Post by elp525 on Jun 11, 2009 5:08:37 GMT -5
Thursday June 11, 2009
Former WVU head coach hopes drama over departure has ended
by Jake Stump
Daily Mail Capitol Reporter
The Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Rich Rodriguez said he still considers West Virginia "home" and WVU a great school.
As for the fans, the coach said he can't thank them enough.
It's been 18 months since his bitter, highly publicized breakup with WVU, and almost a year since an ugly court battle over his contract was settled. Then, last fall, the Michigan Wolverines suffered their worst season in memory under Coach Rod's first-year leadership. Many West Virginians were delighted.
Now, Rodriguez hopes that tension between himself and the hard-core Mountaineer faithful is fading.
"I miss a lot of folks," Rodriguez told the Daily Mail in a telephone interview Wednesday. "It's my home. It's always been my home. I don't know what kind of perceptions are out there, but I love West Virginia. The support I had there for seven years was just unbelievable."
Rodriguez took over from Don Nehlen in 2001 and led the football program to unprecedented heights, highlighted by top 10 poll rankings and two consecutive New Year's Day bowl wins. However, a couple of weeks after the most disappointing loss in WVU history - a 13-9 setback against huge underdog Pitt that knocked the Mountaineers out of a chance to play for the national title - he bolted for Ann Arbor in December 2007.
On Wednesday, Rodriguez said perhaps he should have left WVU on different terms or taken more time to talk things out.
"It would've taken time to answer everything being said or done, and I didn't do that," he said. "Maybe I should have. You look back and Rita (his wife) and I talk about this. Let's sit down, talk and explain. But people still would have been mad because you left."
WVU tried to collect a $4 million buyout that was in the coach's contract, but Rodriguez defied the university. After nasty accusations were hurled back and forth during a prolonged pre-trial deposition process, the parties settled, with Rodriguez agreeing to pay the entire $4 million.
According to who's telling the story, Rodriguez either selfishly and abruptly deserted his alma mater at a most inopportune time - just weeks before the Fiesta Bowl game against Oklahoma - or the administration of then-WVU president Mike Garrison ran him off by balking at his requests for more resources to keep building on the football program's success.
Rodriguez grew up in Grant Town and played football at North Marion High School. He didn't have a scholarship but tried out for and made the WVU squad in the early 80s.
Rodriguez said he's returned to West Virginia only twice since leaving. It's not as often as he'd like, he acknowledged.
He's planning to bring the family - Rita and children, Raquel, 13, and Rhett, 11 - back for a visit this summer, preferably for his father's 70th birthday.
The coach's parents still live in Grant Town. His relatives reportedly received a few death threats in the aftermath of his departure. No police reports ever were filed.
"Rita and the kids are doing well," Rodriguez said. "Today they're happy because it's the last day of school."
But work continues at a frenetic pace for the hardnosed coach. Summer camps start this weekend and Rodriguez likely won't find much quality family time until next month. They're going on their annual beach vacation to South Carolina before stopping in West Virginia to greet friends and family.
The coach and his wife are still trying to sell their Cheat Lake home, which is listed for $1.8 million.
If anything, Rodriguez believes the WVU debacle has pulled his family closer together.
"We were always close, but we're closer now because they went through it, too," he said. "The kids still come to every practice. And they've never complained. Rita's never said one thing about the move. We were really tight, anyway, but with all the things that happened in the last 15-16 months, we're even closer."
As for his first year at Michigan, Rodriguez said: "Nobody's happy with the season we had. It was a tough year and no fun at all.
"But the fans and alumni have been terrific. I've been going around doing these alumni deals and they're tremendous."
At one recent Michigan alumni group event, Rodriguez told his audience, "The folks in West Virginia are still pissed at me. I've said many times, I'd have been better off killing a family of five with an ax."
Addressing those remarks Wednesday, Rodriguez said some critics, unfortunately, will forever hate him.
"Overall, most people I'm in touch with are pretty positive," he said. "Still, there are a few who are upset and mad and may always be that way. That's unfortunate. For whatever reason, they're always going to stay upset."
Rodriguez said he's moved on.
"When I talk to people about West Virginia up here and across the country, I tell them it's my home and a great place to coach," he said.
Rodriguez said he keeps tab on his former players who stayed at WVU or moved on to the pros.
When asked about current WVU coach Bill Stewart, Rodriguez talked about the team as a whole and did not mention his name, a veiled indication the two men are not on the best of terms.
Rodriguez keeps in touch with Pat White, Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt and Darius Reynaud, who are all now in the NFL.
"A few of them stopped by and have asked to train here with us," Rodriguez said.
He said they like training with Mike Barwis, strength and conditioning coach who followed Rodriguez to Michigan.
Yet Rodriguez is not allowed to talk to any of the current WVU players, he said.
"They were told not to talk to us," he said. "I wanted to talk to them but we were told to not contact them. I guess they were worried about us talking them into leaving."
He predicts White, who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins this year, will blossom into a true asset on the professional level.
"I know the owner of the Dolphins - he's a Michigan grad - and we've talked about Pat quite a bit," he said. "I've talked to Pat's dad. I think he'll be valuable. They'll play him at QB, maybe wide receiver, or have him return kicks. They're going to teach him some things at QB and he'll bring another dimension to them and the league."
He said WVU will continue to prosper, and he hopes the same happens for his program in Ann Arbor.
He also hopes that the drama has ended.
"A lot of stuff got overblown and it all kind of took off sideways," he said. "Some of it got personal and bothered me. I always try to treat people good, but some portrayed me as a certain type of guy. There's nothing that has changed me as a person. We've changed jobs and addresses, but not who we are.
"West Virginia is my home. I love the state and the people. I hope that everybody can move forward."
