Interesting article in USA Today about escalating coaching salaries and the way college basketball coaches frequently turn success in the NCAA Tournament into lucrative contract extensions and bonuses.

Which reminds us ...

Coach Ray Giacoletti had an opportunity to do the same thing after his first year with the Utes, when he guided them to a 29-6 record and a trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. But he actively decided against it, out of a sense of loyalty to athletic director Chris Hill, whom Giacoletti felt already had done a lot for him.

Looking back, that might have been a mistake.

Giacoletti probably could have had at least one year added to his original seven-year contract, and if nothing else increased the buyout he would be paid if he were fired - or forced to resign, as happened last week. Giacoletti will get $700,000, as it is, but having another year on the deal under its original terms would have boosted the buyout to $875,000. It might have been even higher, too, had Giacoletti extracted both a contract extension and a raise in his base salary.

Maybe next time.