Rutgers coach Mike Rice

[SMU 86]

Yeah, gosh, these players got called gay slurs, pushed, and had basketballs thrown at them. I wonder how/if they will ever recover from that?

Getting hit in the head with a basketball thrown at high speed is different than getting hit with a much softer dodgeball in the head. Sorry, these kids are not slaves that should sit there and take it. But the coaches have their scholarships in their hands so the kids are at their mercy for the most part.

[SMU 86]

Pernetti (AD) is out as it should be. And if the president of the school was negligent he should be out as well.

[Digetydog]

Yeah, gosh, these players got called gay slurs, pushed, and had basketballs thrown at them. I wonder how/if they will ever recover from that?

Getting hit in the head with a basketball thrown at high speed is different than getting hit with a much softer dodgeball in the head. Sorry, these kids are not slaves that should sit there and take it. But the coaches have their scholarships in their hands so the kids are at their mercy for the most part.

"If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball."Patches O'Houlihan

This woosification of America has to stop. Next thing you know, Texas HS football coaches will get fired for punishing players by taking away water during long practices.

[ClickClack]

Wally Judge and a couple other players have come to the defense of Mike Rice saying he was a great coach and made them better men on and off the court. Said that video was the compilation of his worst moments.

Judge also played for Frank martin at K state, so intense is all he knows haha.

[East Coast Mustang]

So the AD is out, I wonder what other careers this ESPN witch hunt can destroy before we direct our faux outrage somewhere else? The president must go!

[Rebel10]

Yeah, gosh, these players got called gay slurs, pushed, and had basketballs thrown at them. I wonder how/if they will ever recover from that?

Getting hit in the head with a basketball thrown at high speed is different than getting hit with a much softer dodgeball in the head. Sorry, these kids are not slaves that should sit there and take it. But the coaches have their scholarships in their hands so the kids are at their mercy for the most part.

"If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball."Patches O'Houlihan

This woosification of America has to stop. Next thing you know, Texas HS football coaches will get fired for punishing players by taking away water during long practices.

Yea, especially after a couple of kids die of dehydration. That was beyond intense coaching. I am surprised some of those young men did not go after the coaches after being hit in the head but then everyone would have been talking about the player. K State seemed to be a one time incident with Martin but this was behavior over 3 years. Murdock was right in turning him in and Pernetti was wrong in firing him. Cover ups don't always work out.

[LA_Mustang]

I'm with Giddy Up and Rebel, I can't believe these players took that kind of treatment. Especially from that lil 5 foot nothing assistant. Very strange. As bubba said, what if that was your kid? And did these coaches really think that motivated the players? The whole thing is very odd and I can't believe it took this long to surface.

btw, there's no doubt that Coach K, Roy Williams, Izzo and many of the successful college coaches have a temper and they can be jerks of the highest order, but this is just flat out physical and mental abuse with no attempt to coach or teach anything, IMO

[mrydel]

Just curious as to how many are saying the Rutgers coach was wrong but also call those that walked out of Bear Bryant's Junctiin City deal wusses?

Again no finger pointing intended.

[ponyte]

Where is the fun for a head coach if he can't abuse physically and mentally his players?

How many times have we all heard, 'You're all worthless and weak. Now drop and give me twenty!'

[GiddyUp]

Yeah, gosh, these players got called gay slurs, pushed, and had basketballs thrown at them. I wonder how/if they will ever recover from that?

Whatever... You can coach without throwing basketballs at your players heads to get your point across.

[mrydel]

Where is the fun for a head coach if he can't abuse physically and mentally his players?

How many times have we all heard, 'You're all worthless and weak. Now drop and give me twenty!'

I forgot you had met my wife. But now she says I am worthless and weak and to reach in my wallet and give her 100.

[LA_Mustang]

How many times have we all heard, 'You're all worthless and weak. Now drop and give me twenty!'

I don't think there is anything wrong that. Great coaches have to play mental games with their players. Telling them they are weak and making them do push-ups or run is a normal way to approach coaching but punching players and acting like you're going to hit them in the face with your fist and a ball is way over the line. I don't see how anyone can defend that. Everyone remembers the Bobby Knight choking incident and this is way worse in my opinion. And wasn't that what ultimately led to his firing at Indiana?

[SMU2007]

I agree with several of the above people. The yelling and shoving I don't think is really a problem, but throwing basketballs at people's heads is kinda ridiculous and unnecessary. It's one thing to try to motivate, and another thing to try to injure. AD has to be fired if he looked the other way on these.

Another thing: have the players come out and commented on all this? I am sure I've just missed it, but I'd mostly be interested in what they thought.

[East Coast Mustang]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow ... 8684.story

[SMU2007]

If the players don't care then I really don't think the guy should be fired. (That obviously all changes when a video like that goes viral). They are the ones who are there every single day and know what his usual behavior and attitude towards them is like. They have more insight than a highlight reel of outbursts. It doesn't sound like the same thing that happened at Tech where it was clear everyone hated the guy bc he was malicious. But maybe other teammates don't feel like these 2 do.