Mike Rice

[Halldan1]

Today's question focuses on Mike Rice former Rutgers head coach.

Does he deserve a chance to coach again this season in college BB or is it too soon?

Rice has openly been campaigning for a college job this spring with intent to leave the Patrick School. Would he be a good choice to be hired by a power 6 college program?

BTW, word is that SJU would like to hire him but the school's administration seems to be balking.

 

[Hall91]

I think most people deserve a second chance. Would probably be good for him to come up via an Asst again. But I do think many schools will push back on the thought of hiring him.

 

[HallX2]

Today's question focuses on Mike Rice former Rutgers head coach.

Does he deserve a chance to coach again this season in college BB or is it too soon?

Rice has openly been campaigning for a college job this spring with intent to leave the Patrick School. Would he be a good choice to be hired by a power 6 college program?

BTW, word is that SJU would like to hire him but the school's administration seems to be balking.

He should get a second chance. There has to be some redemption and he seems to deserve that chance.

 

[Halldan1]

I believe many in basketball circles want to hire him. He's BB knowledgeable with excellent contacts.

I think the problem is from above. Wherever he goes that school is going to get negative publicity and the administration is going to have to weigh that bad pub against whatever positives he brings to the team.

Chris Chavannes at the Patrick School believes he's gone. But if nothing opens up does he come back for another year to the Elizabeth school?

If I needed a very good assistant and was confident that he has learned his lesson, which I believe he has, I would extend an offer.

 

[cernjSHU]

What Mike Rice was doing at practice happened all over the place by different coaches. Throwing basketballs at players legs and God forbid cursing and using language questioning player's manhood is pretty common. Unfortunately for Rice, someone filmed him making the sausage. And, in a hyper politically correct environment, Mike Rice became a pariah.

I certainly think Mike Rice deserves a second chance. He is a really good basketball coach. Look at the difference between a Rice coached RU basketball team and a Gary Waters or a Eddie Jordan.
He will get a job as a HC coach but it will be at a low D-1 level. For his sake, I hope he gets the opportunity.

As far as an assistant in a power 5 conference, well, eventually he will find a landing place. It is just a matter of time.

 

[hallgrad80]

The question isn't about his abilities as a coach or a recruiter but whether any school wants to expose itself to the media spotlight on Mike's past transgressions which will surely follow his hiring. Personally I'd give him a second chance and hire him.

 

[Shuathelete]

I feel like the whole throwing basketballs is a bit psychotic lol. But i thought the players came to his defense during that and actually said they liked him.

TBH i dont think there would be a huge media storm. They would definitely try to hype it up but i dont think anyone would care. He was the Rutgers coach not some blue blood school.

Typically, if the guy is good he will get hired.

 

[The Crows Nest]

Today's question focuses on Mike Rice former Rutgers head coach.

Does he deserve a chance to coach again this season in college BB or is it too soon?

Rice has openly been campaigning for a college job this spring with intent to leave the Patrick School. Would he be a good choice to be hired by a power 6 college program?

BTW, word is that SJU would like to hire him but the school's administration seems to be balking.

People deserve chances, and if he has done what he needed to do....and shows to be a different person, I would have no issues hiring him. His value to the program in terms of contacts, etc., is a given. Heck when I was reading that SHU might be a landing spot for him, I would have been happy to have him. Would not want to see him at SJU.

He does, of course, have to have a short leash

 

[MBF72]

Yet Rick Pitino continues to coach at the highest level!

Guess its [much] more about wins and losses...mostly wins.

 

[Shuathelete]

i would take rice as an assistant in a second

 

[Section112]

He deserves another chance but he has to start with an assistant position and work his way back up again.

And what he was doing was extremely wrong and inconsistent with current practices at the time and frankly crazy. There is simply no place for that - go back and watch the video and his assistants should be blackballed too as they were doing the same stuff. You cannot give him a pass for the stuff he was doing.

But now he has taken steps to learn and rehab and improve and clearly knows basketball and seems to like working with kids. And the kids seem to like working with him which is the ultimate test IMO. It seems he has learned the hardest of lessons and has a much better appreciation of his job and what he loves to do and I doubt he would go back to some of those practices again. He lost too much. I think it's time for someone to give him another shot.

 

[Burnsly]

That filmed practice was extremely troubling& memorable. Too soon.

 

[SoOrange84]

That filmed practice was extremely troubling& memorable. Too soon.

