And Tyree Graham Gets Past 7-Second Delay...

((HT: Awful Announcing/petertheleaderTV))

This is also the personification as to why Bob Ley is, and will always be, awesome...

"Outside The Lines" wanted to keep the Mike Rice discussion going and caught up with a former player, Tyree Graham, who forgot one of the basic tenets of Live Television...

That he was, in fact, on live television...


And Ley just kep' on goin' after apologizing...

A lesson for all of us...

Mike Rice Fired By Rutgers (UPDATED Friday W/Pernetti Firing)

Former Rutgers Head Coach Mike Rice

Rutgers fired head coach Mike Rice Wednesday morning.  The firing comes 24 hours after video surfaced of Rice abusing players during practice. 

Here's the story and video that was posted on OSG Sports Tuesday.

Senior Associate Athletic Director of Communications for Rutgers Jason Baum went public with the dismissal of Rice with this tweet Wednesday morning.

"Based upon recently revealed information and a review of previously discovered issues, Rutgers has terminated the contract of Mike Rice."

Here's Rice Wednesday morning when he met the press outside his home. (Thanks WABC-TV)

Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti released this statement Wednesday morning:

“I am responsible for the decision to attempt a rehabilitation of Coach Rice.  Dismissal and corrective action were debated in December and I thought it was in the best interest of everyone to rehabilitate, but I was wrong. Moving forward, I will work to regain the trust of the Rutgers community.”

Here's a statement released by Rutgers president Robert L. Barchi:

"When video excerpts of basketball practices were reviewed last fall by Athletic Director Tim Pernetti, he immediately notified me and sought the advice of internal and outside counsel. The university hired an independent investigator to look into this matter thoroughly. Based on the external investigator's findings and recommendations, Tim and I agreed that Coach Rice should be suspended, penalized $75,000 in fines and lost salary, ordered to undergo anger management counseling, and put on notice that his behavior would be closely monitored. Tim Pernetti also made it clear to Coach Rice that there would be zero tolerance for additional infractions. Tim kept me fully apprised and I supported his actions."

"Yesterday, I personally reviewed the video evidence, which shows a chronic and pervasive pattern of disturbing behavior. I have now reached the conclusion that Coach Rice cannot continue to serve effectively in a position that demands the highest levels of leadership, responsibility and public accountability. He cannot continue to coach at Rutgers University. Therefore, Tim Pernetti and I have jointly decided to terminate Mike Rice's employment at Rutgers."

Barchi saw the video evidence for the first time yesterday!  Wouldn't the concerns of your athletic director over the abuse of players provoke you to see the evidence? 

Barchi was on the job for just two months when Pernetti approached him of Rice's actions.  Talk about ending your honeymoon period but you have to do something when one of your high profile employees does something totally unethical.

You think more heads are going to roll?

Friday Update: Why, yes...

After assistant basketball coach Jimmy Martelli resigned, AD Tim Pernetti was the next in line on the ladder to go...

Pernetti was hired in 2009 on a five-year deal at $410,000 a year, with an annual performance bonus of $50,000 and a $12,000 annual car stipend. That contract was due to expire in June 2014.

Tom Luicci of the Newark Star-Ledger says that no one from Rutgers is speaking on the record since the decision hasn't been made public.

And Why Is Mike Rice Still Employed...???

((HT: ESPN/OTL))

"Outside The Lines" showed tape today of a compilation of Rutgers head hoops coach Mike Rice delivering some very colorful language during some practices over the last little while. It had been rumored that Rice had delivered his strings of colorful metaphors since 2010, but this is the first time the tapes had been made public.

Rutgers AD Tom Pernetti, whose hiring of Rice is considered the signature hire of his administration, showed the tapes before the OTL report this morning as a bit of a pre-emptive strike on any kind of reporting and subsequent backlash.

Rice had been suspended three games and fined $50,000 for his outbursts back in December, and the matter had been considered somewhat closed... until today...

Here's a look at a little bit of it...excellent work by John Barr on the story if you haven't seen it...


Eric Murdock was the Director of Player Personnel for the school until last July, His lawyer contends that his client was fired for whistleblowing and is filing a wrongful termination suit against the school.

Pernetti claims Rice is returning next season...