Doug Gottlieb, the famous sports radio personality for Fox Sports Radio, has been hired as the head men’s basketball coach for the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. However, Gottlieb will be working much more than Dolly Parton’s nine-to-five. He plans to continue his radio show alongside his coaching position, so long as it does not interfere, according to his contract.
Gottlieb’s unique contract with UW-Green Bay includes a six-page “conflict management plan.” The document states, “may not interfere with (his) duties as head basketball coach” and will not “result in institutional expenditures for travel.”
The contract also requires Gottlieb to get approval for “planned absences” from the school’s athletic director. The contract even makes provisions for the players and other coaching staff stating, “assistant coaches and players will be ‘notified to contact the (AD) if they perceive any additional conflict or are unable to obtain reasonable contact’ with the coach.”
Along with these unique contract provisions, Gottlieb also negotiated an agreement to have limited use of his coaching office for media appearances and radio work. It is a unique set up to be sure, but perhaps even more unique is that Gottlieb has never coached college basketball before.
“Do I know my coaching style? Yes. You can’t play defense just to play offense. I’m a five-out guy with a fascination for European Basketball. Offense is my specialty, so my lead assistant will be my defensive coordinator,” Gottlieb said in an interview on the Dan Patrick Show.
Prior to his popular radio show, Gottlieb, a Milwaukee native, played as a guard for Notre Dame and Oklahoma State. He then played in the United States Basketball League as well as international teams.
Gottlieb was originally on the shortlist for the UW-Green Bay coaching position last year but was beat out by Sundance “Sunny” Wicks. After one successful season, Wicks left to take the position at the University of Wyoming, and Gottlieb got the call from the AD.
“The job will be difficult because I’m following in the footsteps of a guy who did a great job winning 18 games last season,” Gottlieb said in the same Dan Patrick Show interview.
