'Kumbaya' should spell Rich Rod's doom

Michigan director of athletics Dave Brandon has said he plans to wait until after the Wolverines' bowl game to decide the future of football coach Rich Rodriguez. But Rodriguez didn't help himself with what he said after Saturday's 37-7 drubbing at Ohio State.

"What do you want me to do? Hold hands with all the Buckeyes and sing Kumbaya?'' Rodriguez said after Michigan fell to 7-5, 3-5 in the Big Ten.

That seemed an obvious slap at Ohio State's tradition under coach Jim Tressel of the team gathering in front of the band and signing 'Carmen, Ohio'' after every home game. It may not be perceived that way in the university offices in Ann Arbor, but it was a low-class comment if there ever was one.

Buckeye fans should not want Rodriguez fired. The Bucks are 9-1 against the Wolverines under Tressel. That domination would not continue if Stanford's Jim Harbaugh is lured back to his alma mater.

In Sunday's edition, the Detroit Free Press gave three reasons for Brandon to wait for five weeks to fire Rodriguez. According to the paper, Rodriguez's buyout drops from $4 to $2.5 million on Jan. 1. Harbaugh could coach Stanford in a bowl, now likely a BCS bowl, before taking over. And Rodriguez could quietly go about looking for another job, making his firing less ugly.

So Brandon has good reason to wait. But there should be no doubt about his decision.