ATLANTA – Ethics discussion
More than two dozen small-college and assistant coaches gathered at the Final Four Thursday for a seminar on ethics as the fallout continued following the firing of Rutgers coach Mike Rice.
Talk about timely.
The seminar was scheduled as part of the National Association of Basketball Coaches' professional development series long before a video surfaced of Rice physically and verbally abusing his players. The seminar was led by Craig Impleman, a longtime assistant coach who happened to marry the granddaughter of John Wooden.
The longtime coach of UCLA, Wooden is one of the most revered coaches in the history of the game, both for his prowess — he won 10 national championships — and the way he went about his work: He was praised throughout his life for treating others with respect, earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom and helped to develop an entire generation of leaders.
One can only guess what Wooden would have thought after seeing video of Rice uttering gay slurs, shoving players and throwing basketballs at them in practices.
The NABC issued a statement Thursday that said its "board of directors does not condone these actions nor does it believe it is reflective in any form or fashion of the conduct of men's basketball coaches as they coach their teams.
— Dave Skretta — http://twitter.com/@APdaveskretta
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NCAA Finals Watch follows the Final Four games and all the activities surrounding the event as seen by journalists from The Associated Press from across Atlanta. It will be updated throughout the day with breaking news and other items of interest. Follow AP reporters on Twitter where available.
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