There is question he is playing it up. Keeps his face in the news. Free marketing for his next school.
OK
Dan was not fired, he was non-renewed. While the impact is basically the same, he is still employed by the University at this time.
I think it is on how you want to look at it. He was fired last Monday so he is no longer officially employed. But until the team loses he is still coaching. He will also get another 15000 for being in the NCAA tournament. I see it both ways Yes and no. Not a lie but stretching it a little or a lot.
Overall he's been a class act but not loving this kind of talking point he's repeating about working for free.
The media's job is to sensationalize but he's going with it a bit much.
GO BEACH
Why this March Madness coach is ‘working for free.’ Plus the highest-paid coaches in the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Very misleading, untrue. You weren't fired, your contract isn't being renewed. You are being paid everything that is owed to you. You aren't working for free right now. What the heck is this guy's problem? For years he's soaked LBSU with little return and diminishing interest in the program. Now this. Its sounds calculated.
Saw this on Marketwatch, feels to me like Dan is playing this up for all its worth, garnering sympathy and earning free marketing for himself. Is this 'stretching the truth' or an outright lie? What do you all think?
"Long Beach State men’s basketball coach Dan Monson was fired on March 11 by the University after 17 seasons, but was allowed to coach the team’s remaining games in the Big West tournament. But after several upsets, Long Beach won the conference tournament, and was granted an automatic bid into the NCAA March Madness tournament.
So he’ll now coach in the tournament without getting paid.
“I couldn’t care less that I don’t have a job,” Monson told The Athletic. “I’m working for free. There’s nothing I’d rather do than coach in the NCAA Tournament. I bet if you asked every coach if he’d coach for free just to play in the tourney, they’d all say the same thing.”
Technically speaking, Monson, 62, isn’t working for free. Despite not having a job next year, Monson has already been paid for his work this season, and earned a $20,000 bonus for winning his conference, according to Sportico. He earned a base salary of $283,560 this season, and is eligible to earn an additional bonus (up to $250,000) depending on how many wins his team gets in the tournament.
Speaking of his salary this season, he earned quite a bit less than coaches at the powerhouse basketball schools."