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Ohio Basketball Topic
Topic: Geno Ford forced to pay $1.2 million to KSU in breach of contract dispute
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SBH
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Posted: 7/16/2013 12:03 PM
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Just heard on radio.  That's a big ouch.




Kinggeorge4
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Posted: 7/16/2013 12:14 PM
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orangeandbrown ‏@orangeandbrown 13m

Geno Ford loss in lawsuit is shocking...if this becomes precedent, it will really change the coaching landscape. Also, Kent suing Bradley.

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GoCats105
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Posted: 7/16/2013 12:35 PM
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Is this final? I would assume he and his lawyers, along with Bradley, will file an appeal.
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Posted: 7/16/2013 1:03 PM
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Pataskala
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Posted: 7/16/2013 2:07 PM
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GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
Is this final? I would assume he and his lawyers, along with Bradley, will file an appeal.


It was a common pleas court decision, so it can be appealed.  They could also settle it; both sides may have a disincentive to spend time and money on an appeal.
A-townBound
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Posted: 7/16/2013 2:24 PM
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perimeterpost
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Posted: 7/16/2013 2:47 PM
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am I unsderstanding this right- He left after 1 year of a 5 year contract so he's being sued for the value of the 4 years remaining?

that certainly make as contract binding- you can't quit and we can't fire you. Not sure if an appeals court will uphold it though. His contract was extended with a bump from $200K/yr to $300Kyr, I could see asking for the extra $100K back but $1.2m seems excessive to me. I realize him leaving when he did was a dick move but coaches get cut all the time, it's not like there's job security or tenure in the profession. Ask Reggie Witherspoon.

interesting.
Ohio69
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Posted: 7/16/2013 3:58 PM
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This is so small time by Kent State.  Complete rubbish.
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Posted: 7/16/2013 4:51 PM
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I'm not so sure I blame Kent State for trying to recoup the money in this situation. But they look really stupid for the fact they drew up a lousy contract on their end. They essentially paid a guy to coach another team.
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Posted: 7/16/2013 4:55 PM
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I'm surprised Bradley didn't pick up the tab when they signed Geno.  Purdue apparently paid Kent $900,000 for the last three years of Hazell's contract.
Alan Swank
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Posted: 7/16/2013 4:57 PM
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Ohio69 wrote:expand_more
This is so small time by Kent State.  Complete rubbish.


Let's pretend this isn't Geno.  Why do you say rubbish considering this quote from the article:

The liquidated damages provision stated that if Ford resigned or terminated his employment with Kent State, the university would be entitled to liquidated damages totaling the balance of Ford's annual salary due for the remaining amount of his contract term.

Seems pretty cut and dried to me.  Also this is as much a  lawsuit persued by the state of Ohio as it is Kent State.
The Optimist
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Posted: 7/16/2013 5:39 PM
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So, will this $1.2 million roll into the underfunded Kent hoops program?
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Posted: 7/17/2013 2:00 AM
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Ohio69 wrote:expand_more
This is so small time by Kent State. 


$1.2 million is "small time"? Kent State was entitled to a buyout. Geno Ford (and Bradley) refused to pay the buyout Geno Ford (and/or Bradley) were legally obligated to pay. Geno signed the contract of his own free will. He was not under duress when he did so. He has to abide by it. The Ohio Attorney General thought enough of the case to comment publicly on it after summary judgment was issued. That's "small time"? Or are you upset a guy you like got stuck with it?

If we didn't go after a coach who left and refused to pay his large buyout, people here would be screaming bloody murder. And they should.
Last Edited: 7/17/2013 5:13:10 AM by JSF
Shawn Sellers
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Posted: 7/17/2013 6:38 AM
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JSF wrote:expand_more
This is so small time by Kent State. 


$1.2 million is "small time"? Kent State was entitled to a buyout. Geno Ford (and Bradley) refused to pay the buyout Geno Ford (and/or Bradley) were legally obligated to pay. Geno signed the contract of his own free will. He was not under duress when he did so. He has to abide by it. The Ohio Attorney General thought enough of the case to comment publicly on it after summary judgment was issued. That's "small time"? Or are you upset a guy you like got stuck with it?

