The most interesting development brought forth about Rutgers University in recent months is their glaring lack of oversight. Who exactly is in charge of the hiring process? First the continuous and abusive anger issues of Mike Rice, and now we find out that the new Athletic Director (the old one was fired as a result of Rice) was accused of intimidation and emotional abuse by players in the ‘90s.
Julie Hermann was hired two weeks ago to clean up the joke that Rutgers athletic has become, and now, she’ contributing to the embarrassment. She hasn’t even officially started yet and it’s already going downhill. So much so, that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie wants to have a sit-down and make sure everything is on the up and up.
No school athletic department is perfect and there are probably other schools out there with worse stains on their programs. Difference is, they haven’t been caught yet. Gov. Christie undoubtedly has more pressing matters to attend to, and his involvement shows just how worrisome the situation is at Rutgers.
Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak says the governor is aware of the report about Julie Hermann in The Star-Ledger of Newark, but wants to get more details before commenting.“He’s not going to make any judgments at this time,” Drewniak said in an email to The Associated Press on Sunday.
The Star-Ledger reported that Tennessee players wrote the mentality cruelty they suffered when Hermann was coach was unbearable, adding she called them “whores, alcoholics and learning disabled.”
Hermann was hired May15 to replace the ousted Tim Pernetti, who was let go after basketball coach Mike Rice was fired for abusive behavior.
The 49-year-old Hermann is scheduled to take over at Rutgers on June 17. She is set to become the first woman to run the Scarlet Knights’ athletic program and one of three female ADs at the 124 schools playing at college football’s top tier.
