The Color Of Loyalty: Green

Bo Pelini

The Lincoln Journal Star first reports on Saturday morning that Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini has a new contract and he's making a heck of a lot more money.  Read the HuskerExtra story here.

To some Husker faithful the thought of a football coach making almost 3 million dollars his a hard pill to swallow.  But those are also the blue hairs who are living in the past when loyalty to job and to the University by coaches was the norm.  Today the only loyalty is to the color green, as in green money.

Even as a "new" member of the Big 10 Conference, Nebraska is one of the premiere programs and Bo Pelini needs to be compensated as much.

Athletic Director Tom Osborne knows this and I'm sure he knew it was time to open his wallet when Pelini was "allegedly" flirting with the University of Miami.  The Husker fans will hold Pelini accountable for the money he makes.  They expect championships, not just conference championships but national championships.  It's simple ROI, return on investment and when you add up what the Nebraska Athletic Department has spent  or is spending it's clear what is expected and it should be.

Kirk Ferentz

The is unlike the situation in Iowa City.  Kirk Ferentz makes almost 4 million dollars a year and Iowa fans seem to be content on a Big 10 championship every 4 years or so and talk a winning a national title is never taken seriously.  Ferentz is a great coach but his loyalty is to Iowa but the money Iowa is paying him to stay.

Coaches love to coach.  They don't care where they are doing it all they want is to be paid what they think they are worth (which is usually more that reality) and have the facilities to win a national championship.  I believe Pelini will stay at Nebraska as long has he continues to make the money that warrants a program that is considered one of the best in the Country.

In today's world of keeping of with the Texas' and the Ohio State's of the world, an the hardest part of an Athletic Directors job is not finding and hiring a coach, it's finding enough money to keep him.

Read All Of Bo's Contract Here