Who wouldn't want to work for Gene? Once you're one of Gene's chosen one's you get long leashes, pay raises and contract extensions. Gene's handed out contract extensions to his two hires that were frankly unwarranted in both circumstances. In one case, after this past season, a substantial pay raise and extension was warranted, but prior, it was not warranted nor earned. In the other case, it wasn't warranted or earned at all.
I'm all for letting coaches like Susie throw their little tantrums and then showing them the door. To me that just walks hand-in-hand with oscar's meltdown. Coaches who believe that because at some point they had a level of success, they're entitled to a forever job. In the vast majority of circumstances that's not how it works in the real world, and that's not how it works at a lot of schools, particularly Power 5 schools.
Also, I'd tell any upset donors to get over it. That's part of the fear of change culture that permeates K-State athletics donordom/fandom. You keep a coach who has clearly slid, is mired in mediocrity because the thought of change is scary. So, you just let mediocre coaches hang out year after year, drawing substantial salaries, working in nice offices and facilities, with constant access to perks and swag while they accomplish little.