Message to Wyoming Legislators

[WYCowboy]

I don't think this topic is political, so I'll put it in the football forum. My comment has to do with what Wyoming is paying the coaching staffs at the University of Wyoming - the only 4 year university representing the entire state of Wyoming. The state of Wyoming is in a very good financial situation right now and the outlook for far into the future is very good. I certainly give kudos to the state for all the improvements to the facilities and the new additions. Here is what I am getting at. The coaching staffs at Wyoming are being paid far less than the average of the Mountain West Conference coaching staffs. How can we compete at bringing in top coaches when we cannot offer our coaching staffs the same level of pay as everyone else in our conference? I believe we have raised the level of pay for professors to a competetive level and that has really helped, so why haven't we gotten the coaches salaries up to the level where we can compete with other schools in our own conference? I can only guess our legislators don't feel it is important. I disagree completely. The UW athletic teams are a source of pride for the entire state - a bond that pulls this state together. I ask our legislators what do they think it does when we can have no pride in our athletic teams at the University of Wyoming that are representing the State of Wyoming?

 

[OneMoreBeer]

The state and the university did a wonderful job of raising, what was it, $32 million I believe, for facilities improvements. Why couldn't they do the same for establishing an endowment of about the same size to be used to supplement coaches salaries? Might take awhile, but have the state/university match private contributions until the fund has $40 million. Use the interest to supplement coaching salaries. Doesn't have to be limited to football and/or basketball salaries; the objective is to have a couple extra million available to help us be competitive with regard to pay.