Carroll ‘humbled’ by payday

Quiz time: Who is the highest-paid coach at a private university in America? Is it Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski? Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis? Perhaps Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer?

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Pete Carroll, who has guided Southern California's football program to two national titles, made $4.4 million in total compensation, according to the Los Angeles Times. Not only is Carroll the country's highest-paid coach, he was the highest-paid private university employee in the United States during the 2006-07 fiscal year. Carroll made four times as much as his boss, USC president Steven B. Sample, who made $906,778, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

"I'm humbled by it," Carroll said of his position atop the national list.

The study was completed with information from reports that private colleges are required to file annually to the Internal Revenue Service. The 2006-07 fiscal year was the most recent for which complete data are available.

Carroll's hiring has paid off for USC in more than just football titles. The football program's success also has fueled athletic department revenue that has grown from $38.6 million in Carroll's first season at USC to more than $76 million in 2007-08. That includes donations and endowment income that has risen from $13.7 million in 2001-02 to $39 million.

"I just try to do my part," Carroll told the Times.

Krzyzewski makes about $1.2 million at Duke, Weis about $2 million at Notre Dame and VanDerveer about $300,000 at Stanford.

• EVERYONE INTO THE POOL ROOM -- New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi decided to give his players a break Monday, putting together a team trip for a pool tournament.

"If I was a young man that's going on this trip, I think it's something you don't see often," Yankees catcher Jorge Posada told The Associated Press. "You can hang out with the veterans. Being away from the field and being together, hopefully we start some relationships here. Nothing bad can come out of this."

Girardi previously discussed the idea with several veteran players, including Posada and team captain Derek Jeter. The rest of the squad was informed at a team meeting the manager called Monday.

"Everyone started laughing," Posada said. "We're going to have a little pool tournament and have fun. That's the main thing."

Normally the Yankees have an easy workout day right before the spring training opener, which is today against Toronto.

"It's important to have things like this," Girardi said. "It's a good idea. You want to bring the group together."

Mariano Rivera won the tournament. No word whether he would be drug tested.

• HOLD THAT HIKE -- "The Bears have decided not to raise ticket prices for next season because of an economy as weak as their pass rush," reported Steve Rosenbloom of ChicagoSports.com. "Team president Ted Phillips says the team will look for areas to cut, a process they began last season when they eliminated the wide receiver position."

COMPILED BY STEVE CARP LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL