By Scott St. Clair | The Save Jersey Blog
New Jersey college athletics is as corrupt as New Jersey politics. For proof, look no further than Monday’s story about the contract buyouts for former Rutgers football coach Kyle Flood and former athletic director Julie Hermann.
We’re used to this mayor or that legislator or some county department head getting caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Now, however, that ethic is trickling down into collegiate sports.
But instead of further trouble, scandal-plagued coaches and administrators receive hefty, in whole or part taxpayer-funded golden-parachute payments that total, in the aggregate, millions of dollars.
Whoever hired these characters and agreed to their outrageous employment agreements – several are on you, Rutgers President Robert Barchi – ought to be the next one fired. Doesn’t personal integrity or a decent reference check count for anything anymore?
And the Legislature could do us a good turn by outlawing severance clauses like these as contrary to the public interest. Coaches get paid enough as is – Flood was to receive $4.35 million in base salary and other guaranteed income – to should tide them over until they land their next gig.
A fish rots from the head down. With Rutgers athletics, the school of fish has gone putrid.
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