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Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Prince seeking more than $6M

By By Doug Tucker - Associated Press Sports Writer

Kansas State coach Ron Prince grins while addressing media members. The Wildcats coach spoke at Big 12 Media Days on Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo.

Photo by Nick Krug

Kansas State coach Ron Prince grins while addressing media members. The Wildcats coach spoke at Big 12 Media Days on Tuesday in Kansas City, Mo.

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Kansas City, Mo. — Accusing Kansas State of “wanton and malicious misconduct,” lawyers for former football coach Ron Prince asked for more than $6 million Monday and said it was the school, not Prince, who wanted a controversial contract to be confidential.

In their written response to a lawsuit filed against Prince by Kansas State, Prince’s attorneys also indicated that former Kansas State President Jon Wefald may have known about the agreement calling for Prince to be paid $3.2 million in deferred compensation between 2015-2020.

Prince is also seeking $3 million in punitive damages.

Kansas State filed suit in U.S. District Court in Topeka, in May seeking to void the agreement, claiming it was made in secret between Prince and former athletic director Bob Krause and without the knowledge of other university officers, including Wefald.

In documents filed Monday, Prince’s attorneys said the university agreed to guarantee a $1.2 million buyout and that the school’s Intercollegiate Athletic Council, headed by Krause, subsequently agreed to fund the $3.2 million in deferred compensation.

Prince, unpopular with players and fans, was fired last November with a 17-20 record, three months after signing a new five-year contract. He was replaced by former coach Bill Snyder.

Wefald, who retired in June, maintains that he knew nothing of the agreement with Prince and that he asked Krause to resign when he found out.

Athletic director John Currie declined to comment Monday. A call to Wefald’s home in Manhattan was not answered. Neither Krause nor Prince, now an assistant coach at Virginia, have spoken publicly about the deal.

In a statement Monday, Neil Cornrich, Prince’s lawyer, said Kansas State “insisted that the additional guarantee be contained in a separate, confidential memorandum.”

“Coach Prince did not request such confidentiality, nor did he care whether the agreement was public, but accommodated the university’s request,” Cornrich said.

In the response to Kansas State’s lawsuit, Prince’s attorneys said it was Krause who suggested the deferred compensation package and that he “held himself out as having the authority to represent the University and the IAC” in negotiations with Prince.

The filing said that a university lawyer “forwarded the proposed contract with the appropriate change in language directly to Mr. Krause, Mr. (Neil) Cornrich, as well as Jim Epps, Bob Cavello, Ron Prince and the President of Kansas State University, all of whom had actual or constructive knowledge that this was no longer the entire agreement between the parties.”

Epps and Cavello, both longtime Kansas State athletic department officials, have been placed on administrative leave.

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Comments

cwag (anonymous) says...

Nice hire, KSU!

August 11, 2009 at 7:17 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

imnotpaulpierce (anonymous) says...

Yes! This is awesome.

August 11, 2009 at 7:36 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

onlyoneUinKansas (anonymous) says...

Go get em Scary Smart!

August 11, 2009 at 8:35 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

mvjayhawk (anonymous) says...

the bungled hiring and management of Ron Prince will end up costing KSUck untold millions of dollars. and they are fighting it hard, because apparently, they don't have the money.

they sold their soul to the devil. and now they are having to pay the piper. this could very well affect them terribly, for years to come. and kitty cat fans, it is what it is. You truly got what you paid for.

August 11, 2009 at 9:21 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayhawkerjoel (anonymous) says...

Wow, I sure am glad KU never had any embarrassing incidents involving our AD, a high profile head coach, and the Chancellor of the University… oh wait…

Seriously, any Lew bashers out there should really consider the status of the KUAC now compared to 2003 or KSU right now. It has been a pretty good 6 years – just sayin’…

August 11, 2009 at 9:23 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

NebraskaJayhawk (anonymous) says...

Why are you people happy this is happening to K-State. Granted, they are our bitter rivals...but in sports alone. You are talking about fellow Kansans. Get a grip, people...

August 11, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

adamjhwkfan (anonymous) says...

Not only did Prince's lawyer state that it was K-State who wanted the "separate, confidential memorandum".. but he also said in another article I read that K-State has entered into multiple contracts like this, including one for Bill Snyder in his last tenure.

August 11, 2009 at 9:57 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jhwkswn (anonymous) says...

NebraskaJayhawk,

If the roles in this scenario were reversed, ksu would be LOVING every minute of it.

Years (and years) ago I was fine with ksu, heck, I'd even root for them occassionally. Then I learned of their complete disdain of everything KU. Now the feelings mutual - I just want them to fail in everything and fail hard.

And as a side bonus, as long as ksu football remains the bottom feeder it was destined to be, less competition for football recruits.

I see this as a win-win, really.

August 11, 2009 at 10:02 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

mvjayhawk (anonymous) says...

i remember Al Bohl telling 810 back in 2003 that other shoes would drop, when it came to his firing. haven't heard nary a peep.

that this is so public, is what is so funny. K-State, the little old land grant school that is so innocent....has bitten off way more than it could chew.

it has nothing to do with seeing them suffer. it has to do with mildcat fans always saying that KU is so corrupt.......we always cheat and on and on. now, the "shoes" are truly on the other feet.....tee he. so now we'll see how they spin this one. because it's in the courts....and i will bet you, that Prince will get his money...one way or the other.

