Welcome one and all to a special Larry Aschebrook edition of the Friday Feedback — and thank goodness this fell into our laps because this is the slowest time of the year. I’d say I might start making things up soon, but something tells me we’re going to have plenty of ammunition from the courtrooms. This is unlike any story we’ve had in some time now. It’s certainly more interesting and expansive than that ACC raid on the Big East a few summers back. Frankly, I find myself in a constant state of preparedness for the next revelation. I don’t sleep. I wait. We’re good through May, I think. I hope.

Onto the Feedback. As always, comments appear as posted. No need for the sworn affidavit.

Shannon said:

I would be very careful about making the analogy describing a sports and legal battle to what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. The analogy far misses the point of the tragedy of war and the insignificant – in the light of the world’s real problems – decisions of a coach.

That being said, and before continuing I will admit to placing my ministerial hat on here, but I have to wonder about Rodriguez. What is going on inside him, as a person, that places his own career, his own wealth, his own security, above that of his integrity and the integrity of his friends and co-workers. When one puts himself above others like that, then there is something deeper going on with the individual. That is a selfish, self-centered attitude that falls on the face of what being a leader is about. That, to me, is quite sad that someone with such coaching talent could be such out of whack when it comes to how he handles his life.

It’s quite sad really.

Gloss over the first part as we already addressed that … though it does remind us of Marv Robon’s poorly chosen slavery remark, which itself illustrates what I’m talking about. They keep giving us material with which to work. To Shannon’s point, though, yes, it is sad because Rich has become a completely different person. Well, he’s appeared to the world as a completely different person. And remember, this is a football coach. At Michigan.

thacker said:

I, as of yet, don’t believe that Magee’s allegations rise to any reasonable standard of any type of discrimination. From what I have read, it seems that Magee’s complaints of “being treated like shit” are based upon three things:

1. Pastilong not interviewing Magee for the vacated position of head coach.
2. Garrison’s snub of Magee at the conclusion of the 2008 Fiesta Bowl along with Manchin’s snub.
3. A racial bias against Magee by the university that precipitated the preceding two.

Any reasonable person has to commend Magee for coming back to help prepare and coach for the Fiesta Bowl. Magee appears to consider that sole act as the only criteria that was necessary for him to be held for consideration. If such is true, that was offset by preceding acts of leaving the university and accepting the position at the University of Michigan. If he truly wanted consideration, he should have clearly and vocally stated such. He didn’t. Instead, Magee comes back around with these other issues as examples that he was treated like crap. In context of everything that is known to date, these issues just seem to be petty and insignificant. Where are other examples throughout his career at the university that back up a history that he was treated as such by the university?

What is disturbing is that it appears that Magee has been duped by others to try to deflect responsibility from his immediate boss [Rodriguez] by implicating others and doing such based upon hearsay. To me, the Aschebrook affidavit goes to state of mind and character. If it is to be believed, it gives insight into character and actions that are justified away as ‘business’. That is not business. It is simply chicken shit behavior.

This entire mess could go away by the end of the week if men decided to step up to the plate and act as men, West Virginia University and the University of Michigan included. Why U of M included — because no university should interfere with another university’s athletic program until the close of that specific season, particularly when done without due notice.

Can’t argue with any of that. I’d be inclined to believe Magee more if he wasn’t having others speak for him or if he — or the people speaking for him — had something more solid as grounds for their anger. And wouldn’t it be nice if WVU came forward and said, “Look, we’re not racists. Obviously. But we’re not into hiring people of questionable intelligence for major openings. And if one of our assistant coaches travels to a press conference introducing our old football coach as the new coach at another school and that assistant coach is then named an assistant at that school, but that coach still expects to be considered for the head coaching job at our school, we thereby question his intelligence. Thank you.” And wouldn’t it be great if Michigan acted as if it was even a little bothered by any of this?

glibglub said:

I was and still am stunned this is not a bigger deal nationally.

Interesting point there, by the way. It may be that nationally, people are locked into the story line that WVU and its fans are refusing to move on, and so when the Aschebrook story comes along, it is greeted with a yawn, and the attitude that it’s just more WVU smoke-blowing, like ShredGate.

Not saying that’s right, just saying maybe that’s the view from outside right now. The typical cycle is that the national media will only follow most stories so far before it collectively loses interest. Rare is the lingering story that is followed, step-by-step, all the way to the end. It may take some major revelation, or unequivocal finding/admission of guilt to register with a national audience at this point.

Exactly. Really, hasn’t the fervor dipped significantly? And haven’t we been talking about this for quite some time now? I just wonder if this single episode had happened at, say, Florida or if the entire episode had gone down at, maybe, Notre Dame the reaction might be different. And has anyone seen a story about Heather Bresch that managed to mention everything that’s happened in the athletic department? I can’t imagine putting a story together that didn’t devote at least a paragraph. … Excuse me, Mike Garrison is on the phone.

Shannon said:

Take a look at the Arizona State University’s Guidestar page. The highest paid employee, in Tax Year 2005, made more than $125,000. The fifth highest paid individual was more than $70,000. I”m guessing Ashebrook has to be making in the middle there somewhere as a major gifts officer, unless he didn’t get a title of a vice president. In that case, he’s under $70,000.  

Indeed and according to the WVU Foundstion’s 2005 return, Aschebrooke’s predecessor, Whit Babcock, made $89,916. Again, not saying anything other than what I’m saying.

glibglub said:

Didn’t his attorney offer the explanation that the ASU job offered him a wider array of responsibilities that would further his goal of becoming an AD someday? That’s not what this Major Gift Officer job sounds like.  

That was indeed the explanation. I have no idea what a Major Gift Officer does, but I’m inclined to believe he oversees major gifts. 

thacker said:

There is a possibility, that I am inclined to believe, that Aschebrook left for his own peace of mind. His position at the foundation required focus upon current and future conditions. In other words, he was selling Bill Stewart to promote donations. Having to play 50 dumbass questions from every donor over a former coach would have been irritating and a constant problem for him. The issue of reselling his own reputation, through no fault of his own, may have, too, influenced his decision to leave. Frankly, I am surprised he didn’t take a position with the Universidade do Brasil.

I have a friend who wasn’t feeling very well one night of a vacation and he didn’t want to go to bed and miss all the fun. His solution was to, um, purge. His explanation: Sometimes you need a fresh start. 

StraightOuttaNorthCentral said:

You have to admit, if you’re one of a unit of 11 teamates, and you are trailing in an emotional game you’re supposed to win, and your coach is wound tighter than a spring, you are probably not going to be playing to the maximum extent of your abilities. Which means you’ll be more likely to, as Stewart might say, “leave your wingman.” Add to that the fact that you’re on TV wearing embarassing uniforms and it’s no surprise the team didn’t have their heads in the Pitt game…

Welcome to the kinder, gentler WVU.  The point made here is a good one — though I’ve read similarly themed quotes from Michigan players who say theirs is a positive change, too — but one wonders what happens when in the same situation the coach is in the aw-shucks, happy-go-lucky mode.

PRT said:

I have to wonder if he (Gov. Manchin) feels that receiving a college degree without having done the work for one could be considered “unscrupulous.” And if he dosen’t feel it is why not – and if he does will he publicly say so?

A strong debut in the blog for PRT! It got me thinking and got me searching for my dictionary one more time. Enjoy the weekend!