Tech's Knight: Staiger is "selfish"

[cyismydog]

I have a very close friend whose son was a stud at U of Wisconisin ( kicked Iowa's a** every year). He has been playing in Spain the past four years. Makes $135,000 per season plus seaside villa, car, food etc. I am guessing Lucca will get similar perks burt @ the $80,ooo level. My friend's son was 6'8" and played a 2 to 3 position and won the Big 10 twice. Lucca is a drop dead three shooter and nothing else.

I would guess Wilkinson, but he doesn't play in Spain....

[EddieISU]

Hey Pat? How did you get your job as head coach of Texas Tech.....? Oh that's right, your daddy said he would come coach at Tech, as long as the keys were eventually turned over to his kid. You say selfish, huh?

[IcSyU]

Bingo. If you can excel in Euro competition, but not become average in the college game, you are not going to make loads of money playing basketball. He took what little he could get now instead of looking at a longer term plan.

Europe is a whole different style. He doesn't have to defend guys that can drive to the bucket. They can all shoot. He can shoot. He'll fit in just fine.

[Phaedrus]

I can't speak to housing costs, but most consumer goods in Germany are about the same price as they are here, and for everything that's more expensive there are other things that are cheaper. I'd guess $80-$90k will make him pretty comfortable over there, similar to what it would someone in Iowa assuming he's not in Berlin or Munich.

Regarding his parents coming over, most European countries, Germany included, have mandatory time off. It's discretionary as to when they use it, but it is required by law that they take a minimum of (I think) two weeks vacation in addition to whatever vacation is provided by the employer. FYI most Americans put in a European's work year by late October.

No, they're not. Consumer goods are at least 50% higher, across the board. Electronic goods are almost always a generation older, and at least twice as expensive. Trust me, I've lived there for awhile. Housing costs are phenomenally higher, and the taxes on housing are huge, plus they are unpredictable from year to year.

In Germany, taxes suck up about 50% of income, and all goods are taxed at 14% as well.

Yes higher taxes but they get free healthcare, free universities and other benefits. Fuel costs are high due to taxes as well, but you can get anywhere by bus and/or train.

Bus and train prices have risen to where they are getting pretty pricey. There are coupons to discount regular travel, but it is no longer the bargain it used to be. Plus it is heavily tax subsidized.

What does that have to do with anything? Is that somehow less money?

I don't buy the people downplaying a 90-120K salary at his age. His timing sucked, but he made the best decision for himself. He is injury prone and isn't getting any younger. He chose to capitalize.

It is a pet peeve when people say things like 120K in California is the same as 30K here... Really? I doubt you see a lot of $60K Civics and $10 Big Macs in Sacramento.

80-90k is a completely different range from 90-120k. Especially for a temporary job. Europe is really expensive, especially for those who cannot do the $ to EUR conversion. A $1 tube of toothpaste is not that same as a EUR 1 tube.

If he watched his pennies, he could live in the states for about $40k. Which is what a common laborer starts at in Germany, btw. So, he quit the team to get paid 2x what a dude with a shovel and no skills gets paid in Germany.

He's an idiot.