Writing on the Wall

The Death Watch is near an end and it looks pretty bad for Mountaineer fans. Here's just some of the things out there:

From the Post-Gazette:
Earlier in the day, at about 10 a.m., Alabama athletic director Mal Moore reportedly arrived in Morgantown to offer Rodriguez the job as the Alabama coach. The Mobile Press-Register, which first reported the story, said it was believed that Alabama's offer would match the highest coaching salary now being paid in the SEC. Auburn's Tommy Tuberville is the highest-paid coach in the SEC at $2.2 million per year. Rodriguez currently makes $1 million at West Virginia.

From Southern Sports Tonight:
Rich Rodriguez will be named the new head football coach at the University of Alabama in a Friday press conference. The West Virginia coach will take over the Crimson Tide program vacated by Mike Shula, who was fired two weeks ago. Rodriguez and his wife, Rita, met with Alabama athletic director Mal Moore in New York City earlier in the week, and according to sources at both West Virginia and Alabama, Moore called Rodriguez Wednesday night with an official offer. Rodriguez is in Jacksonville on Thursday and is scheduled to fly via private plane to Tuscaloosa early Friday morning for a press conference later in the day. The terms of Rodriguez's contract with Alabama is not known at this time, other than Alabama has agreed to pay the $2 million buyout in his West Virginia contract. According to one West Virginia assistant coach, Rodriguez will like to coach the Mountaineers in their upcoming Gator Bowl game before taking over in Tuscaloosa, but no official agreement has been reached yet.

From Bluegoldnews.com:
Tonight in Jacksonville, Florida, there is a confab of Gator Bowl officials and representatives of the 2007 Gator Bowl teams, West Virginia and Georgia Tech. Included is West Virginia Coach Rich Rodriguez. But bowl officials reportedly have been told that Rodriguez won't be there to coach the Mountaineers in the game. That does not necessarily mean that Rich Rodriguez is headed to Alabama as the new head football coach of the Crimson Tide. But if he is not going to be coaching West Virginia in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day from Jacksonville, Florida, that could be an indication he is accepting the Alabama offer.

Obviously there could still be some amazing thing that occurred and Rich Rod recommits to the University tomorrow...but it appears highly unlikely. Out of the three sources I mention above, the bluegoldnews seems to be the most damaging...it seems like an odd rumor to make up without some knowledge...but odd regardless.

So, we'll wait until the official word tomorrow and either a) be thankful that Rich is staying, or b) start looking at coaching candidates. Ah, what a bunch of garbage!