It's going to get ugly

And pretty damn fast. This whole situation is going soap opera in the he said/she said aspects. ESPN has reported that Rodriguez is going to contest the buyout. Not a surprise, but that means the dirty laundry is going to get aired.

Ken Kendrick, a primary West Virginia athletics donor and close friend of Rodriguez, said Tuesday he had knowledge of lawyers' intentions to contest the buyout.

"I will be a witness to any and all proceedings that occur," said Kendrick, who is the managing general partner of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks. "They baited and switched him. Rich was boxed in by a university and athletic department that was arrogant, mean-spirited and intellectually bankrupt.

"How can someone like me now commit money to this university?"

Meanwhile the University has fired back for the first time through the Board of Governors.

"The University and the Board listen to their suggestions, as we listen to students, alumni, faculty and staff," Goodwin said. "People who are successful in other areas of life often have important insights into how we operate, how we are perceived, and how we can improve the University.

"At the end of the day, the University is governed by its Board and its President, and the people they appoint to positions of responsibility. Making donations to a public university does not entitle anyone to dictate policy or personnel.

Want some more? Here you go:

The statement also said that West Virginia went "to the ends of the earth" to keep Rodriguez, pointing out that:

His salary increased by 70 percent.
His assistant coaches had their salaries increased.
A $2 million academic center was built for the football program.
Construction has started on a $6 million locker room renovation.
Goodwin said "very minor issues" were raised by Rodriguez to the administration and "people were working on them."

Goodwin also said Rodriguez "clearly was looking for (an) excuse to leave -- he looked last year and again this year."

This will get worse before it gets better. Both sides are making black and white arguments while the truth is probably very gray. The administration is engulfed in smoke and there has to be fire in there somewhere. On the other side Rodriguez went behind WVU's back for a second straight year and would probably continue to do so. To pretend that either side is an innocent victim is delusional. Rodriguez is going to continue to launch bombs via his booster friends and lawyer while the school can keep releasing statements but the mud is being flung fast and furious. All the while WVU has no coach and the prospective coaches have to be taking notes. Other successful coaches on WVU staffs should probably turn their phones off now unless they want calls from all over the country asking if they may want to run a different program.