Miller to IU

[MacGuy]

Watched the press conference. Said lots of nice things about BG. Said he had an out in his contract for dream jobs, and IU was one of them. Was asked about assistant coaches, and he said he would do what was best for IU. Didn't sound like he was committed to bringing his entire BG staff. Will make $275 K per year. Seems like that might be near, or at the bottom of the B10.

[TG1996]

I am sure WTHR website will have something.

Doubtful. I heard their web guy is supposed to be doing yardwork right now.

They oughta' fire his butt. Heard he spends most of his time out scamming colleges half-time promos during basketball season.

RINGER!

[Rollo83]

Based on the compensation package for IU's outgoing coach, Felisha Legette-Jack, she was making $260,000 a year (IU has to pay her $780,000 to pay out the final three years of her deal). A quick Googling shows Miller signed an extension in Sept. '09 to make about $160K a year. I'm thinking when the numbers come out for his IU deal, they will likely approach double that figure....

I'll bet he is offered $475-500K per year. So I can't blame him for heading west. There is absolutely no way that BG could offer him that amount of money (because unfalconbelievable is a tightwad and won't provide GC the money necessary to keep Curt ).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't IU have a decent track and field program? If I recall, the two boys have been having some success at distance running. This could be an opportunity that works for the ENTIRE family, and not just Curt.

Curt was making $182K gross pay in 2010. The coach at Illinois was making $310K when she was fired. Cullop at Toledo makes $245K. Just some comparisons. Most of the women's coaches in the B10 make between $300K and $380K. Foster at OSU makes $800K, by far the highest paid. The coach at Green Bay that took the Illinois job was making $122K. Now that's under-paid.

Guaranteed salary is just part of the total compensation package for coaches…both men’s and women’s. There are also incentive clauses for things like Coach of the Year, 20 win seasons, tournament champs, postseason play, etc. Then you also have compensation from radio/TV shows, shoe/appeal deals, plus camps and clinics. You know that IU can deliver far more opportunities for making money in all those areas than BG can for Curt. The salary issue shouldn’t even be debated here.

I think it’s a great move for Curt. He’s going to the Big Ten, to a school with a history of supporting winning/championship basketball, great facilities and a rich recruiting base (Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois). This is a program poised for a break out. If I am Curt, I’d much rather go somewhere like Indiana with lower expectations and have the time to build the program up…versus landing at a program that’s currently on top where you’re expected to win immediately with your system and someone else’s players.

[WBBFAN]

Come on guys........

1) Do you think money grows on trees? How much are YOU giving to the athletic department to pay higher salaries? (I don't really want to know.....just a point to ponder.)

2) Do you think that a coach of Curt's calibur doesn't have higher aspirations....like the Big 10 or another big conference? I know we all like to think of BGSU as the greatest institution ever, but we ARE mid-major for a reason.

While the money will be better, do you really think that was his determining factor? I think Curt aspires to coach his way to the very top programs in the country, and has the chance to take the next step. My bet is that he'll be a household name like Geno, Pat, or Kim Mulkey one day.

I'm just glad to be able to call him my friend, and look forward to seeing how high he can get!

[dforde]

http://www.iuhoosiers.com/sports/w-bask ... 12aaa.html

From the IU web site. Love some of the comments at the bottom. Congrats Curt. This is well deserved. Thanks for giving your heart and soul to BGSU for all these years. Please bring the IU women here to play sometime.

[Falconfreak90]

Coach...THANK YOU for everything!!!!!! Nothing but the absolute best to you and your family. We will sorely miss you.

TOGETHER WE ATTACK!!!!!

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Please bring the IU women here to play sometime.

I think I remember someone reporting back after the Sweet 16 run that he had a clause in his contract with BG that if he left for a Big Ten school, Cincinnati, or another school he had connections with that he would schedule a home and home with BG and his new school. Does anyone else remember reading anything about that after the 07 season?

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Watched the press conference. Said lots of nice things about BG. Said he had an out in his contract for dream jobs, and IU was one of them. Was asked about assistant coaches, and he said he would do what was best for IU. Didn't sound like he was committed to bringing his entire BG staff. Will make $275 K per year. Seems like that might be near, or at the bottom of the B10.

On the staff, he may be waiting to see if Jennifer ends up becoming our next head coach, that may play a role in how he picks his staff.

[Rollo83]

I also wonder if watching his mentor Bob Lindsay be shown the door at Kent State recently played any part in Curt's decision here? Maybe he decided that no matter how much success you've had it can be fleeting. Might as well take advantage of opportunities while you have them because there are no garantees.

[Class of 61]

I also wonder if watching his mentor Bob Lindsay be shown the door at Kent State recently played any part in Curt's decision here? Maybe he decided that no matter how much success you've had it can be fleeting. Might as well take advantage of opportunities while you have them because there are no garantees.

FWIW, I doubt that Lindsay's situation affected Curt at all...if anything, it was the continuous "ONE BID" situation that the MAC women had to put up with, despite the fact that there were several teams again this year who "COULD HAVE" gone to the NCAA's.... If he has anywhere NEAR his "usual" record at IU, you'd better believe the Hoosiers will be in the big dance, no matter where they finish in the league....or tournament.

[Falcon Fanatic]

Coach...THANK YOU for everything!!!!!! Nothing but the absolute best to you and your family. We will sorely miss you.

TOGETHER WE ATTACK!!!!!

100% AGREE!!

[Falcon Fanatic]

Video of the IU AD introducing Curt and then the Q/A with Curt:

http://www.vigilantsports.com/2012/03/2 ... all-coach/

Good Luck, Coach! Thanks for all you did for BG!! You will be missed!!

[gmartin]

I wonder if Dustin will be transfering to IU. Not sure if he would be able to sit out a whole year.


Congrats coach Miller. This just gives me a new reason to start following IU basketball. Not too far of a drive from Indy

[threestooges]

I also wonder if watching his mentor Bob Lindsay be shown the door at Kent State recently played any part in Curt's decision here? Maybe he decided that no matter how much success you've had it can be fleeting. Might as well take advantage of opportunities while you have them because there are no garantees.

FWIW, I doubt that Lindsay's situation affected Curt at all...if anything, it was the continuous "ONE BID" situation that the MAC women had to put up with, despite the fact that there were several teams again this year who "COULD HAVE" gone to the NCAA's.... If he has anywhere NEAR his "usual" record at IU, you'd better believe the Hoosiers will be in the big dance, no matter where they finish in the league....or tournament.

I believe the Lindsay situation DID have an impact on Curt's decision. A decade ago, Lindsay was one of the MAC's top coaches, winning or coming close to winning the league each year. He could've had other jobs, but chose to be a 'lifer' at Kent State. Then, the team struggled for a few years, a new AD came in, and Lindsay was shown the door. Mark Ehlen is a similar situation in that he was on top of the MAC world for a while, but didn't get to leave Toledo on his own terms. I have to believe Curt thought about these types of things when making his decision(s), not just this year but in years past when other schools came calling.

[Warthog]

Maybe I am just nitpicking, but two headlines stood out to me. WTOL's website's headline said something about BGSU's girls coach leaving. I think it is ok to refer to people in high school as girls, but once they are in college it should be women. And then this morning's Blade has a small teaser on the front page that says "BGSU coach quits". While Coach Miller is leaving, I think it would be better to say he resigned or left for Indiana. I wouldn't say he quit, that sounds wrong.

Nonetheless, good luck to Coach Miller at IU.