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Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

ATLANTA -- The National Association of Basketball Coaches released a statement Thursday on the Mike Rice situation that has gobbled up much of college basketball's attention this week, saying it "stands ready to participate in constructive dialogue regarding how best to address any such circumstances and to hold our membership responsible as guardians of the game."

There was plenty of dialogue Thursday from the Final Four coaches on Rice, who was fired by Rutgers on Wednesday in the wake of video footage detailing his over-the-line treatment of players. But they did not want to entertain the idea that others in the coaching profession might employ similar tactics -- grabbing and shoving players, pelting them with basketballs and directing gay slurs at them.

"I think this is a very, very unique situation -- it is not representative of how Division I coaches in football or basketball represent themselves in practice," said Michigan coach John Beilein, whose Wolverines play Syracuse on Saturday at the Georgia Dome in the national semifinals.

"I absolutely do not believe there's that coaching style going on," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "I do not. I'll go out where you probably shouldn't go. I don't think there's a coach in the country that does that."

Louisville coach Rick Pitino pointed to his past as an NBA coach, traveling around the country and observing countless college practices. He said he saw a lot of coaches who were "very tough" on their players, but not to the point of physicality.

"Those things do not happen," said Pitino, whose team plays Wichita State. "You know, I've seen some coaches that may use rough language. But that just doesn't go on."

But it did at Rutgers. After the footage aired on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" on Tuesday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was among those who reacted with outrage, and by the next day Rice was unemployed and apologizing outside his home.

"I will at some time, maybe I'll try to explain it, but right now, there's no explanation for what's on those films," Rice told reporters. "Because there is no excuse for it. I was wrong. I want to tell everybody who's believed in me that I'm deeply sorry."

Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall expressed sympathy for Rice, saying: "I feel bad for Mike. I hope that he can get straight and figure out what he needs to do going forward, and gets another opportunity.

"I feel really bad for those young men. I hope it didn't impact any of them negatively to the point where they weren't able to be good basketball players and finish their careers. There's obviously a line that was crossed."

A line that didn't need to be crossed, Rice's former colleagues said.

"I think the tragedy is his team would have played exactly the same or better if he hadn't done any of that," Boeheim said. "If he never threw a ball, if he never touched anybody, his team would have played, I think, better."

Contact Joe Rexrode: 313-222-2625 or jrexrode@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @joerexrode. Check out his MSU blog at freep.com/heyjoe.