Rutgers Basketball Coach Suspended And Fined $50K For Throwing Balls At Players Heads
Rutgers head basketball coach Mike Rice will have to undergo anger management classes and sensitivity training for exhibiting extreme behavior discovered during an internal athletics investigation.
Rice was already suspended 16 days on Thursday for violating athletic department policy and now an anonymous person — with knowledge of the additional punishments handed down by the school — has confirmed the initial report of disciplinary action, reports The Star-Ledger.
The source asked to remain anonymous in order to speak more freely about internal matters.
The Star Ledger reported:
Multiple individuals have confirmed to The Star-Ledger that it was because Rice threw basketballs at players heads during a practice in his first or second season as Scarlet Knights coach. Rice also used abusive language towards players that went beyond the allowable limit for a head coach at the university.
The incidents were recorded and shown to the 43-year-old head coach upon receiving his punishment of a suspension without pay and a $50,000 fine.
The fiery coach, who was hired in 2010 to clean up the mess former head coach Fred Hill left behind, will also have an independent monitor to watch his practices after he returns on Dec. 29.
Despite Rice’s past history of tossing his jacket early in games and blistering referees ears with his protests, Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti still stands behind Rice.
“I am committed to Mike,” he said at a press conference announcing the punishment on Thursday. ”While this is a difficult situation and while this is certainly a negative, there are a lot of positives for the program.”
Pernetti admitted this punishment for this incident was part of a broader concern.
“It’s a pattern, I think I would say,” admitted Pernetti.
For example, last season during a game against Louisville, it only took rice two minutes for Rice to get ejected from the game after making a choking gesture towards one of the refs. Pernetti said his investigation was prompted by this incident.
Associate head coach David Cox will serve as Rice’s replacement for the next three games.
Duncan Steel | Elite.
