Video shows Rutgers basketball coach shoving players

NEWARK, N.J. - Rutgers said it would reconsider its decision to retain men's basketball coach Mike Rice after a videotape was televised showing him shoving, grabbing, and throwing balls at players in practice and using gay slurs.

The videotape, shown Tuesday on ESPN, prompted scores of outraged social-media comments as well as sharp criticism from Gov. Christie and Miami Heat star LeBron James.

Athletic director Tim Pernetti was given a copy of the video in late November by a former employee. He suspended Rice for three games a month later, fined him $50,000, and ordered him to attend anger-management classes.

In an interview Tuesday with New York's WFAN radio, Pernetti said that university president Robert Barchi also viewed the tape last fall and agreed with the punishment.

Lijah Thompson, a former Monsignor Bonner High star who played under Rice for one season at Robert Morris, said the coach he played for was "nothing like the video." Thompson said Rice was a good coach who made practice fun through competition.

"He's just a hard-nosed coach," Thompson said. "He's like a drill sergeant."

"I liked him," said Velton Jones, who played at North Catholic and under Rice at Robert Morris. "He was a cool guy, fun to be around."

Jones said Rice had a lot of energy in practice but was not physical with his players.

Jimmy Martelli, son of St. Joseph's coach Phil Martelli, is an assistant on Rice's Rutgers staff.

ESPN's report prompted an outcry, led by the governor himself.

"Governor Christie saw the video today for the first time, and he is obviously deeply disturbed by the conduct displayed and strongly condemns this behavior," spokesman Michael Drewniak said. "It's not the type of leadership we should be showing our young people, and clearly there are questions about this behavior that need to be answered by the leaders at Rutgers University."

James weighed in with a tweet: "If my son played for Rutgers or a coach like that, he would have some real explaining to do and I'm still gone whoop on him afterwards! C'mon."

Rice, who was hired by Pernetti three years ago, is 44-51 at Rutgers, including 16-38 in the Big East, after going 73-31 in three seasons at Robert Morris. The Scarlet Knights went 15-16 this season and 5-13 in the Big East.

In February 2011, Holy Family coach John O'Connor resigned after a videotape showed him knocking one of his players, Matt Kravchuk, to the floor during a drill in practice. He is now an assistant at Lafayette.