The “inappropriate and consensual” relationship that ended Pat Hobbs' nine years as Rutgers' athletic director included a nearly $1 million contract and some rather awkward “love” comments. .
Hobbs shockingly resigned as the Scarlet Knights' athletic director in August citing health concerns, and Rutgers is investigating Hobbs' relationship with gymnastics coach Umme Salim-Beasley. They didn't even try to hide it. According to NJ Advance Media.
“It was an open secret,” one former employee told the magazine.
Hobbs hired Salim Beasley: May 11, 2018 Coaching the women's gymnastics teamThe two eventually began what the outlet described as an “inappropriate” and “consensual relationship.”
The athletic director spent more time with the gymnastics program than would normally be allotted at a major Division I program, moving to the same location as Salim Beasley at least five times in an 11-month period starting last summer, NJ Advance Media reported. It is reported that he did.
Hobbs and Salim Beasley are both married and have children, and the coach is married to former Jets cornerback Aaron Beasley.
For those who witnessed the scene, a special interaction between the two men stood out.
Two gymnasts told the outlet last winter that Hobbs participated in a tarot card reading at an athletic club social event and was asked about the most important thing in life.
The former athletic director looked at Salim Beasley and said, “Love.”
“It was very strange,” one gymnast told the magazine. “It's really hard to put into words, but they were sitting next to each other and looking into each other's eyes. You could feel some kind of tension between them. All of their teammates were like, 'What's going on here?' We looked at each other with strange expressions like, “Is this happening?''
Hobbs and Salim-Beasley appear to have taken no special steps to hide their relationship, with Hobbs described as a “regular attender of the team's practices and games.”
According to reports, he attended the team's Fish MLK Junior Invitational in January and the two laughed after he handed her a heart-shaped sign that read, “I love you, Pat.”
“We were like, 'That's really weird,'” one gymnast told the magazine.
Rutgers Discrimination and Harassment Policy Mr Hobbs, who was Salim Beasley's supervisor, said romantic relationships involving supervisors pose “particular problems” and that the university should “prevent romantic relationships, relationships and intimacy between university employees that create an imbalance of power”. “We strongly discourage sexual relations, because one individual holds the power.” You are in a position to make decisions that may affect the other person's educational opportunities, employment, or career. ”
According to NJ Advance Media, Hobbs has the power to make decisions that affect a coach's career, and the first three contracts include “annual base salary increases to be paid solely based on the decisions of the Director of Athletics.” It is said that it was written.
Salim Beasley's contract will reportedly increase from $95,000 in his first season in 2019 to $165,000 this season and reach $195,000 in 2028, the final year of his contract. .
According to the publication, she signed a five-year, $995,000 contract on February 24, 2023, making her tied for the third-highest salary in the conference this year besides Penn State.
Meanwhile, Big Ten champion Michigan State coach Mike Rowe will earn just $141,500 in 2024, the newspaper reported.
Salim-Beasley's Rutgers biography touts record-breaking performances during her tenure, but the team is 4-50 in Big Ten dual competition over the past six years and 55-100 overall. It's nothing more than that.
The program's 2-43 Big Ten record over the past five years is the school's worst record of any sports team during that time period, according to the report.
To make matters worse, Rutgers University began investigating the program in September due to allegations of bullying, favoritism, and revenge. According to the Associated Press.
Both gymnasts questioned whether Hobbs had treated their complaints with appropriate respect given the relationship that had surfaced.
“The first thing I said to him was, 'I want you to put aside your personal relationship with Umme and listen to me as a student-athlete,'” one gymnast told the magazine. told. “He said, 'What are you talking about? A personal relationship? That's not true.' If you're getting defensive, it seems like it's true.”
Another source said, “At first he said he didn't have a personal relationship with Umme, but then he said he had a personal relationship with all the head coaches. So which is it? Buddy?
According to the report, Hobbs actually received approximately 110% of his salary from Rutgers University in June, when former Rutgers Board of Trustees Chairman Mark Angelson notified him of the investigation and that the university would not increase his salary. He was offering a raise from his annual salary of $1,000. .
Two months later, Hobbs received a formal notice from a company about the pending investigation and the need to hand over the electronic equipment.
Hobbs then resigned on August 16, citing health concerns.
“After meeting with the heart team this week and being informed of the latest test results, it is clear that I cannot continue to serve as athletic director given the requirements of the position,” Hobbs said in a statement to the school's principal. told Jonathan. Email from Holloway. “We understand this is not the ideal time frame for departure, but other factors must take priority.”
