Pedro Gomez Joel here, to post about the latest in the episode of “Eers of Our Lives”. Yesterday, West Virginia University’s Board of Governors filed a lawsuit in Monongalia County Circuit Court in an effort to collect Coach Rich “Paid-Rod” Rodriguez’s $4 million buyout clause. According to the contract, one-third of the buyout is due 30 days after termination of his employment at WVU, with the balance due in 2 years. West Virginia is seeking mediation in order to make sure that they get their money. The university claims that it had fulfilled its obligations to Rodriguez and the Mountaineer football program, and that Rodriguez never gave the school written notice of his resignation, which was required in the contract. Rodriguez has 20 days to respond, and it is largely expected that he will contest the lawsuit.Thomas already posted about Coach Paid Rod not willing to pay the school jack. Ken Kendrick, wealthy Mountaineer booster, is already on record saying that he will testify “to any and all proceedings that may occur.” This will more than likely put him up against Milan Puskar, he who’s COO may or may not have her MBA (allegedly). Here’s my take. It is already looking really bad for the school. There has been more dirty laundry aired and more will come, on both sides, if this thing actually gets to court. Paid Rod’s and the school’s lawyers need to go somewhere and hammer out a settlement and move on. However, West Virginia thinks that theiy are Victor Newman and can bully people around, so doing the logical thing probably won’t happen. Can’t we all just get along??? Someone be the Voice That Cares…

In other news, WVU interviewed Butch Jones of Directional School Michigan. I will give them a lot of credit, the second half of the bowl game against Purdue, they looked like world beaters. Mike Locksley, offensive coordinator of Illinois (and the guy Tennessee should go after for the OC position), denied that he interviewed for the job. He did tell a Mountaineer headhunter that he was not going to interview just to satisfy the Black Coaches Association. I don’t blame him one bit. Besides, he’ll be a head coach eventually, plus Illinios is a better position now anyway, even if it is as a coordinator. Also curious to note that Gov. Joe Manchin is also involved with the interview porcess. To my knowledge, I can’t remember a state’s governor involved with interviewing head coaching candidates. I understand that he is an alum, but he should step back and let the school’s athletic department & president make the choice. Besides, he needs to focus on why the state’s economy is 49th out of 50 states in the country…