Rich Rodriguez (official thread of last laughs)

[buckeyemania11]

Michigan's official response | Detroit Free Press | Freep.com

“We know the practice and off-season rules, and we stay within the guidelines. We follow the rules and have always been completely committed to being compliant with all NCAA rules.” Rich Rodriguez, football coach



“During the season, the NCAA limits ‘countable’ practice activities to 20 hours per week. There are activities that don’t count, such as rehab and getting taped. We educate our coaching staffs and student-athletes (in all sports) to keep everyone informed of the rules. Also, compliance and administrative staff conduct in-person spot checks of practice during the academic year and summer. We have not had any reason to self-report any violations in this area with any of our sports.” Judy Van Horn, associate athletic director for compliance

 

[Jaxbuck]

It does if it's in their workout facility on Sunday...and the meal is over four hours long.

By the looks of him I'm gonna say....guilty as hell.

 

[buckeyemania11]

love the comment on that article

Since the Freep won't report it (cause it flies in the face of their alligations):

U-M has confirmed that last year's team grade-point average is the highest in the past 20 years. It's also one of the best ever by the men who pull on the winged helmets.

"I know that Rich's football team made really significant strides in their team GPA," noted U-M Athletic Director Bill Martin. "It either is, or is very close to, the highest GPA in the recorded history of the football team. I'm very proud of that."

how exactly does that prove that Michigan DID NOT commit alleged violation?

 

[NFBuck]

Michigan's official response | Detroit Free Press | Freep.com

Every one of these articles have the same retorts in the comments section. The increasingly popular one is pointing to the team GPA. Now, it's been shown that many um players gravitate towards less than challenging majors...that's one thing. Another thing is the offseason and weekend stuff. They're all conveniently ignoring major points in the article: they were far exceeding the 4 hour limit for post-game Sundays and offseason workouts.

 

[jwinslow]

Michigan's official response | Detroit Free Press | Freep.com

Poorly crafted denial seems like a bad play here.

I think this is rather overblown by the bruce hooley of Michigan media... but they aren't handling this particularly well.

The NCAA is a comically impotent/hypocritical (take your pick) bunch that rarely acts when obvious violations are occuring. But when the media does their investigating for them and the school flat out denies it, they tend to suddenly find their breastplate of righteousness (no offense to the classic literature from whence it came).

 

[NFBuck]

Poorly crafted denial seems like a bad play here.

I think this is rather overblown by the bruce hooley of Michigan media... but they aren't handling this particularly well.

The NCAA is a comically impotent/hypocritical (take your pick) bunch that rarely acts when obvious violations are occuring. But when the media does their investigating for them and the school flat out denies it, they tend to suddenly find their breastplate of righteousness (no offense to the classic literature from whence it came).

This is a key point. Right now, um seems to be taking this very lightly as evidenced by their lazy, "whatever" denial. They're ignoring the fact that they have named players on record corroborating some of these accusations. This doesn't seem like something that's gonna go away with a quickly fashioned, canned response. They should be running around with their heads on fire in Schembechler Hall right now. Not a good thing with a big game coming up. Yep, WMU is a big game for them now.

 

[NFBuck]

Oh boy:

The Free Press said five of the 10 current or former players it interviewed gave similar accounts of how the program is run and a sixth player confirmed most of the descriptions. Other players gave a general idea of the program. None disputed the allegations, the newspaper said.

The players acknowledged they had signed forms stating NCAA rules had been followed and had not told the university's compliance department about their concerns. One player told the Free Press that athletes would get in trouble if they didn't sign.

Report: Michigan football players allege NCAA violations - ESPN

 

[Jaxbuck]

Poorly crafted denial seems like a bad play here.

I think this is rather overblown by the bruce hooley of Michigan media... but they aren't handling this particularly well.

The NCAA is a comically impotent/hypocritical (take your pick) bunch that rarely acts when obvious violations are occuring. But when the media does their investigating for them and the school flat out denies it, they tend to suddenly find their breastplate of righteousness (no offense to the classic literature from whence it came).

agree 100%

Once you come out and patently deny something you have no where to go. If something did indeed happen you have painted yourself in a corner and a scapegoat will be needed.

