Utah Utes Basketball: Larry Krystkowiak’s New Contract

Mar 13, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA Utah Utes head coach Larry Krystkowiak instructs against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 Conference college basketball tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

So the powers that be have decided that Utah Utes Basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak should get a new contract.

Torn up was his old deal which had two years remaining and in it’s place is a brand new five year deal.

Some features are:

• A Raise from 900K to 1.4 Million per year
• 375K if he says three years and 375 K if he stays till the end of the contract
• Larry gets to kill a man just to watch him die and will not face criminal prosecution

Ok I might have made one of those up, but I’m not telling which one.

As for the contract, what hasn’t been reported are the couple of things that matter.  First what is the buyout?  Second does Larry have out clauses for any reasons or specific schools or jobs?

As for my thoughts on the contract, first the pay per year is the right move if only for one reason.  You need to show that your job belongs with another group of jobs simply by what it pays.  It’s a simple idea, whomever is coaching the University of Utah basketball team should be making this salary because that is what any University of Utah basketball coach is worth.  If we have to attract a coach in the future, this will help.

Now the things I don’t get, bonuses for just hanging around?  Not for winning or tournaments or championships, for just showing up.

Second, this all seems like the package you give to a guy who got you close to a Pac-12 championship or into the NCAA tourney.  Not for a coach who doesn’t have an overall winning record, hasn’t sniffed the top 1/3 of the conference and only post-season appearance was shitting the bed to an undermanned WCC team not named Gonzaga (or BYU for that matter).

A raise and a one year extension really seem appropriate.

Next year should go really well, I fully expect that.  But I’m not sure why we didn’t wait until it actually happened.  Basketball is finicky.  It wouldn’t take much for all this promise to blow up so very quickly.  I doubt Washington and Oregon St. had in mind things wouldn’t just keep getting more awesome when they gave those extended deals to Romar and Robinson.

So let’s hope next year turns out like we all hope and expect it does.  Because we’ve already paid for it.