Hard for me to believe anyone would curse at Tom Shatel from the Omaha World-Herald. My longtime pal is a great guy.

Obviously, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini doesn’t share the same opinion about the Omaha columnist. Shatel responded to Pelini’s 2011 rant that now has gone viral.

Shatel wrote:

I heard the audio. I read the comments. No apology is necessary. I’ve been cursed at by better coaches than Pelini. Worse coaches, too.

Over the years, I’ve found Bo good to work with one-on-one. Never dull. He’s yelled at me over the phone and 10 minutes later was baring his soul to me.

Shatel’s colleague, Lee Barfknecht, also weighed in.

Coaches and sportswriters have butted heads since the two professions met, and they will until the end of time. We don’t take it personally. Our skins are as thick as our heads.

But one fact must be addressed.

As the audio went public, some World-Herald readers expressed surprise that Pelini would swear so violently in his outburst. Sadly, it was no surprise to many media members in this state.

Multiple newspaper, radio and TV people have been on the receiving end of a Pelini cuss-bombing. My most recent one occurred when I got a call a couple of years ago while walking into Borsheims two days before Christmas. It was so loud and bitter, I had to step out.

Lee’s a great guy too. Pelini must be an angry man.