Pelini's pay

[np_husker]

Steven M. Sipple: Pelini's pay trails contemporaries

 

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s probably unwise to suggest how to spend other people’s money.

 

So I’ll tread lightly here.

 

In the wake of recent head coaching hires at Iowa State and Kansas State, Nebraska’s Bo Pelini now ranks 11th among Big 12 head coaches in annual pay, at $1.1 million.

 

Is Pelini’s salary commensurate with the pressure he faces at dear old NU? Definitely not.

 

Is Pelini the 11th-best head coach in the Big 12? Early indications suggest he’s much better than 11th. But only time will tell.

 

Are major college football coaches generally overpaid? Not if the market determines otherwise.

 

The subject of Pelini’s pay is interesting because he happens to work at a school that’s managed to avoid paying excessive sums of money to head football coaches, at least compared with some other traditional powerhouse programs. I should note right away here Pelini negotiated his contract with NU — without help of an agent — and seemed OK with the deal (though he has told me in past interviews he would like to see his assistants’ salaries increased; more on that in a minute).

 

My guess is, the subject of Pelini’s pay will continue to arise in coming years in large part because of the lasting impression he made in the Southeastern Conference. Of course, Pelini’s name arising in any league is contingent on Nebraska continuing to be successful, which at the moment seems very likely.

 

The numbers talk. The SEC has nine head coaches making at least $1.8 million per season (compensation includes base salary plus income from such things as camps, TV, radio and equipment contracts). The Big 12 unofficially has nine head coaches making at least $1.75 million.

 

Is Gene Chizik a more qualified head coach than Pelini? Their resumes are comparable. But Chizik just signed on at Auburn for $2 million per year.

 

Les Miles reportedly makes $3.75 million per year at Louisiana State, a salary perhaps befitting of a head coach who led his team to the 2007 BCS national championship. However, the Tigers are 7-5 this season and finished 3-5 in the SEC. Their defense went from 17th nationally in points allowed in 2007 to 65th this season. Their turnover-margin ranking went from second to 78th.

 

What if LSU struggles again next season? Would Miles be relegated to the hot seat? Not to the reasonable. But how long before Bayou Bengal fans start clamoring for Pelini?

 

Well, LSU might have one good bargaining chip in regard to Pelini: Bo still hasn’t sold his house in Baton Rouge, La.

 

Relax, Husker fans, he’s trying to sell.

 

If a school such as Louisiana State does come calling, two cultures would collide — a big-money-paying SEC school versus a school in Nebraska that, in terms of paying head football coaches, reminds me of the old corner gas stations that used to wash your windows and pump your gas. That was before the world evolved to fancy quick stops with continually rotating hot-dog cookers and fancy coffee machines.

 

What’s it all mean? It probably just means Pelini and Tom Osborne will sit down sometime after the Gator Bowl and hash out some sort of contract extension that boosts Pelini’s salary, and perhaps those of his assistants. As of July, the total of Husker assistants’ salaries ranked sixth in the Big 12 behind Texas, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Missouri, in that order.

 

Nebraska is expected by a large share of its fans to compete at a level that matches or exceeds those teams. I think we all agree that pressure to win at NU matches or exceeds those schools. Should Husker coaches expect to be paid at a level that’s commensurate with such pressure?

 

My answer: When money is the subject — especially other people’s money — tread lightly.

 

All I can say for sure is that Pelini’s Big 12 ranking in terms of head coaches’ salaries — 11th, really? — doesn’t feel right to me. Something feels wrong in my stomach as I think about it.

 

Or maybe it’s just the beef brisket I devoured on Christmas Eve.

 

http://huskerextra.com/articles/2008/12/28...ac600849459.txt

[Vince from ShamWOW]

I don't care what he makes and neither should anybody else except him and his wife.

 

There. We're done here.

[HuskerExpat]

I don't care what he makes and neither should anybody else except him and his wife.

 

There. We're done here.

 

I couldn't disagree more. I think Bo wants Nebraska to be his last stop, but we can't assume he is going to ignore offers that would pay him two or three times his current salary. And if he has a few good years, and doesn't get a pay raise, then the vultures will come. This is not the Tom Osborne era of head coach pay. Pelini does not have the Nebraska ties that Osborne did. If we want to return to the top, we have to pay a top salary as well. A sad but true fact of the modern college football era.

[Army Husker]

Haven't we already discussed the fact that this was Pelini's first year and that his pay will probably change based on his success, etc?

[Vince from ShamWOW]

Haven't we already discussed the fact that this was Pelini's first year and that his pay will probably change based on his success, etc?

 

 

Yes.....WE HAVE!!!

[clone]

time for this guy...

 

 

 

 

BEAT THE KITTIES!!

[Vince from ShamWOW]

time for this guy...

