Ole’ Dick Rod has agreed to pay the $4 million buyout to the Hoopies. Damn.
I wanted this to go to trial. I wanted to have his wife deposed. Pastilong. Everyone. It was just so much fun to follow, watch and laugh.
Instead Rodriguez gets time and the payments he has to make spread further out. Plus no interest and none of WVU’s legal fees are included.
As for Beilein. Even if it’s the same amount he’s paying, he has to be a little ticked in my view.
link to sports.aol.com
He got no support or help from Michigan in negotiating the buyout down (not even the legal costs), and he always held out hope that if Rodriguez won in court, he could get out of his own buyout.
And, it is all true. It’s about time a University finally dug in and made their former coach pay what their contract says they should pay to break their contract. I wonder if Howland paid the full amount or did we let him off easy. The similarities of what Howland and RR did are striking. Both built their teams into a national force, both signed new contracts and then walked away less than a year later, and both tried to explain their actions with the “dream job” excuse. I’m not saying those jobs are not great, even “dream” jobs, I’m just saying it does not excuse totally arrogant and self-serving behavior.
I think we got over Howland leaving the minute Jamie Dixon showed that he was just as capable of losing in the Sweet 16 as Ben was.
Now Ben’s moved on to losing in the Final Four. Good for him.
I always liked Rich Rodriquez as a coach but hated him for the mere fact he coached WVU. I’m glad he’s at Michigan because I can finally root for the guy.
Still, why the hell didn’t Rod just pay the money up front and avoid all the negative press, insults, and allegations that he’s gone through over the past six months? It surely impacted Michigan’s recruiting. Why fight it and then suddenly, inexplicably give up?