After reading the schools response I'd be willing to guarantee any proof of wrongdoing costs someone their job. Not RR, but someone is going to have to fall on their sword for him.

Also, you just know the blue blooded M*ch*gan Man pro Carr element that had RR driven down their throats has been waiting patiently for pay back. Bill Martin better pray to the god of sail boating AD's nothing comes of this.

Even if nothing does come of it, this is two springer episodes in two years they have found themselves in over Martins hire. Not a good thing in highly political institutions with a lot of big money/big ego types looking to settle scores.

 

[buckeyemania11]

The players acknowledged they had signed forms stating NCAA rules had been followed and had not told the university's compliance department about their concerns. One player told the Free Press that athletes would get in trouble if they didn't sign.

bullying players into signing documents?

big....trouble

 

[NFBuck]

agree 100%

Once you come out and patently deny something you have no where to go. If something did indeed happen you have painted yourself in a corner and a scapegoat will be needed.

After reading the schools response I'd be willing to guarantee any proof of wrongdoing costs someone their job. Not RR, but someone is going to have to fall on their sword for him.

Also, you just know the blue blooded M*ch*gan Man pro Carr element that had RR driven down their throats has been waiting patiently for pay back. Bill Martin better pray to the god of sail boating AD's nothing comes of this.

Even if nothing does come of it, this is two springer episodes in two years they have found themselves in over Martins hire. Not a good thing in highly political institutions with a lot of big money/big ego types looking to settle scores.

Yup. They'd have been better off staying silent until they could gather more info, concoct a strategy than going the hasty/lazy denial route.

It's not as if there's no history of shady business in the um athletic department. A lot of people looked the other way with all the Fab Five stuff going down, is it really hard to believe they could look the other way while extra practice/workout time is going on? Especially after an unmitigated disaster of a season at the hands of a coach who has his AD's legacy tied to his back? I think not. Lot of smoke here and more of it makes sense than I'd be comfortable with if I were one of them.

 

[Jaxbuck]

Yup. They'd have been better of staying silent until they could gather more info, concoct a strategy than going the hasty/lazy denial route.

It's not as if there's no history of shady business in the um athletic department. A lot of people looked the other way with all the Fab Five stuff going down, is it really hard to believe they could look the other way while extra practice/workout time is going on? Especially after an unmitigated disaster of a season at the hands of a coach who has his AD's legacy tied to his back? I think not. Lot of smoke here and more of it makes sense than I'd be comfortable with if I were one of them.

Already in the books:
WVU divorce
Worst season in scUM history including a home loss to Toledo

Pending:
NCAA investigation
Consecutive sub .500 seasons

If RR wasn't feeling it before, the pressure cooker knobs just went to 11 for the 2009 season...and the savior freshmen QB's can't separate themselves from Sheridan.

We've seen RR react to high pressure before at WVU. He makes John Cooper look like Cool Hand fucking Luke. This is going to be glorious.

 

[NFBuck]

*obigatory* Practice? We talking about practice. Not games. Not the games. Practice. *obligatory*

Oh, still an ass.

 

[buckeyemania11]

these idiots on the scUM scout board just dont get it

they think everything is fine and dandy because the players signed a form saying no NCAA rules were broken

they fail to understand that if it is found NCAA rules were broken, then those forms become fraudulent, and the NCAA really is not going to like that to much

 

[NFBuck]

these idiots on the scUM scout board just dont get it

they think everything is fine and dandy because the players signed a form saying no NCAA rules were broken

they fail to understand that if it is found NCAA rules were broken, then those forms become fraudulent, and the NCAA really is not going to like that to much

 

[DontHateOState]

they fail to understand that if it is found NCAA rules were broken, then those forms become fraudulent, and the NCAA really is not going to like that to much

That would possibly be the funniest thing to ever happen in this world. Michigan attempts to preemptively take the heat off, only to make matters ten times worse.

I posted this in the Mill, but does anyone else think the emergency team meeting had anything to do with this? Maybe a mass signing of forms to ensure digging reporters couldn't do any real damage?