If we didn't go after a coach who left and refused to pay his large buyout, people here would be screaming bloody murder. And they should.


I agree completely. If the roles were reversed, and Kent State fired Geno after 1 year of a 5 year contract and refused to pay, you better believe Geno would have sued for any unpaid stipulation of the contract.
UpSan Bobcat
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Posted: 7/17/2013 7:38 AM
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Right, it's usually universities paying out money to coaches for terminating contracts early, but it goes both ways.
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Posted: 7/17/2013 8:14 AM
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GoCats105 wrote:expand_more
But they look really stupid for the fact they drew up a lousy contract on their end. They essentially paid a guy to coach another team.


Appears to be a pretty solid contract if the court ruled in Kent State's favor. 
Ohio69
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Posted: 7/17/2013 8:33 AM
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I understand Geno knew what he was doing when he signed the contract.

Still small time.  Let the man go.
SBH
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Posted: 7/17/2013 8:37 AM
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This could lead to the airing of a lot of dirty laundry by Geno, who I understand faced a lot of internal struggles with Kent's new AD.  As we have seen, KSU did de-emphasize b-ball in favor of football for a period and Geno's budgets got whacked.  Plus, I've heard from Kent alums that the AD is right up there with Tom Boeh in terms of his interpersonal/management skills.  Guessing there will be a settlement for somewhere around half the amount owed, with half of that coming from Bradley.



MedinaCat
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Posted: 7/17/2013 8:58 AM
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The second lawsuit in which Kent is suing Bradley for contract interference is not being heard until Oct 7th.  Not certain they will settle as Ohio law is considered "employer friendly" when it comes to employment contracts.   
cc-cat
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Posted: 7/17/2013 12:12 PM
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Ohio69 wrote:expand_more
I understand Geno knew what he was doing when he signed the contract.

Still small time.  Let the man go.


So when Groce left, he and Illinois should have skipped out on the $200,000 buyout.
mf279801
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Posted: 7/17/2013 1:24 PM
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I'm confused...was there no buyout clause in Geno's contract, or did he/Bradley refuse to pay the existing buyout clause?
cc-cat
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Posted: 7/17/2013 2:41 PM
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Per the Athens News:

"Pursuant to the court order, according to the AG's news release, Ford will pay Kent State the $1.2 million in damages as calculated in the liquidated damages provision in his employment contract with Kent State. The liquidated damages provision stated that if Ford resigned or terminated his employment with Kent State, the university would be entitled to liquidated damages totaling the balance of Ford's annual salary due for the remaining amount of his contract term."
OhioStunter
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Posted: 7/17/2013 3:31 PM
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Something sounds fishy here. Ford is smarter than that. This looks like a potential dropped ball by Bradley and/or Ford's legal team. I dug a little deeper and found this Pluto article that provides a little more context: http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index.ssf/2011/05/kent_states_pursuit_of_buyout.html
Monroe Slavin
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Posted: 7/17/2013 4:23 PM
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Ohio69 wrote:expand_more
I understand Geno knew what he was doing when he signed the contract.

Still small time.  Let the man go.


What reasons do you have for your position?  I'm not 'calling you out.'  No animosity here; I'm just curious as to why you hold your view.
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Posted: 7/20/2013 10:03 AM
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Alan Swank wrote:expand_more
Also this is as much a  lawsuit persued by the state of Ohio as it is Kent State.


The state may have had little to do with it.  Since Kent is a state university, they can ask the AG's office to handle basic legal matters for them (contracts, property, etc.).  The AG can turn them down if it's outside their expertise (e.g., trademarks, libel/defamation) or if there would be a conflict (e.g., suing another state entity).  Also, filing the suit may have required a vote from the trustees.

Also remember that this was in Kent's county, so they likely had a home court advantage.   An appellate court may see things differently.
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