Highest paid public servants in the US state by state

[Warrigal]

I'm staggered to learn that sports coaches are public servants, let alone the most highly paid public servants.

Can somebody please explain this to me?
Please tell me it is no so.

http://deadspin.com/infographic-is-your-states-highest-paid-employee-a-co-489635228

 

[rkunsaw]

Sad to say it is quite true. :notfair:

 

[Katybug]

Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

 

[That Guy]

I love sports. I like athletes. I don't like jocks. I hate coaches.

 

[JustBonee]

Have never thought of football/basketball coaches as public servants. ..it's about the order of things in the money trail in sports franchises.
Coaches are just a part of the structure of the entire multi-billion dollar sports industry...everyone needs the best coach! to keep the money/interest flowing to their program.

(Also, an aside, it's hard to tell professional teams from college teams anymore. .. as far as the trail of money goes.
They compare something like this ...
College presidents and chancellors have roles similar to NFL owners. .. their Athletic Directors resemble General Managers.
They make the key hires that keep interest high, and those dollars flowing in their sports programs.
As for season tickets, colleges frequently make buyers pay for the right to purchase their seats in the form of donations to booster clubs .. much like the personal-seat licenses in the NFL.)

The money, and where the public (taxpayers) are held hostage is over financing these mammoth stadiums ... stadiums must have a towering set of VIP suites, for entertaining rich and famous VIPs.. every NFL team needs the newest and bestest stadium they can squeeze out of the taxpayers. They demand, threaten this!
(In Houston, we are paying for two NFL stadiums right now.. Astrodome is still a liability after all these years-another story)

So in other words, the USA worships sports stars ... not so much political crazies.