Most abusive coach ever? (merged thread)

[pap49cba]

Kind of amazed one of the victims didn't flip out and retaliate. Disgusting.

 

[pinotbear]

A little-known fact about Ghandi is that, other than the hunger strike, he once hit Churchill over the head with a cricket bat and openly questioned his sexual orientation.

Hey, hey! Let's keep this thread on track: it's about Rutgers, not Baylor.

 

[John Glass]

Rice just fired

 

[Icebear]

Rice just fired

Should have been the easiest decision in the world after seeing the video.

 

[Vowelguy]

They said he is getting counseling, they didn't mention that C. Viv is the counselor.

Coach A: Abuses players and his team sucks, but doesn't get fired.
Coach B: Has mentored dozens of players and is a hall-of-fame coach of a decent, tho not great, team. But she does get fired.

Can you say lawsuit?

 

[ScarlettB]

Coach A: Abuses players and his team sucks, but doesn't get fired.
Coach B: Has mentored dozens of players and is a hall-of-fame coach of a decent, tho not great, team. But she does get fired.

Can you say lawsuit?

Vivian would not get fired. If anything, they would not extend her contract.

This is a really bad situation for RU, but it may actually help CVS get her contract extended. Pernetti may not survive this and RU doesn't need to have two basketball programs in turmoil - plus hire a new AD.

 

[CL82]

What facts changed since Pernetti first saw the video of Rice abusing the players and deciding that a 3 game suspension was the appropriate penalty? Public scruiteny. The AD pulling the plug so quickly after it became public tells me that he's doing damage control. Maybe others were right about his vulnerability.

 

[John Glass]

What facts changed since Pernetti first saw the video of Rice abusing the players and deciding that a 3 game suspension was the appropriate penalty? Public scruiteny. The AD pulling the plug so quickly after it became public tells me that he's doing damage control. Maybe others were right about his vulnerability.

Chris Christie probably told the AD/ school President to fire him

 

[UcMiami]

Two things -
1. The AD has got to be in hot water over this. He got caught with his head in the sand and should pay a big price. Don't care what his contract says, he could be fired for cause for failure to protect student athletes.
2. While this is really UGLY behavior please also remember that this is 7 hours of video that has been edited down to 5 or 10 minutes out of about 1000 hours of practice over 2 years. I am not defending anything here, but I bet you could do this kind of thing with a lot of coaches (on the verbal side, not the physical side) and create a very nasty looking 5 minutes.
Again, not defending this guy or anything like this in coaching, just saying that in our video age and 'gotcha' culture of sound bites over substance it is a very dangerous world for anyone in authority. None of us look good 24/7/365, but luckily most of us are not newsworthy even when we fall on our faces.

 

[CL82]

Two things -
1. The AD has got to be in hot water over this. He got caught with his head in the sand and should pay a big price. Don't care what his contract says, he could be fired for cause for failure to protect student athletes.
2. While this is really UGLY behavior please also remember that this is 7 hours of video that has been edited down to 5 or 10 minutes out of about 1000 hours of practice over 2 years. I am not defending anything here, but I bet you could do this kind of thing with a lot of coaches (on the verbal side, not the physical side) and create a very nasty looking 5 minutes.
Again, not defending this guy or anything like this in coaching, just saying that in our video age and 'gotcha' culture of sound bites over substance it is a very dangerous world for anyone in authority. None of us look good 24/7/365, but luckily most of us are not newsworthy even when we fall on our faces.

Keep in mind that the AD brought this to the attention of the president who approved of the punishments. The pres. just threw Rice under the bus, appropriately enough, maybe Pernetti's next, but does it stop there?

 

[EricLA]

I saw some of the Video evidence. Based on what I saw on tv in about 5 min of video He is an absolute nut-job. There is supposedly hours and hours of video evidence. I saw him bounce a Basketball forcefully off an unsuspecting players head from behind! WTH! I will be amazed and bewildered if he is not fired soon.

Not only was he not fired, but he was given a 3 game suspension and a $50,000 fine. To listen to the Athletic Director defend the Universities' stance on the "punishment" was disturbing. The fact that he was not fired is disgusting.

 

[Vowelguy]

Vivian would not get fired. If anything, they would not extend her contract.

This is a really bad situation for RU, but it may actually help CVS get her contract extended. Pernetti may not survive this and RU doesn't need to have two basketball programs in turmoil - plus hire a new AD.

Agreed. I was lumping fired/not renewed together, since effectively they're the same. (except legally)

But that was my point about CVS - this makes it less likely she gets cut loose.

 

[Icebear]

One cannot sue for not having a contract extended or renewed.

 

[bruinbball]

One cannot sue for not having a contract extended or renewed.

Ice, you don't think the assistant coach who brought all of this to the light, then had his contract non-renewed won't sue? He will, and he will probably win a pretty nice settlement. Anyone can sue, they just don't always have a legit legal basis to stand on and their suit become a waste of resources.

