Bo Pelini Went Way Too Far with Vulgar, Anti-Nebraska Administration Rant

By now, you'd think former Nebraska coach Bo Pelini would have security guards frisk everyone in the same room as him for a recording device. Or he just doesn't care. It's probably the latter. 

Pelini was fired by athletic director Shawn Eichorst on Nov. 30 following a 9-3 season that, once again, fell short of higher expectations. But whereas Eichorst made the final decision, Pelini was intent on having the final say. 

The Omaha World-Herald obtained audio of a 30-minute rant by Pelini while he met with Huskers players on Dec. 2 at Lincoln North Star High School. Pelini has since been hired as the head coach at Youngstown State. 

"A guy like (Eichorst) who has no integrity, he doesn't even understand what a core value is," Pelini told his players on the audio tape. "And he hasn't understood it from the day he got here. I saw it when I first met with the guy."

That's one of the few quotes without an F-bomb. 

Pelini did what disgruntled employees across the country wish they could do everyday: mouth off about their boss—or former boss, as the case may be—in front of people who will listen.  

Interestingly, Pelini's rant wasn't a yelling match. Rather, the World-Herald describes Pelini as speaking "conversationally, seldom raising his voice." How Pelini spoke to his players hardly matters, though. What matters, as Tom Shatel of the World-Herald opines, is that Pelini dragged them into an ugly situation whether they wanted to be involved or not. 

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If Pelini felt he was at war with NU, why put the young men in the middle of it?

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Do any of those players really care about his relationship with his athletic director? How many of them care about the A.D. or chancellor? Not many.

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In a statement obtained by the Lincoln Journal Star, Nebraska noted the alleged comments as another reason to move on: 

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If these comments were, indeed, spoken by Mr. Pelini, we are extremely disappointed, but it only reaffirms the decision that he should no longer be a leader of young men at Nebraska. His habitual use of inappropriate language, and his personal and professional attacks on administrators, are antithetical to the values of our university. His behavior is consistent with a pattern of unprofessional, disrespectful behavior directed by Mr. Pelini toward the passionate fans of Nebraska, employees of the university and, most concerning, our student-athletes. This behavior is not tolerated at the University of Nebraska and, among many other concerns, played a role in his dismissal.

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This isn't the first time Pelini has been recorded going on a profanity-laced tirade. Last year, an audio recording surfaced of Pelini blasting Nebraska fans and media in 2011. However, that was a private moment of frustration recorded without Pelini's knowledge. This is different; Pelini knew exactly what he was doing even if he didn't know he was being recorded. Chances are, he's not about to apologize for it. 

There's something to be said about a coach who speaks his mind, loves his players and doesn't give a single damn about what others think of him. That's Pelini. He's a player's coach, that's well-documented. When he was fired last month, players past and present took to Twitter to vent their frustrations.

Former Huskers great Ndamukong Suh even said that Nebraska's problems started higher up than the head coach's office.

That may be true. Pelini may be right about Eichorst, and there are probably players who agree with him. That doesn't mean the rest of the players who may not have an opinion need to be put in a situation where they have to take sides. That's the unfair part. 

Furthermore, none of that changes the fact that Pelini and Eichorst could never successfully coexist. Venting about it certainly doesn't get Pelini his job back. If anything, it throws up a red flag for Pelini down the road if he ever wants to get hired by a major program again. 

Pelini isn't a victim, if for no other reason than that term is thrown around far too loosely. Was Pelini unjustly fired? There are arguments to be made on both sides, but they are meant for another conversation. 

Ultimately, though, Pelini was probably fired a year too late. The marriage was never going to last, so cutting ties, however awkward, was the right call. It's over. What's unfortunate is that the ill will toward one another has been drawn out as long as it has. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football.