There's a lot of talk and debate recently about the compensation given to Butch Davis ( and Roy Williams - only Butch takes the heat 'cause he doesn't coach basketball ). Maybe there's something to the notion that THE UNC should get back to it's roots and stick with the "mission" of an institution of higher learning....meaning academics get the money. Many think we pay too much to get the best coaches.
But, are coaches and professors really the same?
Are professors and administrators set up with 1year or 3 year contracts like coaches are? Is there intense pressure on them to "produce" the top academic results in the nation or risk getting fired? Is there really a good system to judge how well a professor is performing? If we paid our professors more would they perform better? or could we go out and hire better ones?
What about our free market economy? Do they teach that at UNC? Hopefully we pay our professors at or above what the market will bear if they are performing well. It just so happens that the market for top notch football coaches is good. And if you are good you should expect to earn a lot more than a professor....that's just the facts.
Hey, let's face it.
UNC alumni and fans are spoiled. We had the best coach ( Dean Smith ) for a lot of years who had integrity, who loved the University, and wasn't doing it to get rich.
That situation was the ultimate for a University. Now we have Roy. And he is paid well.
Now we need a football coach. and Butch is a good man who is a proven winner.
And he needs to be paid.
That is what is takes to compete at most Universities. There will not be another Dean Smith coming down the pike who will be the best and not ask for money every year.
UNC can either admit ( I think it already has ) that excellence in football is important to the overall mission of the school OR it can accept being "average" in football. Actually, recently we have been below average.
I believe UNC is doing the right thing when it pays Butch Davis more. Keep his compensation competitive and let the world know that UNC is committed to football. If Butch wins, it won't actually cost the University anything because of the extra revenue that will be generated from ticket sales, merchandise, bowl games, etc.
Or, we can go back to what we used to do.
I hear Coach Bunting is ready to give it another try.
