Rutgers Fires Basketball Coach Mike Rice After Video Emerges

[ajcorleone]

A coaching controversy out of Rutgers University has resulted in the firing of basketball coach Mike Rice.
"Based upon recently revealed information and a review of previously discovered issues, Rutgers has terminated the contract of Mike Rice," the Rutgers Athletics Twitter account stated just after 10 a.m. Wednesday.
A statement from the university said in part, "Rutgers University has a long and proud history as one of the nation's most diverse and welcoming academic institutions. Coach Rice's abusive language and actions are deeply offensive and egregiously violate the university's core values."
ESPN's "Outside the Lines" obtained practice video that shows Rice grabbing and throwing balls at players, in addition to berating, pushing and using slurs against them.
The sports world has been buzzing about the video of the coach apparently roughing up his players. And, of course, there was plenty of reaction to the video on social media.
Rice was suspended for three games in December and $50,000 after athletic department officials saw the video footage.
Once the video was made public, many wondered if Rutgers did enough.
Rutgers announced the other day that it was reconsidering its decision to suspend Rice instead of firing him.
Everyone, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is paying attention.
Christie issued a statement Tuesday night that he is "deeply disturbed" by the video and that this is "not the type of leadership we should be showing our young people."
After the announcement of Rice's firing came Wednesday, the governor issued another statement, which read in part, "This was a regrettable episode for the University, but I completely support the decision to remove Coach Rice. It was the right and necessary action to take in light of the conduct displayed on the videotape

[ajcorleone]

The video looks bad but mild compared to Bobby Knight in my opinion.Shame because Rice is a good coach

[jmintz]

Well, he was sub-.500 at Rutgers. If he was winning ball games, then it would be easier to overlook. But since in three years he never once had a .500 or better record (and was 16-38 in conference), to me, it's a no-brainer - you fire the guy.

The screaming, the name-calling, the yanking your players into position? Fine - that happens on pretty much any team at any level (although if my six-year-old's coach laid a hand on my son, I'd have an issue there LOL).

But throwing balls at kids? In some cases at their heads? When you're 5-13 in your conference this past season, that's not going to fly, nor should it.

[ajcorleone]

I played basketball in high school in New York.Let me tell you balls flying at your head is nice compared to what coaches do when you piss them off.It is not right but I have seen worse I am sure others will agree

[jmintz]

I played basketball in high school in New York.Let me tell you balls flying at your head is nice compared to what coaches do when you piss them off.It is not right but I have seen worse I am sure others will agree

The bigger issue is that the guy doesn't win. Bobby Knight won ballgames. John Calipari absolutely demolishes his players. Rice? He's won a handful of meaningful games over three seasons at Rutgers, and the university doesn't need to put up with a scandal for a guy who isn't worth the hassle.

My grandfather - rest in peace - went to Rutgers (and I was accepted there but went to U of Florida instead), so I'd love to see them successful but they made the right call, and frankly I wouldn't be surprised to see the AD fired either at this point.

[ajcorleone]

The AD is going to have to burn for this also

[ajcorleone]

MORE"I think it’s very bad, but old news," St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) High boys basketball coach Bob Hurley told The Star-Ledger. "The university did do something (in response). He did go through some counseling and I did watch the bench from that point when he came back the rest of the year. I thought I saw a guy who was really trying to be a different guy. So being in the coaching ranks, I would give him the benefit of the doubt.
"I’m not dismissing it. I just think it’s something that’s already been addressed."
Hurley, who has amassed more than 1,000 victories and 27 state championships in 40 seasons as head coach of the Friars, explained that he hadn't seen the video obtained by ESPN's "Outside the Lines" (embedded above). Even if he did see the footage, it wouldn't have kept him from sending his kids to play for Rice, Hurley told The Star-Ledger, in part because the university had already suspended its coach for three games in December.
Meanwhile, a pair of prominent Garden State prep basketball players also wouldn't have ruled out playing for Rice had he remained at Rutgers, their fathers told The Star-Ledger.
St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.) Prep sophomore Isaiah Briscoe and Pope John XXIII (Sparta, N.J.) freshman Bryce Aiken -- both of whom already own offers from Rutgers -- reportedly would have still considered the Scarlet Knights regardless of Rice's future.
"I’ve known of the tape for a while and I’ve known of his actions," George Briscoe explained to the paper. "But I actually know Mike Rice as a man and as a father figure to his kids. I know him besides Rutgers basketball and it honestly does not change my perception of him. Everybody makes mistakes."
Mistakes? The video of Rice hurling basketballs at kids' heads and calling them a double-expletive made it seem more like the coach's standard operating procedure than mistakes. Regardless, considering Briscoe has received offers everywhere from Arizona to Duke, Rutgers was probably a long shot to land Rivals.com's No. 16 recruit in the Class of 2015.
At least St. Benedict’s boys basketball coach Mark Taylor was a voice of reason in the New Jersey high school basketball community, even if he too hadn't seen the tape.
"We’ve had seven guys in the last two years sign (elsewhere) so our guys seem to be attracted to a coach that they feel very comfortable with," Taylor told The Star-Ledger. "I think it’s important -- and Mike needs to understand that as well -- that players want to play for guys that they seem to be comfortable with and like. They don’t want to be abused. There’s always a fine line and you can’t cross that line."
Thankfully, as Yahoo!'s own Pat Forde urged on Tuesday, Rutgers drew that line.

[baseballboy2]

Another case of sports coming first. As far as I'm concerned, the coach as well as anybody else in the athletics department are pieces of dirt. To let this crap go on for so long, and then only do something when the media catches on is ridiculous. They should all lose their jobs. There is a fine line between coaching your players hard and being abusive.

[baseballboy2]

Well, he was sub-.500 at Rutgers. If he was winning ball games, then it would be easier to overlook. But since in three years he never once had a .500 or better record (and was 16-38 in conference), to me, it's a no-brainer - you fire the guy.

The screaming, the name-calling, the yanking your players into position? Fine - that happens on pretty much any team at any level (although if my six-year-old's coach laid a hand on my son, I'd have an issue there LOL).

But throwing balls at kids? In some cases at their heads? When you're 5-13 in your conference this past season, that's not going to fly, nor should it.

Whether you're 5-13 or 22-0, it is 100% wrong. These people are simply human beings. Nobody is perfect, not even this bonehead Rice. You don't physically/mentally abuse somebody over sports.

[cubby62188]

rice is ™™™™™™™ i have season tickets to rutgers football and basketball and have met him multiple times hes a joke and brings shame to rutgers and the fans. everytime ive met him hes been a jerk. so as far as im concerned good riddance to trash. rutgers basketball should be represented with a condom because they got f*cked by rice. i believe theres been 5 transfers from the basketball team cause of him and recruiting is going to be ugly cause this gives the scarlet knights a terrible rep. im just happy hes gone