Tuesday, November 23, 2004
40 > 6.3
The lack of a buyout clause in Pete Gillen's $900,000 a year contract suggests to some that he is a safe bet for at least a couple more years at Virginia, if not for the entire life of his contract (2010-2011).But Seth Davis says bigger money is at stake.
You might think that a school would raise the requisite money before it built a huge arena, but that's not the case. The roof is due to go on the [John Paul Jones Arena, the $140 million, 15,000-seat facility scheduled to open for the 2006-07 season] within the next few months, but Virginia still needs to accrue another $40 million before the project can be completed. So you can imagine the pressure on Gillen not just to win, but to prove to the greater UVa community that he is building a foundation for consistent success.
Therefore, when you read articles about Gillen on the hot seat (here, here and here, for example), believe 'em.
