One of the things that has been said about the coaching job at the University of Alabama in the national sports press during the job search is that one of that things that makes the job less desirable than it might otherwise be is the nature of some segments of the Tide’s fan base. Among those criticisms was that the coach and his family are not afforded sufficient privacy and that the fans can be overly personal in criticizing the coach.

So, Rich Rodriguez decides not to take the job and the callers to the Paul Finebaum radio show (a regional program that originates out of Birmingham), as well as Finebaum himself, start resorting to making fun of Rodriguez’s wife (including her hair) because they presume that she dissuaded her husband in terms of taking the job. That is simply uncalled for and hardly shows any class.

Further, it is not irrational for Rodriguez to decide that with a raise that staying put is a good move. Not only in WV home, but moving is a gigantic pain. Further, West Virgina is ranked 13th in the BCS, and Alabama isn’t ranked. Logically, which program has the better short-to-medium term prospects?

The ongoing assumption that the Alabama job is the job in college football continues to permeate Bamanation, despite the fact that it simply isn’t what it once was, and probably won’t be again, given the way college ball works these days. Yes, it is a place where it is possible to win a National Title, not to mention a storied program in a BCS conference, but college football has changed in the last decade and it is now possible to compete for the title (such as schools like West Virginia), as well as really good bowl berths from any number of schools (Rutgers and Boise State comes to mind).

Indeed, in some ways it makes more sense to stay with a good team in an easier conference than to take over a dysfunctional program in the hardest conference–especially if one is getting a raise to stay.