Bo’s best bet: Keep cashing NU’s checks

Comedians can work blue. Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy made careers out of it.

Actors can work blue. “Scarface” and later “The Wolf of Wall Street” set unofficial records for certain words you’ll never see here.

Football coaches also can work blue, provided their teams win enough of the games they’re supposed to win.

That was the harsh lesson Bo Pelini — a passionate and, yes, volatile coach — took away from seven years at Nebraska.

Pelini was fired on Nov. 30 despite a 67-27 record. He met with his former players two days later. He left them with no doubt how he felt about Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst.

News of Pelini’s rant didn’t come out until Wednesday, when he was introduced as Youngstown State’s football coach. A few hours later, a transcript of Pelini’s parting shots went national and his former employers quickly condemned him.

A YSU source said the timing clearly was not a coincidence.

Audio of the rant was released Thursday, ensuring Bo’s temper would continue to be a hot topic.

YSU athletic director Ron Strollo said there was no indication the story was coming when he and Pelini met with Mahoning Valley media.

On Thursday, Strollo condemned the language attributed to his new coach.

“Coach Pelini’s remarks as reported are inappropriate and unfortunate,” Strollo said. “We have discussed the report with coach. We are confident that Coach will conduct himself accordingly moving forward. We will not be commenting any further on this issue.”

My best guess? Pelini has been advised to remain silent in the interest of keeping Nebraska on the hook for the remainder of the salary owed him. That figure is about $7.5 million, to be paid in increments of $150,000 per month for 51 months.

Multiple reports suggest that there was not a non-disparagement clause in Pelini’s contract, so it isn’t likely Nebraska has grounds to renege on the money it owes its former coach.

But better safe than sorry, right?

Nebraska vs. Pelini is already over. Bo won. Nebraska is paying him six figures a month for more than four years not to coach the Cornhuskers. Nebraska replaced him with Mike Riley, whose career arc suggests he’s more likely to become the Cornhuskers’ next Bill Callahan than their next Tom Osborne.

Everyone knows Pelini and Eichorst did not get along. Bo feels strongly — based on that infamous audio — that the Nebraka AD didn’t support him, his players or the program.

The best revenge for Pelini is to walk to his new mailbox once a month, grab that check and smile all the way to the bank.

Pelini also might follow the lead of former YSU President Jim Tressel, who made his name coaching here. A former Penguin who played during YSU’s Division I-AA championship era messaged me on Facebook on Thursday.

“Honestly, I heard JT cuss maybe five times [while I was at YSU],” he said. “When he did, you knew you were REALLY in trouble.”

Pelini said Wednesday he is now finally working for a president who understands football. Tressel knows a little about diplomacy, too. That can only help.

Write Vindicator Sports Editor Ed Puskas at epuskas@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @EdPuskas_Vindy.