Yes, that's right. The same guy that just got fired for yelling all kinds of hateful things and getting a little aggressive/violent with college kids is coaching little kids--hopefully he's learned a lesson at least.
Sadly, it doesn't sound like he has.
According to Hoopscritic.com, Rice has been coaching a 7th grade girls AAU team on a volunteer basis this season. How he was acting before getting fired is unknown, but since he's been fired you would think he would mind his P's and Q's a little more.
Instead, he's just as verbally abusive to the little kids as he was to the Rutgers team. Brian Geltzeiler has made the following tweets since making this discovery:
One of my moles is watching Mike Rice coach 12 year old girls at Holmdel High in NJ right now as crazy as ever yelling @ both refs and kids
— Brian Geltzeiler (@hoopscritic) April 14, 2013
Just this afternoon Rice told a 12 year old girl,"I can't even look at you" and the ref told my guy he would have T'd him up 2x if it was HS
— Brian Geltzeiler (@hoopscritic) April 14, 2013
Deadspin has picked up the story and a rebuttal piece has already been posted stating that the parents of the team actually support Rice and his tactics. If he is being misrepresented people then tell us what he is really doing!
Another person on the Twitter feed of @HoopsCritic found confirmation that Rice is up to his same ole tricks with these younger kids. It is interesting to see that while this person does not condone Rice and his actions she jokes about using them!
@hoopscritic Just found confirmation from someone else at that same game that Rice was there - unreal twitter.com/ItIsHighItIsFa…
— Diamond Joe (@ItIsHighItIsFar) April 14, 2013
Wow. This is just nuts people. I understand wanting your kids to become champions and learn how to play great basketball from what was a great college coach, but to support the tactics that he uses? Come on!
These are kids--whatever happened to love of the game and having fun?
The college kids can at least quit and get away from him. Can the 7th graders? Or are Mom and Dad making them play and calling it a character building experience? Yeah, kids need life experience in order to do that, but this is not the way.
After getting fired for acting this way and then even acting contrite about his actions you would think he would have learned a lesson. Apparently not.
I'm not one for condoning violence, but if Rice acted this way with my kids I would be inclined to do what Kobe Bryant suggested.
Don't be surprised if the calls don't come Rice. No team wants this kind of exposure.
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