While I too find the video troubling, the fact is he has already started coaching again, albeit at the H.S. and AAU level, without incident and I for one would love to see him on the bench at SHU next year.

 

[HALL85]

Yet Rick Pitino continues to coach at the highest level!

Guess its [much] more about wins and losses...mostly wins.

I was about to say the same thing. No skirting around what Rice did...it was wrong, but in some ways it pales in comparison to Pitino's past transgressions, yet he gets a slap on the wrist.

Seems like Rice is trying to re-earn his rep and starting from the bottom. If he's changed his ways, someone will take a chance and hire him.

 

[bigraym]

Definitely, Mike Rice, and everyone which probably includes all of us included, deserve a 2nd chance...who will offer it is another story

 

[hallgrad80]

Let's not forget that we have an assistant coach who engaged in a troubling incident at a college baseball game and he was given a second chance and so many times it does work out when you're given a second chance.

 

[donnie_baseball]

Let's not forget that we have an assistant coach who engaged in a troubling incident at a college baseball game and he was given a second chance and so many times it does work out when you're given a second chance.

That was blown way out of proportion, and was part of the "railroading" process that rutgers employs when it wants to part ways with someone. Not comparable at all.

 

[seton1996]

I think he deserves a 2nd shot, the question is should it be now or does he need to wait a little while longer?

I think his best shot at coming back is taking an assistant at a mid level school or head coach position at lower level school. I think those situations would help as there would be less scrutiny on his hire, but gets him back in college game and would make it easier on the next school if he wants to move on to more marquee school down the road.

 

[Halldan1]

I have been told that a year ago he had lower level offers in college but was told to go back to the Patrick School for one more year and then the offers would come from higher profile schools.

To date he's getting not much more than feelers and understandably getting frustrated.

 

[HALL85]

I have been told that a year ago he had lower level offers in college but was told to go back to the Patrick School for one more year and then the offers would come from higher profile schools.

To date he's getting not much more than feelers and understandably getting frustrated.

Well if that's true, he needs to be patient. He created the situation he is in, so no one owes him anything. Keep plugging and hope opportunities arise.

 

[Shuathelete]

Is he not getting looks from mid/high mid majors?

Seems like the exact coach that a smaller school looking to compete would hire. Its a relatively big name whose past makes him attainable. then he takes them to the tourney, gets offer from bigger school, all is forgotten.

 

[garyshu71]

Some day he will have a great player in his hip pocket and get a great assistant job at a big school.

 

[seton1996]

I have been told that a year ago he had lower level offers in college but was told to go back to the Patrick School for one more year and then the offers would come from higher profile schools.

To date he's getting not much more than feelers and understandably getting frustrated.

Interesting, do you know if those offers were to be a head coach? If they were and he wants back into the college game, than not sure why he would not take.
With his baggage, being out of the college game for a few years, the fact he didn't exactly tear it up on the court at Rutgers, and no bigger schools have called, if he wants back in the game going to have to start out on the bottom.

 

[Seton75]

He coaches the Ranney kids in AAU, doesn't he? If we wanted to hire him, I would be OK with it, assuming he is really passed his issues.

His offensive wisdom would be a good thing for Willard to have around.

 

[Seton75]

Well if that's true, he needs to be patient. He created the situation he is in, so no one owes him anything. Keep plugging and hope opportunities arise.

At some point, he has to go get a job that actually pays him a living wage...

 

[Fishjam]

Things that Rice did were done by many coaches in all sports in previous generations. Coaches have immense power over kids and many of them go a bit too far. Thankfully, in today's society and social media environment coaches simply can't get away with as much bullying and boorish behavior.

Like others have said, if Mike Rice was a winning coach at Rutgers, he would definitely have a job somewhere and IMO he deserves a 2nd chance. But I think he has to be patient or start at a very low level in college. If he has no college offers he is probably better off staying where he is as working with St Pats and Team Izod he has more contact with college coaches and decision-makers than anywhere else and sooner or later he will get a job.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

Second chances are not given out so easily in today's media crazy world. Mike Rice made a mistake. No matter how qualified Rice is for the job, getting the chance he deserves may not happen. The pitcher from Oregon State, a projected second round MLB pick, went undrafted because no team wants the negative publicity. It amazed me how Adam "Pacman" Jones gets 200 chances and keeps screwing them up and Mike Rice or this pitcher from OSU have careers that may have ended. I guess football is a different animal.

