Pernetti chucks Rutgers under the bus

[Fishy]

Agreed on Murdock. But if the timeline above is accurate, how the hell does Pernetti think Rice deserved another year? Pernetti really might not be the smartest guy in the world because if he had just fired Rice after the season had ended, he might have saved his own job. Pernetti was still sticking up for Rice all the way until the video surfaced to the general public.

It kinda looks like Rutgers made a decision by committee and it blew up on them - that outside counsel's report was so wishy-washy that perhaps it led to the bad decision. Or maybe they didn't want to go through the year with an interim coach, maybe they thought they could work with Rice, etc., etc.

One thing is for dead certain - as you point out, that media blitz by Pernetti this week was just an amazingly bad idea. So terrible.

 

[arch]

This dude is smart. Barchi is now on the clock he is going to have some serious exposing to do. Good luck.

I wonder if there will be other "whistle blowers" from other universities with similar stories to tell. Maybe there won't be tapes but just accusations. What then?

 

[CL82]

Looking like, as I also thought, Pernetti is utterly, and completely, full of . This was a B1G cover up all the way. Outside counsel review below:


http://www.app.com/assets/pdf/B320344045.PDF

"In sum, we believe there is sufficient evidence to find that certain actions of Coach Rice did "cross the line" of permissible conduct and that such actions constituted harassment or intimidation within Rutgers' Policy, Section 60.1.13. Furthermore, due to

the intensity with which Coach Rice engaged in some of the misconduct, we believe that AD Pernetti could reasonably determine that Coach Rice's actions tended to embarrass andbring shame or disgrace to Rutgers in violation of Coach Rice's employment contract with Rutgers. "

Nice find.

Here is an interesting landmine that hasn't been discussed yet:

In addition to these minor infractions, EM has only recently alleged that he and possibly others provided money and other benefits to players at Rutgers while EM was employed. EM refused to name any players who received such benefits or when he allegedly paid such benefits. He also failed to provide us with any documentary support for his claims that he or others provided any such benefits to any player. Accordingly, we have insufficient evidence to find that any Rutgers player ever received any improper benefits during the period from in or about 2010 through in or about July 2012.

 

[coachRD]

If you want to know what I think really happened, I think Pernetti reported this to Barchi and they jointly decided to keep this as low key as possible. Called in HR and legal and devised a strategy to have some cover if it ever blew up. Even brought in an outside advisor for additional cover. When it finally did blow, they dumped Rice thinking that would quiet the crowds. When it didn't, they tried to get Pernetti to walk the plank but he didn't go quiety. Instead he passed the blame onto others.

Agreed that there is MAJOR CYA going on in this case from all corners.

The notion that "outside counsel" would be needed to determine if firing was feasible after watching that video?! Laughable. Anyone who watches more than 1 minute of that video and doesn't immediately come to the conclusion that a firing was the ONLY option-is a jackass.

 

[TRest]

Agreed on Murdock. But if the timeline above is accurate, how the hell does Pernetti think Rice deserved another year? Pernetti really might not be the smartest guy in the world because if he had just fired Rice after the season had ended, he might have saved his own job. Pernetti was still sticking up for Rice all the way until the video surfaced to the general public.

So many radio guys in NYC were talking about this today I forgot who said it, but a plausible explanation is that RU couldn't/didn't want to let him go with any type of buyout, so decided to give him a chance to turn it around. That athletic department is bleeding money and is still probably paying fred Hill Jr. after canning his ass.

 

[BearJWS]

Really the AD for Rutgers was in a No Win situatuation. If they fired Rice immediately, they would have said the penalty was too harsh but if the AD didn't fire Rice, the penalty too soft. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.... it's what gets many high ranking officials fired.

This is why I don't normally respond to posts/stories like this, because some how, some where, someone who didn't do anything wrong loses their job!

 

[kemba]

Really the AD for Rutgers was in a No Win situatuation. If they fired Rice immediately, they would have said the penalty was too harsh but if the AD didn't fire Rice, the penalty too soft. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.... it's what gets many high ranking officials fired.

This is why I don't normally respond to posts/stories like this, because some how, some where, someone who didn't do anything wrong loses their job!

Who would have said the penalty was too harsh?

Because since the video came out 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of people say it was a no brainer to fire him.

