The former Rutgers assistant basketball coach whose videotaped compilation of practices started an investigation and eventual firing of head coach Mike Rice seems to have found a new calling: A restaurant.
Eric Murdock told USA Today that he and a business partner plan on opening Stapleton's Restaurant & Lounge in time for Memorial Day.
"It's something that's a great transition for me from playing and coaching to the rest of my life," he told the newspaper. "This is something I'll be hands-on with. I'll be here meeting and greeting people."
The restaurant is located in a strip mall in Raritan, N.J., which is about a half hour drive from the Rutgers campus. Murdock said it is named after his high school coach, Vaughn Stapleton and will reportedly specialize in seafood.
The former NBA player rocketed to the front of sports pages last month after releasing video to ESPN of his former boss allegedly abusing players over two years of practices at the New Jersey university.
After Rice was fired, the university reviewed practices of all of the coaches in its athletic department and later suspended its men's lacrosse coach with pay. The school's athletic director, Tim Pernetti, was also dismissed.
Murdock is suing the university for wrongful termination.
