Coaches' Pay in Big 12
I heard some of them coaches make more money than a farmer makes in ten years! It's crazy, ain't it? They got this one coach, Kim Mulkey, I think her name is. She's at LSU now. She made more than 3 million dollars! Can you believe that? Three million dollars for coaching basketball.
She must be a real good coach, though. They say she's won somethin' called "national titles." Four of 'em! Three at one place, Baylor, and one at this LSU place. She must know somethin' about basketball, that's for sure.
Kim Mulkey, that's the one, the highest-paid coach. She's makin' more than these other two, Dawn Staley and Geno somethin'. They only make 3.1 million. Still a lot of money, though, more money than I've ever seen in my life, that's for sure.
- Kim Mulkey, LSU - Lots of money, more than 3 million!
- Dawn Staley, South Carolina - Still a lot, 3.1 million.
- Geno Auriemma, UConn - Same as Dawn, 3.1 million.
Now, I ain't sayin' they don't deserve it. It's hard work, I reckon, coachin' them young gals. Gotta teach 'em how to play, gotta keep 'em in line, gotta win them games. It's a lot of pressure, I bet.
What Coaches Do
It ain't just about throwin' a ball around, you know. These coaches, they gotta be like mothers to these girls, almost. They gotta teach 'em right from wrong, gotta make sure they eat right, gotta make sure they go to school and all that. It's more than just basketball.
They gotta train hard, too. Runnin' up and down that court, shootin' that ball, jumpin' and all that. It takes a lot out of a body, I tell ya. When I was young, I used to run around in the fields all day, chasin' chickens and such. That was hard work, but nothin' like playin' basketball, I imagine.
And these Big 12 women's basketball coaches, they gotta know all the rules, all the strategies. They gotta outsmart the other coaches, you see. It's like a big chess game, but with basketballs.
I seen some of these games on the TV. It's excitin' to watch, I'll give 'em that. Them girls can really move! And the coaches, they're always yellin' and screamin', tryin' to get their players to do this and that. It's a sight to see, I tell ya.
Money in Sports
But still, that's a lot of money. Big 12 women's basketball coaches' salaries are somethin' else. Back in my day, folks didn't make that kind of money for playin' games. We worked hard, we farmed the land, we raised our families. That was our life, and we were happy with it.
Times have changed, though. Now, everything's about money. Even sports. These big-time college sports, they're like a big business now. They make money from TV, from them tickets, from sellin' them shirts and hats and all that. It's a whole different world.
- TV deals bring in money.
- Ticket sales make money.
- Selling merchandise like shirts and hats.
And the coaches, they get a big piece of that pie. That Kim Mulkey salary is proof of that. She's at the top of the heap, makin' more than anyone else in this Big 12 women's basketball thing. She is the top earner in women's basketball.
I guess if you're good at somethin', and people are willin' to pay you that kind of money, then more power to ya. It ain't the life I lived, but it's the life they're livin' now. And who am I to say it's wrong?
I just hope they appreciate what they got. That kind of money can change a person. I hope they stay grounded, remember where they came from. I hope they use that money for good, help their families, help their communities.
Final Thoughts
This Big 12 women's basketball, it's a big deal these days. And the coaches' salaries, well, they're just as big. It's a different world than the one I grew up in, that's for sure. But I guess that's just the way things are now. Time marches on, and things change. But one thing that don't change is hard work. Those coaches work hard, just like we used to work hard on the farm. Maybe they get paid more, but it's still hard work. And for that, I reckon they deserve a good livin', just like anybody else.
