A shocking video of coaching abuse that went viral on the sports web then leaked into the national mainstream news cycle this week has claimed its second high profile professional casualty -- but this may not be the last.
Rutgers athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned on Friday, two days after the university fired head basketball coach Mike Rice.
Rice became a source of national outrage and scorn after ESPN's Outside the Lines broadcast a video of him shoving players, throwing basketballs at them and denigrating them with homophobic slurs during practices this season. Here's the video:
Pernetti became a secondary villain in the story when it was revealed that he had actually seen the footage months ago. Rice was suspended for three games and fined $50,000 in November for reasons cryptically defined as violations of athletic department policy.
But harsh backlash from fans, media and high profile athletes including LeBron James after the video's public release apparently led to Rice's firing. Pernetti was criticized for not firing the coach until the video became a source national embarrassment, as opposed to simply dismissing Rice in November for his abusive treatment of players.
The plot thickened on Friday, however, when Pernetti said in his resignation letter to Rutgers president Robert Barchi that he had wanted to fire Rice back in November, but was held back by university bureaucracy.
This paragraph from the letter involves some serious buck-passing and has already turned a harsh lens upon Barchi:
As you know, my first instincts when I saw the videotape of Coach Rice's behavior was to fire him immediately. However, Rutgers decided to follow a process involving university lawyers, human resources professionals, and outside counsel. Following review of the independent investigative report, the consensus was that university policy would not justify dismissal. I have admitted my role in, and regret for, that decision, and wish that I had the opportunity to go back and override it for the sake of everyone involved.
Pernetti's resignation was lamented on Twitter by at least two high-profile alumni of the Rutgers athletic department, NFL twins Jason and Devin McCourty:
So RU made Pernetti resign but they are going to keep this clown as president...He still hasn't taken ownership in his role (D-Mac)— Jason+Devin McCourty (@McCourtyTwins) April 5, 2013
Highly doubt Rutgers finds an AD that was better than Pernetti! (J-Mac)— Jason+Devin McCourty (@McCourtyTwins) April 5, 2013
RU made @tim_pernetti a scapegoat (D-Mac)— Jason+Devin McCourty (@McCourtyTwins) April 5, 2013
Should Pernetti have resigned, or is he taking an unfair fall here? Give us your take in the comments.