Tuesday, May 5, 1998

UH coaches to share
in NCAA payout

But it could be a while before
the restricted-earning coaches
see the money

By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

University of Hawaii assistant basketball coach Jeff Law isn't planning any major purchases or paying off large portions of accrued credit-card debt. Like many of the 1,900 coaches nationwide affected by yesterday's ruling that the NCAA must pay almost $67 million in damages for restricting coaches' salaries, he'll wait until his check is in the mail.

"I'm sure the NCAA will appeal this decision, but I wish they wouldn't," Law said yesterday. "They should just pay the money, admit to the mistake and move on. The problem is, the NCAA has too many cooks in the kitchen. No one person makes decisions.

"Restricting what a coach can make is a violation of this country's beliefs. I'm not sure how much my check will be once this is all said and done, but I spent three years as a restricted earnings coach. I did a little math and I could make as much as $50,000. But whether it's $10, $100, or $1,000, the decision was the right one. I'll take that $10 and buy me a meal at the L&L Drive-in. I'm not counting on anything until I have the check in my hand."

The NCAA, which had a chance to settle the case before it went to court more than four years ago, probably will appeal.

An appeal could take up to 18 months. The plaintiffs had asked for $30 million covering about 1,900 coaches. The NCAA said only 59 coaches had been economically damaged and were due $900,000.

The restricted earnings coach rule was adopted at the 1991 NCAA convention as a way to save money and create an entry-level coaching position. It specified that certain assistants in various sports at Division I schools could be paid no more than $12,000 during the academic year and $4,000 during the summer. That rule was dropped for the 1996-97 season.

The jury set damages for restricted earnings coaches in men's basketball at $11.2 million. Men's baseball coaches were awarded $1.6 million and the other group of coaches was awarded $9.5 million. Under antitrust law, all damages are tripled.

"We have several coaches affected by this ruling," UH associate athletic director Jim Donovan said. "Once this decision is final, it will probably affect how much money the NCAA distributes to its member institutions. We probably won't have to pay the checks ourselves, but I'm sure we'll be affected in some way."

In addition to Law, other UH coaches, who stand to make money on this ruling are current women's basketball assistant Serenda Valdez, former women's volleyball coaches Charlie Wade and Kerry Major, and former baseball assistant Ron Nomura. Valdez, Nomura and Major are eligible for two years' pay, and Wade is eligible for one.