{mosimage} Here I go again penning an article, but admitting a serious bias upfront. Understand going in I do not like Michigan's new head football coach Rich Rodriguez. I believe he is a square peg being fitted into a round hole. I have hesitated writing this article because specifically Nick M. does a wonderful job contributing to Deathrattle and he is a fan of the Blue as I am a fan of the Bucks. Bluntly stated, I don't want to piss Nick off, but shit, I'm going to write it anyhow. Not speaking for Nick, but I believe he along with many Michigan fans believed the program needed new blood-a change, and with Rodriguez Michigan sure got a change. I would not argue with Nick as to whether or not the program needed a change, but would argue the program did not need Rodriguez.

After the announcement you read and learn some things, some of which support RR. At the same time you can't get by or around the jumping ship at the darkest hour thing. Then you find out RR is contacting West Virginia recruits attempting to get them to come to Michigan before RR has even met with his team or with his employers to tell them he was slithering away. Now I am really offended by such a crass violation of aspects of what I consider to be good in sports. I can't imagine how it felt to be a West Virginia football player and find out, after I've spent 12 months a year sacrificing myself for my improvement and for the TEAM, that my coach finds it more important to speak to Terrelle Pryor than to me. Remember, at that exact time, I am at my lowest point as an athlete imaginable. As a Buckeye fan I have followed the recruitment of West Virginia native Josh Jenkins. Through the recruitment I understood the Rodriguez pitch for Jenkins to stay home and play for the home school. What balls it took for Rodriguez and his future Michigan staff to now try to convince Jenkins to go to Michigan. I mean really-what a set of gonads. For month after month one of your main sales pitches to Jenkins is "loyalty" and then..... Again, just amazing.

How about the fact that Coach Rodriguez just signed a contract to coach at West Virginia? I guess for me to believe contracts mean anything puts me in a minority, but can any of you argue to me that contracts should mean something not only to the employee, but the employer. There is a 4 million dollar clause in favor of West Virginia in the Rodriguez contract. Has he paid? Is he going to pay? Has West Virginia sued for the 4 million-yes. Lawyers have to love this stuff! Would I have had much of a problem with Les Miles or RR taking the Michigan job after their respective bowl games-no. Can't you picture RR coaching the bowl game and then thanking West Virginia for everything they have done for he and his family, thanking the players, explaining how it makes sense from a career standpoint to take the Michigan job, leaving West Virginia recruits alone(actually taking a public stance that committed recruits should honor their commitments), paying the buyout( or having Michigan alumni pay the buyout), and head off to Ann Arbor. I'm not saying this scenario is perfect, but it sure is better than what has transpired.

Have we seen all this soap opera has to offer? Not by a long shot. Now we see as published in the West Virginia Gazette and reprinted below accusations regarding document destruction by RR while on his way out the door to Ann Arbor. Who knows what it means or even if it happened, but it does have a certain odor about it similar to the odor surrounding much of the stuff described above.

West Virginia Gazette

Staff writer

MORGANTOWN - West Virginia officials are wondering if assistant coaches aren't all that Rich Rodriguez took with him to Michigan. They believe he may also have destroyed all or most of the paperwork files relating to every player on the current Mountaineer roster and virtually all of the activities conducted by the program over the past seven years.

Soon after returning to work after the Fiesta Bowl a little more than a week ago, the staff at the Puskar Center found that most of the files - including all of the player files - that had been stored in Rodriguez's private office were missing. In addition, all of the players' strength and conditioning files in the weight room were gone.

"It's unbelievable. Everything is gone, like it never existed,'' said a source within the athletic department, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "Good, bad or indifferent, we don't have a record of anything that has happened.''

According to the source, the files in Rodriguez's office that are now missing included everything from records regarding summer camps - financial and otherwise - to data on boosters, recruiting and most everything related to activities within the program during Rodriguez's seven years at WVU.

Most disturbing, though, is the absence of all of the players' personal files, which included, among other things, contact information, scholarship money awarded, class attendance records and records on personal conduct and community service, be it positive or negative.

"If a player spoke to a school or did public service, we don't have a record of it,'' said the source. "If he broke a rule or missed class, we don't have a record of that, either. We don't have anything. All the good things these kids have done over the years, there's nothing - not a picture of somebody speaking to a class, nothing. Why would somebody do that?''

West Virginia athletic director Ed Pastilong did not return a message seeking comment Monday night. Neither could Rodriguez be reached for comment.

The files went missing sometime between when Rodriguez resigned on Dec. 16 and the time the team and staff returned from the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3. It could have happened as early as the first days following Rodriguez's resignation because his old office was largely ignored by the support staff and the coaching staff between the time he left and Dec. 26, when the team and support staff all went to Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl.

According to multiple sources, several people in the Puskar Center reported seeing Rodriguez and at least one member of his inner circle, video coordinator Dusty Rutledge, in Rodriguez's private office shredding paperwork on Dec. 18. That's the day he returned to clean out his office after being introduced as the Michigan coach at a press conference in Ann Arbor the day before. At the time, those who say they witnessed it either did not know what was being destroyed or paid it little attention to it until the files were discovered missing more than two weeks later.

