JoAnn Galloway Wants You to Let Grady Be Judged

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Weinberg:  An argument that didn't work for Calley at My Lai. An argument that didn't work for the Nazis at Nuremberg.

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Why did he plead "not guilty?"  Signs point to a plea bargain sometime before the August 14th trial date...lawyer meetings and what not.  But maybe it's because he didn't break the all-time drunk driving record...

"It's a substantial level," Sluiter said. "But I've seen higher."

Good to know.

Regardless, those looking for the football version of the death penalty are going to be disappointed.  Maybe a game or two suspension...and lots of Barwis.  But when you commit a crime that (luckily, mind you) results in no harm, and will likely result in no jail time, there's no way that you drop a kid...even if you are trying to set an example.  I'm not trying to trivialize the seriousness of driving while blitzed, but everybody deserves a second chance.  In fact, I've heard we often gave three strikes under the previous regime.

What the Settlement Means to You

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​By now you've heard all about Rich Rod settling up with West Virginia.  WVU will get its $4 million.  No interest, no legal fees for them.  Michigan will reportedly pony up $2.5 million of it plus pay Rich Rod's legal fees.  What does this mean to you, the average fan?  Not a damn thing.

Seriously.  This is none of your business.

Ticket prices will not rise because of this settlement.  Construction on the new boxes will continue at Stadium and Main.  And your gameday experience will be exactly as it would be if a court ruled that WVU wasn't going to get a penny.

We have a football team that has a following every bit as big as an NFL franchise, with crowds bigger than an NFL franchise, and an individual licensing agreement with an athletic apparel company...  and the players play for free.  That's what I call low overhead.  $2.5 million is a typical take for a player agent from a high end rookie contract's SIGNING BONUS.  Trust me, there's more than $2.5 million in loose cash in the leather sofa in Bill Martin's office.  But he won't need it because this $2.5 million was always going to be paid by a few donors.  A few Carr hating donors ready to push the change.

So don't complain, don't worry, and stay out of it.  Someone else is taking care of this.  Trust in the behind the scenes deal that was orchestrated long before Rich Rod signed on to lead the Maize and Blue.

Holiday Roundup, Happy Birthday America Edition: July 7, 2008

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​Not sure about you, but my weekend was great.  Fireworks, food, the Fourth of July, and unplugged from the internet for three full days.  Here's what we missed:

The Grady Details

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​The Grand Rapids Press has printed the details of the Kevin Grady DUI over on MLive.  My initial reaction was that this was a minor misstep.  But then I saw the numbers:

According to the ticket issued to Grady, he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.281. Michigan's legal definition of drunk is 0.08

That, my tailgating friends, is what is known in most circles as WASTED.  In the end, KG is lucky he didn't kill someone...or himself.  This very well may be more than just a slap on the wrist in the form of Grady-can't-play-until-the-second-offensive-drive.  This will definitely be a measuring stick for the disciplinary policies of RichRod.

It's all very disappointing.  Not really from a depth chart perspective, where Minor and Brown return, and McGuffie and Cox are coming in, but from a good guy makes a comeback perspective.  Fifteen months ago, we felt bad for him.  A medical redshirt later, we had hope for him.  Three months ago, we anointed him as the change-of-pace back for the season, and even after Brandon Graham flattened him, as a guy that was about to reach the potential we saw when he was in high school...and be a team leader at 22 years old.

STRONGEST AREA: There is a nice collection of running backs with Minor, Kevin Grady and Carlos Brown. Grady is a bull who missed last season with a knee injury. Brown is a go-the-distance guy, while Minor is effective inside and outside. Incoming freshman Sam McGuffie also could play immediately. Rodriguez may use two tailbacks at the same time, so there should be plenty of work for these guys.

Now...not so much.

District Judge Pablo Cortes found Grady was "unable to render an intelligent or knowing acknowledgment of the charges" and ordered Grady to appear for arraignment July 9. Grady remains free on bond.

In other words, he couldn't answer "Do you understand the charges that have been brought up against you?"  with anything more than drool.