Hoke & ESPN Personality Share Sports Agent
At 12:30 of the Part 1 of the Dan Lebatard Radio Show (Local Miami Hour), Dan reveals the following.
Tl:dr version: Dan revealed his radio team are working sans contract with ESPN right now because Dan's agent, who is also Brady Hoke's agent, has to workout Brady's contract first.
I tried to be as faithful to Dan's graciously loosed lipped podcast as possible.
Per Dan Lebatard: "See there are some fires that need to be taken care of with priority. For example my agent right now, my agent, we're at the end of our deal here [Lebatard Show contract with ESPN]we have a lot of people, uh, that are, that are in troublesome times here, there are basically a bunch of people working here [Lebatard Show on ESPN] without contracts and my agent has not been able to handle it [new Lebatard contract with ESPN] because he's been busy with his client Brady Hoke. So... he is dealing with his calamity and our calamity will be after that calamity."
At 25:10 of same podcast Lebatard further reveals "... and my agent is busy negotiating Brady Hoke's demise over in Michigan.. That whole thing feels bad, man..."
Leave it to Lebatard to be a little loose with inside info.
If there was ever a direct confirm that things are happening with Brady's contract, I would say that this is pretty [interesting] confim.
Way to go Lebatard. I am sure your agent won't be bringing up ANY other client matters again.
October 1st, 2014 at 1:34 AM ^
Michigan football is confusing
October 1st, 2014 at 2:05 AM ^
Did Bo ever have an agent? Seriously these college football HC salaries are way out of line. Basically they are CEOs, and are paid as such...but how many of those guys in the NCAA can really handle that responsibility of running multi million dollar "corporations"? Not many.
October 1st, 2014 at 2:13 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 4:00 AM ^
Exactly! Michigan needs to move on to the future...but what exactly what future is that? Non-qualified "CEO" head coaches w/agents earning upwards of $5 million per year, are pimping out the health of scholarship college kids with reckless abandon. This is what college football has become.
October 1st, 2014 at 7:20 AM ^
Basically they are CEOs, and are paid as such...but how many of those guys in the NCAA can really handle that responsibility of running multi million dollar "corporations"?
How many CEO's can coach a football team?
October 1st, 2014 at 11:12 AM ^
yet get the top talent needed to improve their progam in the process. Hmm... That certainly would be a novel approach for the one the richest and most world rennowned Universities on the planet.
Do you happen to have a newsletter I could subscribe to get more of your "hot takes?"
October 1st, 2014 at 2:27 PM ^
Well, I never said what you are implying. Go back and read it again, it may do you some good.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:18 AM ^
Good football at it's most elemental level is the same as it's always been. It is not living in the past to rededicate ourselves to the basic principles of Bo's teams. Obviously it needs to be adjusted for modern times, but those principles are timeless.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:55 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 2:31 AM ^
Bo had little more than a handshake contract for a good chunk of his time at Michigan. Hell, he came to Michigan for a rather minimal raise over what he was making at Miami. It was a different universe, far from the multi-million dollar contracts, endorsement deals, shoe contracts, incentive-based pay structures, school-specific buyouts, and other nonsense that makes coaches comfortable millionaires before they even prove themselves on the field.
There's a good chance Brady Hoke is making more money this season than Bo made in a decade for stretches of his tenure in Ann Arbor. Can't blame him for having an agent to take care of getting real paid; and based on the contract he got, he's getting real paid. This guy must be good.
October 1st, 2014 at 3:27 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 7:00 AM ^
My memory was that it was $250K, but wiki only says it was a little less than $3M over ten years.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:01 AM ^
Is the concept of inflation lost on this thread?
October 1st, 2014 at 10:44 AM ^
Coaches salaries have MASSIVELY outpaced inflation.
Schembechler was offered ~$300K by Texas A&M in 1982 - it would have been the largest college football coaching contract.
Adjusted for inflation to 2014 dollars that is ~$740,000.... for the highest paid coach in college football.
Last year there were 78 coaches who made more than that.
78 coaches who made more than what would hagve been (inflation adjusted) the highest salary in college football in 1982.
