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Rodriguez Settles With WVU for $4Mil

The long Michigan nightmare is over. New UM football coach Rich Rodriguez has agreed to settle with his former employer West Virginia University, although cave is probably the more accurate term, by agreeing to pay the entire $4 million buyout fee at issue in the suit between them.

Rich Rod will pay $1.5 million and other sources, presumably the UM or its football boosters will pay the other $2.5 million. I guess to that extent it can be considered a somewhat hollow victory for Rich Rod although I'm sure he could have gotten Michigan to pay that much up front without the necessity of going through all the embarrassing depositions. Speaking of depositions, it was the threat of deposing the Michigan president and athletic director that spurred the settlement. What did WVU give up? The Mountaineers will not receive its legal fees, nor will it receive interest on the $4 million. All in all, not too bad a deal for WVU.

Full post as published by Sports Biz on July 09, 2008 (boomark / email).