I was just reading an ESPN article about Michigan’s hiring of Rich Rodriguez, the current West Virginia coach as their new head football coach. I’m not that knowledgeable about college football beyond the SEC and the Arkansas Razorbacks and the main reason I was reading the article was because I didn’t recall where Rodriguez coached. Apparently the move will result in his salary going from about $2 million annually to $2.5 million. What caught my eye, however, was this quote by Steve Slaton, the Mountaineers’ star running back:
“I’m pretty sure the next guy will do a good job but Coach Rod was West Virginia,” Running back Steve Slaton said. “It’s a business. He has to think of his family first. He’ll have emotions. But I can’t be mad at him because he gave me a chance.”
I think this would be typical of an American response. But it sure begs a lot of questions.
What about “It’s a business” and thinking of family first correlates?
If Coach Rod was West Virginia, why would more money make a difference?
How does an extra $500,000 per year make a difference if one’s family is truly happy where they are?
Does anyone know that $2,000,000 annually puts an individual in the top .001% of the richest people in the world and equates to almost $1000 per hour on a 2080 hour work week (I understand college football coaches work more hours than that). In fact, it would make Rodriguez number 107,565 out of about 6 billion people in the world.
Is the only thing that matters about a job decision the amount of money one makes?