The Annual HCGM's WSU Future

[ShockerExpress]

Reasons

Now that we are all happy about 3G staying, I was thinking about the reasons behind last week. I know some on this board think that Marshall never really seriously entertained leaving, but it doesn't really seem that way to me.

I honestly think this came down to money much more than people think. In fact, I think money was the main factor in why he was considering leaving. If you believe, as I do, that Wichita State is at the VERY least an equal job (factoring in ability to recruit, fan support, facilities, conference, ect.) Then the only real difference is the mula. I would argue that 3G could have MORE success at Wichita State than Alabama. Yet he was about to board a plane to see... until ADES and Koch and other stepped up and got this done.

The point of the post/thread I guess is that I think money played a much bigger role than everyone, including myself, initially thought. We heard Lutz and everyone saying that it isn't going to come down to money, but the second WSU gets his salary bumped, he decides to stay. That makes it seem like money is exactly what it was about.

And don't get me wrong - I am NOT criticizing here. If you have the opportunity to make 4+ million dollars over the next 8 years instead of under 2 million, you need to check it out.

Obviously family plays a huge role as well.. and he is taking a pay CUT in staying at WSU, when you compare it to Alabama. But I think we all wrote off Bama for the wrong reasons.

[Rlh04d]

I agree with some of this.

However, was there ever any actual evidence he was going to visit Alabama, beyond Pat Forde's story, which came out an hour before they announced he was staying and a number of hours after we had already got word here about what the contract would be like, and how confident WSU was that he would stay?

If that's the only evidence, I believe it's more likely that Forde ran with a single Alabama source and is just a poor journalist. If Marshall has confirmed that, or a credible journalist has, that's one thing. So far I've only seen Forde's story and others repeating his story as if it was fact.

Personally, I blew off Forde's story because he lacks credibility and it didn't fit the other stories I had heard, and within about 45 minutes I was glad I ignored it.

[bleed yellow]

The facts in college sports are never fully known.. How close was Marshall to punching his Alabama ticket? Why exactly did Bill Self bring in another guard this year when he seemingly knew the Frankcamp's didn't like the move? The shroud of mystery is what makes it fun.

[Dan]

My guess is that he initially was not interested, but the AD did a good job of selling the opportunity and 3G was interested enough to take the visit.

[Kung Wu]

It wasn't about money. It was about A MASSIVE BOAT LOAD of money.

[ShockerExpress]

It wasn't about money. It was about A MASSIVE BOAT LOAD of money.

LOL yes. I agree. I agree with Dan, too.

[Ol skool]

This is the business side. I think he wanted to stay but the Alabama offer gave him an opportunity to renegotiate his WSU contract. As you see Alabama offer was not matched but a really nice raise was the result. If WSU hadnot been able to step up I think he would have took the visit and maybe or maybe not took the job. It wasn't necessarily all about the money but it played a huge part. Like I said this is the business side of things.

[pinstripers]

It's always about the money.

[1972Shocker]

Marshall said on Rome there was a plan to visit alabama

Not only that but did he tell Rome that if he had made the trip to Tuscaloosa that there is a good chance he would be their Coach today.

[Shocker-maniac]

Not only that but did he tell Rome that if he had made the trip to Tuscaloosa that there is a good chance he would be their Coach today.

Yes.

[Shocker-maniac]

I was told by someone that is pretty connected that WSU was pretty confident all along that they could get Marshall the $$$ to keep him here, so if he left it would be for other factors. I also think that WSU did not want him and his family to get on the plane to Tuscaloosa.

[shocksrbest]

For sure. They put their heels down.

I think most men know what happens after that. :)

And now ALL are happy.

[WillieJeffJeffries]

I think its about time to close this thread down. It's starting to remind me of the scene from movie "Major League" when the Yankee hit the bomb off Wild Thing...to paraphrase the fans..."It's too high not going out, it's going to be caught"....It's gone. "No way it went out it was too high...too high" .....Fan #2..."who gives a sh!t it's gone" That's how I feel about HCGM, who gives a sh!t how he stayed here the fact is he is here and probably tell he retires or is fired.... lol, but the story is Over

[im4wsu]

I think the phrase "It was all about the money" paints, perhaps, the wrong picture. At least wrong connotation to me.

It implies that Gregg was seeking an increase. I don't believe that was the case. It implies that Gregg was using another opportunity to leverage WSU. I don't believe that was the case. It implies that even if he thought WSU was a better fit/job than any other, he would accept another offer any just because of more dollars. I don't believe that was the case.

Of course, we'll never know. What we do know [at least strongly believe] is that Gregg neither sought out, applied for nor requested an interview with any other AD. I believe he was perfectly content at WSU wth the situation and the dollars. Afterall, last year he signed a contract addendum that included a provision that he would not request a re-negotiation for, what was it, I think three years. That certainly gives the impression that he was not looking for greener pastures. It also gives me the impression that he believed that a successful season (Sweet 16) would require salary adjustment. If one thought he believed that, then by signing that agreement last year would imply that he didn't believe WSU could get that far or have that successful of a season. I don't believe that was the case.

What it boiled down to was a crazy, stupid offer to raise his income by 127%. That's 2.35M per year. That is an amount of money that demands consideration. I don't believe (I could be wrong again) Gregg ever asked WSU to re-negotiate. I believe Bardo, Sexton and the wonderful donors did that all on their own. When they did, the gap in dollars closed to $900,000 (still a 49% increase) and Gregg quickly stated he would investigate no further. In my mind, that strongly suggests that it was indeed, NOT about the money.

IMHO, had Gregg done more due diligence in Tuscaloosa and visited with current and former basketball and football coaches about the demands of donors and the pressure to satisfy them and still win at all costs, I'm not too certain he'd believe it was a good fit for him. Something that 2.35M per year could overcome, perhaps. It's difficult for me to think in those numbers.

[1972Shocker]

I think its about time to close this thread down. It's starting to remind me of the scene from movie "Major League" when the Yankee hit the bomb off Wild Thing...to paraphrase the fans..."It's too high not going out, it's going to be caught"....It's gone. "No way it went out it was too high...too high" .....Fan #2..."who gives a sh!t it's gone" That's how I feel about HCGM, who gives a sh!t how he stayed here the fact is he is here and probably tell he retires or is fired.... lol, but the story is Over

You can shut down this thread anytime you like as far as you are concerned. Just don't open it. Ignore it. It is your option.