Is The University of Michigan Broke?
That’s the only reason I can think of as to why they haven’t just paid off West Virginia and put the Rodriguez saga to bed. How else do you explain the fact that the university is trying its best to ensure that the most exciting period in the last decade of Wolverine football enjoys some turbulence?
Contracts?The latest twist is Rodriguez’s claim that he was forced into signing an amended contract while under pressure from what were assuredly the sturdiest and most intimidating trustees ever. So, you’re a former college football player and you’re going to let the Montgomery Burns triumverate pressure you into signing a contract that you’re uncomfortable with signing?
At a certain age — most say 14 or so — you learn what contracts are and also learn that breaking a contract will usually result in bad things happening to you. In his mid-forties, Rodriguez contends that he was misled because a variety of verbal promises, which were nowhere to be found in the… ahem… written document he was signing, were kept. Here’s the best part: West Virginia says he had a sports agent, a lawyer and a financial advisor at his side during the signing.
Certainly Rodriguez and his attorneys believe they have a case and they may, but why a school that’s dropping $226 million on stadium renovations is flinching over $4 million is beyond me.
Here’s a comparison, would you pay $100-$500 for something if don’t feel you owe it? If there was an extra say $250 on your mortgage would you just sign it over? I wouldn’t I would question it and fight like hell not to pay it, it doesn’t matter if I can afford it or not. UM can probably write the check tomorrow but why write it if you can get out of it? If Rod had all those people with him when hs signed then he has witnesses he was pressured so it may work out.
Where are the alumni? Those are the ones that usually foot the bill for a buyout after they force a coach out. Perhaps proud and arrogant alum Marc Dann could help out a little by raiding his campaign contribution fund.
Dick Rod = Douche bag
It was written into John Beilein’s contract that UM wouldn’t pay for the buy out, so it wouldn’t be a very wise decision for the university to pay for the even steeper one that Rich Rodriguez brought with him. I can understand if this post was a joke, but that’s all it really is. A joke. Normally you are better, and more informative writer than this.
P.S. Michigan’s AD Bill Martin just pushed through a new wrestling facility and is trying to push through a new basketball facility. I’m guessing UM isn’t broke.
MR, the post was tongue in cheek regarding the funds. I had a link in (but later pulled it out) indicating that U of M has the 8th largest endowment in the US, so we know they have the money.
The part about Rodriguez complaining about not having verbal agreements honored when he could have stopped the signing and had them added to the written contract is astounding, however.
At any rate, please kill me when it becomes wrong to pile on a rival.
I can’t believe you had to explain the headline.
WARNING — this comment is meant to be read with an extremely high tone of sarcasm. — WARNING
Jason! How dare you make fun of Michigan on this Ohio State Blog that you run! What were you thinking?!?
Buyout=Necessary Additional Income=IR$ problems.
Debt forgiveness=Equivalent Additional Income=IR$ problems.
If his contract is legit, it can’t be rewritten after-the-fact to remove the penalty clause.
RR is definitely screwed here. michigan can’t undo that mess.
This should serve as adequate distraction for the next year or two.
Ron is right, the IRS factor here is heretofore unaccounted for in the WVU-RichRod divorce proceedings and has RichRod’s balls in the proverbial salad shooter.
We don’t give a d*mn about the whole state of Michigan…
Is 5 wins being too optimistic?
They’ll get 6 or 7….they have a weak out of conference schedule and the Big Ten has REALLY weak teams at the bottom.
last year, some assistant coaches visited LSU to get some OJT from the Tiger staff and look what happened in the NC. This year some of those same coaches visited UCF (?) to study the spread “remedy”. Is anyone confident that we have this thing figured out?
We visited Florida the summer before the 06 season.
We visited LSU the summer before the 07 season.
Is anyone thinking we see USF in the NC game?
Let’s not share information with potential NC game opponents.
The basketball team visited Cal the year before we beat them for our only NCAA tourney champ, as well.
still, USF seems safe enough. hopefully.
@ Chazz
FWIW: In my limited coaching against the spread comes down to limiting options and pressure on the quaterback. Boiled down in its most simplist form, the spread has three options: 1)Inside run, 2) Outside run, and 3) Pass. If we get pressure from our DT’s, that reduces option one and it forces the quarterback to make a quick decision on option three. Our DE’s and LB’s can eliminate option two. Secondary has to keep option three under control. But the DT’s is the most critical part of the equation. If option one is an effective viable option (as happened in Illi and LSU game), it forces the defensive coordinator to blitz more often, especially run blitz in the middle of the formation. Which makes option 2 & 3 more effective if we do not get there.
1)Inside run, 2) Outside run, and 3) Pass
That pretty much covers every play you could run offensively in the game of football…..
“We visited Florida the summer before the 06 season.
We visited LSU the summer before the 07 season.”
We also visited Miami before the ‘02 season.