I'm glad I'm not a hoopie.

I wasn't sure how to approach this subject, but I think I have found the best way to phrase how I feel about the entire situation. For the most part, I hate almost everything related to WVU athletics. I hate the actions of their fans, I hate the arrogance of their teams, and I hate the attention they have received lately.

With that out of the way, I am very torn on how I feel about Rich Rodriguez leaving WVU. Don't get me wrong, Rodriguez is an arrogant fool who left a great situation to go to a place where he will never be able to do enough. The way he sold his team out was unfair to the players and to the administration. I always disliked Rodriguez and even though he is no longer a Mountaineer, I will always cheer against UM (except against UPS).

The fans at WVU are some of the most classless, ruthless, and immature people I have ever met in my entire life. Some people have said that it is karma that brought WVU fans down from their high horse and provided some humility following the 13-9 upset. Even with that humility now slightly recognizable, for now, in their fan base I still feel like they deserve this and do not deserve this all at the same time.

I have not been treated well every time that I have ventured to WVU for a game. I still remember the WVU fans coming to the Pitt message boards during the game and trash talking like we shouldn't even show up to play the game. I remember their fans rejoicing in the fact that UCLA stole Ben Howland from us following the 2003 season. Even in 2006 when Jamie Dixon was heavily rumored to Arizona State, the WVU fans came to our message boards gloating that we were simply a "stepping stone" university. For those reasons, I am glad that WVU fans are suffering the way they are.

On the other hand, they had to deal with John Beiline leaving once Patty graduated. I actually felt bad then because I, along with all of the other Pitt faithful understood how hard it is to lose a coach. Nothing is more disrespectful that someone saying this job, where I am making millions of dollars, and this university is not worthy of my services any more. Prior to Beiline leaving WVU, Rodriguez was heavily rumored to Alabama. Reports were that it was a done deal and that RichRod was leaving a potential national championship caliber team to rebuild what was once a great program. In the end Richrod was able to get more money from the university as well as promises to improve the football team in many different areas. I was glad to see RichRod stay because the "Big" school wasn't able to steal a coach from the Big East. Finally it looked like we were going to be able to stand on our own ground.

Fast forward to 2007. UM isn't able to get their man Les Miles after Kirk Herbstreit leaks information that he will be the next coach of UM. After that, UM goes after Rutgers coach Greg Schiano. Schiano (who is probably holding out for JoePa to die) tells them no thank you. Then it was left to RichRod. After a recruiting trip, Rodriguez goes to Toledo and hammers out a deal to be the next coach of Michigan. After losing a basketball coach to UM and their womens soccer coach to UM, RichRod follows suit.

I can't imagine what it would be like to have to go through "possibly" losing your coach after each season. The only ones close to knowing what this would be like is Louisville fans having to deal with Bobby Petrino applying for every single NFL coaching vacancy until he was hired by Atlanta.

So this is where we stand, WVU has lost another coach. Whomever is brought in will most likely not be able to win immediately because Rodriguez usually got the guys who fit his system, and is a good enough coach to adapt his offensive and defensive philosophy based upon who he had on the roster. In the end Pitt will benefit because I HIGHLY doubt WVU will be able to bring in a coach better than Rodriguez. This will also help Pitt recruit better in the area without having to deal with a strong WVU team threatening us each year. Despite all of this, I do feel bad that a Big East school, even if it is WVU has to go through this again. No matter who WVU decides to replace RichRod with, hopefully he stays put for a while but manages to lose to Pitt each and every year.