Gail Goestenkors employment thread

[thomas]

I just received my latest issue of Blue Devil Weekly, and Bill Brill alludes to this perhaps being Coach G's last year at Duke. Reportedly Florida and Texas are in pursuit.

Hopefully this is not true, but Brill is a pro, and very proDuke. Anyone else heard anything? Of course,til the season is over, nothing will happen...

Anyway, let's pull hard for our women, and G, and celebrate their 1st NC !!!

[chris13]

You know, Duke and UNC are well funded athletic programs but it seems to me that flagship schools like UF and UT of mega states like Florida and Texas are on a different level entirely.

I was told by someone who heard it directly from a UNC athletic official that UNC's athletic budget is $50 million for 28 varsity sports while Florida's is $85 million for 15 sports. I also know that Florida recruited away UNC's women's tennis coach by doubling his salary.

I guess that's why I think if Florida loses Billy D. to Kentucky it won't be because they can't match the pay.

[Mike Corey]

The Duke Chronicle wrote about this very issue recently, reporting as follows:

Compared to the top tier of coaches in the women's game, however, Goestenkors' salary does not stack up. Tennessee's Pat Summitt is the highest-paid coach in women's college basketball at an average of $1.125 million guaranteed over six seasons, and Geno Auriemma's contract with Connecticut guarantees him $988,000 per year.

"They've both won a lot of national championships and are part of programs that make money for their institutions. They bring in profit for their athletic departments, and that's not the case for our women's program," Alleva said. "I'm sure some of these other institutions will offer significantly large packages to encourage her to go.

"I've received calls about Coach G for years. She's been our coach for the long term, and I hope to keep her as our coach for a long time... Hopefully when all is said and done, she'll be our coach in the future."

[Susan]

I can't blame Coach G for looking hard at a better contract. Let's find a way to keep her, PLEASE! Can I earmark my contributions to the Duke Annual fund to go to Coach G's salary?

[BlueDevilBaby]

I just hope all this talk does not affect the team, particularly the underclassmen. I wish people could show some restraint on coaching movement issues when a team (and not just Duke) is still in the tournament, but the press gets paid for getting the skinny. Coach G - pleeeeaaase staaaaaay!

As an aside, Kay Yow was featured on GMA this morning by Robin Roberts.

[DUKIECB]

I understand the fact that the men take precedent over the women at Duke, however I am amazed at just how little support the women get. I wish the Duke athletic dept. would step up and reward the job tat Coach G has done for the women's program. I don't blame her one bit for leaving if she feels she isn't being compensated enough for her efforts. Why should she stay if her employer doesn't value her abilities enough to at least keep her salary in line with other coaches of the same ability? Here's hoping that the AD will step up and do what needs to be done to keep one of the finest coaches in the country.

[phaedrus]

It's not fair to expect Duke to pay her what Summitt or Geno get. Those teams sell out every night and make money.

[dukehick]

Wow, that would really be too bad if Coach G ended up leaving. Certainly understandable on her part if there is a significant money difference. I really enjoyed watching to women this year and hope that the program can continue at a high level.

I think this would really be too bad for Duke overall too... Given the bad PR the "Duke Brand" received over the past year with the LAX scandal (not to mention the fact that the majority of sports journalists use the Duke Men's team as their own personal punching bag), having the Women represent Duke seemed like a breath of fresh air. I think everyone agrees that the LAX program got a raw deal, but that aside, Duke athletics must face the realities of the fallout of that situation. I think having a first class women's program goes a long way in helping to put Duke back into positive media exposure.

I certainly hope the powers that be at Duke see this the same way and are willing to make the necessary investment in Coach G even if it means that funds would have to be reallocated. Seems like a wise strategic investment to me...

