MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — I’m a West Virginia fan just like the majority of my readers, so I empathize with those who are tired of hearing about the latest news in the Rich Rodriguez saga.

After all, I’ve been sick of it, too. It’s been in the headlines for five months now. It’s needlessly tarnished the good name of both Rodriguez and West Virginia University.

But the $4 million on the line makes the legal proceedings a necessary evil for WVU, and the public’s fixation on the case is an unavoidable by-product of these dramatic happenings.

I’ve tried to do my part in keeping the focus on the future of Mountaineer football, which appears plenty bright from all accounts. There are facilities upgrades in the works, a stellar coaching staff in place and top recruits squarely in the sights of those new coaches.

I planned on keeping the focus on the field in this space today by writing about head coach Bill Stewart’s intelligent ideas when it comes to scheduling.

After all, the field has (finally) become the point of focus for most WVU fans as tomorrow’s annual Gold-Blue Spring Game has approached.

But the latest bombshells in the Rodriguez case are simply too telling. They are too stunning to not receive the attention today.

It came to light this week that Larry Aschebrook was the member of the WVU administration who allegedly told former offensive coordinator Calvin Magee he had no chance to take over for the departing Rodriguez because of his race.

Aschebrook was the executive director of the Mountaineer Athletic Club, which serves as the fundraising arm of the West Virginia athletic department.

It appeared the allegations may have had some legs, as Aschebrook curiously resigned from his position the same day his name surfaced in connection to the Magee story to take a position in athletic development at Arizona State.

But that was before Aschebrook’s signed affidavit surfaced Thursday, chock-full of stunning allegations that damn both Rodriguez and Magee while drawing a notable member of the media into the fray.

Aschebrook begins his sworn testimony by "categorically deny(ing) all of the allegations of Mr. Magee."

That in and of itself was a slight surprise, considering the strange timing of the release of the affidavit and how closely it coincided with Aschebrook’s resignation at WVU.

But it was the nature of Aschebrook’s expletive-laden testimony that is particularly eyebrow-raising.

Aschebrook said he called Rodriguez while in New York City for the Big East Basketball Tournament. From the lobby of a Macy’s department store, Aschebrook aired his complaints to both Rodriguez and Magee.

Magee allegedly acknowledged that former WVU and current Michigan offensive line coach Greg Frey lied on Magee’s behalf by backing up Magee’s assertion that Aschebrook had made the racist remarks.

Magee allegedly told Aschebrook over the phone, while Rodriguez listened, that "…Frey didn’t want (Mr. Magee) to look like a liar," and Frey "knows the way WVU is."

After Aschebrook pressed Magee as to why he was singled out when he had no place to fall back financially like Rodriguez and Magee did, the former head coach interjected.

"This isn’t about you, Larry," Rodriguez allegedly said. "It’s about me. You can’t afford it, I can’t afford it. I don’t have $200,000 in the bank."

Rodriguez went on to reassure Aschebrook that he would "tell the press it had nothing to do with (Aschebrook) … so will (Magee)."

Magee then said Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Chuck Finder, who covers Mountaineer athletics and has extensively covered the Rodriguez saga, "will help us."

After Aschebrook again complained that his career was being ruined, Rodriguez told him, "I’ll get you a job up here. You’ve been loyal to me, I’ll be loyal to you."

Another heated exchange followed before Aschebrook said he hung up the phone.

It’s a jaw-dropping set of allegations that paints all of the parties on the Michigan side in a very bad light.

Certainly Rodriguez, Magee, Frey and even Finder are likely to have rebuttals to the accusations. But if the affidavit, a sworn legal document, is to be taken at face-value, it appears the worst of this situation may just be beginning.

I’ve not been a member of the camp that felt WVU was better off without Rodriguez until now.

If any of this conversation is to be believed, Rodriguez and Magee come across as nothing better than liars. At worst, they come across as attempting to blackmail a potential witness against them.

So much of this saga has been much ado about nothing.

At least reaction to this affidavit is much ado about something.