Rutgers Fires Head Coach Mike Rice (April 3, 2013)
This was a decision that had to be made to maintain the excellence of the Ruters basketball program and the integrity of the university as a whole.
The decision came just a day after ESPN released practice tapes of Rice hurling basketballs at players, kicking players, physically touching and grabbing players, and belittling them with negative comments.
This was not the first instance when Rice's behavior has been pointed out, but according to director of player development, Eric Murdock, every time Athletic Director Tim Pernetti was in the building, Rice was on his best behavior.
There is no defending what Rice has done. A coach of any sport, of any team, at every level, has to uphold the standards which are set for them, not only as a coach, but as a person and this disrespect that Rice has shown is intolerable. If it were up to me, he would never be hired again, for any position. I don't care if this guy won 700 games as Rutgers head coach, which he didn't, this is unacceptable.
Additionally, I believe this is a great step for college sports. With the whole Joe Paterno scandal, and now this, there has been a standard set by the major athletic universities in this country, respect. It doesn't matter how many games you have one or what the significance of your title is, if you don't respect your players and colleagues, you will be dismissed, hands down, no excuses about it. And that's the way it should be, sports should never come before the integrity of a human being.
