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Houston Issues Release on Michael Young Contract and Lawsuit

The University of Houston issued a press release clarifying details of the Michael Young contract, lawsuit, and his son Joseph's transfer and waiver request. For our purposes, there are two key facts in the waiver.

First is that Michael Young's contract (the new one) was terminated on June 17, 2013, although he will be paid under the contract through July 17. That should clear the path for the waiver request by Oregon. Young is well and truly separated from the university. That means his lawsuit would be about him and Houston is it continues, and will have little or no impact on Joseph's waiver.

Second, Houston says the contract was reviewed by the compliance office and general counsel's office to make sure it complied with NCAA regulations and applicable laws. Further, Houston asserts that the position was not a "no-show" job.

I would still disagree with that interpretation on the same basis as before. Real jobs as just as prohibited by Bylaw 11.4.2 as fake jobs. A reassignment is different than a promotion, raise, extension, or renegotiation of a contract. Everyone agrees that this is a "new contract". And the grandfather clause says "contracts signed" before Bylaw 11.4.2 was proposed can be honored, not "employment started" before that date.

But I might not be disagreeing with Houston, I might be disagreeing with the NCAA. Houston possibly, maybe even likely, got an interpretation from the NCAA, Conference USA, or both. In which case it doesn't matter how I read the bylaw, I'm wrong and they are correct.


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