August 11, 2009 at 11:08 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

esteshawk (anonymous) says...

Bashers-

NebraskaHawk is right: get a grip. You have to stoop to the level of KSU fans to justify your love for KU? Are we in kindergarten here? Instead of basking in the infernal glow of K-State's hell, maybe we should show a little sympathy.

It's not like KU doesn't have any skeletons in the closet. We lost some football games due to issues back in the 60's (which is why Mizzou claims they lead the football series), and we were the first, and to my knowledge, the only team not able to defend their hoops championship due to issues.

Maybe - just maybe - KSU fans think KU fans are a bunch of arrogant bastards is because of this kind of "haha" attitude. Don't get me wrong - I bleed crimson and blue, but please, so a little respect for the dead (KSU athletics).

August 11, 2009 at 11:53 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

truefan (anonymous) says...

I don't really know how I feel about this. I heard so much smack talk from my K-State friends about how great of a hire Ron Prince was and how he was going to restore their program in a couple of seasons and KU would go back to being last in the Big 12 in football. As far as that goes...I was right and I'm glad Prince proved me right. As far as him wanting to take money away from the students at K-State due to some shady dealings...well that all depends on who made the shady deals. If he is truly owed the money, then pay him, if he isn't then screw him like he screwed your program.

August 11, 2009 at 12:38 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

mvjayhawk (anonymous) says...

"It's not like KU doesn't have any skeletons in the closet. We lost some football games due to issues back in the 60's (which is why Mizzou claims they lead the football series), and we were the first, and to my knowledge, the only team not able to defend their hoops championship due to issues."

apples and oranges. and who's bashing anyway? it's a story that's embarrassing for the purples...and it keeps getting worse. it's bashing in and of itself.

nobody here in this forum has pointed out anything other than obvious facts, and a couple of digs. it's a blog, for cryin out loud! you people that bash the "bashers," need to lighten up.

yes, we can go back and dig up our recruiting issues, ad nauseum. and they've been well documented around here. but this is different. this is a contract issue for a football coach that has left the program. and they owe him millions of dollars, because the university was so desperate to compete with KU and in the Big 12, the athletic dept. promised their own head coach, more money than the school really wanted to pay. and now they're embroiled in court and fees, and depositions...and the whole lot.

i'll offer a solution to the K-staters: they need to pay. and do it as quickly as possible. swallow whatever pride they think they have...and be done with it. the quicker this is over, the better.

August 11, 2009 at 12:46 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

RckChalkJeff (anonymous) says...

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

August 11, 2009 at 1:21 p.m. ( | )

gardenjay (anonymous) says...

mvjayhawk, agreed it is just a blog.

KSU does have an ag program; hopefully they will come up with a way to support the end of sucking our aquifers dry. Just saying, KSU has a pivotal role in the state's health and well-being that is beyond this sports blog, so here's to hoping they are not managing other things the way the managed Prince ( I mentioned Prince to make it relevant here :)

August 11, 2009 at 1:27 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

carterpatterson (anonymous) says...

Coach Prince...I hope you get every penny!

August 11, 2009 at 1:34 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jhawkjdub (anonymous) says...

The past 3 seasons Ron Prince has been my second favorite D-1 coach besides Mangino. Go get your $6 Million! Then give us a great big gorilla stomp when you do!

August 11, 2009 at 5:38 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

fabio (anonymous) says...

Power Stomp! I'm gonna miss the Power Stomps, Power Towels, & Power Pants. Good luck Ron, get er done!

August 11, 2009 at 6:48 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

100 (anonymous) says...

With or without the secret money, why sign Coach Prince to a NEW 5 year contract 12 weeks before firing him?

August 11, 2009 at 7:57 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

HawkNut (anonymous) says...

Go Ron Go!

NebraskaJayhawk--Get a grip??? K-State and their fans could care less if KU fans are fellow Kansans. Why try and show class to those classless idiots. Those clowns handed out signs two years ago in Manhattan referring to KU academic fraud, let them feel a little pain themselves. Get all 6 million and some change Ron!

August 11, 2009 at 9:30 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

oregonjhawk (anonymous) says...

K-State fans wouldn't even consider KU fans to be "real" Kansans anyway. The perception west of Topeka is that KU draws 95% of it's student enrollment from the KC metro area (which, as we all know, isn't "really" Kansas). I say...milk 'em for everything they've got!!

August 12, 2009 at 1:26 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

100 (anonymous) says...

Like 'em or not, they're still part of the original Big6 & this story wreaks of something fishy, aside from the extra 3.2 million -- I still don't get it -- why sign Coach Prince to a new 5 year contract just weeks before firing him?

Does anyone understand how this happened -- it makes no sense.

August 12, 2009 at 1:48 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

njjayhawk (anonymous) says...

$6 million would buy several nice manure spreaders.

August 12, 2009 at 8:24 p.m. ( | suggest removal )