 

[UcMiami]

Keep in mind that the AD brought this to the attention of the president who approved of the punishments. The pres. just threw Rice under the bus, appropriately enough, maybe Pernetti's next, but does it stop there?

While it was 'brought to the attention' of the Pres, it is unclear exactly what that may entail. I agree it doesn't look good, especially given both the suspension and the monetary fine, but whether he saw the video or just had it reported to him that 'improper behavior' occurred leaves a lot of latitude.

 

[Icebear]

Ice, you don't think the assistant coach who brought all of this to the light, then had his contract non-renewed won't sue? He will, and he will probably win a pretty nice settlement. Anyone can sue, they just don't always have a legit legal basis to stand on and their suit become a waste of resources.

I was referring to CViv. The assistant probably has a direct claim as a whistle blower which is different.

 

[EricLA]

Should have been the easiest decision in the world after seeing the video.

Couldn't agree more. Frankly, I'm still stunned their first instinct was to suspend him for 3 games. I thought it was an April Fool's joke played by their AD and ESPN when i saw the segment, then realized it was April 2. Still, Rutgers athletic dept is run by a bunch of fools.

 

[Sakibomb25]

So ESPN interviewed him after he got fired and I must admit, he shows genuine emotion for his actions. What he did was inexcusable, but we're all human. We make mistakes. And it's clear that he realizes his errors and hopefully this will be a wakeup call. I was actually happy to see that the interview wasn't some scripted, media relations press release. It was genuine and from the heart and I just hope he realizes his errors.

Were his actions deplorable and inexcusable? Absolutely. Is he a terrible human being? We have no clue and are in no position to make judgements.

Mike Rice Interview

 

[meyers7]

What he did was inexcusable, but we're all human. We make mistakes.

That wasn't a mistake. That's the way he is.

 

[Sakibomb25]

That wasn't a mistake. That's the way he is.

Do we know if he is like that with his wife? With his kids? Look, I am not condoning his behavior. I am just saying people shouldn't be quick to judge him as a person based on these actions. People can change all the time if they want. The challenge for him is whether people believe that he has.

 

[meyers7]

Do we know if he is like that with his wife? With his kids?

No we don't, but that doesn't matter. It wasn't a mistake. Mistakes are one, two time things, that you learn from. Doing it over and over is the way he is.

Sure, he can and will have to change. But it wasn't a mistake.

 

[RadyLady]

Once when I was little I had swiped some cookies - because I had been and dessert was withheld as punishment - I wasn't a clever thief and I got caught. Of course I started to cry..

My dad asked me if I was crying because I was sorry, or was I crying because I got caught.

I really like cookies you know....

 

[Vowelguy]

So ESPN interviewed him after he got fired and I must admit, he shows genuine emotion for his actions. What he did was inexcusable, but we're all human.

If this were 30 years ago or he was an old timer, I might be willing to say he didn't know any better and chalk it up to a "mistake." But I really dont see how anyone in this day can think that firing a basketball at someone's head is ok, or using the word cigarette over and over. And even if you thought these things were ok "personally", you would realize that they absolutely were not appropriate as a representative of a university.

Pretty much everyone who has a job gets reminded at least yearly, if not more often, about their company's non-discrimination policies and harassment and inappropriate behavior.

He willfully ignored this, showing -in my opinon- someone who either thought he was above the law or was just ethically deficient. I dont believe he's had some great epiphany and realized what he did was wrong. He has however learned that he can get fired for it.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

If this were 30 years ago or he was an old timer, I might be willing to say he didn't know any better and chalk it up to a "mistake." But I really dont see how anyone in this day can think that firing a basketball at someone's head is ok, or using the word cigarette over and over. And even if you thought these things were ok "personally", you would realize that they absolutely were not appropriate as a representative of a university.

Pretty much everyone who has a job gets reminded at least yearly, if not more often, about their company's non-discrimination policies and harassment and inappropriate behavior.

He willfully ignored this, showing -in my opinon- someone who either thought he was above the law or was just ethically deficient. I dont believe he's had some great epiphany and realized what he did was wrong. He has however learned that he can get fired for it.

I don't think we can parse it further than saying that he no doubt thought it was ok to coach that way. As someone noted, it doesn't say anything about what he is like outside his profession (although I would suspect anger management issues are not isolate to one part of someone's life).

It is your last line that I find the best - it was certainly something to get fired over.

That is 3 of the last 4 RU Men's Head Basketball coaches fired for idiocy beyond reason. My wife admits being embarrased. In between was Gary Waters, who was unable to recruit or win to the expectations placed on him, but no other negatives. But "strip" free throws from Bannon; abusing a coach in another sport from another university (and showing up in disguise when told to keep away) - Fred Hill; and now a coach that abused his players. And you can't accuse the athletic department of trying to keep winners - none of them were successful.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Too many university/college administrators see the number one and only one priority the protection of the institution's image without regard to truth or morals or law. This is just the latest example. It would be appropriate for more heads to roll.