I was initially disappointed when Rich Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan last year, then angry when details of how he left began to emerge.
But new coach Bill Stewart and a Fiesta Bowl rout of Oklahoma were a pretty good balm for what was ailing me—and now I’m only an interested observer in the ongoing soap opera involving Rodriguez and the Mountaineers.The short story is that Rodriguez owes WVU a $4 million buyout penalty...and he’s trying to weasel out of it. WVU is quite correctly suing him for it.
In the course of the legal discovery, it has been learned that a representative for Rodriguez contacted Michigan—not the other way around, as the coach implied—as early as Dec. 11, three days before Rodriguez met with Michigan officials to interview for the job and 10 days after the crushing upset loss to Pitt that kept WVU out of the BCS Championship Game.
This is only the most recent development that reflects poorly on Rodriguez and his tenure at WVU.
Last week, former WVU athletics fundraiser Larry Aschebrook, who was thrown under the bus by Rodriguez and henchman/offensive coordinator Calvin Magee on what appears to have been a bogus charge of racism, swore in an affidavit that Rodriguez essentially told him that he (Rodriguez) knew the racism charge to be fiction and was merely using Aschebrook to smear WVU. The coach also told Aschebrook that if he (Aschebrook) got fired by WVU, Rodriguez would get him a job at Michigan.
Nice and sleazy does it.And that's not all. In an ESPN video feature on WVU, quarterback Pat White said that life under Stewart is different from what it had been under Rodriguez, a notorious potty-mouth:
“There’s not as many curse words.”
Granted, some coaches cuss. You don’t play football if you don’t want to hear profanity. But White went on to make this more damning observation:
“You don’t feel so bad when you make a mistake. You’re able to to be coached instead of be embarrassed or whatever you want to call it.”
This is a key point. It means Rodriguez managed through fear, abuse, and intimidation. All good managers know you can only get so much out of an organization by keeping it tight and fearful.Case in point: In the biggest game of Rodriguez's career, his team played scared. When I think of Rodriguez’s coaching style, I think of the classic National Lampoon magazine cover that shows a dog with a gun held to its head. The headline reads, “Buy this magazine or we’ll kill this dog.”
WVU blew it against Pitt because of Capt. Bligh’s—I mean, Rodriguez’s—merciless rule. And what happened when a very talented team was loved and encouraged and allowed to play more loosely, without feeling like every unconverted third down would lead to the death of a loved one?
The Fiesta Bowl rout of Oklahoma.I’m no legal analyst, but I get the feeling Rodriguez is going to be cutting a pretty big check—and I'm guessing Michigan is already starting to feel buyer’s remorse.
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3 months ago
how do i add you where is a link i cant find the links to add article of people i like to be a fan f their blogs....
3 months ago
Frank,
There is so much damning evidence against Fraud. So why does ESPN still spin it like WVU fans are evil and disgruntled over the loss of the coach. Explain why none of that ifnnformation is gracing the headlines of sportscenter of cfb live.
You are a writer for a major publication in Washington DC. Can't you make calls to Connecticut and drop your knowledge of the story. I'm pretty sure that every time WVU is in the news, that the Pittsburg gazette writers are the first to call espn.
3 months ago
You people need to let it go. It's been over four months. You're only making yourselves look bad and reinforcing negative stereotypes about West Virginia and West Virginians. Worst of all, you're indirectly undermining your new coach. If Rodriguez really is this horrible person that your football program is better off without, then why do you feel the need to talk about him incessantly four months after he left? If Bill Stewart really is the "balm for what ails ya", then why don't you throw your full support behind him and forget his predecessor? I understand that the buyout dispute keeps his name in the headlines, but this article and others like it by WVU fans and media go beyond the buyout. The more you insist that you're better off without him, the less everyone believes you.
Rodriguez is gone. He's not coming back. Enough with the jilted girlfriend act. Let the lawyers deal with the divorce. Focus on the future of your program.
from 2 months ago
The reason why so many people are still upset is because of how he left. Let's say he left and agreed to pay the buyout and that was that. I'm sure some some fans would be hurt, but would have gotten over it by now (just like Beilin). Rich went public with a lot of lies in hopes of getting out of paying the money he owes. First was the fake crying about the death threats on ESPN and now the racism charges. He attacked the credibility of the state of WV, using national media outlets, during recruiting. Now that recruiting is over he want's to try and take the high road. We feel like we have to keep posting so the truth is heard. The national media is only covering half the story.
2 months ago
Frank,
Its over. To make matters worse you're stuck with what sounds like a very soft coach who won't demand each players best. You'll find out soon enough unfortunately.
2 months ago
Rich made this comment recently..."I'm trying to get out of the news," Rodriguez told reporters recently. "A lot of it has been things that haven't been pleasant. Let's just talk about the positive things and Michigan football. All that other drama is like National Enquirer-type stuff."
The fact is that Rodriguez and his compatriots have made all the really outrageous comments himself. It would appear that if Rich had wanted to take the high moral road, he missed the turn off before he even resigned.
Shame on Rodriguez for throwing out the slander that hurt his former school and players. Shame on the national press who repeated Riches lies without any effort to substantiate them. Shame on all those hypocritical arm chair pundits who shake a finger at WVU fans and call them names, when we all know they would be just as pissed off if they were in the same position. And shame on all those WVU fans who had the moral high ground, and have given it up by vulgar name calling, long after they should have collected their composure.
Thanks Frank for an informative article. Keep up the good work.
WVU - 89
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