EDITORIAL BETWEEN THE LINES
Athletic Directors Can Learn From
Rutgers’ Carelessness By Kevin Hoffman, Managing Editor
khoffman@lesspub.com
M
y father always considered himself quite the handy- man, taking it upon himself to tackle various projects around our home while I was growing up. I remember a shirt he wore printed with the words, “Do it once. Do it right.” I enjoyed the irony because his projects rarely concluded without some degree of error.
That phrase came to mind recently in relation to Rutgers University, where men’s basketball coach Mike Rice was fired and athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned after a video made public revealed Rice’s behavior during prac- tices. Rice was suspended in 2012 for three games and fined $50,000 after Rutgers officials watched the tape, showing him throwing balls at players and making insensitive remarks. Rice’s actions were deplorable, but what’s worse is administrators watched the tape and determined they weren’t severe enough to cost Rice his job. Only after public outrage did the university go back on that decision. Rutgers did not do it once. Rutgers did not do it right. Imagine for a moment how this
played out. Whether it was Per- netti or university president Robert Barchi, someone watched video of Rice grabbing and shoving players during practice. Someone watched him rifling balls at players’ feet and heads. Someone watched him use homophobic slurs. And in the end, someone said, “That’s not that bad.” I cannot for the life of me determine how someone reaches that conclusion. The footage was a portrait of a weak man who appeared to compensate for his shortcomings as a coach with in- timidation and rage. If you’re not tal- ented enough to motivate and teach your athletes in an acceptable manner,
6 May/June 2013
then it’s time to find a new career. I’m not saying coaches shouldn’t be tough. Coaches are teachers and lessons are occasionally served with strict instruction and discipline. But knowing where that line is and not crossing it is part of the job. Pernetti’s situation is different be- cause we don’t know where he stood. He publicly defended keeping Rice employed but after resigning, reports surfaced that he wanted Rice fired and the administration wouldn’t allow it. This teaches us the value in evalu- ating your program and considering how you would handle such a situ- ation—something Rutgers didn’t do. The fact that the university didn’t get it right the first time shows a level of incompetence that will hang over the athletic department.
Consider how well you know your
staff. Create a strategy for dealing with difficult situations, and assemble a team to discuss options and potential ramifications.
I had the opportunity to speak with
several sports attorneys and get their input on the Rutgers ordeal. Robert E. Wallace, Jr., a St. Louis attorney who has worked with college and profes- sional teams, put it best by saying ath- letic directors simply must use com- mon sense. Upon witnessing Rice’s behavior, a reasonable person should understand it has no place in college athletics, he says.
What made matters worse is the lack of transparency. Wallace says had Rutgers been more open about Rice’s actions, there wouldn’t be the percep- tion of a cover-up once the public saw for itself. Penn State paid for that mis- take and Rutgers will too. You may get second chances, but they don’t come without consequence. Do it once. Do it right.
LESSITER PUBLICATIONS, Inc. P.O. Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624 Phone: (800) 645-8455 • Fax: (262) 782-1252 Email:
info@lesspub.com www.coachad.com
May/June 2013 EDITORIAL
coachad.com
MANAGING EDITOR Kevin Hoffman (ext. 422)
khoffman@lesspub.com
WEB EDITOR Michelle Sauer (ext. 435)
msauer@lesspub.com
DESIGN & PRODUCTION
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jeff Lazewski (ext. 423)
jlazewski@lesspub.com
ART DIRECTOR Christopher Nielsen (ext. 418)
nielsen@lesspub.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER Amy Johnson (ext. 409)
ajohnson@lesspub.com
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
VICE PRESIDENT AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Patrick Sharpe (ext. 405)
psharpe@lesspub.com
SENIOR MANAGER OF DATA & AD SERVICES Bree Greenawalt (ext. 408)
breeg@lesspub.com
MARKETING MANAGER Katie Uhen (ext. 427)
kuhen@lesspub.com
MARKETING SPECIALIST Joanne Jones (ext. 442)
jjones@lesspub.com
CIRCULATION MANAGER Sue Ramstack (ext. 407)
sramstack@lesspub.com
DATA MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATE Donna Schwierske (ext. 406)
dschwierske@lesspub.com
E-MEDIA
E-MEDIA DIRECTOR Jeremy McGovern (ext. 410)
jmcgovern@lesspub.com
CORPORATE
CHAIRMAN/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Frank Lessiter (ext. 402)
lessitef@lesspub.com
PRESIDENT Mike Lessiter (ext. 403)
mlessiter@lesspub.com
VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Michael Storts (ext. 433)
mstorts@lesspub.com
ACCOUNTING MANAGER Jim Perszyk (ext. 421)
perszyk@lesspub.com
CONFERENCE & EVENTS MANAGER Alice Musser (ext. 413)
mussera@lesspub.com
ADVERTISING INFORMATION:
ADVERTISING/E-MEDIA SALES Fox Associates, Inc. (800-440-0231) Email:
adinfo.chd@
foxrep.com
MEDIA SALES Katie Uhen (ext. 427)
kuhen@lesspub.com
AD SERVICES MANAGER Lynn Burnside (ext. 430)
lburnside@lesspub.com
PUBLISHER Patrick Sharpe (ext. 405)
psharpe@lesspub.com
PUBLISHER EMERITUS Bruce Weber
bweber@lesspub.com
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD: TOM BASS, Former NFL Assistant, Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers & San Diego Chargers
DR. DAVID HOCH, Retired Athletic Director, Baltimore County, Md.
MIKE NITKA, Director of Human Performance, Muskego High School, Wis.
ABE WEHMILLER, Athletic Director, Lakeside School, Seattle, Wash.
ALAN STEIN, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Nike Elite DeMatha Catholic High School, Md.
PETE KITTEL, Athletic Director, Football and Basketball Coach, Brillion High School, Wis.
Published and copyrighted 2013 by Lessiter Publications, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.
COACH & ATHLETIC DIRECTOR is published 8 times annually with issues in January, February, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, September, October, Nov/Dec by Lessiter Publications, PO Box 624 Brookfield, WI 53008-0624.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the U.S. to qualified Youth, Scholastic, Collegiate or Professional Athletic Directors and Coaches. Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscribers. One year subscriptions for nonqualified individuals: U.S. $19.95; Outside of U.S. $24.95 (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single issues available (prepaid only) $4 each. For change of address or subscription information, call 262-782-4480 or fax 262-786-5564. Application to mail at periodical postage prices is pending at Brookfield, WI and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Please send change of address Coach & Athletic Director, Attn: Circulation, PO Box 624, Brookfield, WI 53008-0624, USA.
coachad.com
Vol. 82, Issue 7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58