Just now on VQ
Legitimate Gruden Info, w/ Sources Reply
For starters, because I know many of you will look at my history, look up the name bustedplaycom. I was a member for a little over three years, cancelled my membership, and have since come back (just a few months now). I've never once claimed to have any "inside information" or even a clue of what's going on within UT or any of its coaching searches. Having said that, I have a friend out in Los Angeles (who graduated from UT with me) that works for Landmark Sports Agency, and used to work at PSR, where Bob Lamonte is President and Founder. I've been nagging him for the last 5-7 days for any info, but he hasn't had any. Today he called me, and this is what he had to say:
UT has done everything on its end to try and make Gruden their next coach. He doesn't know the exact details, but he said (from what he's heard) that UT has reached out to Gruden and has offered him an 8 year, $58m deal.They offered him $4.2m for a staff, and he came back wanting more; they counted with $4.9m for a staff, and this number, according to him, is still a bit of an issue, and is yet to be resolved.
Gruden is very worried about NCAA rules, recruiting, and violations -- that sounds like a very little thing on the surface, but it's apparently one of the major things that's keeping him from pulling the trigger to coach college ball. In the NFL, all the guy has to do is worry about a draft (which is mostly up to the GM); in the NCAA, he has to worry about what types of spreads can be given for bagels at a breakfast event.
Bob Lamonte, according to my friend, is addicted to getting his clients power -- he said if anyone questions this, please Google Mike Holmgren, Andy Reid, Mike Sherman, and our very own Jon Gruden.
Jon Gruden's wife is HUGE in this -- supposedly, and I quote, "she's much more of a driving force than you'd ever imagine in making a decision that decides the next 8 years of their life." I will tell you my friend was a bit of a drama queen at UT -- I lived w/ the guy, and he has a knack for dramatics -- but he said this deal wouldn't even be close without her.
There is an ownership at stake for this with the Cleveland Browns. I don't know the numbers, and I actually mocked the OP who put this out there, but it's time for me to apologize for that. I thought it was completely absurd, but from what he's told me, it's 100% legitimate. He suspects it's a very small number, but any ownership stake in an NFL team to coach a college team would certainly be a first.
On the cancellation: My friend has no inside scoop on that. I asked him to text me if he heard anything, but at the time we spoke (a little over two hours ago), he didn't have any information.
His overall thoughts: He, unlike myself, doesn't think the deal is dead in the water. He said what separates the two sides is a few million dollars (over the course of 8 years, not PER year) and a legitimate control issue over football operations (per him, Gruden wants ALL power when it comes to football decisions, as far as who's brought on, who's fired, etc., and there's a different side of opinions between the two parties). The money for Gruden is where he wants it, but there still seems to be a gap in the money he wants for assistants -- this is big to Gruden, being new to the college game, and he wants to make sure he has the best staff in place, from both a coordinating and recruiting standpoint.
That's what I know. You can call me a troll, much like I have everyone else. I didn't trust anyone because I have a friend in the industry who has very close connections, and he himself hadn't heard anything. I'm not claiming it's a done deal, not claiming there's any ink to dry, not saying it's dead, not saying it's close. Just telling you about a conversation I had with an old roommate.
If I hear anything else, I'll be sure to post.
11/28 8:27 PM | IP: Logged
