Look, I’m the kind of sports fan who doesn’t like to mix governmental or political elements into the sports world. Sports, for me, are a way to get away from the drama that the government or politics create.
But sometimes, it is relevant, even for me, to talk about governmental aspects as they relate to sports. In the case of former Kentucky Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart’s retirement, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is still not a fan of Barnhart’s new retirement deal.
Let’s go back to April,
one month after Barnhart announced he was stepping down as Director of Athletics. Beshear wasn’t a fan of Barnhart’s original retirement deal from UK President Eli Capilouto, called the Golden Parachute Deal. That deal included a made-up job as Executive in Residence of the UK Sports and Workforce Initiative.
When Beshear didn’t like the deal, Barnhart later decided to retire after June 30th without the deal.
Well, that didn’t solve everything.
Barnhart is now going to receive over $3 million in his post-athletic-director life. UK said the money will come from private funds, not the university’s budget.
Now, here’s what Beshear is saying as to why he is not a fan of Barnhart’s latest retirement deal, as Jon Hale of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports.
“(That’s) $3 million that could otherwise go to helping students, to better paying faculty, to doing research that could cure that next disease that’s afflicting one of our people,” Beshear said. “I don’t have anything against Mitch Barnhart. Met him, know him, but this is a lot of money. I know that there’s this argument that, oh, the president’s going to raise it, it’s not state funds.
“Well, that’s money the president isn’t raising for the University of Kentucky, for students, and the rest.”
I mean, I feel like Beshear has a solid point. This doesn’t exactly look much different from the original deal Barnhart got from Capilouto.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
