Semi-OT: What do you say to your kids if you're Rich Rod?
It has to be tough for a kid whose father is in such a high profile position in the community to see them get villified and have their character dragged through the mud by so many people.
And while I'm sure RR's family is very supportive, I have to imagine that, as a man, his ego and self-confidence took a hit today and wonder if he thinks about how this might affect his children's admiration of him, which I'm sure is one of the most important things in his life.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever found themselves in a similar situation (even if on a smaller scale) and how you handled it.
January 5th, 2011 at 8:15 PM ^
shuffling along in his maize shorts and a home made tee shirt with the numbers 2.5 right in the middle of the chest. I lold.
January 5th, 2011 at 10:58 PM ^
I think his kids might at least like to finish the school year here.
January 5th, 2011 at 6:51 PM ^
Kind of a dumb angle on the topic. Not sure why you want to drag his kids into this. The man was well paid and will be again in his next gig. Coaches are hired to be fired. That's the biz.
January 5th, 2011 at 6:52 PM ^
then you look them in the eyes and tell you're sorry for the rough times they have all had as a family the last few years. You remind them that they are still together as a family and they always will be.
After that you remind them you always give 100% effort and prepare as best you can and do your best. And sometimes even when you do that, things don't go your way. It's part of life. Losing a job or getting fired is not failure...choosing to not pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try again with all that you have...that is failure.
Rich and his family will be fine. He's a coach and he knows the business is about wins and losses. I heard he plans to take this year off and "heal the wounds" from this experience. I think he'll learn from this and be a better coach for it.
I wish him and his family all the best and thanks for never taking a day off while at Michigan.
January 5th, 2011 at 7:05 PM ^
My overwhelming impression of Rich: he is a solid, down-to earth guy. He is also clearly a family man and a parent who cares about his kids. Given the media frenzy, I'm certain that the kids knew what was coming, probably because Rich and his wife prepared them.
Think about it as a parent. What would you do to help your kids through a job loss? I would have told my kids in terms they could understand. Reassured them that in no way were they to blame for daddy losing his jobs. Told them that everything would be ok.
Put aside the big payout that came with bad news. It hurts to get fired, especially when you've worked hard and believed in your work. I think Rich has done both. I hope he lets his kids see and share his feelings, and that parents and kids begin to heal starting today. He's a good guy, I wish him all the best.
January 5th, 2011 at 7:11 PM ^
You do your best to be honest. You cry together, hug each other, feel empty inside, lick your wounds, and be glad there are second chances in coaching.
I wonder, do the kids stay and finish the term in AA, or move on immediately? How old are his kids?
I'm sure they love their daddy, and it will work out. Still hurts, but it will work out.
January 5th, 2011 at 8:58 PM ^
I'm guessing he'll be out of AA pretty damn quick
January 5th, 2011 at 7:13 PM ^
"Welp Kids...There goes your free tuition to The University of Michigan, good thing I am loaded now though"
January 5th, 2011 at 7:56 PM ^
Kids I got bad news and good news.
Bad news is I got fired.
Good news is we're buying Disney Land.
January 5th, 2011 at 7:56 PM ^
People get laid off every day. I don't see you guys crying about the millions of umemployed people in this country. You don't think they would take all the national shit talking in the world to make 2.5 million dollars? Gimme a break, he performed poorly at his job and he was fired. Get over it.
January 5th, 2011 at 9:42 PM ^
Orobs, I hope you find yourself in a similar situation some day. Feeling badly for RR, his family and his staff does not exclude us from feeling badly for anyone else.
January 5th, 2011 at 10:22 PM ^
Hope he gets paid over $10 million for 3 years work then gets fired? Can you hope that for me too? Because I'd be down with that. I've seen a lot of people get laid off that were doing a great job but circumstances beyond their doing got their place of employment closed. Without the golden parachute. I don't think some sympathy is out of the question, but the woe is me stuff is kinda silly. No one in his family will ever have to work again if they don't want to (and I'm guessing another well paid job is around the corner). He made like $750,000 per win. There are high school coaches whose kids and family take crap all the time for wins and loses 1/50 that salary. Sorry it was rough. Glad his family is secure forever for putting up with it. Where do I sign up?