Brady Hoke made over 5x that inflation adjusted number
October 1st, 2014 at 8:23 AM ^
If you don't think CFB coaches should have agents, you're a fool.
You already see how much of an idiot Hoke is, could you imagine if he had to count his own money too?!
In all seriousness, it's big business with a lot of legal stuff, that's not for a football coach to handle.
You don't think Dave Brandon would screw Rich Rod or Hoke out of their money owed if he could? Of course he would.
And what about the next coach? The reason you have an agent is so your agent can talk to people about your next potential job so you don't have to. This isn't rocket science.
AD's have agents too...same reason.
You think any coach is REALLY going to job hunt while having a current position? No. Not like you and me job hunt. But the agent does it and provides that buffer.
PLEASE PEOPLE...FOR ONCE...CUT THE "BO" SHIT OUT! We don't need to walk around with WWBD braclets. This is 2014. Part of the reason we're in this shit storm is because we have a head coach who can't do anything "with the times." Everything is does is 1986 when Bo coached. It's silly.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:56 AM ^
Says the guy with the name Mr. Yost.
(I'm sorry...I couldn't resist. My apologies if offense was taken.)
October 1st, 2014 at 9:39 AM ^
How many CEOs of actual multi-million dollar corporations can really handle their responsibilities? That problem isn't confined to the football field.
October 1st, 2014 at 3:00 AM ^
I would not say that at all. At best it is a rumor of circumstantial evidence. Hoke is obviously facing heat and (probably wisely) may be leaning on his agent for some help navigating this stuff. Or maybe he is clarifying what his contract terms are and preparing for whatever inevitabilities might occur.
Doesn't mean anything is being negotiated or that action is imminent.
Interesting info, but doesn't need to be overstated.
October 1st, 2014 at 3:05 AM ^
Otherwise I find it of note that Lebatard would reveal this data.
Doesn't benefit Lebatard to reveal such info re Hoke, other than to, if we take his word, confirm that some contract adjustments are taking place.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:04 AM ^
The "benefit" to LeBatard is that we're talking about him, which I'm sure pleases him a great deal.
October 1st, 2014 at 4:36 AM ^
In his 4 hour show Dan devoted c. 5 mins to the Brady matter and defended Hoke and called the matter "overblown", fyi.
Re the pros/cons of revealing info... I'll leave that to the reader. I was just shocked at Dan revealing such machinations ... I would not be pleased if I was the agent nor would I be pleased if I was Hoke or Michigan.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:03 AM ^
It has been a pretty consistent theme on ESPN that concussion-gate is being overblown/unfair. However, I haven't heard any of them say that the won-less record shouldn't result in firing at the end of the year.
October 1st, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
Agents do more than work on contracts. You're making a huge leap.
It is interesting to have it confirmed, and it may HINT that something more is going on, but when your client is in the midst of national controversy any half decent agent is taking action (beyond looking at the contract.)
October 1st, 2014 at 3:15 AM ^
We all know Hoke's getting fired. That's been likely since Notre Dame, and inevitable since Utah.
Although I guess if there's intense negotiations actually happening that could mean a firing with cause is on the table? Perhaps?
October 1st, 2014 at 6:48 AM ^
We don't know squat. For all we know, he could be negotiating a contract extension.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:08 AM ^
One last Dave Brandon middle finger to the fans!
October 1st, 2014 at 3:17 AM ^
I would consider Dan leaking this to be "highly questionable"
October 1st, 2014 at 3:27 AM ^
well played sir.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:10 AM ^
Can't imagine his agent is going to be in a rush to handle his new contract after this. It's also very unprofessional that ESPN is paying you and you are wasting time complaining about not having a contract.
October 1st, 2014 at 3:53 AM ^
guess it will come out today
October 1st, 2014 at 4:18 AM ^
then possibly Hoke will soon be out the door.
I wish he shared an agent with DB, though, and had this exact same info on him.
