’s too much uncertainty still with transfer and NIL rules. We just need to suck for a few years until it shakes out a little more and then have a real plan, and preferable donors on board to get a real coach, not another stop gap.

We need the donors on board now to keep the athletic program afloat for a few more years. That happened in the 2023-24 FY. Can it be sustained for 2 or 3 more years. If not, it may not really matter.

Unfortunately, a good chunk of the fan base appears to have abandoned ship either voluntarily or out of necessity.