Post by elp525 on Sept 3, 2009 3:02:09 GMT -5
September 2, 2009
By Mitch Vingle
Sports Editor
EVERYONE wants to be rich.
No one, though, wants to be Rich.
Not today.
In case you haven't been following, ex-WVU and current Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez is fighting allegations the Wolverines have been violating NCAA rules in regard to time spent on training and practicing.
There's the story that an Alabama bank is suing the coach over a loan intended to develop housing by Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium. It was a transaction reportedly initiated in 2004, when Rodriguez was still coaching in Morgantown.
On top of that, reports say one of Rodriguez's partners in the deal was a banned Clemson booster now facing five felony counts.
The hits, it seems, just keep on coming.
There was the way Rodriguez left Morgantown in a huff. The lawsuit that followed. The shot former Wolverine Justin Boren took at the coach on his way out of town. The furor over UM tradition trampling.
If nothing else, the man can put on a show - on and off the football field. His teams are usually high flying. His press conferences are usually high crying.
Here, of course, there are smiles all around. There ya go, Michiganders, many are saying. You wanted him, you got him - along with enough baggage to drive Samsonite stock.
But let's step back. Let's pick this apart a bit. And let's figure out what, if anything, we can take from the Rodriguez mess.
ESPN announcer Kirk Herbstreit called the Detroit Free Press story concerning the practice time a "witch hunt.''
To a degree, I agree. One could find six disgruntled players on any team in the country, and I'd estimate 90 percent of the major-college programs aren't in strict compliance with NCAA time guidelines.
A 20-hour weekly limit for football activities? Maybe at the Pop Warner level. Maybe.
Will Rodriguez and his UM program be found in violation of NCAA rules? Maybe.
However, what definitely should take place are examinations both at WVU and across the country.
WVU officials have already covered their tails. Athletic director Ed Pastilong told our Dave Hickman that he and former compliance director Brad Cox regularly attended Rodriguez's practices, in part to serve as babysitter.
"Our compliance requirements include monthly, weekly and sometimes even daily reports, and they're all in our records,'' Pastilong said.
On Wednesday, Patrick Hairston, WVU's assistant AD for compliance, said his department has "looked into it. We're very comfortable no NCAA rules were broken [during Rodriguez's tenure].''
The hunch is, athletic departments across the country have been checking their records this week. WVU, though, should be extra diligent.
"Patrick and his staff did a nice job over the weekend being proactive,'' said Mike Fragale, WVU's assistant AD for communications. "If you can add 2 and 2 you'd know we'd be looked at.''
Indeed, if the UM charges against Rodriguez are proven, most would assume he used the same practices in Morgantown. Why would you not?
WVU should also be extra diligent because its head coach, Bill Stewart, was part of Rodriguez's staff. If Rodriguez was working the players overtime in Morgantown then so too was Stewart.
Oddly, Stewart refused to discuss the topic on a Big East conference call this week. "I'm here to talk about West Virginia football,'' he said.
Well, sir, this is about West Virginia football. This is about its reputation. This is about what happened when Rodriguez was here, and Stewart was his assistant, and what's happening now. Did Stewart continue Rodriguez's schedule?
Maybe Pastilong and Cox were indeed effective in keeping Rodriguez in check. Maybe Stewart is following the NCAA guidelines to the letter. But WVU officials, and I'm not simply referring to athletic officials, should seriously vet the issue via interviews, etc., instead of relying on "submitted'' paperwork. Michigan has hired outside counsel to help with its investigation.
See, the school must be beyond reproach here. Because Rodriguez was in Morgantown. Because his assistant took over.
Also, this should serve as a maypole for an NCAA discussion. A hey-let's-get-real discussion. Find out what's really going on. Find out what's necessary. Adopt more realistic rules with checks and balances.
As for the rest of Rodriguez's troubles?
Well, stay away from banned boosters.
And for goodness sakes, don't cry at every press conference.
There's no crying in football.
By Mitch Vingle
Sports Editor
EVERYONE wants to be rich.
No one, though, wants to be Rich.
Not today.
In case you haven't been following, ex-WVU and current Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez is fighting allegations the Wolverines have been violating NCAA rules in regard to time spent on training and practicing.
There's the story that an Alabama bank is suing the coach over a loan intended to develop housing by Virginia Tech's Lane Stadium. It was a transaction reportedly initiated in 2004, when Rodriguez was still coaching in Morgantown.
On top of that, reports say one of Rodriguez's partners in the deal was a banned Clemson booster now facing five felony counts.
The hits, it seems, just keep on coming.
There was the way Rodriguez left Morgantown in a huff. The lawsuit that followed. The shot former Wolverine Justin Boren took at the coach on his way out of town. The furor over UM tradition trampling.
If nothing else, the man can put on a show - on and off the football field. His teams are usually high flying. His press conferences are usually high crying.
Here, of course, there are smiles all around. There ya go, Michiganders, many are saying. You wanted him, you got him - along with enough baggage to drive Samsonite stock.
But let's step back. Let's pick this apart a bit. And let's figure out what, if anything, we can take from the Rodriguez mess.
ESPN announcer Kirk Herbstreit called the Detroit Free Press story concerning the practice time a "witch hunt.''
To a degree, I agree. One could find six disgruntled players on any team in the country, and I'd estimate 90 percent of the major-college programs aren't in strict compliance with NCAA time guidelines.
A 20-hour weekly limit for football activities? Maybe at the Pop Warner level. Maybe.
Will Rodriguez and his UM program be found in violation of NCAA rules? Maybe.
However, what definitely should take place are examinations both at WVU and across the country.
WVU officials have already covered their tails. Athletic director Ed Pastilong told our Dave Hickman that he and former compliance director Brad Cox regularly attended Rodriguez's practices, in part to serve as babysitter.
"Our compliance requirements include monthly, weekly and sometimes even daily reports, and they're all in our records,'' Pastilong said.
On Wednesday, Patrick Hairston, WVU's assistant AD for compliance, said his department has "looked into it. We're very comfortable no NCAA rules were broken [during Rodriguez's tenure].''
The hunch is, athletic departments across the country have been checking their records this week. WVU, though, should be extra diligent.
"Patrick and his staff did a nice job over the weekend being proactive,'' said Mike Fragale, WVU's assistant AD for communications. "If you can add 2 and 2 you'd know we'd be looked at.''
Indeed, if the UM charges against Rodriguez are proven, most would assume he used the same practices in Morgantown. Why would you not?
WVU should also be extra diligent because its head coach, Bill Stewart, was part of Rodriguez's staff. If Rodriguez was working the players overtime in Morgantown then so too was Stewart.
Oddly, Stewart refused to discuss the topic on a Big East conference call this week. "I'm here to talk about West Virginia football,'' he said.
Well, sir, this is about West Virginia football. This is about its reputation. This is about what happened when Rodriguez was here, and Stewart was his assistant, and what's happening now. Did Stewart continue Rodriguez's schedule?
Maybe Pastilong and Cox were indeed effective in keeping Rodriguez in check. Maybe Stewart is following the NCAA guidelines to the letter. But WVU officials, and I'm not simply referring to athletic officials, should seriously vet the issue via interviews, etc., instead of relying on "submitted'' paperwork. Michigan has hired outside counsel to help with its investigation.
See, the school must be beyond reproach here. Because Rodriguez was in Morgantown. Because his assistant took over.
Also, this should serve as a maypole for an NCAA discussion. A hey-let's-get-real discussion. Find out what's really going on. Find out what's necessary. Adopt more realistic rules with checks and balances.
As for the rest of Rodriguez's troubles?
Well, stay away from banned boosters.
And for goodness sakes, don't cry at every press conference.
There's no crying in football.
