Nearly one year has passed since the University of New Mexico announced that, then head coach, Richtie McKay would not return as head coach. Nearly one year has also passed since the University of New Mexico announced it had hired former Indiana basketball sensation and Iowa head coach Steve Alford to the same position McKay once held.
The hire, at the time, was met with mixed reviews. Some believed Alford was using the school as a means to catapult his name back into the lime light and perhaps chase a "big school" position while others believed that Alford would come to New Mexico and either bring a wealth of success the program had yet to experience, or further set the program back and possibly leave it behind in ruins (a la Dave Bliss).
But the constant in all of the reviews of the hiring of Coach Alford was his salary. Whether or not you liked the hire, the seven figure salary that came with it was nothing short of shocking.
Now one year later, irregardless of what happens from here on out in postseason play, many writers, critics and so called experts are eating their words.
(Critics that include the writer of this handy dandy blog entry by the way)
It's hard to say a basketball coach deserves to be paid 10-times more than a police officer or high school teacher, but given the market of sports and the notoriously high salaries for their coaches and professional athletes - the $1-million dollar a year salary for Steve Alford seems like a coup for the University of New Mexico. For the first time in years, fans and passive watchers in the state of New Mexico are once again interested in the basketball program. For the first time in years (12 to be exact) the Pit posted back to back sellouts and with the surprising success of the program this season, the arena should inch closer to its legacy of being one of the loudest venues in the country.
And to me, if that provides interest in the school by residents and non-residents in the state - the salary was worth it.
Even if it only lasts a few more weeks.
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Caveat: I am not much of a basketball fan. I have attended a few games in the Pit over the years, and it's really cool when the fans get in the game. But I would really like to see some ROI (return on investment) numbers on coach salaries. The money is so desperately need in other places; I just want to know it is bring revenue to the university, not just paying for basketball boosters' hopes of glory.
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