 

[Halldan1]

Interesting, do you know if those offers were to be a head coach? If they were and he wants back into the college game, than not sure why he would not take.
With his baggage, being out of the college game for a few years, the fact he didn't exactly tear it up on the court at Rutgers, and no bigger schools have called, if he wants back in the game going to have to start out on the bottom.

I spoke directly to Chris Chavannes after the Duval/Walker game attended by our posters. Chris told me that Mike Rice wasn't coming back because he expected him to get high level assistant coaching offers now that he had paid his dues.

I was eventually told that SJU made inquires but the school's admins balked. If any of our SJU readers have more info I would be interested in hearing from them.

 

[Burnsly]

The video showed he was an abusive bully with obvious mental health issues. Still amazed at the restraint of those Rutgers kids.

 

[Pirate64]

Hire him but one false move and he's out.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

The video showed he was an abusive bully with obvious mental health issues. Still amazed at the restraint of those Rutgers kids.

So what is the answer for those people in society? Do we lock them up in a home somewhere and not let them out? Do we stop them from ever working again, forcing taxpayers to pay for the livelihood?

The guy is not a criminal. Unfortunately today's society is extremely unforgiving. Coach Knight's career wouldn't have lasted as long as Rice's in today's world.

Mike Rice is a highly qualified individual for the position of head basketball coach in the NCAA. Whoever takes the gamble and hires him will be happy they did. There are plenty of people who have learned from their past and becomes better at their profession as well as better people. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And I definitely believe he will make the best of his second chance if he gets one.

 

[SoOrange84]

So what is the answer for those people in society? Do we lock them up in a home somewhere and not let them out? Do we stop them from ever working again, forcing taxpayers to pay for the livelihood?

The guy is not a criminal. Unfortunately today's society is extremely unforgiving. Coach Knight's career wouldn't have lasted as long as Rice's in today's world.

Mike Rice is a highly qualified individual for the position of head basketball coach in the NCAA. Whoever takes the gamble and hires him will be happy they did. There are plenty of people who have learned from their past and becomes better at their profession as well as better people. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And I definitely believe he will make the best of his second chance if he gets one.

I agree 100% and could not have said it better myself.

 

[HALL85]

At some point, he has to go get a job that actually pays him a living wage...

Sure, and that would go for most of society. If HS gig doesn't pay enough, get something that does, however no one owes him a head coaching job.

 

[lloyde dobler]

The issue that no one has mentioned -- and speaks to what the cesspool is all about -- is that people are fearful of hiring him because they are worried about it being held against them on the recruiting trail.

So much of it is not what we can do for you as a player, it's how we can trash the other schools to make you want to play for us.

 

[donnie_baseball]

I have nothing against Mike Rice, and certainly hope he is able to maintain his livelihood, for his sake, and his family's. What I'd like to know is what makes him "relatively big name," or "highly qualified?" We are all familiar with him, as the former coach of an in-state rival. Most of the ESPN-watching populace knows him as the raving lunatic who almost beat Villanova, and then beaned his players with basketballs at a perennially losing program. Yes, he had a good record versus Kevin Willard, but what else?

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

What I'd like to know is what makes him "relatively big name," or "highly qualified?"

The guy went to a postseason tournament in all 3 years as HC of Robert Morris (1 NIT, 2 NCAA's). He worked hard on the recruiting trail, landed some quality recruits and was a good in game coach. He just needed a couple more years and he really would have had Rutgers in a good place. If KW and company make the NCAA tournament this upcoming season he will be one of only two coaches to bring SHU to the dance 3 times. Neither PJ nor KW had accomplished big things in the W column their 1st 4 years at a high level school. However our ADs knew we had a guy who was highly qualified.

 

[SJUBall]

From what I've heard SJU still wants to hire him. I'm guessing it's the administration. Frankly I'd love to hire him. I think he'd help in a lot of ways. Tireless worker, would likely be enlisted to focus on defense and some recruiting as well. I hope SJU does hire him. He's a good resource and undoubtedly deserves a second chance.

 

[Halldan1]

 

[Fzacsattac]

I hope that we hire him if an opening came up.

 

[hinson32]

I hope that we hire him if an opening came up.

I can see it now, Willard leaves for a new job. Holloway takes over and has a staff of FHJ, Mike Rice and Gary Waters.