Is Kruger worth it?
With this being only his fourth year as the head basketball coach for the UNLV Runnin Rebels, Lon Kruger has taken an already decent basketball program and turned it into an outstanding basketball program and a team that is now a force to be reckoned with. Kruger’s tenure at UNLV began in 2004 when he took over a dismal program that had seen nine different head coaches in the previous 13 seasons. However, winning basketball games comes at a high price.
Along with this years 27-8 record which included a second straight trip to the NCAA tournament, Kruger received roughly $25,000 for each tournament victory as pay incentives to go along with his $165,000 base salary, his $300,000 in TV and radio appearances and roughly an extra $280,000 for public appearances. All in all Kruger brings home close to $825,000 at the end of the year before taxes.
With college coaches getting paid so much money now days, the question on where the money comes from arises. “Most of the money comes from ticket sales, TV and radio duties, and public appearances,” said Nevada Board of Regents member Mark Alden. This money is all known as supplemental or “soft” money. Alden said this about Kruger’s contract, “$165,000 is the base of Coach Kruger’s salary and that comes from the state. He also receives a bonus for every NCAA tournament game that the team wins.”
“The smaller amount of Kruger’s contract is paid for by the taxpayers because he is an employee of the state of Nevada,” said Senior Vice President for finance and business Gerry Bomotti.
“If he is an employee of the state and he keeps winning then its ok. I really don’t care where the money comes from,” said UNLV student and biology major John Welch.
If the Universities basketball coach is an employee of the state then shouldn’t the taxpayers have a say in who the selection board appoints to lead their team?
“I think we should have a say, but as long as the team wins then I don’t mind,” said basketball fan and student Brittany Brown.
“Most citizens just go to watch the game and have something to do. They dont really pay attention to who is coaching,” said student Dallas Erickson.
With all these numbers being thrown around, what makes Kruger worth all this money?
“He is a great value on and off the court,” said Bomotti. “His contract looks like a great value to me compared to other coach’s contracts around the Nation.”
“I think he is a good deal, I mean he has taken us to the tournament two years in a row including the sweet 16,” said Erickson.
USAtoday.com reports that Kentucky’s Tubby Smith earned 2.1 million dollars this season and that Marquette’s Tom Crean was the highest paid employee at the school in 2004-2005. Both of these coaches make more money in one basketball season than I could ever wish to have in a lifetime and it has gotten their teams no where in the NCAA tournament. That just goes to show that money can’t buy everything. Most people could argue that Kruger is underpaid, but the people who we give all our tax money to have at least made one good purchase. With an overall record of 91-42 as the Rebels head coach, Kruger has proven that he belongs here in Las Vegas and that his $825,000 a year is clearly a sign of his humbleness.
The days of ex-Rebel coach and basketball genius Jerry Tarkanian biting down on his towel have come and gone, but the Kruger era is just beginning and at a bargain price.
“Lon Kruger has the basketball world talking about the Runnin Rebels again and we look forward to him leading our program for a long time,” said UNLV athletics director Mike Hamrick as posted on unlvrebels.com.
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