Did I miss Mullen's contract extension being announced?

[Dawgology]

Or is that still not finalized? Surely they still aren't negotiating....

If so, the AD issue will need to be addressed...unless their is some huge announcement in the works. You don't stall on negotiations with the most successful football coach in MSU history while letting the worst basketball coach in MSU history keep burning the program down. Strick better make a really good move soon or the natives will start getting restless.

 

[57stratdawg]

Still negotiating. They were about 300-500K apart last I heard.

 

[dawgphd]

Mullen should have negotiated a little harder when there were top tier Power 5 openings.

I am at the point I'd like to see his contract heavily incentive based and not as much base salary focused.

 

[randystewart]

You think we should just give Mullen whatever ridiculous number he asks for? Surely you don't think that would be what a good AD would do.
A good AD would use your leverage, which is what Stricklin seems to be doing. What leverage does Mullen have right this second? He has no other job offer, has lost 2 of 3 to Freeze, and just got curb stomped on the biggest stage we've ever been on. He already makes a **** ton of money and has certainly been offered a sizable raise. If Mullen doesn't like the contract offer, then oh well, he still has 3 years left on his current contract.

 

[57stratdawg]

i think the DC search probably slowed things down as well since one of our candidates was twice the price as the other.

 

[aTotal360]

Sounds like we need to fire him.

 

[CoastDawg18]

Bingo

 

[Dawgology]

I'm glad you asked what I think a good AD would do....

You think we should just give Mullen whatever ridiculous number he asks for? Surely you don't think that would be what a good AD would do.
A good AD would use your leverage, which is what Stricklin seems to be doing. What leverage does Mullen have right this second? He has no other job offer, has lost 2 of 3 to Freeze, and just got curb stomped on the biggest stage we've ever been on. He already makes a **** ton of money and has certainly been offered a sizable raise. If Mullen doesn't like the contract offer, then oh well, he still has 3 years left on his current contract.

A good AD would close the deal. I mean, honestly, why do we shoot ourselves in the foot at every turn? Diaz? Maybe a good hire but its questionable at best...I still think we could have done better. Unresolved contract for our HC in football going into recruiting season finals? Great move...can't go wrong there. No movement on the Rick Ray front while the dumpster continues to burn after a multimillion dollar expansion to the facility? Solid move.

I'm not saying we need to pay Mullen 7 million a year. I'm not saying we need to fire Rick Ray tonight (but we do). I think fans are wanting to see something...anything...in regards to solidifying the future of M-State athletics. Allowing these things to linger ONLY hurts the program.

Its funny to me how the guy gets us 10 wins but because we lost to Bama, Ole Miss, and GT many think he is mediocre. Give me a 17'n break. He did that at State. Tell me when was the last time that happened here. Oh yeah....never. And he did it with a DC who was planning on jumping to Florida well before the Ole Miss, fwiw. But yeah, just let him walk if he doesn't like it...I'm sure we will find a GREAT replacement....

 

[amcdan2000]

With the Basketball screwup, stricklin should not make moves that would jeopardize our football program. If he does he should be out the door after Mullen.

 

[randystewart]

This is misinformation. Mullen does not have an unresolved contract. He has a contract that runs for three more years. It is ridiculous that we've gotten in the business of changing the damn contract every year. If a coach doesn't want a 4 year deal, he shouldn't sign a 4 year deal.
Also, who the hell said "let him walk?" This is a contract negotiation with a coach who has THREE years left on a contract, not one who has a box packed to leave if we don't have a deal done by next week. Those of you going all chicken little on Mullen's contract situation look ridiculous. Guess where Dan will be next year if a deal doesn't get done? He'll still be in Starkville making a **** ton of money and flying around on a private jet.

 

[Bulldogg31]

I'm sure you know this but four-years is max allowable for an employee of the state of MS.

The contract extensions are done by many schools as a show of support for the current coach, and so other schools don't use it against them in recruiting.

 

[randystewart]

The contract extensions are done by many schools as a show of support for the current coach, and so other schools don't use it against them in recruiting.

Completely aware of this, and from what I understand Mullen has a very good offer on the table from MSU. However, It is ridiculous for some to question our AD just because he doesn't give Mullen whatever astronomical number he has asked for. There are some who seem to not understand how a negotiation works.

 

[Acid mouth]

With the Basketball screwup, stricklin should not make moves that would jeopardize our football program. If he does he should be out the door after Mullen.

