All I can do is shake my head at yet another abuse of the system.
If there are any other college head coaches partaking in the same type of behaviour as Rutgers head coach Mike Rice, they need to be fired. It may not be at the top but it is another example of the great cover-up in college athletics.
In the event you are unaware of what happened at the New Jersey institution, let’s just say that Rice’s conduct as head coach of the Scarlett Knights men’s basketball team is stuff that would make Bob Knight cringe. You can get a sample of what’s going on here.
The basis of the issue, whether it is the NCAA, university presidents or head coaches, it seems the more power you have, the more flexibility you have with the limitations of the rules.
I have already been through the issue of paying college players. While some say that they should not be paid, my question is, where is all the money going that is made off the back of the athletes? I’m really waiting for this to happen, and I’m not sure if it will, but I think we are getting closer to it.
I understand that it takes an exorbitant amount of money to run the system, but that doesn’t mean that those at the top should be cutting themselves an inordinate share of the revenues. But I digress.
Let’s get back to the issues as they relate to Rice. The watchdog that is the NCAA is quick to jump on violations and investigate any improprieties in the system.
If you buy a kid a t-shirt, give him a ride at the wrong time or supply a little money so he can take his significant other on a date or hang with friends, they call you a cheater. It’s good to see that the university made the right decision in relieving Rice of his duties.
If Rice can get some help maybe someone else will give him another chance. After all, America is the land of opportunities and there is nothing wrong with a second chance if it is earned.
The question is what took the university so long? It was not as if they didn’t know as Eric Murdock, a former NBA player and college standout at Providence alerted superiors to the issues with Rice.
There was a suspension earlier for “behavioural reasons” and if they were trying to work with Rice during the interim, then it’s a plausible excuse for not making an immediate move. But with the public being made aware of the coach’s antics, a move was made.
It’s all turns out to be another black eye for the NCAA and while there are many good things going on in college athletics, it’s unfortunate that these kinds of stories make headlines. It all goes back to the bottom line and the almighty dollar. There have been many solutions proposed and at some point the NCAA needs to act on one or some of the recommendations. If not, the NCAA will continue to take it on the chin.