 

[huskymedic]

... and here is the Eric Murdock Wrongful Termination suit dropped today.

http://cbsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/complaint-4-5-13-filed.pdf

 

[Mots010]

Rutgers was invited to the Big Ten on November 19th.

In reading though that 'outside counsel' report, it looks like the tape was provided to Pernetti on November 26th. (Murdoch says that he didn't take any of his concerns to Pernetti prior to that.) Rice was then suspended on December 14th.

I know we'd love to find something juicy in the way of a coverup here, but unless I'm missing something, the timelines don't really add up.

As for Murdoch, he's not a whistleblower, he's something of a legal extortion artist.

Well if thats the case, then these guys are just boneheads, and I think we were giving them too much credit. Rutgers is the Beverly Hillbillies of college athletics.

 

[BearJWS]

Who would have said the penalty was too harsh?

Because since the video came out 99.99999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of people say it was a no brainer to fire him.

You forget Rutgers suspended Rice, fined Rice & requirded Rice to take Anger Management Classes. Rutgers did not do "nothing"... the only complaint is whether they did enough. Seriously, it's a matter of whether they did enough or did they did not do enough. It's a gray area. At the end of the day, those not committing the crime are being accountable! Overreacting -vs- not Overreating.

 

[Mots010]

You forget Rutgers suspended Rice, fined Rice & requirded Rice to take Anger Management Classes. Rutgers did not do "nothing"... the only complaint is whether they did enough. Seriously, it's a matter of whether they did enough or did they did not do enough. It's a gray area. At the end of the day, those not committing the crime are being accountable! Overreacting -vs- not Overreating.

Watching about 30 seconds of those clips was enough to show Rice the door. The solution was obvious, and everyone saw it except the Rutgers administration. It doesnt take a panel of HR people and lawyers to tell you that if these videos got out, that there would be a sh!tstorm of epic proportions. It almost makes you think there had to be a reason to keep Rice around (Big 10 etc), but in the end, I think these guys tried to pinch some pennies and avoid the buyout. They acted small time, just days after they made it to the big time. They Rutger'd it.

 

[BearJWS]

Watching about 30 seconds of those clips was enough to show Rice the door. The solution was obvious, and everyone saw it except the Rutgers administration. It doesnt take a panel of HR people and lawyers to tell you that if these videos got out, that there would be a sh!tstorm of epic proportions. It almost makes you think there had to be a reason to keep Rice around (Big 10 etc), but in the end, I think these guys tried to pinch some pennies and avoid the buyout. They acted small time, just days after they made it to the big time. They Rutger'd it.

It wasn't about pinching pennies but rather keeping it silent. Obviously it was wrong. Sometimes you give your employees some leeway. It wasn't about the AD, but whether to over react. It was a fine line. It was not everything Rice did as a coach, it was the 5-10 mins they showed. I didn't like Rice nor approve of his tactics but the Admin gave him some leeway. The Admin is not at fault in my opinion.

 

[kemba]

You forget Rutgers suspended Rice, fined Rice & requirded Rice to take Anger Management Classes. Rutgers did not do "nothing"... the only complaint is whether they did enough. Seriously, it's a matter of whether they did enough or did they did not do enough. It's a gray area. At the end of the day, those not committing the crime are being accountable! Overreacting -vs- not Overreating.

Didn't say they did nothing.

Again, everybody agrees he absolutely had to be fired. Not much of a grey area here.

 

[Pudge]

So ... We can say Pernetti can change elements to CYA but YOU believe the Rutgers timeline on this regarding the B1G. With $25-40m per annum at stake, you actually have no question about this?

The Tapes? Existed last summer. The B1G talks? Certainly had been going on for over 6 months; maybe years. My Point ... The Point Being ... One look at that video tells you everything. It was explosive within 10 seconds. Covering it & painting this below the Public was a highly incentivized Institutional mandate.

 

[CL82]

They engaged counsel because EM threatened suit, not to determine whether they could take action against Rice.

 

[zymurg]

Pernetti is thrice damned. First he hired Mike Rice; either he did due diligence and was fully aware of his behavior problems, or he made a poorly informed hire. Remember that RU fired two of their previous three coaches for egregious out of control behavior. At best hiring Mike Rice was a major risk.

Second he did nothing to monitor Rice's behavior, or perhaps he ignored the clearly evident lapses by Rice and Martelli. He acted only upon having the taped evidence pushed in his face. There is at least one confirmed situation where a player got physical with a coach after being harassed physically.

Third he tried to weasel out of his responsibility. He didn't fire Rice, then he tried to defend Rice and himself when the news came out.

He should have "lack of institutional control" branded on his body in a 360% ring preferably where the sun doesn't shine.

 

[zymurg]

Pernetti is thrice damned. First he hired Mike Rice; either he did due diligence and was fully aware of his behavior problems, or he made a poorly informed hire. Remember that RU fired two of their previous three coaches for egregious out of control behavior. At best hiring Mike Rice was a major risk.

Second he did nothing to monitor Rice's behavior, or perhaps he ignored the clearly evident lapses by Rice and Martelli. He acted only upon having the taped evidence pushed in his face. There is at least one confirmed situation where a player got physical with a coach after being harassed physically.

Third he tried to weasel out of his responsibility. He didn't fire Rice, then he tried to defend Rice and himself when the news came out.

He should have "lack of institutional control" branded on his body in a 360% ring preferably where the sun doesn't shine.

One other thing; RU fans often allege that the tapes show a very biased slice of the Mike Rice who coaches RU. While he probably didn't berate and assault RU players during meals and while on the throne; I'm thinking that he might have dreamt about doing it. RU fans seem to be assuming that there is nothing provocative or shameful done by Mike Rice during practices except what is on the portion of the tapes made public. There is substantial inferential evidence that this is not the case. The fact that an assistant coach felt free to assault players makes this point.

 

[Dogdeacon]

If timelines correct it does seem Pernetti joins ranks of galactically stupid. Murdock seemingly close behind in compounding a bad situation with more bad & dumb actions.

I find it hard to believe individuals could be that misguided but it appears to be the case

 

[Peacefrog]

Zymurg is back!

 

[NEforceUConn]

Wish we had another button besides "like".

A+ idea. Lets have a few more buttons such as:

1) You are a .
2) Delusional
3) Go back to BCU and finish your degree.

 

[jorge34]

It's pretty clear, they are all repugnant scumbags. Mike Rice is insane, Pernetti and the president clearly trying to cover their asses in light of their negotations with B1G and bigger paydays. Nobody left unscathed.

 

[EricSD]

Going to be interesting to see how it all plays out. The president is basically saying that Pernetti came to him with a "recommendation" of 3 game suspension etc. and the president agreed. Listened to Bilas last night go off on the president saying more or less that "the president was joking around regarding finding his way to campus and treated it as a big joke. It was HIS job to look into the matter further and the fact that he neglected to view the tapes until they went viral indicates a lack of judgment on his part. He should be fired too". Bilas was great. I agree the president should also be fired.

You have Pernetti saying the president knew what was on the tapes. You have the president saying he didn't and trusted his AD with the decision and punishment. You have Pernetti saying he wanted to fire the coach, but that the legal team AND president said not to. You have the president denying that. All 3 (Rice, Pernetti, and the president) deserve to be fired.

 

[CL82]

You have to love Bilas. (Which can also be read that I agree with him more than not and he's a friend of the program.)

 

[jorge34]

Going to be interesting to see how it all plays out. The president is basically saying that Pernetti came to him with a "recommendation" of 3 game suspension etc. and the president agreed. Listened to Bilas last night go off on the president saying more or less that "the president was joking around regarding finding his way to campus and treated it as a big joke. It was HIS job to look into the matter further and the fact that he neglected to view the tapes until they went viral indicates a lack of judgment on his part. He should be fired too". Bilas was great. I agree the president should also be fired.

You have Pernetti saying the president knew what was on the tapes. You have the president saying he didn't and trusted his AD with the decision and punishment. You have Pernetti saying he wanted to fire the coach, but that the legal team AND president said not to. You have the president denying that. All 3 (Rice, Pernetti, and the president) deserve to be fired.

Yes they do. Dealing with the lowest forms of humanity here; actually, multi-million dollar salaried lowest forms of unethical humanity.

 

[jorge34]

http://deadspin.com/the-same-month-tim-pernetti-learned-about-mike-rices-a-470861834

Do you really need to know more about Pernetti?
Every indication that the school was well aware of Murdock's allegations the prior summer (June 2012).

