2011 Tax Returns show high salaries for Haden and Kiffin

In a world of coaches making big time money I am not really surprised that Lane Kiffin is reported making 2.6 million based on a report in USAToday.

Southern California athletic director Pat Haden received more than $2.2 million in compensation in the 2011 calendar year, according to the university's latest federal tax return. The total makes Haden the nation's highest paid AD.

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This is the first time that Haden's compensation has appeared on USC's tax return. Haden replaced Mike Garrett as AD in August 2010. Non-profit organizations must provide calendar-year reporting of their most highly compensated employees. So 2011 was Haden's first full calendar year on the job.

USC as a private school is free to pay what they want...that is not really surprising. We have heard all sorts of rumors of what Kiffin is making since he came on. Coaches tend to make the big bucks, though many will say Kiffin isn't worth half that amount.

Now, while it is surprising to some on the face of things, Haden's compensation does raise some eyebrows. It would not surprise me though if part of Haden's compensation was to fill in the gap when he stepped down from the USC board of trustees. Again, USC being private with all the money that has been coming in allows them to compensate their administrators as they see fit.

The only thing I guess we could complain about is that for that amount of money the athletic department still lags in the performance of the Women's Hoops program and USC's storied baseball program. Haden's Stanford-ization of the athletic department is noble but has frustrated many.

Haden's compensation will also frustrate many with Haden's comments about the NCAA and his early comments marginalizing the fanbase over USC's lack of action against the NCAA.

Those are some big numbers but it is not like USC can't afford it...I really am indifferent. The bigger question is USC getting its moneys worth?

The Jury is still out on that question.