by Fitzgerald Cecilio

University Park, PA

For doing a "tremendous job in the face of great adversity", Penn State has rewarded football head coach Bill O'Brien a $935,000 raise for this upcoming season, raising his annual income for this year to about $3.3 million.

"This rightly recognizes Bill's outstanding achievements in guiding our student-athletes on and off the field," Penn State Athletic Director David Joyner said.

O'Brien's salary of $3.3 million for the upcoming season will make him the third-highest-paid coach in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State's Urban Meyer and Iowa's Kirk Ferentz.

It was earlier reported that O'Brien would receive a raise for staying committed to Penn State despite offers from several NFL teams.

However, O'Brien denied this, saying he never asked Joyner for a raise.

"No one at Penn State has ever come to me and said that we're going to make a donation so you can get a raise. That's a bunch of malarkey. It's not true, it's never happened, and it will never happen," he said.

On his original contract, O'Brien was paid by Penn State a base salary of $950,000 per year, plus $1 million for TV and radio appearances and $350,000 for a Nike apparel deal, coming to a total of $2.3 million annually.

O'Brien's base salary was set to increase by five percent for each year of his contract. This new raise, however, makes his annual base salary rise by $935,279, in addition to that five percent.

This brings his base salary for this year will be $1,932,779. The apparel and TV/radio portions of his contract will stay the same, bringing his total salary for this upcoming year to $3,282,779.

NCAA reprimands, fines Kansas coach Bill Self

Lawrence, KS

The NCAA has reprimanded and fined Kansas coach Bill Self for his misconduct during the Jayhawks' Round of 32 game against North Carolina in the 2013 NCAA tournament.

During that game, Self smashed his hand against the scorers table in frustration, damaging the LED lights. Kansas won that March 24 game, 70-58.

"Coach Self's actions were out of line with the committee's expectations that championship participants act in a manner that represents the highest standards of sportsmanship," said Ron Wellman, Wake Forest athletic director and the new chair of the NCAA tournament selection committee.

According to the NCAA, misconduct 'is any act of dishonesty, unsportsmanlike conduct, unprofessional behavior or breach of law, occurring from the time the championship field is announced through the end of the championship that discredits the event or intercollegiate athletics'.

The NCAA press statement did not mention the amount slapped on Fine.

The committee also reprimanded Marshall Henderson of Ole Miss for his "inappropriate gesture toward the crowd following Mississippi's third round contest against La Salle."

"A point of emphasis with the committee over the last several years continues to be ensuring that championship participants act in a manner that represents the highest standards of sportsmanship," Wellman said. "Mr. Henderson's actions failed in this regard."

The NCAA also reprimanded Wichita State senior associate athletics director Darron Boatright, who confronted Staples Center security before the Shockers' Sweet 16 game against La Salle.

 

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"Penn State Gives football coach Bill O'Brien $935K salary increase"