The University of Miami is pursuing multiple options to fill their men's basketball coach vacancy, including, the latest, Harvard coach Tommy Amaker. The only person they haven't seemed to call is the must-buzzed about and perhaps best option: Kansas State coach Frank Martin. In his latest remarks to the media about the possibility, Martin seems actually kind of upset that Miami hasn't called him up yet.
Here's Martin talking to the AP about the situation:
"Everyone's reporting that my salary is $1.55 million (annually). Actually, my salary is $1.1 million," he said. "Now, I'm an old high school teacher who was making 32 grand when I moved to Boston, and I'm extremely grateful and thankful for the salary I make right now.Those don't sound like the words of the man who isn't interested in the job. Though Martin says in the same interview he'd be happy to stay at KState, sources close to him have said he'd "walk on coals" to coach in his hometown of Miami.
"If I stayed the length of the (five-year) contract and I collect every bonus on the contract, it will average out to $1.55. And you know what? There is a chance that the University of Miami never called because they think I make $1.5," he said. "There's a chance just because it was released at $1.55 the University of Miami said, 'We can't call him. Why waste our time? We can't pay him.'"
Perhaps though the issue isn't all about salary. Martin did find himself in the middle of a cheating scandal back when he used to coach high school ball in Miami. We wonder if image-obsessed UM officials might have that lingering in the back of their minds.
ESPN reports that Miami simply isn't interested in Martin. We can't believe though that there aren't at least some boosters and others within the school who aren't at least campaigning for Miami to give him a call. This is assuming though that UM boosters are aware the school has a basketball program.
In addition to the surprising new addition of Harvard's Amaker to the search, Miami is also said to be interested in Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Rob Jeter, Richmond's Chris Mooney, Murray State's Billy Kennedy, Alabama-Birmingham's Mike Davis, Auburn's Tony Barbee, Oklahoma's Jeff Capel and Arkansas' John Pelphrey (the later two recently fired from their schools).
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
