Of course, that shredding incident happened more recently than Heather Bresch graduating with a master's in business from WVU. Bresch is the daughter of WV governor Joe Manchin, and nine years after that ceremony, 22 credits were retroactively applied to her transcript. The University's explanation is that those credits were not properly transcribed at the time, or there was some kind of error in bring the documents into a digital format, or the dog ate them, or their computers totally hate them. Bresch is now 38 years old and the COO of a pharmaceutical company in Pennsylvania that has strong ties to WVU's campus.
Forget if either story is true or not. Heck, let's assume these are two non-stories. But which one would be more damaging were it to be true? A lone football coach damaging school property, or the governor's daughter receiving a master's degree she didn't earn?
I know the story about Bresch's degree broke during Christmas break and all. But priorities, people. Priorities. Unless, of course, I'm grossly misunderstood and football actually is life, in which case, carry on as normal.
Article comments
1 - Ryan
The perspective of your article is off. Anyone directly involved with West Virginia University should be extremely concerned over the possible transgressions involved with the governor's daughter. However, nearly every human being in the state, whether directly associated with the university or not, is a WVU football fan. West Virginia football represents the entire state and, as such, will receive the due press coverage. Academic issues are, in the eyes of many West Virginians, only important to those involved. Perhaps this is because they've got backwards priorities but if so every college fan who cheers because of state residence instead of alumni status carries similar priorities. Every college has similar alleged "scandals" if you look deep enough; that should not take away press coverage from a coach abandoning his players and breaching a contract making him the highest paid state employee. There is no basis in either of these issues on which to judge the priorities of West Virginians. If you have stereotypes dancing about in your head, I'd suggest you visit the area and compare its football obsession with any other big school program.
2 - Mike
Aw, give it a rest. There is not one shred of evidence anywhere that any of Rich Rod's charges that his family was harassed are true. Best guess is that some of his son's junior high school classmates teased him a little bit...that's it. But, even if ALL of the charges are true, we are talking about the actions of a lunatic fringe, which have been completely disavowed by the majority of the WVU fan base. When you tar all West Virginians with that brush, you are simply regurgitating Rod's press releases. If you want to be a journalist, please check your facts.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
Ryan, it sounds like you just read the headline then commented.
"Academic issues are, in the eyes of many West Virginians, only important to those involved."
Right, and the Charleston Gazette article says WVU students care more about a paper shredder.
"If you have stereotypes dancing about in your head, I'd suggest you visit the area and compare its football obsession with any other big school program."
I've been to WV twice. Great place. Way more beautiful than Ohio.
And Mike, you're free to believe that a handful of non-representative WVians are not making Rodriguez's family miserable (a report says someone destroyed their mailbox. Termites, probably!). And you're free to believe that Rodriguez is guilty of the destruction of WV's football paper records. But my fact-checking is all in good order. The Charleston Gazette and Detroit Free Press are both rather reputable sources, I'd say.
4 - SANDMAN
Rich...just pay the 4 mil, and give it a rest
5 - WVState
"However, nearly every human being in the state, whether directly associated with the university or not, is a WVU football fan. West Virginia football represents the entire state and, as such, will receive the due press coverage."
As usual, the WVU fan forgets there's another real university in the state. It may not be a football powerhouse, but at least it's not giving away any eMBA degrees. IAC, if you think most West Virginians care more about football than the good name of their flagship university, you need to watch something other than ESPN.
6 - janet
I just wanted to correct the writer, the pharmaceutical company is located in West Virginia, right opposite the campus, not Pennsylvania. I also think that WVU needs to move on and just settle everything in court instead of embarrassing themselves and all of us Mountaineers!
7 - holywriter
Don't forget, at least Marshall had a movie made about it. I have to agree with Matt.
8 - Matthew T. Sussman
Bresch's company, Mylan Inc., is based out of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. But yes, I think she actually does work in WV.
9 - J
One of the great things about the internet is that anyone can say anything they want. One of the bad things about the internet is that anyone can say anything they want, no matter how stupid or ill informed they are.
Sad that people like this blog about topics they have a feeble understanding of just to see their words in "e-print" as it were.
10 - Harold
You are obviously buying into Rich's spin machine. We Mountaineer fans don't really care that he's gone (actually we're happy about it). We just want our $4 million that he owes our university. Pay up Rich! Let Michigan deal with you. We're better off without him.
11 - eric
Well said Matthew. As a rabid WVU football fan and a graduate (MBA, and I have the transcripts to prove it) of WVU, I am very disturbed by the thought that the Governor's daughter gets a degree without doing the work. The real story is - if you look a little deeper - she works for Mylan Pharmaceuticals - named for its founder - with the spelling slightly changed - Milan Puskar. If that sounds familiar, check the name of the stadium where our beloved Mountaineers play. Named after a huge donor - Milan Puskar. So, the two stories are more closely related than it seems at first glance. And it seems this is not an academics vs. athletics issue. It goes back to the golden rule. He who has the gold makes the rules, and the rest of us follow the carrot without questioning he who holds it.
12 - BILLJOWHG
What i would like to hear, which has not been reported anywhere--did rodriguez call or talk to any of the WVU football team and or coaches and congratulate them on winning the Fiesta bowl beating Oklahoma, again!!!
13 - Joe Dugger
He quit, he did not coach the fiesta bowl, they paid him as if he did. Thats all i need to know about who is upstanding and ethical enough to honor a contract. Pay WVU the buyout, and Richie may have some argument about bad behavior on teh part of WVU. The weak and the kiss ass administration seeking to kiss the governors ass by granting his kid a ficticious degree has nothing to do with WVU football. She is getting to keep her unearned job and papering it over with an unearned degree doesn't make the job she has any more legitimate. Wonder what Mylan got from the state in return?
14 - Ryan
Matt, they're students. I'm sure there's room for students to care about both issues; don't take the Gazette to heart when they analyze which is more important. I think that's a bit more personal of a question. Unless you surveyed all 28000 students you have certainly not done the research needed to tell us whose priorities are where on that campus. Beyond that, unless you have a feel for the entire state you can't analyze the other fans priorities either. You've been to West Virginia twice. Twice. If you'd spent enough time there to know the people or atmosphere well, you'd understand that the fans are no more or less obsessive and/or good at prioritizing than those at most other large football schools. The students will burn couches and throw fits but many are also aware and worried over the accusations about the governor's daughter. The two issues are not mutually exclusive. Attaching them in this way is simply poor judgment. Write a story about each separate incident and let the public analyze priorities.
15 - Ryan
The two issues are mutually exclusive.** -Apologies for the error.
16 - Truth
wvu does not represent me in any way, shape or form.