bitcruncher
pepperoni roll psycho...
Posts: 61,859
Joined: Jan 2006
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I Root For: West Virginia
Location: Knoxville, TN
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RE: Federal judge rules Rodriguez lawsuit belongs in West Virginia court
The Charleston Gazette Wrote:Rodriguez death threats investigated
By Mitch Vingle
Sports Editor
February 13, 2008
AN ASPECT to the Rich Rodriguez-West Virginia divorce that's long bugged me centers on the coach's claims of harassment and death threats.
Those aren't issues one takes lightly. Those aren't issues one simply blows off. If your life and/or family are threatened, you get the authorities involved. Now.
Yet there's been no word on formal complaints from Rodriguez.
Until now.
When reached Tuesday, Monongalia County Sheriff Joseph C. Bartolo said his office is indeed investigating the situation.
"We're now checking into it," Bartolo said. "We've had information faxed to us by the [West Virginia] state police and FBI. I'm giving it to my investigative unit.''
Bartolo called the forwarded information "very vague'' but said Lt. Walter Fumich would head an investigation.
The sheriff said he's not aware of any complaints received by his office from Rodriguez, who lived outside of Morgantown in the Cheat Lake district.
* * *
More than a few tidbits surfaced after U.S. District Judge John P. Bailey sent WVU's lawsuit against Rodriguez back to the Monongalia County Circuit Court.
First, WVU won the round, but did not recover the expenses involved because Bailey ruled "the removal was not done in bad faith.'' The school's lawyers, though, claimed Rodriguez's representatives knew all along the case would be remanded.
Second, according to the Michigan Daily newspaper, Rodriguez still hasn't signed a contract with the University of Michigan. A "letter of intent'' was signed two months ago, but not the final contract. Sound familiar?
Also, according to the Detroit News, Rodriguez's lead attorney, Marv Robon, said in an interview last week that, "I don't think we can ever get a fair trial in Morgantown.''
The guess is Robon didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express the night before uttering that gem. Considering the trial is now scheduled to be held in Morgantown, it's an "oops'' of the first order. (Yes, by the way, I do expect Robon to petition for a change of venue. No, I don't expect him to be successful. It's tough enough to get a criminal case moved. It's brutally tough to get a civil case moved.)
And while on the point, Rodriguez and Robon must seriously believe public relations spin is necessary. Otherwise, why, with the case pending, would they grant so many interviews? Isn't that a no-no?
Marshall athletic director Bob Marcum, for one, certainly believes silence is golden. Back in 1989, Marcum was dismissed as the athletic director at the University of South Carolina. That school's president said a drug-testing program, which was under Marcum's supervision, was a sham. Accusations flew. But Marcum held his tongue.
And then he won nearly $250,000 in damages against USC. A court found he'd been dismissed unjustly.
"Common sense,'' Marcum said Tuesday. "It doesn't take long to figure out sports writers aren't on a jury.
"There wasn't any sense commenting on it. I saved it for another day.''
* * *
One group not saving its opinion for another day has opened the Web site www.PayUpRich.com.
"Rich Rodriguez is trying to smear WVU in order to weasel out of his contractual obligation to pay his buyout," claims the site, which offers a petition to sign as well as T-shirts and yard signs demanding the former Mountaineer coach pay up.
The idea is to rake in donations to "buy enough signs to force Rich to pay up!''
The hunch from here, however, is neither Rodriguez nor his lawyers will listen to sign language.
* * *
And finally . . .
According to ESPN reporter George Smith, the Rodriguez-West Virginia saga will be the centerpiece of the network's show "Outside the Lines'' at 9:30 a.m. Sunday.
Among those interviewed were WVU supporters Tom Kleeh, a Charleston lawyer, and Mike Smith, a Charleston car dealer. Also, the Gazette's Dave Hickman and other members of the media were filmed. Smith said he also landed an interview with Rodriguez, part of which has already been aired on ESPN.
"[Rodriguez] did get emotional,'' said the network reporter. "We talked for about 40 to 45 minutes. And he acknowledged there are things he would have done differently, like meeting with [WVU athletic director Ed] Pastilong.''
Instead of meeting with Pastilong and delivering his letter of resignation, Rodriguez had a graduate assistant give it to the AD.
George Smith said no WVU official would appear on camera for the 7-8 minute piece.
To contact sports editor Mitch Vingle, send e-mail to mitchvingle@wvgazette.com or call (304) 348-4827.
(This post was last modified: 02-13-2008 05:49 PM by bitcruncher.)
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