Things Get Emotional As Rich Rodriguez Addresses Alleged Violations

The Detroit Free-Press detailed potential violations by the Michigan football program over the weekend, provoking a great tizzy over Rich Rodriguez's ongoing quest for regime change at Michigan, what the acceptable workload for student-athletes really is, and whether Rodriguez will be seriously punished for the clear violation of NCAA rules.

Tony Barnhart of the AJC wonders what the willingness of players to snitch on Rodriguez says about the program, and whether the common practice of "voluntary-but-not-really" workouts will become a Pandora's Box of NCAA investigations.

And if it can happen at Michigan, it can happen anywhere. If the NCAA starts looking under this rock at every school, it could get ugly.

Doc Saturday points not to the culture clash at Michigan, but instead highlights the coyly ignored practice of voluntary workouts in college football.

But the broader implication isn't about the changing culture at Michigan as much as it is the longstanding culture at all big football schools, where the notion of "voluntary" workouts and hourly limits have been met with winks for years.

Whatever the mini-scandal may be, it's four days to actual college football, and thus will be buried in a landslide of actual news shortly--some of which may include Michigan fans forgetting all about this if Rodriguez manages to field a non-atrocity of a team this year. (Atrocity=3-9 and loss to Toledo.)