 

 

 

 

BEAT THE KITTIES!!

 

 

Where's Mongo?

[BuzzardBilly]

This is the same topic I posted a few days ago and got villified for it. Then again, I have noticed that most posts on this forum either get roasted or moved. It's unlike any forum I've seen.

[Hunter94]

I don't care what he makes and neither should anybody else except him and his wife.

 

There. We're done here.

 

 

agree and we need to see 3 seasons of performance to know his capability........done, again!

[huskerswrkhavoc]

This is the same topic I posted a few days ago and got villified for it. Then again, I have noticed that most posts on this forum either get roasted or moved. It's unlike any forum I've seen.

 

 

they've gotten moved because they are unrelated to the Husker Football topic, or, are better related to other boards we have here. The mod's know how to do their job, don't drill them for that. This was an article in the Journal Star, and it's STILL getting roasted. Don't act like you did and it's not. A lot of people don't care to waste their time posting things twice. If you seriously think this is unlike any forum you've ever seen in a bad way, you haven't been on sports forums for very long, or at all. Because the connotation of you're post is insinuating that this is a bad board. If you feel that way, go find a better one, have fun trying. The pay issue is an opinion, and opinion that many people feel you need to earn you're pay. You don't walk into any other job and start making the same amount of money someone with proven success in that job makes and it should be expected to be the same in football. Rhoades @ ISU is making more than Bo, and i agree that he shouldn't be, but maybe that's what they had to do to get him, but on the flip side, coming into this year Bo didn't deserve to make as much as Hawkins is making, and he's making the same amount. With continued success Bo will get the money he deserves and I'm sure he understands that.

[Vince from ShamWOW]

Sipple is just reporting on this today yet the OWH reported on this last week? Way to stay current Steve.

[BuzzardBilly]

This is the same topic I posted a few days ago and got villified for it. Then again, I have noticed that most posts on this forum either get roasted or moved. It's unlike any forum I've seen.

 

 

they've gotten moved because they are unrelated to the Husker Football topic, or, are better related to other boards we have here. The mod's know how to do their job, don't drill them for that. This was an article in the Journal Star, and it's STILL getting roasted. Don't act like you did and it's not. A lot of people don't care to waste their time posting things twice. If you seriously think this is unlike any forum you've ever seen in a bad way, you haven't been on sports forums for very long, or at all. Because the connotation of you're post is insinuating that this is a bad board. If you feel that way, go find a better one, have fun trying. The pay issue is an opinion, and opinion that many people feel you need to earn you're pay. You don't walk into any other job and start making the same amount of money someone with proven success in that job makes and it should be expected to be the same in football. Rhoades @ ISU is making more than Bo, and i agree that he shouldn't be, but maybe that's what they had to do to get him, but on the flip side, coming into this year Bo didn't deserve to make as much as Hawkins is making, and he's making the same amount. With continued success Bo will get the money he deserves and I'm sure he understands that.

 

Well esssssssssckewwwwwwwws me!!!!

[huskerswrkhavoc]

This is the same topic I posted a few days ago and got villified for it. Then again, I have noticed that most posts on this forum either get roasted or moved. It's unlike any forum I've seen.

 

 

they've gotten moved because they are unrelated to the Husker Football topic, or, are better related to other boards we have here. The mod's know how to do their job, don't drill them for that. This was an article in the Journal Star, and it's STILL getting roasted. Don't act like you did and it's not. A lot of people don't care to waste their time posting things twice. If you seriously think this is unlike any forum you've ever seen in a bad way, you haven't been on sports forums for very long, or at all. Because the connotation of you're post is insinuating that this is a bad board. If you feel that way, go find a better one, have fun trying. The pay issue is an opinion, and opinion that many people feel you need to earn you're pay. You don't walk into any other job and start making the same amount of money someone with proven success in that job makes and it should be expected to be the same in football. Rhoades @ ISU is making more than Bo, and i agree that he shouldn't be, but maybe that's what they had to do to get him, but on the flip side, coming into this year Bo didn't deserve to make as much as Hawkins is making, and he's making the same amount. With continued success Bo will get the money he deserves and I'm sure he understands that.

 

Well esssssssssckewwwwwwwws me!!!!

 

 

just don't get all butt hurt b/c you got ripped on for saying pelini would possibly jump ship for OSU because we didnt pay him enough. the premise of your post was different than this article in that aspect also...

 

plus, taking a shot at the way the board is run was unnecessary at best.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

[Captain K]

Sipple is just reporting on this today yet the OWH reported on this last week? Way to stay current Steve.

I believe it is an opinion piece. Opinions don't have expiration dates. I'm also sure that it didn't take until last week for the OWH to figure out Bo is paid less than most other D-1 coaches.