One thing I found interesting while looking over Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin’s contract today is that he is eligible for an extension.
The contract, signed in March 2010, lists specific criteria that can trigger the negotiation of a new contract. They include K-State advancing to the Sweet 16, earning a 1 or 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, finishing in a tie for third or better in the Big 12 regular season standings, winning the Big 12 Tournament or Martin winning Big 12 or National Coach of the Year honors before the conclusion of the 2011-12 season.
By finishing 10-6 in conference play this season, and tying with Texas A&M for third, Martin has met that criteria.
According to contract language, Martin and K-State athletic director John Currie are now supposed to, “agree to negotiate in good faith from April 1, 2012 to May 31, 2012 a modification, extension, or revised employment agreement.”
If they fail to reach an agreement during that negotiation period, the amount of Martin’s buyout, which is currently $1,000,000 shall immediately become $500,000.
With speculation flying from media and fans in both south Florida and Kansas that Miami will likely show interest in Martin to replace departed coach Frank Haith, Currie could choose to bump up the timetable listed in Martin’s contract and try to come up with a new deal now.
Martin spoke publicly about the speculation linking him to other jobs for the first time today on Tim Brando’s radio show. He told Brando he had yet to be contacted by other schools. Below is an excerpt from the interview:
Brando: Are you involved at all with any other jobs or is K-State where you are going to be for quite some time?
Martin: “No one’s called me, Tim. I’ve got a great job. I work with great people. I look at it like this: 10 years ago, as we speak, I was a Division I unemployed assistant basketball coach collecting no paychecks, having no idea how I was going to pay my rent or my son’s daycare bill.
“Ten years later, I’m at a great place. And if people want to throw my name out there, I look at that as a compliment and I look at that as being lucky and fortunate that I’m in a good place right now and that people out there respect what we’ve done here.
“But I haven’t talked to anybody. In this business, it’s hard to ever sit back and say, ‘Never say never,’ because then you get called a liar. I have a tough time lying. It’s not what I do. But I’m extremely happy. I’m not going to tell you there’s never going to be change, but I’m at peace with where I’m at right now.”
Brando: “You’re at a place that gives a damn, and I think that’s important to coaches. They work for people who really do care about their program … Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener, is it?”
Martin: “Listen, I’m not one to brag. I rarely speak about myself or opportunities I’ve had. I’m not at Kansas State right now because I haven’t had opportunities to make more money elsewhere. I’m at Kansas State right now because of what you’re talking about. We’ve got an incredible community. It’s a great university. I remember getting here with (Bob Huggins) five years ago and everyone saying, ‘Why are you guys going there? Why would you go there?’
“In my five years here, I continue to learn about the incredible history and tradition of this basketball program. It’s our mission to continue to build it and hopefully be able to get back to the level that it had once upon a time. We’ve gotten better. We’re going to continue to fight and try to get it closer to where it needs to be.”