F.B.I. Said to Study Rutgers Ex-Assistant

[alp227]

Source: NYT

The F.B.I. is investigating whether the assistant coach at Rutgers who first voiced concerns about the abusive behavior of his boss, Mike Rice, tried to extort the university.

As part of its investigation, an F.B.I. agent recently visited the office of Tim Pernetti, the athletic director, who on Friday became the latest official to resign, according to a university official who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

In December, a lawyer representing the former assistant coach, Eric Murdock, a retired N.B.A. player, sent a letter to the university demanding $950,000, the university official said. The letter — which was first reported by ESPN on Friday — was sent two weeks after Rice was suspended for three games for the abusive behavior that eventually got him fired.

The university declined to pay, and Murdock eventually publicized video footage that showed Rice kicking his players, throwing basketballs at them and taunting them with homophobic slurs. The footage has sparked a scandal that has led to the resignations or dismissals of at least four Rutgers officials.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/sports/ncaabasketball/fbi-said-to-be-investigating-ex-assistant-to-rice.html

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Last night I posted a timeline of my own research at the Sports forum showing that Rutgers was initially very vague about why the university suspended Rice. In the first days after the suspension, media was very inconsistent in reporting, and it took anonymous sources to provide clues of what Rice did. On Dec. 14 (the day after the suspension began), the New York Times reported: "The behavior did not involve a physical altercation or any contact with a player," yet the Star-Ledger of Newark, NJ reported that Rice threw basketballs at players! The next day, the New York Post suggested that Rice made "vulgar references to female genitalia" in practices. On April 4, The Star-Ledger reported that the president of Rutgers knew for MONTHS about the video but only requested to watch the video AFTER the ESPN segment!

Rutgers' early inaction and lack of transparency really got the university in this mess.

[matt819]

1. The more accurate "apology"

Of course, it would be most accurate if the apology went something like, "We are sorry we got caught. . ." Or, "we're sorry if anyone not involved with the school was offended. . . "

[DallasNE]

2. So Rice Gets $1,000,000 While Murdock

Gets a call from the FBI? Something doesn't seem right here. Plus, there is no context to Murdock seeking payment so unless the full letter is released we can't know whether this is extortion or simply an attempt to negotiate his departure. One wouldn't think an open letter would be a very effective way of extorting Rutgers since it would be a smoking gun. Since Murdock is suing Rutgers my guess is that this is Rutgers playing hardball in the negotiation process by going after the character of Murdock in this manner.

[DeSwiss]

3. FBI man can't jump!

Hey FBI, I wasn't extorting nobody. As they say on WALL STREET: ''I was just RE-NEGOTIATING my contract.''

Because you see, in light of all the cursing, the homophobic diatribes, the pushing and shoving, and the basketball throwing and hitting, well after I'd seen all THAT, I realized that I'd just become a much more valuable member of the team. And to keep me {quiet}, they should pay me for it.

It's the 'ol America-way......

- And um... FBI, speaking of WALL STREET, seen any crooked bankers lately?