Polamalu earns his huge salary

Making big money hasn’t changed the lifestyle or playing ability of Pittsburgh Steelers standout safety Troy Polamalu, a guy who has made the Pro Bowl all three seasons he’s been a starter.

You know, he’s the one who runs all over the playing field, creating havoc and making life hell on Earth for the opposing team.

He’s also the one who has the long black hair that sticks out from beneath his helmet which often times becomes the target of frustrated opponents.

In July, Polamalu became the highest paid Steeler ever when he signed a four-year contract extension of $30.19 million.

According to the Associated Press, Polamalu was scheduled to make $1,088,000 in salary and $1,722,000 in guaranteed bonuses this season for a total contract of $2,810,000 and a salary cap value of $1,632,000.

His extension kicks in next season and will pay him a guaranteed $15,375,000 during the 2008-11 seasons in guaranteed money and roster bonuses which are automatically paid as long as he’s on the team. Polamalu is one of the NFL’s top-paid defensive backs.

Defensive cog

The fleet-footed, versatile safety earns every penny he’s paid. He’s an instrumental cog in the Steelers’ outstanding defensive game and a number of the Black and Gold’s defensive set-ups revolve around Polamalu.

One play, he’s crashing through to make a hit on the quarterback while on the next play he’s in the secondary making the stop on a running back.

And yet again on another play, he drops back to knock down a pass attempt. In other words, he’s all over the place.

And on top of everything, he plays like he’s really enjoying the game. He makes it a fun game and it shows. He’s one to keep your eyes on the entire game because where ever the ball is, that’s where you’ll find Troy.

Amber’s autograph

In the summer of 2006, our granddaughter, Amber, a senior in high school, was working at a summer gymnastics camp in the Hollywood, Fla., area.

Polamalu was in attendance at the camp and came to the building where he and a television crew were filming commercials for the United Way to be shown during Steelers games.

Amber appeared in one of the films along with other girls and Troy. She was fortunate enough to get his autograph and talk with him.

She was a Steeler fan before the incident and now she’s really sold on Pittsburgh. It was a part of her young life she will never forget.

Amber couldn’t wait to tell her grandparents of her chance-meeting saying, “He was such a nice man, very mannerly and polite.”

Amber is still on Cloud Nine. Her father, Greg, a Steeler die-hard his entire life, is still upset that he missed the time Polamalu was in town.