Rutgers Basketball Coach Fired Due to Video Exposing His Hands-On Coaching Method is Released

He took Rutgers men's basketball from a losing record to a... losing record, but a much better losing record, which is not insignificant. It's also nothing to write home about, either.

He was suspended last year for reasons that were largely kept secret. It turns out someone had videotaped him physically pushing players (and not in a friendly way) and throwing balls at them (and not in a friendly way). He also called players "f*ggot," "fairy," and "c**t," but then, isn't that pretty common?

Now that video has been released and there's a whole Hoopla so he's been canned.

I really have no opinion on this. On one hand, it's become a silly Politically Correct Crusade. I did see, I think, one outlet that reported he called players "p***y." Are you kidding me? For the love of God, that's in every coach's Top 100 words. I don't think you can coach without sometimes calling someone gutless, heartless, or a p***y. The Appeal to Manhood is sort of the whole point of sports. I bet even female coaches drop such bon mots on female players.

On the other hand, I know one top-tier player who have quit a sport -- just quit -- because their coaches made their lives hell. I suppose guys like this justify this as this being the "only way" to motivate players. But it also demotivates them. Plus, at a school like Rutgers which isn't any kind of dynasty, recruitment is an issue. I don't know how psyched local talent would be to sign up to play on a team, with a .430 winning record, to get shoved and have basketballs thrown at their head.

posted by Ace at 01:03 PM

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