RR mom calls fans antics deplorable

[cviller]

Coach Rod's mom calls West Virginia fans' antics deplorable
January 4, 2008

Is it safe to say some West Virginia fans haven't been taking Rich Rodriguez's departure for Michigan too well?

The coach's mom, Arleen, addressed that situation in a letter to the Fairmont Times-West Virginian. It included:

"We as a family will especially miss the fun times of all being together every football game Saturday.

"Although we are sad to see Rich, Rita and our grandchildren move, it was their chance to do what he felt necessary for his career. ...

"We all love our state, including Rich. However, his reasons to move on are known only to him, and if he chooses not to go into details as to what made him move, we can only respect his decision.

"We have found it especially difficult to understand or explain the actions of a few of our West Virginians.

"It was deplorable that our family, especially the children, have been threatened and property damaged. ..."

She also suggested that fans donate money to charity instead of buying anti-Coach Rod T-shirts.

She closed with: "We now have two teams to cheer for."

• By the way, "Grant Town native Rich Rodriguez abruptly leaves WVU for the head coaching job at Michigan" was leading a Times-West Virginian online poll as the top local story of '07.

It had 47% of the first 300 votes, with " 'Extreme Makeover: Home Edition' films in Fairmont" getting 20%.

So they prefer "Extreme Makeover: Big House Edition."

More Coach Rod

We kind of expected West Virginia newspapers to take a few shots at Rodriguez after the Fiesta Bowl -- but we also expected the Mountaineers to lose to Oklahoma.

They didn't, and that probably took Coach Rod off the hook in his home state, at least on an interim basis.

With Wednesday night's big win and a new coach -- Bill Stewart lost his interim tag Thursday -- Rodriguez was just mentioned in passing in the major papers.

In the Charleston Gazette, Dave Hickman's game story -- under a headline that said "Rich who? One for Stew" -- started, "No Rich Rodriguez? No Steve Slaton? No problem."

And columnist Mitch Vingle noted the Mountaineers' effort was "amazing stuff considering the situation they were in. Withstanding the train wreck that was the Rich Rodriguez situation."

But that was it.

Even some fans found closure. Shelly Lowery of Charleston told the city's Daily Mail: "They didn't lose their talent. They just lost Rich Rodriguez."

[smiteedawgwv]

99.9 % of WVU fans would never threaten or vandalize any of Frauds family. We just hate him. I apoligize for the other .1% Mrs. Rod, but as the old saying goes, he brought it on himself.

[rainman]

rod couldn't or wouldn't coach a win over a sorry ass 4-7 pitt team while stew puts together a big upset over #3 11-2 oklahoma - i'm glad he's gone dancing with the wolves

[wvumaryjane]

As a mom, I don't honestly know how I could handle millions of people being angry with my son.. But then I would look at the issue at hand and wonder why people were angry.. And if RR would have been my son in this situation, I would have probably told him, "sorry honey, I love ya, but you made your bed, and now you are gonna lay in it."

[dehayes35]

I'm probably going to get killed for this, but I feel a little sorry for you know who. I know that deep inside he's a true West Virginian and that someday he's going to look back on his decision and be a very very sad man. Sad that he left a dream job where he put his alma mater on the verge of college football supremecy, only to leave it in a very vunerable position and attracting the wrath of the entire state which he loves.

As each day passes, I grow a little less angry at Rich and am able to see that he made a business decision. Some people hold things like honestly and humility much closer to them than Mr. Rodriguez. Rich went back on a word that he gave to the University, the players, and the entire state. All three fell for it hook, line, and sinker. We honestly believed our old coach was going to be with us for a long time, and apparently he had other ideas, despite the promise.

Regardless of how upset I became from his decision, I can't help but feel sorry and hope that someday this man learns honestly, integrity, and most importantly, humility.

[wvumaryjane]

You know.. I actually look at the whole Rich Rodriguez thing as an abrupt messy divorce. Now hear me out. Rodriguez was the husband (or sometimes the wife) that leaves the spouse abrupty and the only forewarning was a little flirtation with a young thing last year.. But he promised he was done with al that and everyone behaved, and the wife behaved better to, to meet the requests of the husband.

Rich is the father, the fans are the wife (or vice versa) , and the kids are the players.

When he left for the next sexy young thing, the wife said.. How could you do this to the kids? How could you do this to me??? We've done SOOOO much for you and we welcomed you back with open arms after the LAST time. We TRUSTED you. You could trust in us.

Well if ANY of you have been through a messy divorce, you KNOW that sometimes time heals all wounds, but sometimes it never does.