Well, following the (normal) outcry over this, it wound up being the sole option: basketball coach Mike Rice was fired by Rutgers this day. The schoolas statement: Based upon recently unmasked data and analysis previously identified dilemmas, Rutgers has terminated the contract of Mike Rice. aI am in charge of your decision to attempt a treatment of Coach Rice,a explained Rutgers Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tim Pernetti. aDismissal and remedial action were discussed in December and I believed it was in the very best interest of everyone to rehabilitate, but I was wrong. Dancing, I'll work to restore the trust of the Rutgers community.a First, Rice talking on the firing: And now, more on Rutgersa statement. Weare interested to understand what the arecently revealed informationa is just a ' i.e. if itas any such thing apart from aOh shit, individuals are really pissed at us now and we better do something to protect our own asses since every situation of aleadershipa in the world is really on some level about ass-covering.a And to give AD Tim Pernetti a credit here, he did own up to making a mistake a but thatas doing little to quell the firestorm surrounding the plan (and, just by looking over this, not doing much to quell the backlash against Pernetti herself both). Such backlash is easy to know a' the behavior noted in the video ESPN showed yesterday (which, again, you can view here), even though it didnat represent nearly all Riceas conduct, was improper, and it demonstrably happened many times over a protracted period. And as Rutgersa record a' and Riceas preceding suspension a makes clear (apreviously discovered issuesa), the school knew about the conduct. Therefore, in equity, did the general public (the throwing-basketballs-at-playersa-heads point was noted when Rice was first stopped), ad there wasnat widespread outcry for Riceas ouster thena but the video is seen by the general public didnat until yesterday. Once it did, Rice was done. And now, the personal. What do I, a Rutgers alum and fan, think of all this? Well, for one, Iam relieved Rice is fully gone, and hope that final result causes any other coach who ever acts such as this a' and you realize theyare on the market a' to alter methods. Iam slightly numb to the poor press, but primarily furious that seemingly each and every time my school is in the public attention, itas for some thing bad. Iam proud of my association with Rutgers a' and almost every time Rutgers makes information, that pride seems to get harder and harder to describe. Thatas why now, I will say something I wouldnat have dreamed saying a few months ago a' you know how some people are saying Pernetti and Rutgers leader Robert Barchi might have to get, too? I wonat actively plan for his or her shooting, but if they end up out the doorway, I wonat be unfortunate. Bear in mind, a couple of short months ago Pernetti led Rutgers to the Big Ten, that we said at the time was nothing short of amazing, and Barchi (though mind been president for far too little time to have set the theory in action) presided over a combination of Rutgers and UMDNJ, offering Rutgers the feasible medical college itas lacked for too long. Both can do no wrong. Of course, at enough time I already should have been brainstorming possible ways all these positive developments could be greatly weakened, or at least preparing for it to happen somehow. As it sure has now, and Barchias record doesnat just motivate confidence: Rutgers University includes a long and proud history as you of the nationas most varied and welcoming educational institutions. Instructor Riceas violent language and actions are deeply offensive and egregiously break the universityas key values. When video excerpts of baseball practices were reviewed last drop by Athletic Director Tim Pernetti, he straight away informed me and sought the assistance of inner and outside counsel. The school employed an unbiased investigator to look into this subject carefully. Based on the outside investigatoras conclusions and guidelines, Tim and I agreed that Coach Rice must be suspended, punished $75,000 in charges and lost income, ordered to undergo anger management therapy, and put on notice that his behavior will be carefully watched. Bernard Pernetti also managed to get clear to Coach Rice that there could be zero tolerance for additional infractions. Bernard kept me fully apprised and his actions were supported by me. Yesterday, personally, I examined the video data, which shows a chronic and pervasive pattern of disturbing behavior. I have now reached in conclusion that Coach Rice cannot continue steadily to serve efficiently in a position that requires the best degrees of responsibility, management and public accountability. He can not continue to coach at Rutgers University. Consequently, Tim Pernetti and I've mutually chose to cancel Mike Riceas employment at Rutgers. Wait, soa he hadnat apersonally examined the movie evidencea before yesterday? Maybe thatas perhaps not what the statement says, nonetheless it appears to. Why the hell maybe not, and if he hadnat: well? No-one arrives with this shitstorm looking good, or even simple, here. This is a mess, and as Pernettias own words in Rutgersa statement shows, he's lots of work to do to clean it up a' if heas about to accomplish it. That starts with locating a new instructor, but today I donat value some of that. I care that my alma mater, a school with a to be proud of, is really a national shame. Again. Firing Rice was a primary step toward not being that anymore, but the work just started. Itall be an exhausting job to complete a' almost as exhausting as caring about Rutgers. AP photograph, via
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