Rutgers men’s basketball coach Mike Rice was suspended three games and fined $50,000 in December after the school’s athletic director saw video of the coach abusing his players in practice. Now that video of Rice’s horrific behavior has been made public.
ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” obtained video of Rice’s conduct in practice — likely through former Rutgers director of player development Eric Murdock, who was fired by the school in July — and it shows Rice verbally and physically abusing his players.
The video shows Rice kicking players, shoving them, pushing them and throwing balls at them from close range. He also verbally abuses the players. According to ESPN, Rice calls the players “fa–ots,” “mother—-ers,” “pu–ies,” “sissy b-tches,” and “c—-,” among other epithets.
Murdock intends to sue the school for wrongful termination, saying that he was fired for complaining about Rice’s conduct. Murdock believes Rice was able to get away with the abuse because he was on his best behavior when anyone came into the gym. He says Rice didn’t go back to his abusive form until others left.
Rutgers is moving to the Big Ten next season and Rice will be in the final season of his contract. The school’s athletic director told The Star-Ledger last month that Rice would be back next season.
Rice is 44-51 in three seasons at Rutgers, including a 17-39 mark in Big East play.
Rice had to undergo sensitivity training as part of his punishment for the video. There was also a stipulation that his practices would be monitored by someone outside the team.
The Rice video has left many in the sports world appalled. A number of current or former basketball stars (and other athletes) have sounded off on Rice’s conduct:
If my son played for Rutgers or a coach like that he would have some real explaining to do and I’m still gone whoop on him afterwards! C’mon
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 2, 2013
Man how is that Rutgers coach not fired already? If my son was on that team Id be on the first thing smoking to his soon to be vacant office
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) April 2, 2013
The video of Rutgers HC Rice ABUSING players is APPALLING! He should be FIRED ASAP. I’m embarrassed for College Basketball. #NCAA
— JALEN ROSE (@JalenRose) April 2, 2013
I would of snapped on the coach from Rutgers…. I would sit before I take some abuse from that man
— Jared Sullinger (@Jared_Sully0) April 2, 2013
Wow just saw the Mike Rice videos. Unbelievable.Complete disrespect for student athletes but also human beings. And he still is coaching?
— Christian Ponder (@cponder7) April 2, 2013
I don’t understand how Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti did not fire Rice on the spot after seeing that video. That makes him pretty scummy.
What’s also frightening is that this sort of conduct is not exclusive to Rice and Rutgers. Scout reporter Brian Snow says a head coach called him and told him that video coordinators around the country. are being instructed to burn videotapes. Now that’s a scary thought.