October 1st, 2014 at 6:17 AM ^
will hoke and db be gone today
October 1st, 2014 at 7:23 AM ^
Lebatard's show sucks and I wouldn't be sad if it went away.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:00 AM ^
October 1st, 2014 at 7:24 AM ^
if Brady loves Michigan so much, then if/when he is asked to resign, he should, and not take another penny from the institution.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:19 AM ^
I want Brady out but all of us here need to calm down and realize that this guy is not a POS. He's failed at his dream job and now he's being dragged through the mud. I don't think he deserves that as much as I think he deserves to be the coach going forward.
October 1st, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^
I've been in that same boat since Saturday (and even beforehand). I felt anger at Hoke, but then after the dust settled, I feel nothing but pity for him. I know this is his dream job, and I'm sure it absolutely breaks his heart that he is failing, and doing it spectacularly.
He's like Lennie, and this program is the rabbit. Hoke means well, but ultimately, is incopetence became is undoing. He is clearly overwhelmed and don't think he has the ability to be a GOOD coach in a (are we still?) top conference.
That being said, pay the man his money, and let him leave with some dignity.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:23 AM ^
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October 1st, 2014 at 8:50 AM ^
well, he was contractually obligated to be a Div I HC and not the MAC level coach we got....so, I'd say he should be terminated for cause and not get another penny. He's made enough over the past 3 years that he never has to work again and his family will be just fine.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:01 AM ^
MAC is in division one....wtf are you blathering about? Do you have any idea what 'for cause' actually means?
October 1st, 2014 at 11:58 AM ^
Yes, I understand what "for cause" means.....and with Hoke there is plenty of "cause" to immediately terminate him and cancel the remainder of his contract. I also understand gross negligence and incompetence......do you?
October 1st, 2014 at 9:40 AM ^
Brady shouldn't coach at Michigan anymore, but you can't take his pay from him because you are unhappy with his performance. Fortunately for all of us, that's illegal
October 1st, 2014 at 11:24 AM ^
Hoke didnt offer them the contract they offered it to him. Just because you're mad and on the internet doesn't mean the terms of said contract that, again, Michigan offered Hoke and he accepted and signed is not enforcable.
Hoke is due what he is contractually owed and that is it, like every other coach who gets fired who is under contract. That is why they sign them and remember they go both ways, not only for the coacheds in bad times, but also the schools or teams during the good ones.
October 1st, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
There are clauses in most contracts that allow for immediate termination and cancellation if the person is found to be grossly negligent. Now, the incident with Shane aside, I'm not arguing that Hoke's coaching that would qualify as gross negligence or incompetence but, being that I'm on the internet, I can joke about it as much as I like.
October 1st, 2014 at 9:00 AM ^
That is silly. It is common practice in situations where executives are being let go for both sides to come to an amicable (as possible) agreement to expedite a smooth transition. Individuals taking care of themselves financially as best they can is an expected part of the process.
October 1st, 2014 at 7:25 AM ^
What's to negotiate? Hoke has one more year left on his contract. Just pay him and be done with it.
October 1st, 2014 at 7:36 AM ^
If hoke is being terminated mid-season , I expect that the negotiations relate to several points, specifically:
1. The amount of the buy-out. Some coaches stubbornly insist on being paid the full amount (Weis). Others are willing to negotiate in exchange for other concessions (being allowed to resign, perhaps wanting to coach one last game, timing, benefits, etc.)
2. Player-related issues. One issue that often comes up in these situations is whether hoke will be allowed to address his team and say his goodbyes, and if so, what he will say. It might be worth Michigan paying more here if hoke agrees to be a good team player and encourage the kids to stay for the love of Michigan, etc
3. Back to money - it is possible that Michigan has taken the position that concussion-gate is a fire able offense that voids his buyout. If so, and if hoke demands the full buyout, there could be some serious negotiations.
It is also possible that Michigan is spending some time lining up an interim coach.
October 1st, 2014 at 7:45 AM ^
takes much time. I'll throw out one more possibility. Hoke isn't waiting to get fired and is negotiating his resignation.
October 1st, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
to save the $$ and show that he is a good Michigan/Company man to save his own skin and look better to his bosses.
October 1st, 2014 at 8:52 AM ^
hes got 2