It's Rich Rodriguez's fault!

Fans of WVU have been hollerin' up a storm since Rich Rodriguez left, for a better job, mind you, at the University of Michigan. Though he left the school a much better place, WVU fans have felt the need to belittle his accomplishments.

Some of the anger was warranted, I'll give them that. It's never a smooth transition when any coach leaves a program. It's going to be messy. At this point, with both schools having moved on with their new head coaches, don't ya'll think enough is enough? We understood your anger, but it's become rote and over the top...

It's cold in Morgantown today! "It's Rich Rodriguez's fault!"

The price on double wides has gone up! "It's Rich Rodriguez's fault!"

The moonshine is weak! "It's Rich Rodriguez's fault!"

Here come the revenuers! "It's Rich Rodriguez's fault!"

The revenuers put Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok in county lock up! "It's Rich Rodriguez's fault!"

But you never hear "It's Rich Rodriguez's fault" when it comes to...

WVU plays in, and wins, New Year's Day bowls! We're a top 10 team! We win our conference! We have upgraded facilities! We're RELEVANT!

Those true statements are also the fault of one Rich Rodriguez. Yet, the WVU fans are still irrationally angry. The latest cry of "It's Rich Rodriguez's fault" takes the cake.

The kinfolk of WVU running back Steve Slaton announced he is leaving WVU for the NFL. Why? According to Slaton's pappy, "It's Rich Rodriguez's fault!"

It was not an easy decision, but, in the end, Carl (Slaton) said "it was pushed on him with [WVU coach Rich] Rodriguez leaving [for Michigan] and taking the whole coaching staff."

OK, I can at least see some logic there, flawed as it may be. But read on for the real money quote...

"[Rodriguez] just took everything away from Steven," Carl said.

Huh? "Took everything away?" What, exactly, did Rodriguez "take" from Slaton?

A free ride at a major institution? No, he's got that. A chance to play major college football? He got that too. Play for a national title? They had their shot, and just missed. An opportunity to go to the NFL? Nope, Slaton will play on Sundays. So what's been taken away?

It comes off to me as a lame attempt by Slaton's daddy to deflect any blame the WVU fans have for his son leaving school early. Because, as we know now, they don't take kindly to ANYONE leaving West Virginia.

Good Lord, will the bitching and moaning from the hills of West Virginia ever stop? I don't think so. Why? Because...all together now..."it's Rich Rodriguez's fault!"