And now we’ve entered the next phase of the Rich Rodriguez saga: TheWolverine.com is reporting “no decision on the Michigan head coach’s future will come until tomorrow,” and that a players’ meeting has been delayed until Wednesday afternoon.

The Associated Press reports the players’ meeting was postponed after Rodriguez met with Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon “for hours Tuesday afternoon.” While there’s of course no word on whether Rodriguez’ firing will be announced at Wednesday’s meeting or not, it is curious that a meeting which presumably involves a termination would last “hours.”

How long does it take to tell a man he’s fired? Could Rodriguez have talked himself into earning one last chance to prove himself as Michigan coach, now that Stanford Cardinal coach Jim Harbaugh is reportedly no longer an option? Or did the firing ceremony simply progress at Big Ten speed?

Earlier Tuesday the Detroit FOX affiliate reported Rodriguez had been fired, with the rest of the Detroit media looking into potential replacements shortly after.