Obviously it was a disappointing finish to the hoops game yesterday, as the UCLA wore down Beilein’s crew and pulled away easily in the second half. The turning point? When they showed the video of coach Carr in the stands. Note the time and the score at the time:
And not to nitpick, but if you are going to put an end date on Carr’s coaching career, technically it’s 2008.
Two interesting links from the Free Press today:
1. Wow, check out the exchange between Les Miles and Rodriguez, as described by Rodriguez’s mother. It kind of validates the cocktail party theory that the WVU/Pitt game basically determined our next coach:
According to her, Miles thanked Rodriguez for losing the game against Pittsburgh. Miles then joked with Rodriguez that the loss cost Miles his dream job. “He told my son that if West Virginia had beaten Pitt, they would’ve been in the championship game, and that would’ve left an opening for him,” she said.
2. Definitely give this is a read. Shawn Windsor of the Free Press put together a special report on the days leading to the Rodriguez hiring.
One Comment
Bonus
Interesting to note in the Freep article Rodriguez’s dad seems to see the UM job as the possible next step in a ladder to the NFL. If the guy was willing to leaving his home state – his dream job by all accounts – simply for a bigger stage, a good career move – i cant see why he wont leave UM in 5 years or so for the NFL. If he does reasonably well, he will have offers.
Im happy with the hire, but something seems off with a guy who was creating a perennial national champion contender in his homestate leaving in this way. Seems not to jibe with the whole Michigan Man pedigree of loyalty and dedication to the UM tradition & program. Hired gun? I question if this is the last stop on his career train, which is fine in most professions. But like the west virginians are showing us now, not quite so much in this one…