PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Paul Lanham, who served as interim coach of the Arizona Outlaws prior to the hiring of Frank Kush, filed suit against the club Friday claiming breach of contract.
The suit was filed in Maricopa County Superior Court against Bill Tatham Sr. and Bill Jr., who own three-quarters of the franchise, claiming Lanham was first hired to coach the Outlaws, but the contract was breached when Kush was hired last month to direct the team.
The lawsuit seeks recovery of $80,000 in salary, not including lost benefits and bonuses, as punitive damages worth no less than $1 million.
Lanham was hired last season as offensive coordinator of the Arizona Wranglers under George Allen. When Allen resigned following the season, Lanham was offered the head coaching job by Wranglers owner Ted Diethrich.
The Wranglers merged with the Oklahoma Outlaws on Dec. 5, with the Tathams owning 75 percent and Diethrich the remaining 25 percent.
In the suit, Lanham claims he was offered the Outlaws head coaching job by the Tathams, which he accepted. The contract was for $80,000 in 1985 with bonuses depending on the team's performance. No agreement was reached for future years, he said.
Kush signed a five-year deal on Dec. 14 worth an estimated $1.25 million to coach the Outlaws. According to the suit, the Tathams offered Lanham the chance to return to the position of offensive coordinator, which he declined.
'Coach Lanham was hired by the Tathams for the 1985 season as head coach for the football team,' said Lanham's attorney, Van O'Steen. 'Our suit seeks to recover salary, benefits and bonuses agreed upon for that position, as well as other lost income opportunities that would have come from serving as head coach.
'These opportunities include contracts for television and radio programs and commercial endorsements featuring the head coach of the Valley's only professional football team.'
O'Steen said he will ask the Tathams to agree to submit the matter to an arbitrator, but would go through conventional litigation if necessary.
