Rodriguez offers to pay WVU $1.5 million
2008-01-29 10:32:00
BRISTOL, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Former West Virginia coach
Rich Rodriguez has offered to pay the school $1.5 million to
buyout the final six years left on his contract, according to
a report Tuesday on ESPN.com.
Rodriguez, who left the Mountaineers on December 16 to take the
same position at the University of Michigan, reportedly filed a
letter of credit in the U.S. District Court in Clarksburg, West
Virginia.
According to the court filing, Rodriguez filed the letter, "in
the spirit of compromise and as an act of good faith to assure
West Virginia University that if this Honorable Court makes an
award against defendant, said monies will be paid."
School officials did not respond when asked for comment,
according to the report. Last month West Virginia filed a $4
million lawsuit against Rodriguez - which was the amount of the
buyout clause in the contract extension he signed last August.
According to the report, Rodriguez claims he did not breach the
contract because the school pressured him into signing a
one-year extension and promised to lower the buyout clause.
Rodriguez has until Monday to respond to the lawsuit.
West Virginia officials and Rodriguez's attorneys are reportedly
working on an out-of-court settlement to avoid trial.
Rodriguez and his attorney released the following statement to
ESPN.com:
"Coach Rodriguez is a responsible person. (The amount of the
letter of credit) is the amount owed by (Rodriguez) under the
first amendment of the Employment Agreement at the date of his
resignation. This is a good faith effort to move the process
and communication lines forward so all parties can concentrate
on their future endeavors."
Rodriguez's colleague, Michigan basketball coach John Beilein
paid West Virginia $1.5 million to buyout the final five years
of his contract after being hired last April.
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