UCLA hired Steve Alford away from New Mexico in April. Steve Alford was an enabler, advocate and apologist for Pierre Pierce, who was charged with felony sexual assault during Alford’s Iowa Hawkeyes days. Pierce pleaded down the charges and later served time in prison for a different crime (more on that, Alford’s role in it later)
UCLA’s basketball gave Alford a $10.4-million buyout clause worth four times his annual pay.
Alford’s contract, not public but released to The Los Angeles Times includes a signing bonus $850,000 bigger than what UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero originally claimed it would be.
The buyout is more than 10 times what it would have been had Alford stayed at New Mexico. Remember, he bailed on the Lobos less than two weeks after signing an extension. And his buyout at New Mexico was a mere pittance. At least compared to this monstrous contract at UCLA. The Bruins Athletic Director are putting all their chips in on Alford; making it nearly impossible to do to them what he did to NM.
Interesting. Where would he really go? Who would want him who’s bigger than UCLA?
From the L.A. Times:
Under the final contract terms, Alford will receive $2.6 million a year for seven years, or a total of $18.2 million.
If he quits before April 30, 2016, he must pay the school $10.4 million. That penalty drops each year after that, to $7.8 million, $5.2 million and finally $2.6 million in his final year, ending with the 2018-2019 season.
In addition to his annual pay and signing bonus, Alford is eligible for up to $450,000 a year in incentive and retention bonuses at UCLA, including $75,000 for winning the national championship, $20,000 for winning the Pac-12 Conference regular-season title and $150,000 to hold summer and holiday basketball camps.
There is one academic incentive, of $10,000, for achieving a team Academic Progress Rate score of above 925 — the threshold at which teams can be hit with sanctions by the NCAA. In other words, Alford will earn $10,000 a year if the team avoids academic penalties.
UCLA is providing Alford two BMWs, a country club membership and a discounted home loan and will cover the cost of his wife’s travel to out-of-town basketball events. Alford is required to use only apparel provided to UCLA, which currently has a contract with Adidas.
JEEZUS!!
All that money and luxurious perks for someone who’s never even had a deep NCAA Tournament run? Crazy! Looks like UCLA and Steve Alford are stuck with each other for a lonnnnnnnnnnnng tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime.
During his time leading the Iowa Hawkeyes, Alford (@UCLACoachAlford) was an advocate of a sexual assault recidivist. He was a very powerful enemy to a sexual assault victim.
Steve Alford went even further and tried to make himself, the Hawkeyes program, and his player who committed the act, Pierre Pierce the victim. Even though there was an actual victim in that situation- the young woman Pierre Pierce sexually assaulted.
If you search for Steve Alford on this topic/situation today, you’ll find that he has said nothing good recently about Pierre Pierce. He has distanced himself from Pierce like a PR pro’s pro. However, at the time he was in Iowa City, he was all about defending Pierce at all costs. CBS Chicago’s Dan Bernstein posted a MUST READ blog for all UCLA fans. It extensively details Alford’s role in the Pierce sexual assault case.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net. (“Quasi-endorsed” by Philadelphia Eagles Coach Chip Kelly) He’s also an author who contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
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