I don't doubt that a contract extension for Mullen will get done soon. I think after Bjork got played and grossly overpaid Freeze (in no Galaxy is 5th, 5th, and 3rd finishes in the West worth that 4.3mil), Strick was placed in a horrible negotiating position. Just because you have money, doesn't mean that you blindly throw it to your coach. I think Strick gets a pass for taking so long in this contract negotiation, but the basketball fiasco is a direct result of his work. At this point, he has no one but himself to blame.

 

[HunterDawg]

I don't doubt that a contract extension for Mullen will get done soon. I think after Bjork got played and grossly overpaid Freeze (in no Galaxy is 5th, 5th, and 3rd finishes in the West worth that 4.3mil), Strick was placed in a horrible negotiating position. Just because you have money, doesn't mean that you blindly throw it to your coach. I think Strick gets a pass for taking so long in this contract negotiation, but the basketball fiasco is a direct result of his work. At this point, he has no one but himself to blame.

This is not a simple question. We don't have to give Dan a huge raise just because TSUN gave Freeze one. It has nothing to do with them. What they did was stupid and we don't have to do that just to try to prove something. He and Sexton basically extorted a ton of money by threatening to leave.

On the other hand, we don't need to punish Dan for being loyal. Freeze got the money because he was going to leave if he didn't get the big money. Should Dan not get equal money because he isn't looking for somewhere else to go? Do we really want to encourage our coaches to shop themselves around every year?

They will come to an agreement, but it has to be based on what is good for us, not on what looks good to outsiders.

 

[was21]

Just curious...where was Freeze going? It sure as hell wasn't Florida

 

[BiscuitEater]

Clarification ...

A good AD would close the deal. I mean, honestly, why do we shoot ourselves in the foot at every turn? Diaz? Maybe a good hire but its questionable at best...I still think we could have done better.

Are you saying that the 'AD made the DC hire?' 'Cause Mullen was the one making the hire, not Strick. And, if Mullen wanted Diaz and felt comfortable hiring him back, then how is it 'questionable'?

 

[AFDawg]

If you (generic you) trust Mullen enough to give him a contract extension, you should trust him enough to hire a DC.

 

[aTotal360]

I have to ask, what's wrong with overpaying your coach if he's the guy you want?

 

[Dawgology]

I'm sorry, you are absolutely right...

This is misinformation. Mullen does not have an unresolved contract. He has a contract that runs for three more years. It is ridiculous that we've gotten in the business of changing the damn contract every year. If a coach doesn't want a 4 year deal, he shouldn't sign a 4 year deal.
Also, who the hell said "let him walk?" This is a contract negotiation with a coach who has THREE years left on a contract, not one who has a box packed to leave if we don't have a deal done by next week. Those of you going all chicken little on Mullen's contract situation look ridiculous. Guess where Dan will be next year if a deal doesn't get done? He'll still be in Starkville making a **** ton of money and flying around on a private jet.

It's not really a big deal. I see no way that Mullen could be offended by being slow played or low balled...as long as he get to stay in Starkville and fly around on a private jet. I'm sure the fact that the contract wasn't extended and salary adjusted (if an agreement isn't made) will not impact recruiting next year. There is simply no way that Ole Miss would use that against us in any way, shape, or form. Mullen will be here forever and will just be happy that he has a job, I'm sure.

 

[Dawgology]

Are you saying that the 'AD made the DC hire?' 'Cause Mullen was the one making the hire, not Strick. And, if Mullen wanted Diaz and felt comfortable hiring him back, then how is it 'questionable'?

You're right. I'm sure the AD had nothing to do with spending a large sum of money out of the athletics department budget.

 

[Dawgology]

Completely aware of this, and from what I understand Mullen has a very good offer on the table from MSU. However, It is ridiculous for some to question our AD just because he doesn't give Mullen whatever astronomical number he has asked for. There are some who seem to not understand how a negotiation works.

I understand hoe negotiation works. YOU seem to think that by coming to an agreement that means giving one party everything they ask for. That's actually a sign of horrible negotiating skills. What I want to see is a deal finalized. That's what a good negotiator does...they close deals. They don't leave things hanging for months. You make it work.

Caveat: if he handles the Rick Ray issue and closes a good deal with Mullen in the next week or two I'm pleased as peaches. I've been a Strick fan. It seems he has gone "radio silent" on some issues lately that need addressing though.

 

[Dawgology]

I can see that

That makes sense.

 

[mstateglfr]

I am at the point I'd like to see his contract heavily incentive based and not as much base salary focused.

Yes!
If a coach of 3-6 years thinks they deserve more pay for a solid season, then structure the contract to pay them for success. That means DONT structure the contract to pay them for simply existing.
Lower the base salary and give incentives for bowl game, bowl game win, 10 win season, Playoff appearance, etc etc etc.