While a source within the athletic department said the department itself wasn't launching any type of investigation into the missing files - "Our plate is pretty full right now with trying to put together a staff and everything else,'' the source said, "and we don't have time to deal with [stuff] like this right now.'' - it has apparently drawn the interest of the university's legal counsel.

WVU lawyers are in the process of trying to recover $4 million from Rodriguez as a condition of breaking his contract with six years remaining to become the coach at Michigan. While Rodriguez has maintained that West Virginia breached the contract by not fulfilling all of its terms - an argument the university denies - the school filed suit in Monongalia County Circuit Court last month detailing what it claims are breaches by Rodriguez above and beyond simply breaking the contract. Those include calling recruits to tell them of his decision to switch schools before he told his own team. It certainly would not help Rodriguez's case if the school can prove that he also destroyed what WVU officials consider state files on his way out.

Now re the square peg in a round hole thing. I have never bought into the Michigan man thing, nor did I believe Michigan should limit their coaching search to an ex Michigan guy. To me that would have been stupid. At the same time, think about how you perceive Lloyd Carr or Bo as men. Think about them as how you perceived them as representatives of the University of Michigan. Think about them as you heard them speak. Did you believe them? If you can begin to tell me you see RR as a man and as a representative of the U of M as you viewed Bo or Lloyd then you have seriously been smoking some pretty good stuff. I can not picture Bo, Lloyd, and for that matter Woody, ever doing to their school and players what RR just did. Never-not ever-not even possible. To me RR is the new breed. Sabin like, Petrino like. I believe the University of Michigan is diminished by this hire. The Big Ten as a conference is diminished by this hire. College football is a changin and not for the better when the Bo's, Woody's, and Lloyd's, with all their faults are being replaced by the Rich Rodriguez's of the world. Even with possible success on the field, I will believe Michigan will have paid a prestige price for this hire. Further, even with success on the field, I will always have a doubt in my mind regarding anything Rich Rodriguez says as he has already proved his promises are void of meaning. My opinion.

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Lloyds Apple said:

Good read 45- I agree with a bunch of what you said. RR likes to win football games and is good at doing it. His tactics are certainly questionable and the way he left was in poor taste. As far as "stealing" recruits, it's not over until the LOI is signed. Of course, stealing verbals from your old school does cross lines. It was a surprising hire that UM could regret. At the same time, RR is going to get better recruiting classes than he ever did on paper before, so we'll see. Rodriguez may appear to be the man in charge but he's not writing his own paycheck. If he does not realize that yet, he will soon enough.

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January 18, 2008
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Joemama said:

	45- Since Mallet bolted to the Razorbacks and IF Meatchicken Does NOT land Pryor, who would be their QB? I see @ least 2 years for rebuilding to RR's offense even w/ Pryer. How long will Meatchicken alum give RR a free pass and will he be able to take the heat or would he "BOLT"?
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January 18, 2008
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AJ said:

	I don't understand how everyone can jump all over RR when just about every coach in D1 has left a job during their careers. Also, who's to say if RR dropped another game to Pitt next year, does WVU retain him? If its alright for the school to terminate the contract then it should also be the coaches right as well.
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January 19, 2008
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Maddy wv said:

	"I don't understand how everyone can jump all over RR when just about every coach in D1 has left a job during their careers. Also, who's to say if RR dropped another game to Pitt next year, does WVU retain him? If its alright for the school to terminate the contract then it should also be the coaches right as well. " YES!
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January 19, 2008
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JEH45 said:

I can't answer re schools terminating coaches. You have contracts and the schools pay. Concerning RR: 1. I heard what he said when he renegotiated his contract a year ago. hindsight tells you there was no sincerity. 2. Bolting from his team when he did-As I said above, I think it is shocking. 3. Stealing his old teams recruits-I see that is a real lack of ethics 4. Weaseling on the 4 million buyout-hardly surprising.

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January 19, 2008
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AJ said:

To point 1, I know its not the same but how about Tressel leaving Youngstown, Urban Meyer leaving Rutgers, or Brian Kelly leaving Grand Valley, its not much different if the opportunity arises for a better job you take it. Point 2, he had to leave when he did whether there was a bowl or not, had he waited until after the bowl the job would have most likely been filled by someone else. To 3 I think the recruits are coming to the school mostly because of the coach, I don't agree with him talking to the recruits before announcing his resignation, however he has as much right to a recruit as anyone else. I, however, have no idea how he will get out of the buyout unless there is something in his previous contract no one knows about. He should have to pay that money, he signed the contract pay up and move on.

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January 19, 2008
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Lloyds Apple said:

	Here's a Mitch Albom (Detroit Free Press) article about RR. UM needs to do some damage control, it seems. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs...00588/1082
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January 21, 2008
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idahojj said:

having played at miami (O) for john pont and having met BO on more than one occasion,i can assure you that BO would never have considered RROD to replace Carr. If WVU had terminated the contract, i believe they would have paid the penalty. its a shame lawyers are more necessary for coaches than in the past. Rrod needed a document only a philly lawyer would be happy with. john pont's handskake was binding to him. with BO his word was his bond

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February 09, 2008
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JEH45 said:

	Idahojj: There is a new breed & I don't think the Big Ten, nor the game is better for it. I think it is a shame. Who esle was on the staff when you were at miami?
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February 09, 2008
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idahojj said:

	carm cozza and jay colville;john brickels was ad
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February 10, 2008
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