USA Today article cover Ferentz contract extensively!

[cincyhawk]

I couldn't disagree with you more. Integrity is doing the right thing.

So if you are offered a shady deal or a bribe you would take it? What about this deal makes sense? It doesn't.

If you are offered a legal binding contract by your employer that is lucrative you take it. There's nothing shady about a negotiated binding agreement between two parties, even if it's bad for once of the parties (just don't let it be you).

Bribes are not legal or binding. Blackmail isn't either. Ferentz didn't blackmail Barta, Barta over-rewarded Ferentz.

 

[HawkGold]

If you are offered a legal binding contract by your employer that is lucrative you take it. There's nothing shady about a negotiated binding agreement between two parties, even if it's bad for once of the parties (just don't let it be you).

Bribes are not legal or binding. Blackmail isn't either. Ferentz didn't blackmail Barta, Barta over-rewarded Ferentz.

It doesn't need to be KF bribing Barta.. If you've ever spent time around universities or big businesses....this smells. It isn't even close to being reasonable.

 

[kicker22]

Just my opinion, but after previous contract went through and was offered/accepted, I can't see how anything could be seen as questionable in the second. KF was offered and signed the previous (dare I say generous) contract, WTF was Barta thinking the second time around offering more of the same.

It shouldn't be KF's fault that Barta is brain dead. We can call him selfish, but we'd call him worse if he turned down the extension based on what was in the contract.

 

[Joshbrown]

Just my opinion, but after previous contract went through and was offered/accepted, I can't see how anything could be seen as questionable in the second. KF was offered and signed the previous (dare I say generous) contract, WTF was Barta thinking the second time around offering more of the same.

It shouldn't be KF's fault that Barta is brain dead. We can call him selfish, but we'd call him worse if he turned down the extension based on what was in the contract.

^^^ 100% absolutely right. There is one teeny tiny problem. When you take advantage of the mentally handicapped to make yourself rich . . . and the program poor (in terms of wasted potential). Then the Halo fans gifted to you needs to be removed.

Guilty of Pride. Which motivates his stubbornness based in a belief that he really does know more than everyone else. Which he clearly doesn't. We are 76th in scoring offense yet Mitchell and King are not utilized in a way to help us in this area. "I'll take PATHETIC OFFENSES for 1,000 Alex."

Guilty of Envy. After his second season Alford negotiated the first crazy contract that Dollar Bob ever signed. Cirk saw that and knew he wanted more than greedy Alford.

Guilty of Wrath. He punishes any media member who doesn't support the status quo. That's why the sports media in Iowa is as subservient to him as the national media is to a certain candidate for POTUS.

Guilty of Sloth. He's lazy in recruiting, that's why after a verbal he ignores so many kids. He's also lazy with his gameday prep. That's why Iowa is caught flat-footed so many times, like when Biels runs a fake. How many times after that day did Iowa get sucker-punched with a similar play by a different opponent? Slow-learner? Or lazy? Both?

Guilty of Greed and Gluttony. Nepotism anyone? Just research the history of contract negotiations. They have been acrimonious since day one. Whatever he negotiates he never honors cuz it's never enough. He always comes back to the table for a second; third; fourth; fifth; sixth helping. And he doesn't just do it in good years. Go back and look what happened when dollar Bob left. He got a sweetheart deal right before Bob left and then again right after Gary arrived. Contract renegotiated twice in the same year. It was as if Gary had no knowledge of what his predecessor had done.

 

[HawkGold]

Just my opinion, but after previous contract went through and was offered/accepted, I can't see how anything could be seen as questionable in the second. KF was offered and signed the previous (dare I say generous) contract, WTF was Barta thinking the second time around offering more of the same.

It shouldn't be KF's fault that Barta is brain dead. We can call him selfish, but we'd call him worse if he turned down the extension based on what was in the contract.

You are really naive. Barta is not brain dead. There is more to this. Totally doesn't make sense. You really need to look at how university contracts work. There is something in this for Barta somehow some way other than just "doing a good job" as AD (btw SARCASM).

 

[kicker22]

I consider it brain dead based on the fact that Barta's job is on the line and continues to run his own name through the dirt and is a hell of a lot easier to replace then KF and I don't see why he took it upon himself to become the captain of the titanic. Regardless of the past, it has never been made clear why (1) a contract extension had to be finalized during the season (2) the terms of the buyout were ridiculous given its a coach on the downward side of his career who most likely isn't going anywhere and (3) why draw the contract up in which it appears that 7-5 is acceptable.

I understand that there's more to it then wins and loses and that boosters, administration, and the board of regents all come in to play, but at what point does he not realize that his reputation and career are at stake and that in the event things get ugly he'll most likely be the fall guy before KF.

 

[cincyhawk]

^^^ 100% absolutely right. There is one teeny tiny problem. When you take advantage of the mentally handicapped to make yourself rich . . . and the program poor (in terms of wasted potential). Then the Halo fans gifted to you needs to be removed.

Guilty of Pride. Which motivates his stubbornness based in a belief that he really does know more than everyone else. Which he clearly doesn't. We are 76th in scoring offense yet Mitchell and King are not utilized in a way to help us in this area. "I'll take PATHETIC OFFENSES for 1,000 Alex."

Guilty of Envy. After his second season Alford negotiated the first crazy contract that Dollar Bob ever signed. Cirk saw that and knew he wanted more than greedy Alford.

Guilty of Wrath. He punishes any media member who doesn't support the status quo. That's why the sports media in Iowa is as subservient to him as the national media is to a certain candidate for POTUS.

Guilty of Sloth. He's lazy in recruiting, that's why after a verbal he ignores so many kids. He's also lazy with his gameday prep. That's why Iowa is caught flat-footed so many times, like when Biels runs a fake. How many times after that day did Iowa get sucker-punched with a similar play by a different opponent? Slow-learner? Or lazy? Both?

Guilty of Greed and Gluttony. Nepotism anyone? Just research the history of contract negotiations. They have been acrimonious since day one. Whatever he negotiates he never honors cuz it's never enough. He always comes back to the table for a second; third; fourth; fifth; sixth helping. And he doesn't just do it in good years. Go back and look what happened when dollar Bob left. He got a sweetheart deal right before Bob left and then again right after Gary arrived. Contract renegotiated twice in the same year. It was as if Gary had no knowledge of what his predecessor had done.

TL;DR; I don't fault Ferentz for taking the contract. Ferentz is underperforming for the money he receives, but poor performance isn't a breach of contract. I do fault Barta for offering him a terrible contract.

Josh, he never deserved a halo.

You cannot fault him for having an excellent agent or getting more money or time. At the least, I admire his negotiating savvy. He's very smart in contract negotiations. I, as a principle, will never fault a guy for getting more money. I will fault him for getting money and not upholding his performance obligations. But no good agent would allow win-loss record to be a breach of contract terms, so the only court he can be held accountable to in that regard is the court of public opinion. In the court of public opinion, we are getting ripped off, because the performance on the field doesn't justify what the university pays Ferentz. That's not Ferentz's fault, that's Barta's fault. Barta and Bob are two terrible ADs back to back, and all of Hawkeye sports has suffered because of them.