The Sleaze Saga Continues

Rodriguez continues to dig his own grave in the battle over his departure. Several legal op eds have appeared and contend that WVU will win the lawsuit and collect all $4 million plus interest. Interest is accruing at around $300 each day and could escalate to $900 per day soon. However, it is the inability of the Rodriguez camp to keep this fight out of the press that is continuing to haunt them.

The largest casualty of this whole thing could be Calvin Magee. Recent statements by Magee indicate that he never cried racism was the determining factor for him not being considered for a job. “This is being (made) out to be a racial claim by the early reports. I’ve never made a racial ‘claim,’” Magee said. “I listed some facts that occurred. How it is interpreted is up to the interpreter. Some facts that I stated in preparing for the bowl game. Some treatments by the president, some treatments by the athletic director. That’s what I did. How it was printed and how it was relayed, it’s just the facts.” Unfortunately for Magee, he never made the original comments to the press, he made them to his agent, Mike Brown. And Mike Brown clearly indicated to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that Magee was not considered due to his race.

Now the claims are that it was a member of the Mountaineer Athletic Club, Larry Aschebrook, who indicated to Magee that he would not be hired due to his race. Aschebrook vehemently denies the claim. The funny thing is, even if Aschebrook had told Magee that, what kind of fool would listen to him. Aschebrook had only worked at the MAC since October 1st and had never lived or worked east of the Mississippi River prior to that. If Magee believed he wouldn't be hired from this guy, then he's a lot dumber than I thought. Magee's loyalty to Rodriguez is going to cost him more than anyone in the long run. Who is going to consider a candidate for even an interview for a head coaching job if they fear that his agent may cry racism if he isn't hired?

Additionally, the Rodriguez legal team has indicated to the Detroit Free Press that they had only named The WVU Foundation in the initial lawsuit to annoy and frustrate the University. The Foundation is asking that Rodriguez be held responsible for the $30,000 in legal fees that were spent. Originally, I had hoped that this mess would go away quietly and quickly. However, if Rodriguez would like to continue sticking his foot in his mouth, and we can collect all the interest coming to us, then we certainly won't be the institution that suffers for this. That would be the University of Michigan.