Sid Hartman replay from 1983: Joe Salem exits University of Minnesota football

BleedGopher

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per 1983 Sid:

Editor’s note: On every remaining Sunday in 2020, the Star Tribune will republish a memorable Sid Hartman column from the archives. This is Sid’s column from the Oct. 26, 1983, edition of the Star Tribune after Gophers football coach Joe Salem had resigned.

Joe Salem called a meeting of his coaching staff for 6 p.m. Monday. But it was 6:20 when he walked into the coaches’ room. “It’s all over,” he said as he described his decision to resign as University of Minnesota football coach.

Salem’s decision came as no surprise to the assistant coaches, seven of whom joined the staff this year. Most of them have been looking for jobs the past month. Some already have landed posts.

Salem and athletic director Paul Giel had several meetings in recent weeks to talk about Salem’s future.

The crucial meeting was at 8:30 a.m. Monday. At that time, the decision was made for Salem to resign. They met again at 6 p.m. Monday to work out the final details of his contract settlement.

“I knew it might be over when the season started,” Salem said.

On Sunday, following the Northwestern loss, Salem told this writer: “I’m not going to be here next year.” He knew it was just a matter of time before the ax would fall. Giel thought it was best for Salem to resign. Salem agreed.

Giel has offered Salem a job as assistant athletic director. If the new coach agrees to work with Salem, this position would find Salem trying to get the big boys downtown to get involved in the football program, as they were during the Bernie Bierman days.

On Friday, Salem’s application will be discussed by a search committee selected to name the athletic director at Northern Arizona. But you wonder if Salem really wants to leave here.

“I would be an assistant to an assistant to an assistant at Minnesota,” he kidded. But this isn’t really true. He could be a very important figure in the Gopher athletic department, which needs somebody like Salem.

No athletic figure in this area has more character and charisma and is more popular than Joe Salem. He is loved by all. You never hear anybody say a word against him. There really wasn’t any fan pressure to replace him. He built up a following as a player and assistant coach under Murray Warmath. And all he did during his reign as Gopher football coach was to make more friends.


Go Gophers!!
 

This morning I was going to work in the garage and I thought I would bring a radio and listen to Sid. It like you think you want to tell something to your brother but remember he is dead.
 

This morning I was going to work in the garage and I thought I would bring a radio and listen to Sid. It like you think you want to tell something to your brother but remember he is dead.
I hate when that happens. I want to tell someone something but I remember they are gone. Its happening more frequently these days.

I spent 2 years at Northern Arizona. Beautiful place. Sounds like Smokey Joe would have been a nice fixture if the wins came along. But losing to Northwestern back then should get replacement talk moving. Either way it was before my time (not by much, but enough to not know enough).
 

ICYMI - did you see what Salem's salary was - as Head Coach of a B1G Football team?

$55,000. that's it. 55K. According to Sid, the top coaches in the conference were getting about 80K.

Lawdy, how times have changed.
 

ICYMI - did you see what Salem's salary was - as Head Coach of a B1G Football team?

$55,000. that's it. 55K. According to Sid, the top coaches in the conference were getting about 80K.

Lawdy, how times have changed.
I shook my head when I read that too. 100x increase in 40 yrs
 


I shook my head when I read that too. 100x increase in 40 yrs
You point still stands, but just for perspective adjusted for inflation Salem's salary would be roughly $143,788.55.
 




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