 

[stick]

One other thing; RU fans often allege that the tapes show a very biased slice of the Mike Rice who coaches RU. While he probably didn't berate and assault RU players during meals and while on the throne; I'm thinking that he might have dreamt about doing it. RU fans seem to be assuming that there is nothing provocative or shameful done by Mike Rice during practices except what is on the portion of the tapes made public. There is substantial inferential evidence that this is not the case. The fact that an assistant coach felt free to assault players makes this point.

Also, Rice & Martelli were well aware of the presence of when the cameras were turned on. You would have to assume their actions without the cameras might even be less restrained.

 

[Adesmar123]

I think it was Jay Bilas who said that at some time, even the guys who are good at cya, have to step up and do what is right regardless of the possible outcomes. He was talking about leadership and positions of leadership in large organizations. Both the AD and President have created some semblance of plausible deniability, but real leaders would just step up and handle the situation. This isn't a question of who approved the trip to Las Vegas, this is a question of stopping unethical and immoral behavior.

 

[jorge34]

I think it was Jay Bilas who said that at some time, even the guys who are good at cya, have to step up and do what is right regardless of the possible outcomes. He was talking about leadership and positions of leadership in large organizations. Both the AD and President have created some semblance of plausible deniability, but real leaders would just step up and handle the situation. This isn't a question of who approved the trip to Las Vegas, this is a question of stopping unethical and immoral behavior.

Trying to scapegoat does not provide any semblence of plausible deniability (I wanted to fire him, but I couldn't due to the lawyers, but I can now........give me a break). Yea, real leaders should step up; I have seen no real leaders involved with this case.

 

[zymurg]

The 30 minutes of tape in the public domain was apparently made from 250 hours of tape of practices made over two seasons: 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. That works out to 125 hours per season. I think I can be pretty confident is saying that Rutgers practiced more than 125 hours per season. The existing tapes cover only a portion of the practices. That opens several questions 1: were all the practices taped; 2: if so what happened to the other tapes; 3: if all the practices weren't taped, who decided what should/should not be taped?

I'd also be interested in who had knowledge of the taping of practices. Having had some considerable experience with public sector budgeting; I believe that there should have been a line item in a budget somewhere for taping practices. It wouldn't have been difficult for Pernetti to have found out that some of the practices were taped. This reminds me of "Casablanca" where Captain Renault is shocked to find out that there is gambling going on at Rick's.

I haven't seen anyone ask how Murdoch was able to gain access to the tapes.

 

[stick]

The 30 minutes of tape in the public domain was apparently made from 250 hours of tape of practices made over two seasons: 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. That works out to 125 hours per season. I think I can be pretty confident is saying that Rutgers practiced more than 125 hours per season. The existing tapes cover only a portion of the practices. That opens several questions 1: were all the practices taped; 2: if so what happened to the other tapes; 3: if all the practices weren't taped, who decided what should/should not be taped?

I'd also be interested in who had knowledge of the taping of practices. Having had some considerable experience with public sector budgeting; I believe that there should have been a line item in a budget somewhere for taping practices. It wouldn't have been difficult for Pernetti to have found out that some of the practices were taped. This reminds me of "Casablanca" where Captain Renault is shocked to find out that there is gambling going on at Rick's.

I haven't seen anyone ask how Murdoch was able to gain access to the tapes.

Van Natta article


From Don Van Natta Jr.'s ESPN article

A trove of practice videos
At every Rutgers practice, a team manager sits several rows up in the bleachers with a video camera and records the plays. The video is of the action and is intended to help the coaches; the camera is usually stopped after the action stops. The camera that caught Rice bullying players -- rocketing balls at their feet, backs and heads, pushing them, shoving them, shrieking homophobic slurs at them -- all happened before the camera was turned off after each stop in the action. "That's what people don't understand," Murdock says. "It often got worse after the camera was shut off."

After each practice, each coach was given a copy of the practice DVD to watch and study. Murdock had some of those DVDs, but his lawyers decided to file a public records request with Rutgers for all of the DVDs compiled in the two years Murdock was employed there. It took several months for Murdock's lawyers to receive more than 300 DVDs.

This past fall, Murdock painstakingly reviewed many of the recordings, marking the time of bad behavior by Rice on the DVD. He turned over the DVDs to a friend who does videography. On a 30-minute DVD, Murdock's friend strung together a lowlight reel of Rice's abuse. The intention was to bring the video to Pernetti to prove to him what Murdock had told him in the summer, Murdock and his lawyer say.