Can we "Alford" it?

We spend money where we don't put our minds.  So it is more like putting our money where our asses are.  I recently watched a talk on education spending (not the one below, a different one).  I recently heard about the bonuses that Steve Alford is piling up as a basketball coach.  I also understand that education seems to be an important arena for Americans.  But is education really a priority, or is basketball the priority.  Steve Alford is a happy contributor to the University of New Mexico.  Does he promote education?  Is he worth his weight in bonuses.  Is paying our coaches the most effective strategy for improving education?

"... more than $625,000 in bonuses even after his base salary and other compensation package pays him more than $1 million ($324,200.04 in base salary, $600,000 in “other compensation” and $100,000 annually in deferred compensation paid into a retirement account)" - Grammer, G; Albuquerque Journal; Jan. 20, 2013 Alford's Bonuses

What would our education system look like if we had the same pay mechanism for teachers as we do for coach's.  What if we gave bonuses for small success that a typical hard working person would consider part of the job.  Steve gets a bonus for winning certain games, seems like this is what his core job objectives might expect.  Do we give bonuses to teachers for teaching in schools that are considered more challenging.  Steve gets a bonus for making sure his team is passing their classes.  Do we pay janitors bonuses for keeping the school reasonably clean.  These appear to be job objectives that might fall under meeting expectations versus going above and beyond.  By the way the man manages a game, not a cancer research team.  He makes a salary that most engineers don't even gross.  He has an opportunity to make more money than our school's president.

Is this unfair?  Depends who you ask.  Personally I think it is a propagation of the Jock vs Nerd paradox.  I think it demonstrates this country's shadow.  I think it reveals our stupidity.  Is Steve Alford the kind of man I would invest in.  From the information I have, I wouldn't go to war with him or for him.  Does he win?  Yes!  Is he effective? Sure, but at what expense and at what consequence.  Two huge unknowns.  Is  he humble?  Is he a man with integrity, patience, commitment, and modesty?  I don't think a man who was would find his coaching role a productive part of the University mission.  He would see himself for what he is, a manager of human resources.  What he is to me is an overpaid exploiter of athletes, in a system designed to ignore the human need to educate all members of society, not just the ones who can "Alford" it.

Is the only way for our students to be interested in our University is to see our school in the NCAA tournament.  Is the best form of marketing to pay one of Bobby Knight's psychological spin offs an insane amount of money.  Is education a priority for this country?  As I watch some of the NCAA tournament I can't help but be frustrated with the economy built around the student athlete. As I see and hear about more and more highly skilled employees being imported than exported I wonder if we as a society really value learning, education, and teaching.  From the looks of it we truly have a preference for coaching, strategy, and entertaining.  We might even be a society addicted to competition with a phobia of intellectualization.