January 6th, 2011 at 11:31 AM ^
Looking at Rodriguez, especially the last few months, you can see the toll it's taken on him.
Cute and funny to say, "hey, wish a $10M job on me", but if you'd knowingly subject yourself and your family to the hell they've been through, here and in WV, you're a selfish, money-grubbing douche.
You really think Rodriguez would have even left WVU for $10M in the first place had he known how it would turn out?
January 5th, 2011 at 8:11 PM ^
Wow. I know it is a bad day for a lot of people here, but I'm surprised at how insensitive people are.
As stated above by orobs, he didn't perform and he did get fired. But for many of us, I'm sure RR included, a ton of our personal identity is tied up in our professional identity. I think the OP asked an interesting question.
I lost my job about two years ago and fortunately found another one soon thereafter. It truly has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. But one of the hardest things I've EVER had to do was tell my kids that I lost my job.
I said, "I lost my job. I wanted you to hear it from me first, and not from someone else. This is something that mom and I prepared for by saving money for an emergency, but it isn't something you need to worry about. It is an adult problem that will be handled by mom and I. But if you have any questions or worries or just want to talk about it, I am available any time. There's no reason to be worried or scared, but it isn't a problem if you are. We'll figure this out as a family." Not a fun day.
January 5th, 2011 at 8:38 PM ^
I'm sorry you went through that. Sounds like things worked out just fine. Now imagine having 100's of people speculating on message boards what you were going to say to your kids after you lost your job. Lets leave the dude alone.
January 5th, 2011 at 10:08 PM ^
The question was posed as more of a what would YOU do or have YOU done when faced with a similar situation.
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<br>I was't asking for a transcript of what transpires between Rich and his family for christ sake.
January 5th, 2011 at 10:02 PM ^
Thx for sharing. These are the types of responses I was looking for.
January 5th, 2011 at 8:14 PM ^
January 5th, 2011 at 8:53 PM ^
You say look, that didn't work out too well but we're doing just fine. On to the next multi-million dollar gig.
Kids are resilient
January 5th, 2011 at 8:59 PM ^
"about that being QB for Michigan in 2017 thing, how did you like the city of Columbus"
January 5th, 2011 at 9:24 PM ^
Seeing RR @ basketball games with his family reminded me that he (and most coaches) aren't really different from my family except for the salary disparity. We all want the same things for our kids and family. I hope that they can all learn from this and make it a positive.
Good things happen to good people, but so do bad things...especially if you hire unqualified friends.
January 5th, 2011 at 11:42 PM ^
I hated the winter in Ann Arbor anyways. Good riddance.
We are going south for winter!
January 6th, 2011 at 12:24 AM ^
"Hopefully when you grow up, you'll run a pro-style offense."
January 6th, 2011 at 12:53 AM ^
you don't have to go to school tomorrow.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:20 AM ^
I wonder if he will give his side of the story? So far he has stayed out of the media lights!
January 6th, 2011 at 11:22 AM ^
A lot of times, baked into the buyout clause, there is a gag order. He probably needs to keep quiet to get the UM buyout to help pay for part of the WVU buyout. I thought I read that he owed about $1.5M of that.
Regardless, I believe he's too classy to say much more than he has even if he could.
January 6th, 2011 at 3:20 AM ^
I wonder if he will give his side of the story? So far he has stayed out of the media lights!
January 6th, 2011 at 11:17 AM ^
that everything happens for a reason. We gave it our best shot, but God's got a better plan for us down the road. I tell them to savor the good memories and not harbor any grudges over the bad ones.
Then I ask them if they want me to take a year off or take the Clemson job....
January 6th, 2011 at 12:53 PM ^
She's been out all week. My guess would be his son has been too. I don't think they have another residence in WV so I'm assuming they will stay here at least til he lands another job.
As I was driving home last night I pass his sub and a Fox 2 news van was in front of me turning in. It made me think how weird that must be for his kids.
January 6th, 2011 at 2:23 PM ^
I feel awful for the family.