Rumor: Harbaugh to be offered $8 million from UM

Submitted by SalvatoreQuattro on

 

Edit: The only reason I posted this is to start a discussion on potential compensation. I don't really believe that this ninny has any idea what UM may offer Harbaugh(if it even comes to that).

 

Edit 2: I deleted the link because the icky feeling I had when I first visited his blog came back with extra intensity. I don't want to give that schmuck anymore clicks than I already did.

WolvinLA2

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:33 PM ^

But - so what?  We can't get Saban or Urban.  So what they make doesn't really matter.  Maybe they're getting great deals.  It's like if you neighbor bought his house 2 years ago for 200k.  If you need a house right now and nothing is available for 200k, that doesn't mean that paying 250k is a bad deal, if that's the house you really want today and you have the money for it.  

To keep with the real estate analogy, let's say you're a rich guy (like the Michigan AD) and the house of your dreams on Lake Charlevoix (or wherever) comes up for sale.  It's one of a kind, and you're getting old.  It might make a lot of sense to overpay to make sure you get the house because you aren't really looking for a "bargain," you're looking for the best, and you can afford it.  Your best friend might have bought his dream house, which might even be a better house, for less money, but that really doesn't matter because that house isn't for sale right now.  Yours is.  You can overpay and retire happy, or you can be cheap and wish you had something nice until another like it comes up for sale, which might be 5 years or might be 30.

Atlanta_Blue

December 3rd, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^

This just proves that Michigan fans will click on literally anything Harbaugh-related these days.

Also, I hope we get him but that is an obscene sum of money. Still, chump change considering what's on the line. 

MaximusBlue

December 3rd, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^

Filled with endless wild speculation running rampant from various "sources". And I'll most definitely be eating it all up, but taking everything with a grain of salt.

The_Mad Hatter

December 3rd, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^

I don't see that happening.  Ten years is too long of a contract (even for JH), and $8 million per year is too much money.

There would be a shit-storm of negative publicity, and I could easily see politicians in Lansing using a salary like that to justify additional cuts in state funding to the school.

I'm not saying don't offer him a lot of money, but if he wants more than Saban makes, he needs to beat Saban first.

The_Mad Hatter

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:57 PM ^

doesn't fund the athletic department, and you know the state doesn't fund the athletic department, and I'm sure everyone in Lansing knows the state doesn't fund the athletic department.

Do you think that would stop some loud mouth politician from using a salary that big when they're trying to cut more college funding?

Personally I think either Harbaugh (and maybe even Miles) would be worth that much.  A sold out Big House and a nationally relevant program would provide an excellent ROI.

I just think that the optics of $8 million per year wouldn't be good.  And I also think Schlissel would probably crap his pants if Hackett told him that's how much we needed to pay for a good coach.

Hannibal.

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:34 PM ^

He can't beat Saban until he gets back to college, and he won't get back to college without a shitload of money.  His accomplishments at Stanford and in the NFL easily merit him being the highest paid coach in college.  Add in an extra million of punishment that we deserve to pay for being in this spot.  $8 Million is fine by me.  He's worth twice that much. 

nybluefan

December 3rd, 2014 at 1:55 PM ^

Didn't we pay about $4MM for a guy who had a losing record at Ball State and San Diego State?  Now folks are balking at paying a proven winner $8MM??

 

Let's just do it and get this party started!!!

FreddieMercuryHayes

December 3rd, 2014 at 1:59 PM ^

Would you pay $100,000 for a nice new reliable Honda Civic just because four years ago your mom paid 70 grand for an '01 Taurus with a bad transmission?  Just because Brandon made a batshit insane buisness decision doesn't mean all other buisness decisions have to made in relation to that. 

WolvinLA2

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:38 PM ^

Not a good analogy.  Unless in your analogy, a Honda Civic is one of the best cars money can buy and there is no other place to buy one.  Sure, it would be dumb to pay 100k for a civic if you can go to another dealer and buy one for 20k, but that's not the case here.  We are buying a unique item that isn't attainable anywhere else.  And it's quite possibly the best one of its kind.  

CLord

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:42 PM ^

Michigan has been mediocre for a decade.  How ridiculous will it be when 100,000 attendance turns into 80,000 then 70,000 then Miami (YTM) attendance?  What would 20,000 less seats/game cost the athletic dept?  

Math - 7 home games so 210,000 lost seats at $100 each between tickets and concessions and merchandise = $21M lost.  Then toss in nationwide merchandizing/donor losses due to decreased interest in the program.

It is imperative that this hire be a good one.  Harbaugh is a perfect fit across the board.  I'd justify $10M for him.

SECcashnassadvantage

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:04 PM ^

Foolish to pay 8 million? What would the increased revenue stream be over another failed hire? Souvenirs, tickets, donations, etc,? You will pay a shit coach 4 million and lose a million a game on ticket and concession sales alone. I received 4 tickets and 4 shirts for 140 bucks to the opener and sat closer than my dads seasonal seats, which he gave up last year.

James Burrill Angell

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:08 PM ^

I'm not guaranteeing the veracity of this but a former player told me the same thing about two hours ago. Eight million a year is the offer but there is some kind of a hold-off provision. Something to guarantee he doesn't leave after a couple of years. Not a buy out. Something else related to the actual salary.

Wmonette

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^

I was just thinking the same thing. The former players I know (who are probably not connected really, they just talk to people apparently) have all said $8Mil with some provision to keep him from immediately bolting back to the NFL.

 

Keep in mind, these are just fomer players and they are in no way connected to admins. That being said, I think it's the same place where the dudes who write some of these stupid articles get their information--meaning that the truthfulness of these claims is probably a lot of bar chatter with guys who still hang around the program.

 

 

samsoccer7

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:10 PM ^

Have you guys read about the stock options richrod will be able to cash out on if he stays X number of years? We need some of our rich alumni to do something like that. It's basically dangling a carrot where if he stays til the end he gets a huge windfall.

BlowGoo

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^

I'm okay with $8m/year...

... provided it's a contract structured largely with incentives that allow him the opportunity to EARN up to $8m year with the proper performance.

 

Like a national championship.

OMG Shirtless

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^

He used to tweet Jim Leyland's family members after the Tigers would lose and tell them how much he hated Leyland and wanted him to kill himself. He's the equivalent of the Chicago mouth breathers who tweet Jim Trestman's daughters after Bears games.  

UMfan21

December 3rd, 2014 at 2:25 PM ^

Agree with those citing ROI. 


You have to figure with the mess we are in, a good coach is going to at least be in the $4-5M range.   That's for one of our "Plan B/Plan C" type of guys which we all recognize would be a gamble.

Why not pay an extra $3-4M for the Plan A guy who is MUCH more likely to succed?  That incremental amount will pay for itself  in revenue from tickets, merch and contracts once the program is winning again.   Harbaugh gives us the best chance to win on the field and he would instantly unite fans, former players, current players, and the AD.  No other hire would do this.  Any other hire would create factions and dissent among some group.

You pay this man his money, everyone rallies behind him, and he starts winning.  The incremental $3-4M is long forgotten.


Hell, $3-4M could easily be recooped with the next Nike/Adidas contract.