[dukie8]

I understand the fact that the men take precedent over the women at Duke, however I am amazed at just how little support the women get. I wish the Duke athletic dept. would step up and reward the job tat Coach G has done for the women's program. I don't blame her one bit for leaving if she feels she isn't being compensated enough for her efforts. Why should she stay if her employer doesn't value her abilities enough to at least keep her salary in line with other coaches of the same ability? Here's hoping that the AD will step up and do what needs to be done to keep one of the finest coaches in the country.

what does your conclusion that the women get so "little support" mean? are their facilities subpar? are they not allowed to travel where they want to due to financial reasons? you don't blame her if she feels she "isn't being compensated enough for her efforts?" so if she thought that she was worth $5 million a year, you would agree with her? she's the head women's basketball coach at duke with no national championships. it is what it is. does the women's team even turn a profit? after she puts up a track record like summit and geno, come back to us about how she should be paid similar to them.

I think having a first class women's program goes a long way in helping to put Duke back into positive media exposure.

I certainly hope the powers that be at Duke see this the same way and are willing to make the necessary investment in Coach G even if it means that funds would have to be reallocated. Seems like a wise strategic investment to me...

so duke should just completely overpay for her (ie, pay her the same as k, summit or geno) because that somehow will look good to the media? do you mean how tubby, as the former highest paid male coach, was portrayed so well by the media? g has done a great job and i hope she stays but she coaches a team that can't even come close to selling out most home games in tiny cis even though the team was ranked #1 most of the season. in the grand scheme of things, it just is not that significant of a position.

[Duvall]

...

Bring back codes.

[arnie]

Coach G may be the classiest coach in women's bball and it would be a significant blow to Duke to lose her. However, given the travails of the past year and with no AD leadership, who could blame her. She may also see the writing on the wall with the outcry from the "Committee" and others at Duke that want to de-emphasize athletics.

I was at Duke in the early 70's when "de-emphasis" was threatened and I think that help contribute to the downfall of football. K is trying to stem the tide, but he needs help!!

[thomas]

Perhaps i should have left this issue alone but I love our women's program and am so proud of what Coach G has done. I was only hoping those who read about it here or in BDW would speak up and support her. We should never take our assets for granted.

[MChambers]

At the same time, however, I hope she makes the decision based on more than just salary. She makes a nice living already. There are things that are more important than $.

[adam]

ESPN Radio reported earlier today that Coach G is the leading front-runner for the Texas job.

I understand that women's basketball [at Duke] isn't the money-maker that the men's team is. Yet, it still blows my mind that the women's games don't sell out. If commuting to Durham (from Boise, ID) was a little easier, I'd have season tickets for sure.

Count me in for the "Keep Coach G at Duke" fund.

Go Duke!

[Law Talking Guy]

I agree with those above who stated concern for these rumors' effect on our girls. Perhaps it would serve us best to devote our efforts to supporting the team, which is driving for a title RIGHT NOW, and Coach G, who is our coach RIGHT NOW. The speculation can wait.

[Susan]

I agree that I don't understand why the games don't sell out. I just don't buy the argument that because Duke games don't sell out (and so we don't make the kind of $$$ that Tennessee and UConn do) we shouldn't attempt to pay Coach G a comparable salary. To me that's a very short-sighted view. If she's the kind of coach who can get us to the point where we have fan support like Tennessee and UConn (and I truly believe she is) then isn't it worth it to make every possible attempt to keep her?

[adam]

...isn't it worth it to make every possible attempt to keep her?

Agreed. Duke should offer her the same kind of lifetime contract that Coach K has. Coach G is as much a part of Duke basketball as Coach K.

[dukie8]

Agreed. Duke should offer her the same kind of lifetime contract that Coach K has. Coach G is as much a part of Duke basketball as Coach K.

you guys are nuts. k has been at duke for 25 years, has won 3 ncs, generates millions of dollars for the school from his team every year, has been a critical part of duke's rise to national prominence as an academic school, is an international figure and is one of this generation's great leaders and you want to pay coach g the same as k??? what am i missing here?

[Duvall]

you guys are nuts. k has been at duke for 25 years, has won 3 ncs, generates millions of dollars for the school from his team every year, has been a critical part of duke's rise to national prominence as an academic school, is an international figure and is one of this generation's great leaders

Please. I respect Krzyzewski as much as the next guy, but the guy still wears a whistle to work. Duke was an up-and-coming school when K was still trying to get Army into the NIT.

[killerleft]

I say Gail is at least 10 times more of an asset to Duke that Brodhead. What does he make?