It is grossly unfair that (Rich) Rodriguez can jump from one school to another without missing so much as a snap, that West Virginia will get a few million dollars in return for his departure, while (Ryan) Mallett gets nothing but a year of inactivity. Forget the money that will change hands between the coach and the university, the one who is paying most dearly in this scenario is a player who had nothing to do with it all. But that's the way it is in Division I college sports -- teenage players are held to a higher standard of commitment than the adults who coach their teams.
- Phil Taylor of SI.com
This is an extremely good point. It is unfortunate that the NCAA (and for that matter, virtually all sports organizations) allows coaches to turn their back on their contracts without penalty. Rich Rodriguez owes West Virginia $4 million but is only going to give $1.5 million (37.5% of the owed payment). If I decided that I was going to leave AT&T and go to Verizon before my two-year contract had ended, I would be hit with a $180 fine. If I contacted AT&T and told them that I would pay $67.50 (37.5%), they would contact the authorities and I would be sued. Why is this the required action in life, but not in sports? It's unfair to the general public that people like Rich Rodriguez and Rick Pitino can ignored their obligations and get away scotch-free. This must change.