Former WVU head coach hopes drama over departure has ended
by Jake Stump
Daily Mail Capitol Reporter
The Associated Press
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Rich Rodriguez said he still considers West Virginia "home" and WVU a great school.
As for the fans, the coach said he can't thank them enough.
It's been 18 months since his bitter, highly publicized breakup with WVU, and almost a year since an ugly court battle over his contract was settled. Then, last fall, the Michigan Wolverines suffered their worst season in memory under Coach Rod's first-year leadership. Many West Virginians were delighted.
Now, Rodriguez hopes that tension between himself and the hard-core Mountaineer faithful is fading.
"I miss a lot of folks," Rodriguez told the Daily Mail in a telephone interview Wednesday. "It's my home. It's always been my home. I don't know what kind of perceptions are out there, but I love West Virginia. The support I had there for seven years was just unbelievable."
Rodriguez took over from Don Nehlen in 2001 and led the football program to unprecedented heights, highlighted by top 10 poll rankings and two consecutive New Year's Day bowl wins. However, a couple of weeks after the most disappointing loss in WVU history - a 13-9 setback against huge underdog Pitt that knocked the Mountaineers out of a chance to play for the national title - he bolted for Ann Arbor in December 2007.
On Wednesday, Rodriguez said perhaps he should have left WVU on different terms or taken more time to talk things out.
"It would've taken time to answer everything being said or done, and I didn't do that," he said. "Maybe I should have. You look back and Rita (his wife) and I talk about this. Let's sit down, talk and explain. But people still would have been mad because you left."
WVU tried to collect a $4 million buyout that was in the coach's contract, but Rodriguez defied the university. After nasty accusations were hurled back and forth during a prolonged pre-trial deposition process, the parties settled, with Rodriguez agreeing to pay the entire $4 million.
According to who's telling the story, Rodriguez either selfishly and abruptly deserted his alma mater at a most inopportune time - just weeks before the Fiesta Bowl game against Oklahoma - or the administration of then-WVU president Mike Garrison ran him off by balking at his requests for more resources to keep building on the football program's success.
Rodriguez grew up in Grant Town and played football at North Marion High School. He didn't have a scholarship but tried out for and made the WVU squad in the early 80s.
Rodriguez said he's returned to West Virginia only twice since leaving. It's not as often as he'd like, he acknowledged.
He's planning to bring the family - Rita and children, Raquel, 13, and Rhett, 11 - back for a visit this summer, preferably for his father's 70th birthday.
The coach's parents still live in Grant Town. His relatives reportedly received a few death threats in the aftermath of his departure. No police reports ever were filed.
"Rita and the kids are doing well," Rodriguez said. "Today they're happy because it's the last day of school."
But work continues at a frenetic pace for the hardnosed coach. Summer camps start this weekend and Rodriguez likely won't find much quality family time until next month. They're going on their annual beach vacation to South Carolina before stopping in West Virginia to greet friends and family.
The coach and his wife are still trying to sell their Cheat Lake home, which is listed for $1.8 million.
If anything, Rodriguez believes the WVU debacle has pulled his family closer together.
"We were always close, but we're closer now because they went through it, too," he said. "The kids still come to every practice. And they've never complained. Rita's never said one thing about the move. We were really tight, anyway, but with all the things that happened in the last 15-16 months, we're even closer."
As for his first year at Michigan, Rodriguez said: "Nobody's happy with the season we had. It was a tough year and no fun at all.
"But the fans and alumni have been terrific. I've been going around doing these alumni deals and they're tremendous."
At one recent Michigan alumni group event, Rodriguez told his audience, "The folks in West Virginia are still pissed at me. I've said many times, I'd have been better off killing a family of five with an ax."
Addressing those remarks Wednesday, Rodriguez said some critics, unfortunately, will forever hate him.
"Overall, most people I'm in touch with are pretty positive," he said. "Still, there are a few who are upset and mad and may always be that way. That's unfortunate. For whatever reason, they're always going to stay upset."
Rodriguez said he's moved on.
"When I talk to people about West Virginia up here and across the country, I tell them it's my home and a great place to coach," he said.
Rodriguez said he keeps tab on his former players who stayed at WVU or moved on to the pros.
When asked about current WVU coach Bill Stewart, Rodriguez talked about the team as a whole and did not mention his name, a veiled indication the two men are not on the best of terms.
Rodriguez keeps in touch with Pat White, Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt and Darius Reynaud, who are all now in the NFL.
"A few of them stopped by and have asked to train here with us," Rodriguez said.
He said they like training with Mike Barwis, strength and conditioning coach who followed Rodriguez to Michigan.
Yet Rodriguez is not allowed to talk to any of the current WVU players, he said.
"They were told not to talk to us," he said. "I wanted to talk to them but we were told to not contact them. I guess they were worried about us talking them into leaving."
He predicts White, who was drafted by the Miami Dolphins this year, will blossom into a true asset on the professional level.
"I know the owner of the Dolphins - he's a Michigan grad - and we've talked about Pat quite a bit," he said. "I've talked to Pat's dad. I think he'll be valuable. They'll play him at QB, maybe wide receiver, or have him return kicks. They're going to teach him some things at QB and he'll bring another dimension to them and the league."
He said WVU will continue to prosper, and he hopes the same happens for his program in Ann Arbor.
He also hopes that the drama has ended.
"A lot of stuff got overblown and it all kind of took off sideways," he said. "Some of it got personal and bothered me. I always try to treat people good, but some portrayed me as a certain type of guy. There's nothing that has changed me as a person. We've changed jobs and addresses, but not who we are.
"West Virginia is my home. I love the state and the people. I hope that everybody can move forward."
on our state, the school that's his alma mater, the fans and the team.
