Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
The controversy between West Virginia University and Michigan's football staff isn't confined to Wolverines head coach Rich Rodriguez.
According to a report in the Charleston Daily Mail, strength and conditioning guru Mike Barwis owes West Virginia money for leaving the school to follow Rodriguez before his contract was up.
"Barwis' final employment agreement with WVU, drafted in July 2005, said Barwis is to pay WVU a $50,000 buyout for terminating his contract without cause by the university. Sources said university officials are now looking to collect, but a lawsuit is not presently in the works."
Given how ugly things got between West Virginia and RichRod, it would be hard to see this not going to court unless Barwis decides to settle. West Virginia doesn't seem like the type of employer that just lets things slide, even when the buyout amount is fairly small and Barwis left for a better opportunity at Michigan.
The Daily Mail did report that Barwis' contract, unlike Rodriguez's, lists no deadline for payment of the buyout.
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Adam Rittenberg
Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago.
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