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Tuesday,
February 17, 2004 |
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Talks
under way to rework Patterson contract
Football
coach Gary Patterson could be rewarded for the job he
has done with a raise or contract extension, but no details
have been worked out, university officials said.
By John
Ashley Menzies
Assistant Sports Editor
The university wants to make sure Gary Patterson remains
in Horned Frog purple and white.
A new contract is one way of doing that.
Athletics director Eric Hyman said contract talks are
in the early stages of discussion and nothing was finalized
Monday.
“TCU wants to recognize excellence in all areas,”
Hyman said. “We want to do what’s right.”
Patterson declined to comment about any contract negotiations,
but acknowledged talks are ongoing.
Provost William Koehler said these things have a conversational
life of their own. Hyman said dialogue is all that is
going on right now.
“After the dialogue part, then we’ll get to
the contractual part,” he said.
Koehler said there is no time table and no one is rushing
or pushing to get anything done.
“Those conversations have been ongoing, and they’ve
been ongoing because neither the AD nor the chancellor
nor the coach are unusually anxious. There is no reason
to be anxious,” Koehler said.
Hyman said there are no outside pressures leading to the
renegotiations, but it’s merely a reward for the
outstanding job Patterson has done as football coach.
Koehler said Patterson has had other important things
on his mind. Patterson will be getting married Saturday
and officials will not engage in contract negotiations
until after recruiting, he said.
Koehler said they’ve allowed Patterson some room
to handle these other issues but there should be no problems.
“Everything will work out fine,” Koehler said.
Patterson is in the second year of a contract that pays
a reported $650,000 a year until 2006, according to an
article in Saturday’s Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Patterson
signed that extension after the 2002 season.
He led the Frogs to an 11-2 record last season, including
the team’s sixth straight bowl appearance. He has
amassed a 27-11 record since taking over for Dennis Franchione
in 2000. He also led the team to the 2002 Conference USA
title. |
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