Rodriguez Under Fire!

**Danny** · August-31-09, 04:37 PM

Tearful Rodriguez Denies Allegations

Free Press Article Says Players Reported Violations

POSTED: Sunday, August 30, 2009
UPDATED: 5:19 pm EDT August 31, 2009

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan has launched an investigation into allegations that its football program regularly violates NCAA rules limiting how much time players can spend on training and practice.
Coach Rich Rodriguez spoke to the media on Monday, denying those allegations.
During his speech, Rodriguez choked back tears. "To say that is disheartening. To say that is misleading and goes against everything I believe in in coaching."
The investigation announcement came from Michigan athletic director Bill Martin after a Detroit Free Press article in which players from the 2008 and 2009 teams said the amount of time they spend on football during the season and in the offseason greatly exceeds NCAA limits.
The players spoke to the newspaper on condition of anonymity because they feared repercussions from coaches.
"We are committed to following both the letter and the intent of the NCAA rules and we take any allegations of violations seriously," Martin said in a written statement.
"We have always complied," said Rodriguez. "We are a very transparent program."
Martin also said that the school had reached out to both the Big Ten and the NCAA about the allegations. He said the university would have more to say after its inquiry was done.
The university's compliance director, Judy Van Horn, also denied that the football program violated NCAA rules.
Those regulations allow players to spend eight hours a week on mandatory workouts during the offseason.
The players also said the amount of time they spent on football activities during the season exceeded the weekly limit of 20 hours and often exceeded the daily limit of four hours.
They also said quality-control staff often watched seven-on-seven offseason scrimmages that are supposed to be voluntary and that only training staff are allowed to attend.
"I love working with our staff. I love working with our players. I love them like my family," said Rodriguez.
Michigan was 3-9 last season -- Rodriguez's first year as head coach of the Wolverines -- and did not make it to the postseason, ending a 33-year streak.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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No wonder the University of Michigan football team pooped out last season and they NEVER recieved a decent bowl game.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

It's time to bring Lloyd Carr to come out of retirement.

**HazenPingree** · August-31-09, 04:45 PM

Oh, the coach. I thought you were going to be talking about the musician! wheew.

**SCS100** · August-31-09, 05:07 PM

Check the sports side.

**Danny** · August-31-09, 05:11 PM

U of M football program is supposed to be the best program in the U.S. Now it's a has-been. They must have CHEAT their way into winning most NCAA conference games.

If the Investigation is true, FIRE RODRIGUEZ!

crawford · August-31-09, 06:15 PM

U-M should be demoted to Division 1-A. They have too many classless sports teams that threaten to tarnish the academic reputation.

And, worse, yet, they now stink. They have even less talent this year than last. You really expect RR to do more with less, especially with NCAA sanctions and his likely firing hanging over the program?

Imagine their record last year if they didn't cheat? Scary stuff!

**daddeeo** · August-31-09, 06:54 PM

Big ado about nothing if Rod wins. Long knives are out if he doesn't. It all comes down to him ruffling some feathers.

**Mama Jackson** · August-31-09, 08:54 PM

Your dang right, the coach should have made them practice harder considering their performance last year. What coach wouldn't? I wouldn't be surprised if he drilled them on the basics time and time again and it still didn't stick! There is only so much a coach can do, he can't go out there and run the ball for them. The coach can guide the players into how to tap the talent they are born with. Most players have to work they butts off as standard operating procedure, and these guys are complaining? Give me a break. The players attitude shows just why they were so terrible!

What the team members need to remember, is this: There is no "I" in the word "team". I think it's awful the members of the team ratted out their coach.

**East Detroit** · August-31-09, 09:35 PM

Academics come first.

Hahahaha, yeah, right.

**bailey** · September-01-09, 09:58 AM

Your dang right, the coach should have made them practice harder considering their performance last year

Of course the ridiculous practice schedule could not be to blame for the players having nothing left for game day?

What the team members need to remember, is this: There is no "I" in the word "team". I think it's awful the members of the team ratted out their coach.

Integrity be damned...it's all about the code of silence.

diver1369 · September-01-09, 03:50 PM

Has anyone seen this reaction to the Rodriguez press conference? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-fc5os23mI

Is crying allowed in college football?

**vetalalumni** · September-01-09, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by diver1369

Has anyone seen this reaction to the Rodriguez press conference? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-fc5os23mI

Is crying allowed in college football?

That is funny.

**GPCharles** · September-02-09, 09:08 AM

All D1 athletes in all sports practice more than 20 hours per week. Everything above 20 hours is called voluntary practice.

This whole thing comes down to the definition of "voluntary."

**Danny** · September-02-09, 09:40 AM

Lloyd Carr shouting!

"RODRIGUEZ, BRING BACK MY FOOTBALL PROGRAM!"

**firstandten** · September-02-09, 12:06 PM

I think in the grand scheme of things this violation will turn out to be no big deal. Look big time college coaches regularly walk that line between whats legal by the NCAA and a violation. What we are seeing with RichRod is that he doesn't have the cover thats needed from "friends of the program".

For reasons that I understand and somewhat agree with there's a segment of the Michigan insiders that flat out don't like the guy and hopes he fails.

RichRod will eventually fail unless he can convince those folks that he's truly a Michigan man, not just some outsider coming in to coach a team then leave for greener pastures once he starts winning