Last week, Rutgers University fired head basketball coach Mike Rice after video footage showed him physically abusing his own players. By Friday, athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned over the embarrassing scandal, since it happened on his watch. Should more pillars fall?
Assistant coach Jimmy Martelli was also seen on tape berating the players just as much, if not more than Rice. Although he also resigned last week once video proof was exposed, he could face more penalties.
But the big question now surrounds Rutgers University President Robert Barchi. Not only did Barchi fail to watch the DVD of Rice’s abusive behavior when it first surfaced in November, but he opted to suspend and not fire Rice without first consulting with the independent investigator hired to look into the matter. This epic fail could be key in the coming days, as calls for Barchi to resign continue to grow.
“I consider resigning every single day when I wake up,” Barchi said Friday during a national news conference.
As this story continues to evolve, criminal charges could be filed and lawsuits are all but certain to come. The only question remaining is, who will be considered at fault and what penalties will they face?
