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July 8, 2008
Rodriguez can prove himself by disciplining Grady

DETROIT - Kevin Grady's impending DUI arraignment provides Rich Rodriguez with the football sacrifice he needed.

The new man in Ann Arbor must show the Old Blue Purists still holding doubts that he isn't afraid to apply the disciplinary hammer to a prominent player.

Grady was arrested for misdemeanor drunken driving last week in suburban Grand Rapids, Mich. According to the police report, Grady's blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit. He'll be arraigned Wednesday.

There's nothing funny or casually dismissive about these accusations.

If Grady willingly turned himself into a lethal weapon, the least of his problems should be whether or not he plays football again. There's a serious issue that extends beyond just another youthful indiscretion. He could face a maximum of three months' jail time.

This isn't about plea bargaining to a lesser charge that looks less condemning on his criminal record but doesn't diminish the scope of the mistake.

Grady's rights only pertain to a court of law. He doesn't have a "right'' to remain under scholarship at Michigan. It's a revocable privilege.

However his legal matter gets resolved, Grady has probably seen his last day with the Wolverines.

Rodriguez said the program would handle the matter internally, meaning that he'll conduct his own investigation. All coaches do this.

Lloyd Carr could get away with that approach because the Michigan program did a better job of maintaining a public lid over the worst troublemakers. Rodriguez can't get away with it - not with everybody knowing that current NFL malcontents, Pacman (Call Me Adam Now) Jones and Chris Henry, began their litany of legal transgressions under Rodriguez's watch at West Virginia.

Rodriguez must make an example of Grady, a junior running back who missed all of last season following a serious knee injury during spring practice. Grady was the No. 1 rated recruit in the Wolverines' 2005 class.

There's an increasing comfort level with Rodriguez's coaching principles.

He's developing better speed on his offensive and defensive lines, concentrating more on drills that better develop agility instead of the old philosophy of growing them as big as possible.

That remains the biggest difference between the SEC and Big Ten - better athleticism on the interior line.

There's no questioning his focus on the field.

It's what happens off the field that still triggers concern.

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C'mon guys. This whole Richrod thing has got to end. It's like a guy that says he hates his wife after theyre divorced but yet keeps talking about her at any given chance. Let it die!! We dont care about him, gazette. If anything, keep up on college football for the next couple years and let that be the tell all. So please, gazette, help us stop talking about him by not putting him in "The State Newspaper". The state of West Virginia not Michigan!

Posted By: TEllis (11:09pm 07-08-2008)
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To: UM > WV, so you say:

"Call him a liar, but any other competitive coach would have done the same thing: leave an ok university for a superb university."

So why did UM hire a competitive coach from an ok university although RR left the WVU team in a very unprofessional manner? Did the exit from WVU enrich his creditials? Now, it is UM's turn.


Posted By: although (10:25pm 07-08-2008)
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Why in the world is this in the West Virginia paper?? We don't want to see anything about him except when he writes us a check!! Poor article choice.

Posted By: WVUFAN (2:41pm 07-08-2008)
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Hey UM Fan, why do you read West Virginia papers, why dont you mind your own? You ppl have enough to worry about, like actually beating I-AA schools, let alone even coming close to beating OSU

Posted By: ScottWVU (1:34pm 07-08-2008)
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