Let’s begin with blatant self-promotion. ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” Sunday morning is devoted to Rodriguez v. West Virginia University and features some familiar names and faces. I doubt I’ll watch, but I fear that, um, fear will pull me toward the television. Second, I had what I thought was a pretty provocative conversation yesterday with Jeff Millar, who writes the Tank McNamara comic strip. Those frames have highlighted RR v. WVU all week. Millar had some intriguing insight on all sides of the drama.

He does, however, extend more blame to Rodriguez than to anyone else.

“It’s hard to feel any sympathy for Rodriguez since he got apparently what he wanted and now has a little minor matter of the amount of money to be negotiated with his former employer,” he said. “West Virginia, I guess, feels shafted to some degree, but do you really want someone coaching for you who would walk out on a contract? Walking out on a contract reveals a great deal about a person. It’s so strange that in the sports industry it can happen with such regularity.”

His sympathy for WVU fans comes with an addendum because he can’t understand the extreme emotions involved.

“I feel sorry for people who sit and stare at the wall and cry maybe because Rodriguez has left West Virginia,” he said. “At the same time it has to tell people that maybe your life priorities need to be examined. You get in a room by yourself and suck down six-packs and stare at the wall and get on ESPN message boards and rail obscenities at anything and anybody. What’s that life like? And that’s not in any way confined to West Virginia. It’s widespread.”

On to the Feedback. As always comments appear as posted.

thacker said:

JP stated, “he’s got some stones to do that ridiculous dance in front of all those people.”

And that is why God said, “Let there be wheelbarrows.” The kid damn sure earned my respect after watching that. I can see why people and Boyd have fun with it. Hell, the coaches need to give him his own jersey and the University should give him season passes.

First time I have seen Boyd and his skit. Thanks for the link, Casazza and thank you, Boyd.

As far as his weight, well, a Gleason skit wouldn’t have been the same with a skinny Gleason.

—And away we go.

Well, you should know Ryan J. Boyd danced last night. In the first timeout of the second half, Boyd limped from his spot next to the pep band and to his stage on the near sideline at the away basket. WVU promptly pushed a 10-point lead to 19 points.

jmbwvu said:

Only you would report this and the importance he has on the success of the basketball teams.

I’m honored…

Mack said:

Just out of curiosity, what were those three’s numbers just last year?

I don’t think people are worried about Slaton because obviously Devine is better at this point. People aren’t worried about Reynaud because, at the end of the day, he’s a very short receiver with very mediocre speed (but clearly has playmaking ability). Owen Schmitt is one of those guys that will never be replaced, but with Devine and Jock Sanders, I think our offense is just fine. Is Sanders expected to play receiver next year? Seems like that’s where he would get the ball in his hands most.

Schmitt ran for 272 yards and four touchdowns last year and caught passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. Reynaud ran for 103 yards and one touchdown, caught passes for 733 yards and a school-record 12 touchdowns and returned kicks for 211 yards. Slaton ran for 1,051 yards and 17 touchdowns, caught passes for 350 yards and one touchdown and returned kicks for 47 yards. All together, that’s 2,888 total yards and 26 touchdowns. I agree, at least in principle, that there are playere in place who can and are expected to step into vacancies. I also think that the most remarkable contribution Schmitt made was making fullback a recruited position at WVU. Before him, it was an afterthought typically filled by a walk-on. The staff went out of its way before signing day to get Tyler Urban to play that spot, going so far as recruiting him away from his commitment to Maryland. It was that important.

X-Rayted said:

So we are going to open up the offense & not get boxed into a corner…what a strange concept! I’m liking all I’m hearing from Coach Mullen so far. The option seems like a great idea since I think we ran it less than five times last year & one was a TD for Owen. It has always seemed odd that when nine guys are in the box, the option never crossed Rich’s mind. His mind must have been elsewhere. Uh Oh is the only phrase I can think of to categorize what a defensive coordinator would think when he saw White & Devine hitting the flat together with that pitch option. Take notes Rich, good luck with the off guard runs in the Big Ten.

Mullen said all the right things this week and painted a picture of a wide-open offense that will pass to run and run to pass. Granted, Rodriguez and his offensive coordinator, Calvin Magee, said the same things and people think they did not practice what they preached. Time will tell. The possibilities are exciting for fans, though, because Mullen will do some crazy stuff. Watch him direct-snap to a receiver in motion who then follows the quarterback serving as an extra blocker. It works with his ideals: numbers advantages, exploitable angles and getting the ball in space. It’ll be a new world, though one with the similar principles.

glibglub said:

I had no clue the payuprich.com thing existed. Thanks for pointing the way to the dark underbelly of the “taking things too far” world. (That may not be the most apt description, but I’ve been feeling the need to use the term “dark underbelly.” So that takes care of that.) I couldn’t resist peeking at the message boards there, and I noticed that someone claimed to live in Ann Arbor and offered to plant a “Pay Up” sign on campus and take a photo. Maybe he or she will find an accomplice to pose beside the sign, wearing a wizard hat and brandishing a bottle of snake oil. ‘Cause as long as you’re taking things too far, you might as well go all out.

You know who else didn’t know that Web site existed and doesn’t care for the signs? Rich Rodriguez, that’s who. I can only imagine the signs opposing fans will brandish when Michigan visits their place this year. The Wolverines play at Purdue Nov. 11 and I’m guessing Coach Joe Tiller’s wizard-hat-selling-snake-oil line will make someone’s posterboard.

Boothe Davis:

I just let out a whoop as loud as if we kicked a game-winning field goal. Maybe we can get Joe Tiller to file a brief on the subject of Rodriguez and gentleman’s agreements…

See? That was about WVU “winning” a legal battle and having the case remanded back to Monongalia County Circuit Court, but Boothe slipped in a sly Tiller line. You think Purdue fans are going to forget? Think football-mad Big Ten fans will forget? 

oklahoma mountaineer said:

Please tell me that the drama is going to be settled soon….I don’t want WVU to let up a dime on this buyout clause, but I don’t know how much I can stand to see RRod cry on the national news. I really do think the people harrassing his kids, family, etc. need to grow up and get a life but was it just me or did that look a little staged?? My wife bought it as legit and I know having your kids unfairly picked on bothers a dad, but how much pain is ongoing as Rita and the kids are still living on Cheat Lake??

I can’t say anything about the crying that anyone else hasn’t already said, but did we really think he could turn on his waterworks on command? That seems odd to me…two months after the fact. As for the family remaining in Morgantown, I would think it’s hard to ask your kids to up and leave school in the middle of a year and jump into a new school system. But if it’s that bad…

glibglub said:

Tonight on Sportscenter, tune in as RR says:

“This little lawsuit is only a month old [pause as RR looks off camera for dramatic – fake, but dramatic – effect] . . . . and for it to be put through this remand to state court, I just don’t think it’s right.”

Enjoy the weekend!