Connecticut governor Jodi Rell is the latest person to weigh in on the Jim Calhoun salary controversy, and the governor said Tuesday that she found Calhoun's response to a question about his status as the state's highest-paid employee "embarrassing."
Said Rell of Calhoun's answer to a question about his salary, "I think if Coach Calhoun had the opportunity right now, he would welcome a do-over and not have that embarrassing display."
Rell, whose salary is $150,000, wouldn't directly answer whether she believes Calhoun should take a pay cut. Calhoun declined to answer when the Hartford Courant asked him about the governor's comments.
Calhoun was asked at a weekend press conference about getting the biggest paycheck in a state that is currently running a deficit, and before the questioner could even finish asking, he interrupted with "not a dime back." He then lectured the questioner about the revenue that his team generates, and told the questioner to shut up.
Although the questioner (a political activist who got to the press conference with a photo pass) didn't conduct himself in a very professional manner, the underlying question is a legitimate one, and Calhoun is wrong to suggest that his own salary is above being questioned. Rell is right to call his response embarrassing.
Connecticut Governor Calls Jim Calhoun Salary Tirade 'Embarrassing' originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.