When Michigan announced that coach Les Miles had shown interest in taking over their mediocre football program I nearly choked. Les Miles, the man who brought LSU redemption after the exit of Nick Saben, the man who brought them a National Championship in 2007, the man who holds a 62-17 record respectively, and the man who is well basically… The Man. Needless to say I exhaled as hard as I had choked when I found out that he would stay in Baton Rouge with a contract that could extend to 2015. I had flash backs to another man who had made that seemingly destructive move back in 2007. Around the same time Les Miles was preparing to dismantle The Ohio State in the National Championship game 38-24. As we know already, Rich Rodriguez jumped ship from a very powerful and modern day speed machine West Virginia team to coach at his dream college Michigan University. Having brought not only West Virginia but the entire Big East conference to the national spotlight. He was only a field goal away from putting West Virginia in their first BCS National Championship game and their first since a 1989 loss to the hands of Notre Dame.

Regardless of facts and numbers which seem to dominate sports. Rich Rod led with domination. He had taken a third rate West Virginia team to the forefront lead by the one-two punch of Steve Slayton and Patrick White. Along with a 3-3-5 defense, they took the secondary prize of playing Oklahoma in the Fiesta bowl. Crushing them 48-28. Rich Rob was nowhere in sight that day. The Mountaineers were lead by interim coach Bill Stewart. So why the compassion for Rich Rodriguez? Why does this subject bring me such uncomfortable pain in my limbs and brain? Rich Rodriguez move to Michigan was one I will never understand. But it did bring more to light then it brought his career into the dark. Let’s not forget that Michigan, as for the entire Big Ten, is not what it used to be. Ohio State got their free games in the last decade and if their is a college football God… They will not get another.

Coming off terms from one of the more successful coaches, Lloyd Carr, Rich Rod grabbed the helm of a sub-par Michigan squad who had less success then misery. The Michigan community hit a low when they lost a legend in Bo Schembechler in 2006. The same year Michigan lost to Ohio State in a classic #1 vs. #2 game, 42-39. A lot of excitement and promise came with Rodriguez to Michigan. He had mastered the spread attack at West Virginia, and other then winning 4 Big East titles, he also won BCS games over powerhouse teams Georgia and Oklahoma. The rest as we know is not a happy ending. With his recent dismissal, the legendary Rich Rod posted a 15-22 record in three years, allowed Michigan to miss a bowl game for the first time in 33 years, and failed to beat both Michigan State and Ohio State. So what do we take from this? Has Michigan football fallen off the map? Are they playing football not sufficient enough for the modern game? Will they ever regain their strangle hold over the Big Ten?

All these answers and more will be answered with newly hired San Diego State coach Brady Hoke. But Michigan is the past for Rich Rod. As we know from a public standpoint, he is as tough as nails and as stubborn as one can ever wish to be. What he has given to Michigan was a glimpse of things they will never be. The Big Ten will never be the speed attack conference like a Pac-10. Spread offense, shown here and there, failed to be consistent with Michigan. Maybe Rich Rod was just too blessed at West Virginia in his time there. He coached an array of professional players and pretty much coasted through an easy Big East schedule load. Do we not thank him for the antics of Adam “Pac Man” Jones? Entirely up to you. Me personally, I enjoy Rich Rod as a coach. He is an old fashion dictator with a modern day approach to the game. And up to his three-year stint at Michigan he had quite the impressive resume. Oh no, here comes that chocking feeling again. The thought of him staying at West Virginia is almost scary to ponder. Figuring that when he departed, the conference sank. Need proof? Connecticut played in their first BCS bowl game unranked and with a 8-6 record. If anything, they should be thanking Rich Rod. So where next for the infamous bastard of college football? Lord only knows. Just expect there to be plenty of dysfunction and if we’re lucky… A lot of ball games won.