Rodriguez, Michigan agree to pay $4M buyout

Sports Digest

July 10, 2008

Former West Virginia University football coach Rich Rodriguez and the University of Michigan have agreed to pay a $4 million buyout clause and settle a lawsuit that WVU filed after he broke his contract in December.

Rodriguez will pay $1.5 million in three annual payments beginning in January 2010. The Wolverines' athletic department, his new employer, will pay $2.5 million by the end of July and cover Rodriguez's legal fees, the University of Michigan said in a statement.

The WVU Board of Governors held a special meeting yesterday and approved the agreement. Rodriguez quit the Mountaineers in December for the coaching job at Michigan, a year after extending his contract with WVU.

•Olympics Chinese organizers, under pressure from broadcasters and the International Olympic Committee, apparently have lifted some restrictions on TV crews for next month's Beijing Olympics. The IOC said satellite trucks will be allowed to report live throughout Beijing and other co-host cities. Live broadcasting from Tiananmen Square will be permitted, but on a restricted schedule. The venue was the site of a bloody crackdown on the 1989 democracy movement.

Sports Digest Recent columns

•More Olympics WNBA stars Tamika Catchings, Delisha Milton-Jones and Kara Lawson have earned the final three spots on the U.S. women's basketball team going to China, a person familiar with the choices told the Associated Press. ... A toe injury and related problems knocked 400-meter hurdles world champion Jana Rawlinson, an Australian, out of the Olympics. ... Olympic floor exercise champion Kyle Shewfelt was selected for the Canadian gymnastics team, 10 months after breaking the tibias in both legs.

• NHL The Washington Capitals agreed to terms with Sergei Fedorov, 38, for a one-year, $4 million contract and rewarded forward Brooks Laich with a three-year, $6.1 million deal. Fedorov, the 1994 league Most Valuable Player, was one of three trade deadline acquisitions that helped the Capitals end a five-year playoff drought last season. ... Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff re-signed with the San Jose Sharks, agreeing to a three-year deal worth $9.3 million. ... The New York Islanders signed Brendan Witt to a two-year contract extension worth $6 million through the 2010-11 season. ... Coach Ken Hitchcock signed a three-year contract extension with the Columbus Blue Jackets. •Auto racing Beginning with the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Colorado this week, the traditional quarter-mile races in the NHRA's Funny Car and Top Fuel divisions are being shortened to 1,000 feet as an interim step while the investigation continues into the June 21 death of Top Fuel driver Scott Kalitta at an event in Englishtown, N.J.

•Tennis Top seed Mardy Fish lost his first match at the Hall of Fame championships for the second straight year, falling to qualifier Rohan Bopanna, 7-6, (6) 7-5, in Newport, R.I. ... Potito Starace beat Wimbledon semfinalist Marat Safin, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the Swedish Open in Bastad. •Horse racing Hall of Fame harness driver Catello "Cat" Manzi earned his 13,000th career win, piloting 3-year-old trotter Manningly to victory in the third race at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J.

E-mail

Reprint

Rodriguez, Michigan agree to pay $4M buyout

Online resources

Going deep

Going deep Sun sports special reports and in-depth coverage
	> 1983 O's > Recruiting Tavon Austin > Football: The tie that binds > Orioles > Baltimore Colts > Going deep: Other sports

Rodriguez, Michigan agree to pay $4M buyout

Related topic galleries: International Olympic Committee, New York Islanders, Sergei Fedorov, National Hockey League, Washington Capitals, Vehicles, Beijing Games

Popular stories: Sports

Online resources

Going deep