Nearly 12 years after he was fired by Rutgers for physically abusing players and spewing homophobic slurs at them, Mike Rice is involved in a different kind of controversy.
The 55-year-old was hired in May to coach the boys’ basketball team at Linden High School in New Jersey on a $9,503 coaching stipend, but what wasn’t previously known until it was reported by NJ.com on Monday is that Rice also received a one-year, $150,000 contract to be a “facilitator of athletic academic assistance/community resources” in a newly created role.
The revelation has prompted questions about whether Rice is actually helping kids with academics (and whether he’s the right person to fill such a role) or if this is a workaround to provide him more money for his basketball gig.
“My opinion is that the employment of this individual as a coach is not uncommon, but his subsequent employment to a full-time position represents a sharp departure from normal practice,” Marc Gaswirth, a former assistant superintendent in Marlboro, told NJ.com.
Michael Wattkis, a spokesperson for the Linden Board of Education, told the website that Rice’s “responsibilities are heavily centered on NCAA compliance, academic oversight, and college recruitment, areas that require specialized expertise and frequent interaction with college recruiters. For example, he has implemented a rigorous academic monitoring system that has already resulted in a 20% increase in student-athletes engaging with NCAA programs, directly expanding their post-secondary opportunities.”
Rice was the Rutgers men’s head coach for three seasons before he was fired in April 2013 after video showed him kicking players and throwing basketballs at them, in addition to using anti-gay slurs toward them.
He and the university reached a $475,000 settlement after his firing.
“Mike Rice was selected for his extensive experience at the collegiate level, where he developed a reputation for fostering competitive teams and preparing players for NCAA programs,” Wattkis told NJ.com. “His expertise in player development and leadership has already made a measurable impact, with the boys’ team improving their defensive strategies and reducing turnovers by 25%.
“His disciplined approach has created a more structured environment that inspires players to perform at their best both on the court and in the classroom.”
