Rutgers President Passes Buck as Pernetti Resigns

The Rutgers scandal hasn't been something we've covered a lot here over the past few days as we chose other outlets, ones with interesting angles and more to say. Let's be honest, what could we have said here that wouldn't have been said anywhere else? But, on Friday the news came down that Tim Pernetti was stepping down as AD at Rutgers and in his resignation from the Scarlet Knights he was able to shine a bright light on what really happened in the Mike Rice scandal.

Pernetti made it about as clear as you could that his instinct was to fire Rice upon seeing the nearly 40 minutes of tape. Instead university lawyers, HR professionals, and outside legal council advised against doing that and that is what he brought to Dr. Barchi as the recommendation. 

If true, and why lie on your way out the door in shame, I congratulate Pernetti on his instinct. However, how in the blue hell do you not say "screw you" to that legal bull and march right into the office of the President and tell him exactly what you're going to do or strap him into a chair and make the guy watch the tape as proof until he sees the moral and ethical case to fire Rice's ass.

Anderson elevates NCAA Dunk Contest

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest may be as played out as the frames, but no lenses look but perhaps it could take a lesson or two from the NCAA Dunk Contest - you know, like actually putting the best dunkers out for the fans to see.

Seriously, tell me you wouldn't be entertained by something like this?


Hell, when was the last time you even saw something like this in an NBA Dunk Contest? Perhaps 2007 from Gerald Green maybe.... at most.... Either way the NCAA Dunk Contest not surprisingly upstages it's professional counterpart by a mile. Remind you of any other comparison much?

Will UCLA Haste Come back to Bite?

The fact that Steve Alford has been named Head Coach at UCLA is old news now but it is interesting how the school handled Gregg Marshall in the whole hiring process.

UCLA tried to reach out to Marshall while his Wichita State team was in Los Angeles in the regional. But Marshall did the right thing and declined citing that he had this little thing such as coaching his team to a possible Final Four at hand. Whether that insulted the folks in Westwood or their impatience or panic grew, the Bruins moved on to Steve Alford without speaking with Marshall.

                                            Gregg Marshall

This simply does not sound like one of the 6 or 7 best programs in College Basketball. And this on the heels of being turned down by Shaka Smart and apparently Brad Stevens as well. What is going on in the house that the Wizard used to roam?

Gregg Marshall can flat out get it done. Just ask those at Winthrop where he took that school to several NCAA Tournament appearances before leaving to build something very solid in Wichita. Now the Shockers are in the Final Four and UCLA has a coach who has struggled to get his teams out of the early rounds of the tournament. No disrespect is meant towards Alford who is a winner and may do a fine job at UCLA, but his hiring smells of settling, something a program of their calibre shouldn't have to do. History will show us if it was the right move.

Mike Rice: A Lesson in What not to Do in Coaching or Life

Outside the Lines is about as flagship a program on ESPN as SportsCenter is and on Tuesday they sure made a lot of headlines with their story on Mike Rice, the head basketball coach (for now) at Rutgers University. In the story they show video of Rice verbally and physically abusing players - an allegation brought about by former director of player development - Eric Murdock.

The video is disturbing to say the very least and the how and why of how ESPN got the film isn't nearly as important as the facts that the tapes lay bare. Look, we've probably all been yelled at and probably sworn at by a head coach in our times playing sports - it's about as common as breathing.

For me, that's not the issue, the issue for me is the rest of his language, calling his players homophobic slurs and emasculating his players - that's simply unacceptable. Even worse are the actions of physical abuse that are clear for everyone to see in the video linked above.

I have some personal experience with a controversial head coach to say the least. I grew up learning basketball from one of the most hard nosed coaches one will ever meet in the state of Wisconsin - he was a winner and he did it at two of the biggest high schools in my area.
He was also one tough S.O.B. and demanded a lot out of his players. Did he intimidate some people? Sure. Did he scare the crap out of some? Yes. Was he doing a verbal high-wire act at times? You bet. However, as controversial as he could be with how he treated some players, he also taught them how to be winners. He also never physically abused his players.

Rice was already suspended for his actions earlier in the 2012-13 season and fined $50,000 dollars - however no one really knew the exact why behind it. Now it's pretty clear what that why could've been.

2013 NCAA Tournament: We Have Yet to be Entertained

Congrats Louisville, Michigan, Syracuse, and Wichita State - you've made the 2013 Final Four. Too bad I'm less than excited to see this play out. Probably more so than I have been for any Final Four in recent memory. Don't worry you four, it's nothing you've done - heck you've been amazing and have given us some of the top memories that aren't FGCU related in this tournament. 

However, the other 64 of you in this 2013 tournament left a hell of a lot to be desired and dare I say you've ruined this tournament for me. No, seriously, this could very well be the least anxious I've been to see a Final Four play out since I can remember the Final Four (which was the 1988 tournament in case you were wondering). 

Just take the second weekend of the tournament this year. Outside of the Kansas vs. Michigan Sweet 16 game there wasn't a single memorable moment to speak of... at least in a positive manner. Outside of that moment, name more than one game that you'll actually remember five weeks from now, let alone five years from now.

There were plenty of moments to forget to say the least. From Marquette's incredibly embarrassing three-point shooting in the East regional final to Florida doing the ass-kicking and getting an ass-kicking the story of this tournament for the neutral fans of March Madness has been the lack of entertainment from what really matters - the on the court action.

D Leads Syracuse to Final Four

It wasn't exactly pretty and Syracuse didn't set the world on fire offensively, but the Orange used their 2-3 zone defense to perfection in blowing out Marquette, 55-39, to earn yet another Final Four appearance.

A trio of double digit scorers - James Southerland (16pts), C.J. Fair (13pts), and Michael Carter-Williams (12pts) - were the stars of the East regional final for Syracuse. All three also got it done on the defensive end of the court as well.

The Orange are going back to the Final Four for the first time in ten years, coincidentally also the last time they won the national championship. As for this game on Saturday afternoon in Washington, D.C. on rival Georgetown's home court there's really only one question that matters.

Was it poor shooting by Marquette or was it good defense from the Orange that won it? That will be the big debate that will be all over sports talk radio come Monday morning, just you watch. However, after watching this team all tournament long it's hard not to say it was all about the Syracuse defense.

Blue Devils Elite

The Duke Blue Devils got a monster game from Seth Curry and played some of their best defense of the season and advanced past Michigan State and into the Elite 8 with a 71-61 victory on Friday night. The win sets up a match up between the Blue Devils and the overall number one seed in the tournament, Louisville.

Louisville is the only 1 seed remaining in the tournament. The game will be a rematch of an early season battle between the two teams that Duke won.

The game will also feature a match up of two Hall of Fame coaches in Mike Krzyzewski and Rick Pitino.

Thanks to the NCAA, here are highlights of Duke's win on Friday night: